The first human to contract a severe case of the current strain of bird flu has died, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. The patient, a man over the age of 65 and with underlying health conditions, had been ill for weeks.
Health officials said he was infected after handing chickens in his backyard flock.
LDH said its extensive public health investigation has identified no additional H5N1 cases nor evidence of person-to-person transmission. It said the deceased patient remains the only human case of H5N1 in Louisiana.
“While the current public health risk for the general public remains low, people who work with birds, poultry or cows, or have recreational exposure to them, are at higher risk,” LDH said in a statement.
“The best way to protect yourself and your family from H5N1 is to avoid sources of exposure. That means avoiding direct contact with wild birds and other animals infected with or suspected to be infected with bird flu viruses.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the Louisiana patient’s death does not change the overall assessment that there is little immediate risk to the public’s health from H5N1 bird flu. However, the CDC has expanded its recommendations for testing, suggesting anyone with high-risk exposure get regular testing. So far, there has been no human-to-human spread of the virus.
How to stay safe
Health officials offer this advice for avoiding the bird flu:
Do not touch sick or dead animals or their droppings and do not bring sick wild animals into your home.
Keep your pets away from sick or dead animals and their feces.
Do not eat uncooked or undercooked food. Cook poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and prevent cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.
Avoid uncooked food products such as unpasteurized raw milk or cheeses from animals that have a suspected or confirmed infection.
If you work on poultry or dairy farms, talk to your provider about getting your seasonal flu vaccination. It will not prevent infection with avian influenza viruses, but it can reduce the risk of coinfection with avian and flu viruses.
If you have been exposed to sick or dead birds or other animals or work on a farm where avian influenza has been detected, watch for respiratory symptoms or conjunctivitis. If you develop symptoms within 10 days after exposure to sick or dead animals, tell your healthcare provider that you have been in contact with sick animals and are concerned about avian influenza.