US reports first fatal H5N1 infection as avian flu strikes more poultry, cats
Egg prices may become the least of our worries
The patient is older than age 65 and had underlying health
conditions. Officials had said the person was exposed to the virus through
contact with backyard poultry and wild birds.
So far, LDH investigators haven't found any other related
cases. The news comes as US officials note more avian flu in poultry and in
both domestic and wild cats.
Different genotype causes concern
"The Department expresses its deepest condolences to
the patient's family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved
one," the LDH said. "Due to patient confidentiality and respect for
the family, this will be the final update about the patient."
The United States has reported 66 human H5N1 cases since the
start of 2024. Most have been mild infections from a genotype circulating in
dairy herds.
A different genotype carried by wild birds migrating south,
however, is posing another threat and has resulted in two severe infections,
one of them involving the Louisiana patient and the other a British Columbia
teen who is recovering after lengthy intensive care unit treatment.
More poultry outbreaks in 5 states
In related news, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today confirmed more H5N1
avian flu outbreaks in poultry in
five states, which include commercial farms in three of them.
In Delaware, an outbreak was confirmed at a broiler farm in
Kent County that has 125,000 birds, marking the state's first detections in
poultry since September 2022.
Other states reporting outbreaks at commercial facilities
include hard-hit California, which reported new detections at a game bird farm
in Butte County that has 44,700 birds, as well as a broiler operation and layer
farm in Stanislaus County. In Michigan, the virus was found at two more turkey
farms in Ottawa County.
The USDA also confirmed the virus in backyard flocks in
Arkansas's Sharp County and at four locations in Idaho's Canyon County.
APHIS today also confirmed two more outbreaks in dairy
cattle, both in California, raising the national total to 917
and the state's total to 701.
House cats, wild cats make up most new mammal detections
Also, APHIS today added about 30 more H5N1 detections
in mammals,
mostly in cat species.
The virus was confirmed in 4 domestic cats in California, 3
in Los Angeles County and 1 in Fresno County. The virus also struck a house cat
in Washington County, Oregon, and Morrison County, Minnesota. Over the past few
weeks, California has reported a few cat deaths in animals exposed to raw pet
food and raw milk.
Some of the newly reported detections involved wild cats,
including a bobcat from Colorado's Larimer County and a mountain lion near
Carson City, Nevada. Several of the animals that tested positive appear to be
exotic captive wild cats at a sanctuary in Washington's Mason County. Also,
there were five other exotic cats that tested positive near Denver, Colorado,
as well as a few in California and Idaho.
Detections in other mammals include a fox near Denver and a
raccoon in Washington's King County.
Additional information about H5 bird flu is available on
the CDC website.
