A patient in a Louisiana hospital has become the first H5N1-related human fatality in the latest US bird flu outbreak, authorities said on Monday.
The person was reported by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in mid-December as the “first instance of severe illness linked” to avian flu in the US.
The Louisiana Department of Health said the patient was over 65 years old and had underlying medical conditions. It is not clear if those characteristics contributed to their hospital admission for severe illness.
“The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds,” the department said in a statement.
The state health agency conducted an investigation and “identified no additional H5N1 cases nor evidence of person-to-person transmission”.
Concerns are rising among public health experts because of the bird flu's potential for a deadly pandemic. The disease has spread over the last two years in wild birds, poultry, cows and other animals, including pets.
There have been at least 66 reported human cases of H5 bird flu in the US, all recorded in 2024, but experts say that could be an undercount.
Most of the infections have been mild, making the deadly Louisiana case unique in the US. Most recent cases were due to exposure with sick poultry or cows, but in two cases in Missouri and California, health officials do not know how they got the bird flu.
The World Health Organisation has recorded more than 460 deaths of bird flu since 2003, but the Louisiana person was the first in the US.
The CDC has consistently said there is no human-to-human transmission of the virus, and that the chances of that kind of spread are low. However, California in December declared a state of emergency to defend against those chances.
President Joe Biden's administration last week said it would commit $306 million for hospital readiness and work on tools and vaccines to address the virus. A little over $100 million of those funds will help local departments track and test people who have close exposure to infected herds.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
Juventus v Napoli, Sunday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Match on Bein Sports
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
