Washington –
An elderly patient in Louisiana is in “critical condition” with severe avian influenza, U.S. authorities announced Wednesday, the first serious human case in the country as fears grow of a possible bird flu pandemic.
The new case brings the total number of infections in the United States during the current 2024 outbreak to 61, as California declared an emergency to ramp up its response.
Prior patients experienced mild symptoms and recovered at home. But the severity of the Louisiana case has heightened alarm, echoing similar cases worldwide. Last month, a teenager in Canada was also hospitalized with a severe case of bird flu.
