Man, 66, dies from bird flu marking first fatal case of virus in US amid fears it has pandemic potential
A MAN has died from bird flu in the first deadly case of the virus in the US.
Experts previously made the horror discovery that H5N1 is just one mutation away from developing the ability to transmit person-to-person – sparking pandemic fears.
Louisiana health officials announced the tragic death on Monday.
Health officials have said the person was older than 65 and had underlying medical problems.
He had also been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.
They added that a genetic analysis suggested the bird flu virus had mutated inside the patient, which could have led to the more severe illness.
They have disclosed few other details about the person.
The origin of the Louisiana person’s infection was not considered a mystery.
But it was the first human case in the US linked to exposure to backyard birds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Louisiana officials say they are not aware of any other cases in their state, and US officials have said they do not have any evidence that the virus is spreading from person to person.
In December 2024, a 65-year-old man in Louisiana was hospitalised with the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu.
The H5N1 bird flu has been spreading widely among wild birds, poultry, cows and other animals.
Its growing presence in the environment increases the chances that people will be exposed, and potentially catch it, officials have said.
Officials continue to urge people who have contact with sick or dead birds to take precautions, including wearing respiratory and eye protection and gloves when handling poultry.
ONE MUTATION AWAY FROM PANDEMIC
Experts from the US recently discovered H5N1 is already just one mutation away from developing the ability to transmit person-to-person.
Scientists at Scripps Research in San Diego tested various genetic mutations on virus material from infected cattle.
They found that the Q226L mutation enhanced the virus’s ability to attach to human-like cell receptors, giving bird flu the potential to behave like other human flu viruses.
A recent case of bird flu suggests the virus might have already mutated to better spread among humans.
The case, spotted this month in a hospitalised Louisiana man, is the first “severe” bird flu case in the US, amid its rapid spread through cows this year.
Tests show the case involved a mutated version of H5N1 that helps it bind to human upper respiratory cells.
This could make it easier to spread between people through coughing or sneezing, raising concerns the virus is adapting to infect humans more effectively.
Bird flu viruses do not typically bind to a cell receptor in human upper airways, which helps explain why H5N1 rarely infects people or spreads between them.
It’s believed the person contracted bird flu from birds in his backyard.
Bird flu is spread by close contact with an affected bird.
This includes touching or petting an infected bird, touching droppings or bedding, or killing or preparing infected poultry for cooking.
However, bird flu cannot be caught through eating fully cooked poultry or eggs, even in areas with an outbreak of bird flu.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the human risk remains low, but urges countries to share information quickly for monitoring and preparedness as the virus spreads.
As of now, there have been no confirmed cases of H5N1 influenza in the UK.
The UK government recently announced that it had procured five million doses of an H5 vaccine, in case the virus does indeed start to spread between humans.
What to know about the bird flu
The H5N1 strain of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus, also known as the bird flu, infected dozens of humans in 2024.
As of December 26, 2024, there have been 65 confirmed total reports of humans with the bird flu.
People have been exposed to the virus in the following states:
- California
- Colorado
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Oregon
- Texas
- Washington Wisconsin
39 people were exposed to the virus via cattle, while 23 exposures were due to poultry farms and culling operations.
One person was exposed to the virus due to his backyard flock, while the sources of two other cases were unknown.
Source: CDC