A Louisiana man who had the first severe human case of bird flu in the U.S. has died, the Louisiana Department of Health reported Monday as concerns of an avian flu pandemic continue to increase.
The Louisiana Department of Health said in a press release the patient—who contracted the illness after “exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds”—was over 65 and had underlying medical conditions, though no further information was provided.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first reported an adult in Louisiana was confirmed to have the country’s first severe case of bird flu on Dec. 18.
There have been no more cases of bird flu, or H5N1, reported in Louisiana since this case in mid-December, and the health department said there’s been no evidence of human-to-human transmission tied to this case.
The health department said general risk to the public remains low, but it warned people who work with or have “recreational exposure” to birds, poultry or cows are at higher risk.
The World Health Organization has said the illness rarely infects humans, with just 888 human cases being reported worldwide from January 2003 to March 2024—though 52% of those people died.
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The CDC says the best way to prevent H5 bird flu is avoiding exposure to sick or dead animals, particularly wild birds or poultry. If people must have close or direct contact with sick birds or other animals, the CDC recommends they wear personal protective equipment. Lastly, the CDC also recommends people avoid surfaces or materials that might be infected with “saliva, mucous, or animal feces from wild or domestic birds or other animals with confirmed or suspected avian influenza A virus infection.”