A B.C. teen has a suspected case of H5N1 avian flu — the first known human to acquire the virusin Canada.
The provincial government said on the weekend that B.C.‘s chief veterinarian and public health teamsare still investigating the source of exposure, but that it’s “very likely” an animal or bird.
Human-to-human transmission is very rare, but as cases among animals rise, many experts are worried the virus could develop that ability. As of Saturday, the teen was being treated at BC Children’s Hospital. “I’m very concerned, obviously, for the young person who was infected,” said Dr.
Matthew Miller, director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. Miller, who is also the co-director of the Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub, said there have been several people infected with H5N1 in the U.
S.,and almost all were livestock workers. WHAT IS H5N1? H5N1 is a subtype of influenza A virus that has mainly affected birds, so it’s also called “bird flu” or “avian flu.
” The H5N1 flu that has been circulating widely among birds and cattle this year is one of the avian flu strains known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) because it causes severe illness in birds, including poultry. According to the World Health Organization, H5N1 has been circulating widely among wild birds and poultry for more than two decades. The WHO became increasingly concerned and called for more disease surveill.