The US records its first human death from bird flu

The USA has recorded its first human death Bird flua grim milestone as a minimum of 66 cases have been recorded within the country.

The patient was over 65 years old and suffered from previous illnesses hospitalized in Louisiana in December; The case was believed to be the country's first serious H5N1 infection in humans.

The Louisiana Department of Health said the patient was exposed to a mixture of a backyard flock and wild birds.

“The department extends its deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one,” it said in a press release. “Due to patient confidentiality and respect for the family, this will be the final update on the patient.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all but certainly one of the human avian flu infections confirmed within the U.S. thus far have been diagnosed up to now 10 months. Most cases were relatively mild and presented with symptoms equivalent to conjunctivitis, coughing or sneezing.

The majority of patients became unwell after contact with infected cattle or poultry. The Louisiana patient was the primary case linked to exposure to a backyard herd.

Only two cases involved patients who had no known contact with animals. One was a Person in Missouri hospitalized with bird flu in September, but recovered after treatment with antiviral drugs. The other was a Child in California who experienced mild symptoms in November.

Public health officials have found no evidence that the virus has spread from individual to individual, which might mark a serious step within the evolution of bird flu. However, Samples of the virus taken from the Louisiana patient showed signs of mutations According to the CDC, this might increase transmissibility to humans.

The CDC maintains that the immediate risk to public health is low. “A sporadic case of severe H5N1 avian influenza illness in an individual is not unexpected,” the agency said said last month.

For those concerned in regards to the risk of bird flu, the CDC offers advice to not drink unpasteurized raw milk or have contact with sick or dead animals. Anyone working on poultry or dairy farms affected by H5N1 should wear personal protective equipment and monitor for symptoms.

The federal response to bird flu intensified a month ago when the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered an audit of the national milk supplystarting in six states. The Biden administration last week also allocated $306 million for extra surveillance, laboratory testing and medical research on bird flu.

But some experts criticized the U.S. response as being too slow or limited.

“The Biden administration has mishandled the outbreak in cattle for months, raising the possibility of a dangerous, larger spread,” two former Food and Drug Administration officials wrote an editorial within the Washington Post on Friday.