The first severe case of bird flu in the United States has officially been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On December 18, the agency revealed that a patient in Louisiana was hospitalized. The individual is reportedly over the age of 65 and has underlying medical conditions. A spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Health told ABC News that the patient is experiencing severe respiratory illness and remains in critical condition.
Earlier this month, The Dallas Express reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a nationwide order to test milk for the H5N1 bird flu. The order was delivered amid growing concern that the bird flu could spread to humans, particularly when consuming raw milk.
The CDC says the individual in Louisiana was infected with a strain of the virus that has been seen spreading among wild birds and poultry in the United States and some human cases in Canada and Washington State. This strain is unique from another form that has been spreading in dairy cows and some poultry. Texas, in particular, has been a hot spot for infected cattle.
Since November, wholesale egg prices have surged almost 55%, in part because of disruptions to egg-laying flocks caused by the virus. Tens of millions of poultry have been affected by the H5N1 virus this year alone.
Since April, 61 human cases of bird flu have been reported in the United States, according to the CDC. In almost all confirmed cases, the infected individuals had direct contact with infected cattle or livestock. Prior to the recent case in Louisiana, patients all exhibited mild symptoms.
The CDC website says symptoms of bird flu can include cough, fever, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, fatigue, aches, and shortness of breath. In rare cases, people report nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures.