A patient with the first “ severe case ” of bird flu in the U.S. has died, according to a press release Monday from the Louisiana Department of Health. It’s the first human death from H5N1 in the country since concern over the current outbreak started in early 2024 when it became clear the virus was being transmitted in the U.S. between cattle.

A man in Louisiana has become the first person ever to die of H5N1 bird flu in the United States. The patient, a 65-year-old with underlying health conditions, tested positive for the virus in mid-December and was sent to hospital soon after.

A U.S. patient was the first to die from the H5N1 bird flu in Louisiana. 70 people contracted the virus since April, mostly livestock workers. The elderly patient had underlying conditions and was exposed to backyard chickens and wild birds.