Bird flu leads to serious human illnesses and a state of emergency

Bird flu (H5N1) continues to trigger alerts across the country.

On December 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the country’s first serious human case of bird flu.

According to a release from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), the patient, who lives in southwest Louisiana, is currently hospitalized.

Avian flu is increasing in several US states and new outbreaks are being reported: “Getting worse”

The infected person is known to have been exposed to sick and dead birds that are “suspected of being infected,” the same source said.

The LDH is working with the CDC on genomic testing of the virus infecting the hospitalized patient. Fox News Digital has reached out to the department for comment.

On December 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the country’s first serious case of bird flu in a human. (iStock)

Since April 2024, there have been a total of 61 human cases nationwide.

No person-to-person transmission has been reported, so the CDC maintains its stance that the risk to the public is low.

GOVERNOR NEWSOM DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN CALIFORNIA DUE TO BIRD FLU

Despite the low risk, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday due to bird flu.

According to the press release on the governor’s website, the declaration follows an outbreak of the virus in dairy cows on farms in Southern California.

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

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday due to bird flu.
(Mario Tama)

“Building on California’s testing and surveillance system – the largest in the country – we are committed to further protection public health“We support our agricultural industry and ensure Californians have access to accurate and timely information,” he continued.

“While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent this from happening.” prevent the spread this virus.

Doctors think about the risk of bird flu

Sam Scarpino, PhD, director of AI and life sciences at Northeastern University in Boston, said the “tragic case” in Louisiana is evidence of the “widespread circulation” of H5N1 in the United States

“It also reinforces the very serious situation we face,” he told Fox News Digital.

“We need to take more decisive action to control the spread of H5N1 in animal populations.”

“We need to take more decisive action to control the spread of H5N1 in animal populations. Until then, there will continue to be cases of attacks on humans, and unfortunately some of them will be serious.”

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and senior medical analyst for Fox News, noted that this serious case represents just a case of the infection and is not necessarily a cause for concern.

No person-to-person transmission has been reported, so the CDC maintains its stance that the risk to the public is low. (iStock)

“We would need to know more about the patient’s specific medical details,” he told Fox News Digital. “We cannot conclude (from one case) that it will be more severe in humans.”

Previous variants of bird flu had a 50% fatality rate in humans, Siegel noted, but the 61 human cases in the U.S. this year were “very mild.”

“This is actually a good sign that the virus is mutating as it becomes more severe, since H5N1 traditionally makes people very sick,” he told Fox News Digital.

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According to the doctor, the most critical thing is to observe whether the bird flu spreads from person to person.

“That’s the main thing we’re worried about – that it doesn’t get into people’s upper respiratory tract,” Siegel said.

“Avian influenza is a group of influenza viruses that circulate primarily in bird populations,” an expert told Fox News Digital. “However, influenza viruses are also known to jump species, and bird flu has done this a few times in history.” (Photo by Uli Deck/picture Alliance via Getty Images)

“That is not the case so far, and that is because it would require some mutations – at least one. We’re tracking it, but probably not closely enough.”

The vast majority of recent human cases have come from direct contact with animals, he said – “but now the disease has spread to the cattle population and to milk, which is worrying many people, myself included.”

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Rebecca C. Christofferson, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at Louisiana State University, spoke to Fox News Digital about the potential for a pandemic.

“Nobody wants another pandemic.”

“Avian influenza is a group of influenza viruses that circulate primarily in bird populations,” she told Fox News Digital. “However, influenza viruses are also known to jump species, and bird flu has done this a few times in history.”

A researcher wears a protective suit while collecting samples from wildlife where the H5N1 avian influenza virus has been detected in the Chilean Antarctic Territory, Antarctica. (Reuters/Instituto Antartico Chileno)

“The more the virus gets into mammals and the more it is passed from mammal to mammal, the greater the concern that it will adapt to mammals and spread more easily among them and then spread to humans,” Christofferson added.

“Nobody wants another pandemic.”

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The good news, Cristofferson said, is that it’s easy to protect yourself from contracting bird flu.

“If you have to handle birds or suspected sick animals (or are around sick people), wearing gloves and masks and washing your hands will protect you, as is the case with other respiratory viruses.”