“Canadian Teenager in Critical Condition with H5N1 Bird Flu: Health Officials Concerned About Unknown Source”
Canadian health officials announced on Tuesday that a teenager infected with H5N1 bird flu from an unknown source is in critical condition. According to British Columbia Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry, the child is suffering from acute respiratory distress and was hospitalized on Friday. This marks the first presumptive case of H5N1 bird flu in Canada.
The teenager did not have any contact with birds but did interact with a variety of other animals, including a dog, cats, and reptiles, in the days before becoming ill. Testing on those animals has so far been negative. Health authorities are currently tracing people the teen was in contact with, and no other infections have been identified at this time.
Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, expressed concern over the severity of the teen’s illness and the unknown source of infection. She emphasized the need for government officials to take proactive measures to prevent the further spread of the virus.
Since the virus appeared in North American wild birds in 2021, human cases have mostly presented as mild. However, a recent study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the virus is more widespread in dairy workers than previously assumed. Eight out of 115 dairy workers tested positive for the disease, indicating potential asymptomatic cases.
A study published in Nature, led by H5N1 expert Yoshihiro Kawaoka, showed mutations in the virus that made it more severe in animals and allowed for efficient airborne transmission. The isolate in the Canadian teen has not yet been genetically sequenced to determine if it carries these mutations.
As flu season ramps up, Nuzzo stressed the importance of preventive measures, including providing vaccines and antiviral medications to at-risk populations like dairy workers. The news of a serious human case of bird flu serves as a wake-up call to mobilize efforts to prevent another pandemic.
Factory farms, known for raising animals in crowded and unsanitary conditions, provide an environment for viruses like H5N1 to emerge and spread. Efforts to regulate farms and protect public health need to be strengthened to prevent further outbreaks.
As of Wednesday, there have been 492 dairy herds infected with H5N1 across 15 states in the U.S., with the majority in California. Two pigs in Oregon have also been infected. The situation highlights the need for proactive measures to prevent the spread of bird flu and protect public health.