A patient in Louisiana who had been hospitalized with the first human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), has died, health officials announced on Monday. 

The death was reported by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). The patient, who was not identified, was over 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions, the agency said. 

“The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds,” stated a press release from the LDH. 

“The Department expresses its deepest condolences to the patient’s family and friends as they mourn the loss of their loved one. Due to patient confidentiality and respect for the family, this will be the final update about the patient.”

Patient had mutated form of virus

The Louisiana patient was found to have a mutated version of the virus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced last week.

The fact that the virus mutated within the patient suggests that it could potentially spread from human to human.

The CDC analyzed samples of the H5N1 virus that were collected from the patient, comparing its genomic sequences to those of infected dairy cows, wild birds, poultry and other animals, the agency stated.

“The analysis identified low frequency mutations in the hemagglutinin gene of a sample sequenced from the patient, which were not found in virus sequences from poultry samples collected on the patient’s property, suggesting the changes emerged in the patient after infection,” the CDC said.

“While these low frequency changes are rare in humans, they have been reported in previous cases of A(H5N1) in other countries and most often during severe disease.”

Based on the discovery of these genetic changes in the virus, health officials recommend performing “ongoing genomic surveillance” in people and animals, taking steps to contain bird flu outbreaks among dairy cattle and poultry, and taking steps to prevent transmission when exposed to infected animals or environments.

Risk remains low, officials say

Both the CDC and the LDH maintain that risk to the general public remains low.

Officials do recommend, however, that those who come in contact with birds, poultry or cows are at higher risk of contracting the virus.

As of Friday, there were 66 confirmed human cases of bird flu, including the Louisiana case, according to the CDC. Of those, 37 were in California alone, 11 in Washington and 10 in Colorado. 

Around 40 of the cases were related to exposure to cattle herds. 

Avian influenza is a highly contagious virus that can spread through contact with infected animals, by equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the CDC. 

Bomb-making materials were reportedly found at a New Orleans Airbnb, as authorities investigate a possible connection to the truck-ramming terror attack that killed at least 15 people and injured over 30 others on Bourbon Street during a New Year’s celebration. 

A small fire broke out at a suspected Airbnb property located in the 1300 block of Mandeville Street in the St. Roch neighborhood of New Orleans around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. 

The New Orleans Fire Department evacuated dozens of people from nearby homes and contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FOX 8 reported. 

Bomb-making materials were discovered at the property, sources confirmed to the outlet. 

The FBI confirmed at a news conference Thursday that FBI and ATF agents have secured that house on Mandeville Street and “that location is being searched for potential evidence.” Two laptops were recovered from that address, the FBI said, and an additional three cell phones linked to the now-deceased suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, were being analyzed by investigators. 

SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AS FBI INVESTIGATES ACT OF TERRORISM AFTER BOURBON STREET ATTACK

At Thursday’s news conference, ATF said that the Mandeville address is still being processed and the ATF national response team – comprised of certified fire investigators, explosives specialists, fire engineers and electrical engineers – were still working additional leads to help identify how the fire started the morning the attack unfolded across town on Bourbon Street. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the listed owner of the Airbnb rental but did not immediately hear back. 

“They said they found bomb-making material in the yellow house and wanted the bomb squad to look it over,” Bob Koenig, a neighbor, told FOX 8 on Wednesday.

Authorities investigate a home believed to be connected to the suspect in the deadly attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)

After Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas, drove a Ford pick-up truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street at approximately 3:15 a.m. local time New Year’s Day, the FBI began investigating the matter as an “act of terrorism.” In addition to crashing into the crowd, Jabbar exited the vehicle and fired on law enforcement, who returned fire, and the suspect was declared dead at the scene, according to the bureau. 

BOURBON STREET ATTACK ON NEW YEAR’S REVELERS JUST THE LATEST CASE OF TERRORISTS USING TRUCKS TO KILL

Law enforcement outside a home believed to be connected to the suspect in the deadly attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)

An ISIS flag, weapons and a potential improvised explosive device (IED) were found in the vehicle, and other potential IEDs were found in the French Quarter, the FBI said. 

After initially suspecting accomplices could be involved, the FBI said Thursday that the bureau now believes Jabbar acted alone. 

A bomb-sniffing dog is seen outside a home believed to be connected to the suspect in the deadly attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)

The FBI denied any link to the Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas that took place Wednesday morning. 

In Las Vegas early Wednesday, a Tesla Cybertruck loaded with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump’s hotel, killing the driver and sole occupant inside and injuring at least seven others nearby. 

“As you know, there’s also an FBI investigation in Las Vegas. We are following up on all potential leads and not ruling anything out. However, at this point, there is no definitive link between the attack here in New Orleans and the one in Las Vegas,” FBI Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Christopher Raia told reporters.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This report has been updated to remove photos and information attributed to a neighbor at Jabbar’s home in Houston. It can be found here.

The FBI on Thursday said investigators now believe the New Orleans terror attack suspect acted alone, despite previously considering a possible link to the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside President-elect Trump’s Las Vegas hotel. 

The FBI made the announcement at a press conference on Thursday. They have identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar as the driver who crashed a rented truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more. He was killed in a shootout with police afterward. 

