The CDC is continuing to monitor the first severe case of human bird flu in the U.S. Dr. Demetre Daskalakis with the CDC says bird flu has been around for many years, including human cases outside the U.S.
“Over the 20+ years of global experience with this virus, H5 infection has previously been associated with severe illness in other countries, including illnesses that resulted in death in up to fifty percent of cases,” Daskalakis said.
Dr. Daskalakis says there’s something very unique about this case of human bird flu.
“It is believed that the patient that was reported by Louisiana had exposure to sick or dead birds on their property. These are not commercial poultry, and there was no exposure to dairy cows or their related products,” Daskalakis explained.
The first case was linked to a non-commercial backyard flock.
Daskalakis says the CDC is monitoring the condition of the patient, who’s from southwest Louisiana.
“Louisiana has shared that the patient is hospitalized with severe illness, and this is the first such case, a hospitalized case of severe illness, in the United States,” Daskalakis said.
Fallout has begun elsewhere in the United States, with California issuing a state of emergency.
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