The United States reported its first serious human case of bird flu Wednesday, involving a Louisiana resident, as California declared a state of emergency to deal with the escalating outbreak.
The Louisiana patient was hospitalized in critical condition after suspected contact with an infected backyard flock, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This case, confirmed on December 13, is the first in the country linked to serious illness due to avian flu.
“This is the first case of H5N1 avian influenza in the United States linked to exposure to a backyard flock,” the CDC said in a statement.
As the CDC confirmed the bird flu case, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday, describing it as a precautionary measure to help contain the spread of the virus.
To date, no person-to-person spread of the virus has been detected in California and almost all infected people have been exposed to infected livestock, the release said.
“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak. Building on California’s testing and surveillance system – the largest in the nation – we are committed to further protecting public health, supporting our agriculture industry, and ensuring Californians have access to accurate information and day. Although the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary measures to prevent the spread of this virus,” Newsom said in a statement.
Since April, a total of 61 human cases of H5N1 avian influenza have been reported in the United States. The virus has spread to 16 states among dairy cattle, following its first confirmed detection in Texas and Kansas in March.
The recent bird flu case in Louisiana highlights the continued spread of the H5N1 avian flu virus, with genomic data showing that the virus belongs to the D1.1 genotype, the CDC said. This genotype has been associated with recent detections in wild birds and poultry in the United States, as well as human cases in British Columbia.
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On November 3, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed that a teenager had contracted a human case of avian flu, caused by the influenza A (H5N1) virus. This is the first human case of avian flu contracted in Canada. As of November 25the province reported the teen remains in critical condition.
Despite this latest case in Louisiana, the CDC maintains that the overall public health risk from H5N1 remains low. In Canada, the risk also remains low.
Although there have been several outbreaks of avian flu on dairy farms in several states, the virus has not been detected on any dairy farms in Canada.
Human-to-human transmission of H5N1 – a highly pathogenic strain of avian flu – is rare, with no evidence of sustained transmission, experts say. The majority of human cases in the United States and worldwide are due to contact with infected birds, farm animals, or wildlife.
— With files from the Canadian Press and Reuters