“As you know, there’s also an FBI investigation in Las Vegas. We are following up on all potential leads and not ruling anything out. However, at this point, there is no definitive link between the attack here in New Orleans and the one in Las Vegas,” FBI Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Christopher Raia told reporters Thursday.

Authorities had been investigating a potential military connection between Jabbar and the Las Vegas suspect, who law enforcement identified to The Associated Press as Matthew Livelsberger.

Supporting the FBI’s updated assessment, a U.S. defense official told Fox News on Thursday that there is no evidence from their military service to make any connection that the New Orleans attack and the Las Vegas incident were related. 

Both Jabbar and Livelsberger served at Fort Liberty — formerly known as Fort Bragg — in North Carolina, but a U.S. official said there was no overlap to their assignments there. They served at the same base, but at different times. And for context, more than 50,000 U.S. service members are currently stationed at Fort Liberty.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill previously told Fox News that there is evidence that Jabbar worked alongside accomplices to coordinate the attack. The FBI told Fox News later Thursday that they no longer believe other suspects were involved in the attack, which killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens of others.

Authorities say Jabbar considered killing his friends and family prior to the attack, but decided against it because he thought it would have less of an impact.

Jabbar had posted videos to social media prior to his attack expressing allegiance to the Islamic State. Investigators say Jabbar rented the truck used in the attack on Monday in Houston and then drove to New Orleans on Tuesday.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VICTIMS OF NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST ATTACK

“FBI special agents and our law enforcement partners are currently conducting a number of court-authorized search warrants in New Orleans and other states,” the bureau said in a statement. “The FBI’s Evidence Response Team continues to process the crime scene to meticulously gather all relevant evidence.”

SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AS FBI INVESTIGATES ACT OF TERRORISM AFTER BOURBON STREET ATTACK

Investigators found guns in Jabbar’s vehicle and two improvised explosive devices inside coolers elsewhere in the French Quarter. The FBI says it obtained footage of Jabbar placing the two devices.

Police also recovered guns and two laptops that they believe belong to Jabbar.

The FBI told congressional lawmakers on Thursday that it had zero information about Jabbar prior to his attack. They also said that while Jabbar has said he was “inspired” by ISIS, investigators have not found any evidence that he was directed by ISIS.

New Orleans hospitals treated a total of 37 victims who were injured in Wednesday’s attack. LCMC Health has not stated how many of those injured have since been discharged, nor has it clarified the condition of those still hospitalized.

Jabbar, a U.S. native born in Texas, had previously served in the U.S. military. Authorities are still investigating how and when he became radicalized.

Jabbar served in the Army as a Human Resource Specialist and Information Technology (IT) Specialist from March 2007 until January 2015.

OFFICIALS POSTPONE SUGAR BOWL IN  THE WAKE OF APPARENT TERROR ATTACK ON BOURBON STREET

Following active duty, he served in the Army Reserves as an IT Specialist from January 2015 until July 2020.

During his tenure, he deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010.

After leaving the military, Jabbar obtained a job at Deloitte, earning a salary of roughly $120,000 per year. He ran into financial struggles following two divorces, however.

Attorney General of Louisiana Liz Murrill has threatened the death penalty for any accomplices of Shamsud-Din Jabbar. (Attorney General of Louisiana Liz Murrill )

Authorities searched an AirBnB in New Orleans believed to be connected to Jabbar. They also executed a search warrant at his main residence in Houston.

Relatives of Jabbar said he had been acting erratically in recent months. Dwayne Marsh, the husband of Jabbar’s ex-wife, said they stopped allowing his wife’s shared daughters to spend time with Jabbar, according to The New York Times.

The attack led authorities to postpone the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday night. The sporting event is now scheduled to take place on Thursday night, though some officials have called for the event to be delayed further.

NOTRE DAME CALLS ON FANS TO ‘JOIN US IN PRAYER’ FOLLOWING APPARENT TERROR ATTACK AHEAD OF SUGAR BOWL 

Meanwhile, President-elect Trump called on the CIA to get involved in the investigation, blasting Jabbar as “violent scum” and the current administration as “incompetent and corrupt.”

His statement came after a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. It remains unclear whether the bombing, which killed one person who was inside the vehicle, is linked to the New Orleans attack. Authorities are investigating a possible military connection between Jabbar and the suspect in the Las Vegas case.

The FBI is conducting sweeps of potential residences in Las Vegas as well as Denver in relation to the Trump Hotel bombing.

An investigator photographs a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday. At least one person was killed and seven wounded. (Wade Vandervort/AFP via Getty Images)

“Our Country is a disaster, a laughing stock all over the World! This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership. The DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors have not done their job. They are incompetent and corrupt, having spent all of their waking hours unlawfully attacking their political opponent, ME, rather than focusing on protecting Americans from the outside and inside violent SCUM that has infiltrated all aspects of our government, and our Nation itself,” Trump wrote on social media.

“Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen to our Country. The CIA must get involved, NOW, before it is too late. The USA is breaking down – A violent erosion of Safety, National Security, and Democracy is taking place all across our Nation. Only strength and powerful leadership will stop it. See you on January 20th. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he added.

Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this report.