New bird flu mutation discovered in the United States

A new bird flu mutation of H5N1 has been discovered in a patient in the US state of Louisiana. Public health officials are concerned the new strain may rapidly develop, increasing its ability to affect humans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a genetic analysis suggests the virus mutated inside a Louisiana patient who contracted the country’s first severe case of H5N1. Health officials say the risk to the public remains low but warn those who drink raw milk could be at higher risk of catching bird flu from an infected animal.