What to Know About Bird Flu After the First US Death
There have been 66 reported cases in the US since the outbreak began, mostly farmworkers in close contact with dairy cows or poultry.
Photographer: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
For influenza viruses, imperfection is a strength. They constantly mutate, producing new strains that challenge immune systems primed to fight earlier varieties. That’s what makes flu a life-long threat to humans and the animal species — mainly birds — that are vulnerable to it.
Since 2020, a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza called H5N1 has been decimating flocks of domestic and wild birds. The epicenter is now in the US, where it’s spreading among dairy cows and has infected dozens of people, primarily farmworkers exposed to sick animals. In January, a patient in Louisiana who tested positive for bird flu died, marking the first US fatality linked to the respiratory virus.