The first confirmed case of bird flu (H5N1) in the U.S. was reported in New Orleans last week after a house cat tested positive for the virus on Jan. 14, according to the USDA. The virus has also been found in other mammals since May 2022, with no immediate response from Louisiana’s wildlife and health departments.
An Oregon house cat died last month after consuming raw turkey meat containing a bird flu variant, which later matched the illness it had. Officials have not shared details about the Orleans Parish feline or its current condition. Cooking meat and pasteurizing milk were cited as effective ways to eliminate the virus by veterinarians, who also warned against feeding raw milk or meat to cats.
Louisiana has reported one confirmed human case of bird flu, involving a elderly patient with underlying health conditions who died in December after contracting the virus from backyard birds. Health officials found no evidence of person-to-person transmission and emphasized low public risk despite higher exposure risks for those interacting with birds, poultry, or cows.
As of now, at least 66 people in the U.S. have confirmed bird flu cases in 2024-2025, primarily affecting individuals who had contact with infected dairy cows, accounting for about 60% of cases. The city’s health department has been working closely with the Louisiana Department of Health to address the outbreak.
Source: https://www.nola.com/news/healthcare_hospitals/new-orleans-cat-infected-bird-flu/article_341cffbe-d9d5-11ef-b49e-5b73c5f90bef.html