On Wednesday morning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first severe case of bird flu in the United States. The patient, currently hospitalized in Louisiana, is infected with a strain of the virus recently detected in wild birds and poultry across the country, as well as in human cases reported in Canada and Washington state, according to the CDC.
The CDC stated that the individual was exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks, though investigations into the exact source of the illness are ongoing. This marks the first U.S. case of human bird flu linked specifically to exposure to backyard poultry.
Since April, 61 human cases of bird flu have been reported in the U.S., based on CDC data. Nearly all of these cases involved direct contact with infected cattle or livestock. Prior to the Louisiana case, infections had been mild, with patients recovering after antiviral treatment, according to the CDC and state health officials.