A patient who had been hospitalized with a human case of severe avian influenza (H5N1) in the United States has died, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. The patient was over the age of 65 and was also reported to have underlying medical conditions. No additional H5N1 cases nor evidence of person-to-person transmission was reported. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to wild birds. As of January 7, 2025, there were 66 human cases of H5N1, and only this 1 hospitalization and death. Public health risk remains low, and there is no known person-to-person transmission.
Keeping up surveillance: Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week announced $306 million in funding to support the federal government’s H5N1 bird flu response. Funds will be used for disease surveillance, laboratory testing, and monitoring efforts. Key changes to the genome of the virus in time could make it more likely to infect humans, experts warn.