The Louisiana Department of Health said yesterday that it has detected the first positive case of H5N1 avian influenza in humans. 

The patient is a resident of southwest Louisiana who is currently hospitalized. The Department of Health is coordinating with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate the epidemiology. The investigation determined that the above patient had contact with a dead sick bird, suspected of being infected with H5N1. The H5N1 avian influenza virus causes severe respiratory illness and is highly contagious in wild poultry and birds. 

Outbreaks of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in wild birds and poultry have been taking place in the U.S. since 2022. As of Dec. 13, there have been 60 confirmed cases of H5N1 in humans across the United States, most of which have been linked to contact with infected poultry or dairy cows. So far, no cases of human-to-human transmission related to H5N1 avian influenza have been reported in the United States.
 

Source: nhandan.vn