U.S. reports first severe human case of bird flu in a patient hospitalized in Louisiana | 18 Dec 2024 | A person in Louisiana has been hospitalized with bird flu -- the country's first severe human H5N1 infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The patient is experiencing severe respiratory illness related to H5N1 infection and is currently hospitalized in critical condition," said Emma Herrock, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Health Department. The CDC said the patient was likely exposed to the virus from a backyard flock, which would mark the first time such a flock has been associated with a bird flu infection in a U.S. resident. The patient is over age 65 and had underlying medical conditions, Herrock said. [Do not comply with this new scamdemic.]