What to Know About Bird Flu in the U.S. After CDC Announces First ‘Severe’ Human Case

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Wednesday the United States’ first “severe” human case of H5N1 avian influenza—or bird flu, a zoonotic infection which has stoked fears of becoming the next global pandemic.

The severe case involves a resident of southwestern Louisiana who was reported as presumptively positive for infection last Friday. The infected patient “is experiencing severe respiratory illness related to H5N1 infection and is currently hospitalized...