SW La. resident — who was nation’s first severe bird flu case — has died

Published 3:40 pm Monday, January 6, 2025

The Louisiana Department of Health has reported that the patient who had been hospitalized with the first human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N1, in Louisiana and the U.S. has died.

The patient was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions, according to Emma Herrock, communications director for the department.

The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds, she said.

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LDH’s extensive public health investigation has identified no additional H5N1 cases nor evidence of person-to-person transmission. This patient remains the only human case of H5N1 in Louisiana.

Herock said the department expresses its deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one.