The Louisiana patient who contracted what officials said was the nation’s first “severe” case of avian influenza has died, the state health department said Monday. The person who contracted the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic bird flu in southwest Louisiana had been hospitalized since mid-December.

The patient, who was older than 65 and had underlying medical conditions, was hospitalized weeks ago in critical condition with severe respiratory illness.

The Louisiana Department of Health says the first ever severe human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza patient has died. According to LDH, the individual had exposure to the virus from sick and dead birds within backyard flocks.