The first person in the United States to contract a severe case of bird flu has died, the Louisiana Department of Public Health announced on Monday.
The deceased was a person over 65 with underlying health conditions who had been hospitalised with H5N1 after coming into contact with a flock of birds in their garden. This marks the first H5N1-related death in the country.
Out of respect for privacy, no further information about the individual would be provided, the Louisiana Department of Public Health stated in a press release.
The department emphasised that the risk of bird flu was generally low for most people. However, those who frequently interact with poultry, other birds or cattle are at higher risk.
