Bird flu: CDC confirms 1st severe human case in US, California declares emergency

The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the first recorded severe illness caused by bird flu in the United States.

On Wednesday, the CDC announced that a person in Louisiana has been hospitalized in critical condition with severe respiratory symptoms caused by a H5n1 avian influenza infection. The person, who is over 65 and has underlying medical problems, had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. Their identity and location have not been released.

It’s the first human case in the U.S. linked to exposure to backyard birds, according to the CDC.

Since March, more than 60 bird flu infections in people have been reported in the U.S., but previous illnesses have been mild and most have been detected among farmworkers exposed to sick poultry or dairy cows. In two cases — and adult in Missouri and a child in California — health officials have not determined how they caught it.

CDC officials said that bird flu is still mainly an animal health issue and that the risk to the public remains low. There has been no documented spread of the virus from person to person, said the CDC’s Dr. Demetre Daskalakis.

The Louisiana illness comes weeks after Canadian officials reported that a teen in British Columbia was hospitalized with a severe case of bird flu. In both instances, the illnesses were caused by a strain of the virus found in wild birds, not in cattle, officials said.

Chickens in a backyard farm in Michigan. (Photo by Matthew Hatcher / AFP) (Photo by MATTHEW HATCHER/AFP via Getty Images)

The CDC said that "a sporadic case" of H5N1 connected with severe illness has been reported in other countries in 2024 and in previous years. The illness can be fatal, so health officials are continuing to monitor the situation.

California declares state of emergency over bird flu

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as cases of the virus were detected in dairy cows on Southern California farms. Previously, the virus had been detected in state’s Central Valley.

"This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak," Newsom said in a statement.

The virus has been detected in 865 dairy herds in 16 states, with nearly 650 of them in California. Raw milk from infected cattle was recalled late last month after the virus was found in samples sold in California stores.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles County health officials confirmed the deaths of two cats from bird flu infections after drinking the recalled raw milk.

Flu experts said the trajectory of the virus in people remains unclear, but they urged people who have contact with sick or dead birds to take precautions, including wearing respiratory and eye protection and gloves when handling poultry.