To help narrow the gap, the Louisiana Department of Health announced $15 million in funding for universities, technical colleges and health care systems (including hospitals, agencies and hospitals) for programs that train future health care professionals.

The first person to have a severe case of H5N1 bird flu in the United States has died, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

The first U.S. bird flu death has been reported. Louisiana health officials announced the death Monday of a person who had been hospitalized with severe respiratory symptoms.

A Louisiana resident has died after being hospitalized ... to at least seven other deaths from other countries in recent years. Since 2003, the World Health Organization has counted more than 400 deaths from the virus. One other U.S. hospital patient ...

The patient was infected after contact with domestic and wild birds, specifically a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds he raised at home.

How deadly is the bird flu? The US has reported its first death from avian influenza, H5N1. Here's what to know about bird flu mortality rate and who is at risk.

The patient was 65 years old and had underlying medical conditions, according to the Louisiana Department of Health

Louisiana health officials said in a statement. Worldwide, more than 950 human cases of bird flu have been reported to the World Health Organization, and about half have resulted in death.

(Reuters) -A U.S. patient who had been hospitalized with H5N1 bird flu has died, the Louisiana Department of Health said on Monday, marking the country's first reported human death from the virus.

The risk of catching H5N1 bird flu remains low, and there have been no reported cases of person-to-person spread.