Is Bird Flu a Big Risk to Humans?

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A southwestern Louisiana patient who was recently hospitalized for a severe case of bird flu (H5N1 avian influenza) has died, health officials confirmed. This is the first person in the

United States who has died from bird flu.

The patient, who contracted bird flu after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds, was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical

conditions, a spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Health told AARP. Flu can be especially serious in older adults, who are at higher risk for developing complications in part due to

changes in the immune system that happen with age, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says.

“While tragic, a death from H5N1 bird flu in the United States is not unexpected because of the known potential for infection with these viruses to cause severe illness and death,” the CDC

said in a statement. More than 950 cases of H5N1 bird flu have been reported worldwide, and about half of them have resulted in death, according to the CDC.

Since 2024, there have been 66 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the U.S. — most have been mild and were acquired through contact with infected cattle. Despite the newly confirmed death,

the CDC says the immediate risk of bird flu remains low for the public, and that no person-to-person spread of the virus has been detected.

“However, people with job-related or recreational exposures to infected birds or other animals are at greater risk of infection,” and should follow precautions, the CDC says.

Here’s what you need to know about the evolving situation.

Just like humans can get infected with influenza, different versions of the virus can infect animals, including birds.

Bird flu is caused by influenza A viruses that spread among wild aquatic birds (ducks, geese, gulls, etc.) and can infect poultry (chickens and turkeys).

Bird flu can infect other animals, as is the case with the H5N1 strain, which has been detected in mammals such as foxes, bears, seals, mountain lions and cows. As of Jan. 6, 16 U.S.

states have reported outbreaks in dairy cows.

Matthew Binnicker, director of clinical virology at Mayo Clinic, tells AARP that infections in mammals often happen when the animal either eats infected birds or encounters a carcass.

Mammals exposed to environments with a high concentration of the virus are also susceptible to infection, Tim Uyeki, M.D., the chief medical officer of the CDC’s Influenza Division, said in

an “Ask the Expert” post.