Washington — California Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in response to the recent increase in bird flu cases. And in Louisiana, health officials say a person has been hospitalized with the first severe illness caused by bird flu in the U.S.
According to Louisiana health officials, the patient is in critical condition with severe respiratory symptoms. The person, who is over 65 and has underlying medical problems, had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Previous illnesses in the U.S. have been mild and the vast majority have been among farmworkers exposed to sick poultry or dairy cows.
This year, more than 60 cases of bird flu infections have been reported, with over half of them in California. In two cases — an adult in Missouri and a child in California — health officials have not determined how they caught it.
The CDC confirmed the Louisiana infection on Friday, Dec. 13, but did not announce it until Wednesday, Dec. 18. It’s also the first U.S. human case linked to exposure to a backyard flock, the agency said.
The Missouri patient also was hospitalized, but for reasons beyond just the bird flu infection. The Louisiana case is different because the person's hospitalization is due to the flu symptoms, CDC officials said.
Last month, Canadian officials reported that a teen in British Columbia was hospitalized with a severe case of bird flu. CDC officials did not answer a question about whether the new U.S. case had any similarities or differences, directing reporters to ask Louisiana officials.
As of Dec. 13, there are 34 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the state of California, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
CDPH said it’s partnering with local, state and federal partners to monitor the bird flu in farm animals and those who work closely with poultry and dairy cows.
CDPH says the state had given protective gear to dairy farms and workers and has received 5,000 additional seasonal flu vaccines for people who work in the dairy industry in the Central Valley.
Health officials say bird flu is still mainly an animal health issue, and the risk to the general public remains low. There’s been no documented spread of the virus from person to person.
The Associated Press also contributed to this report.
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