The Public Health Agency of Canada has now confirmed that a teen in B.C. Children’s Hospital is infected with a human case of avian influenza (also known as bird flu) caused by influenza A(H5N1) virus in Canada.
This is the first domestically acquired human case of H5N1 avian influenza.
The teen, who is in critical care in hospital, B.C.’s provincial health officer confirmed on Tuesday, was admitted on Nov. 8.
On Nov. 9, the teen tested presumptive positive for H5N1.
On Nov. 13, the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Winnipeg “confirmed that the individual has avian influenza H5N1 and the genomic sequencing result indicates that the virus is related to the avian influenza H5N1 viruses from the ongoing outbreak in poultry in British Columbia (Influenza A (H5N1), clade 2.3.4.4b, genotype D.1.1),” the organization said in a statement.
Health officials in B.C. continue to undergo contract tracing and testing to determine if the virus spread further, but provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said on Tuesday that they do not believe anyone else has been infected.
Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) is rare and usually occurs after close contact with infected birds, other infected animals or highly contaminated environments.
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“Our thoughts are with this individual and their family, as well as the health workers who are engaged in their care at this difficult time. The Public Health Agency of Canada is working with our human and animal health partners to swiftly investigate and respond to this case,” Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada said in a statement.
“This detection was picked up via hospital-based influenza surveillance, confirming that human influenza surveillance in British Columbia and Canada is effective at detecting avian influenza A(H5). We must continue to remain vigilant in our efforts to prevent the spread of avian influenza between animals and to humans.”