According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this is the first US bird flu case linked to a backyard flock.

A patient in Louisiana has been hospitalized with the first severe case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus (“H5N1 bird flu”) in the US. CDC confirmed the presence of the virus on December 13, 2024.

USGS Biologist Science Tech Brooke Hill releases a Western Sandpiper after testing it for the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Sonoma, California, on August 16, 2006 | Source: Getty Images

An investigation is underway to identify the source of an H5N1 bird flu infection. However, it has been confirmed that the patient had contact with ill and deceased birds from backyard flocks. This marks the first reported US case of H5N1 bird flu connected to backyard flock exposure.

Additionally, there have been 37 cases connected to dairy herds, 21 associated with poultry farms and culling operations, and 2 cases where the source of exposure remains unknown.