Louisiana Reports First Severe Bird Flu Illness In U.S.

This colorized electron microscope image released by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on March 26, 2024, shows avian influenza A H5N1 virus particles (yellow), grown in

Health officials in the United States have confirmed the first severe case of bird flu in the country, originating from Louisiana. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Wednesday that the infected individual had been in contact with sick and dead birds in backyard flocks.

While the CDC did not immediately provide details on the patient's symptoms, previous cases of bird flu in the U.S. have been mild, with the majority occurring among farmworkers exposed to sick poultry or dairy cows.