Who is at risk of contracting bird flu? What we know amid first reported death from virus in US

A person from Louisiana was reported dead after getting infected with bird flu on Monday. According to the reports, the 65-year-old man was hospitalized with symptoms of bird flu or H5N1 and ultimately passed away from the infection.

The patient had other underlying medical conditions that made the infection more severe, leading to his death. As per the reports, this is the first death caused by bird flu reported in the United States since the breakout.

The bird flu is a viral infection that typically spreads among poultry birds, cows, and other animals. Humans are at a higher risk of developing the infection if they come in contact with infected animals. Conjunctivitis, or pink eye, respiratory symptoms, and sore throat are the most common symptoms of bird flu.

Who is at risk of contracting bird flu? Everything we know about bird flu

Bird flu is a type of infection that spreads through a virus found in birds, cows, and other animals. Humans who come into contact with affected animals, including birds, cows, and wild animals' body fluids or feces, or even raw cow's milk, are at a high risk of developing the infection.

Bird flu is rarely contagious and does not generally spread from person to person; however, there were some instances in the past where the flu spread between humans. When a person gets affected with bird flu, it severely affects the upper respiratory tract as well as the lungs. Some of the most common symptoms of the bird flu include conjunctivitis, fever, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea, and breathing difficulty, among others.

Bird flu does not spread from eating properly cooked meat or drinking pasteurized milk, but if a person gets in direct contact with an affected animal and the small dust particles get into their eyes, nose, or mouth, it could prove to be dangerous.

The Louisiana resident who died from bird flu reportedly fell sick after getting in contact with a backyard flock and wild birds. He was infected with a flu strain different from the one circulating among cows and poultry birds. The Louisiana Department of Public Health has not yet released further information about the patient to protect his privacy. The health department further reported no one else was infected in the area.

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"While the current public health risk for the general public remains low, people who work with birds, poultry, or cows, or have recreational exposure to them, are at high risk," the Louisiana Department of Public Health stated in a press release.

About half of the people infected by bird flu have died worldwide. In the United States, nearly 60 people died after infection in the previous year. As per the Louisiana Department of Public Health, if a person develops symptoms within ten days of contact with any affected animals, they are advised to contact a healthcare provider to avoid the risk of severe infection. The health department further advised people not to touch sick or dead animals, or eat undercooked food, avoid unpasteurized raw milk or cheese, and keep pets away from sick or dead animals. They also urged people to contact the USDA at 1-866-536-7593 to report sick or dead birds and animals.

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