H5N1 variant First human death in USA after bird flu infection
The largest wave of bird flu ever documented is currently spreading. In the USA, a person has now died for the first time following an infection.
06.01.2025, 23:27
dpa
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- In the USA, a person has now died for the first time after being infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus.
- He was over 65 years old and is said to have had other health problems.
- The patient had been in contact with both wild birds and a flock in his garden, according to the health authorities.
In the USA, a person has died for the first time after being infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus. It was a person over 65 years old who also had other health problems, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
The patient had been in contact with both wild birds and a flock in his garden, the authority said, without giving further details. The authorities had already reported in December that the person was the first patient in the USA to fall seriously ill after being infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus.
Risk to general population remains low
H5N1 avian influenza is currently widespread in wild birds around the world, and many wild mammals are also infected. In addition, the virus has recently led to outbreaks in poultry farms and dairy farms in the USA.
However, the extent of the outbreak is largely unclear due to a lack of data. The CDC has recorded cases mainly among employees of dairy and poultry farms, with mild cases. Human-to-human transmission has not yet been detected. The CDC continues to assess the risk to the general population as low. Around 60 human cases have recently been reported, including a child for the first time.