The new case brings the total number of infections in the United States during the current 2024 outbreak to 61, with other patients experiencing mild symptoms they recovered from at home.
The severity of the Louisiana case has heightened alarm, echoing similar cases worldwide. Last month, a teenager in Canada was also hospitalized with a severe case of bird flu.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Louisiana patient was exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks. However, no additional details, including the individual’s prognosis, have been disclosed.
“Over the 20-plus years of global experience with this virus, H5 infection has previously been associated with severe illness in other countries, including illnesses that resulted in death in up to 50 percent of cases,” Demetre Daskalakis, a senior CDC official told reporters on a call.
“The demonstrated potential for this virus to cause severe illness in people continues to highlight the importance of the joint… US federal response,” he added.
