The U.S. has reported 66 human cases of H5N1 bird flu since March 2024, but a recent death of a Louisiana resident marks the countrys first fatality from the virus. Digicomphoto / Science Photo Library via Getty ImagesThe United States has reported its first human death from H5N1 bird flu, marking a somber moment in the ongoing outbreak of the virus. The Louisiana Department of Health announced in a statement on Monday that a patient over the age of 65, who had underlying medical conditions, died after being hospitalized in December. The patient is believed to have contracted the virus after exposure to a backyard flock and wild birds, officials said.The Department expresses its deepest condolences to the patients family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one, reads the statement. Due to patient confidentiality, no further details about the individual have been released.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the patients case is the first U.S. fatality from H5N1 and the nations first case linked to backyard bird exposure. Genetic analysis suggests the virus mutated within the patient, potentially worsening the illness. However, the CDC emphasizes that there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission and that the immediate risk to the general public remains low.While tragic, a death from H5N1 bird flu in the United States is not unexpected because of the known potential for infection with these viruses to cause severe illness and death, the agency said in astatement on Monday.Globally, the H5N1 virus has been responsible for more than 950 confirmed human infections and 464 deaths since 2003, according to the World Health Organization. The U.S. has reported 66 human cases of H5N1 since March, most of them resulting in only mild symptoms and involving exposure to infected poultry or cattle. However, two casesan adult in Missouri and a child in Californiaremain unexplained in terms of their transmission source.Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, calls the Louisiana case a tragic reminder of the lethality of the virus. Just because we have seen mild cases does not mean future cases will continue to be mild, Nuzzo tells Mike Stobbe of the Associated Press.The H5N1 virus has been spreading globally among birds since 2020, affecting more than 130 million in the U.S., whether by infection or by culling to protect domestic flocks. It has also been detected in other animals, including big cats and seals. Within the last year, avian flu has spread efficiently on U.S. dairy farms, affecting more than 900 herds across 16 states. Infected cows shed the virus through their mammary glands, making unpasteurized milkknown as raw milka potential source of exposure.Public health experts are urging caution. It is important that people remain vigilant and avoid contact with sick animals, sick poultry and wild birds, Diego Diel, a virologist at Cornell University, tells the New York Times Apoorva Mandavilli and Emily Anthes.In response to the outbreak, the Biden administration allocated $306 million for expanded surveillance, laboratory testing and medical research on January 3. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has also increased testing of the national raw milk supply. Still, some experts argue that the federal response has been too slow.The Biden administration has been mishandling the outbreak in cattle for months, increasing the possibility of a dangerous, wider spread, former FDA officials Luciana Borio and Scott Gottlieb wrote in an opinion piece for the Washington Post.Experts continue to stress the importance of preparedness. While the public health risk remains low, experts agree that vigilance, research and preventive measures are essential to mitigating the potential dangers of H5N1.The more widely the virus circulates, particularly infections in humans and other mammals, the higher the risk that the virus will acquire mutations that adapt the virus for human disease and transmission, James Lawler, director of the University of Nebraskas Global Center for Health Security, tells the New York Times. [The news] should remind us that H5N1 influenza has been and continues to be a dangerous virus.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Avian Flu, Death, Disease, Disease and Illnesses, Health, Louisiana, Pandemic