AVN Web Desk
In an alarming development, British Columbia has reported Canada’s first presumptive case of H5 avian influenza in a human—a teenager who likely contracted the virus through contact with an infected bird or animal.
The patient is receiving treatment at a children’s hospital, and authorities are tracing their contacts. Provincial health officials assured that the public risk remains minimal.
Health Minister Mark Holland described the case as rare, while Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer, said an in-depth investigation into the case is ongoing.
The H5 strain, prevalent in wild birds globally, has also impacted poultry and, recently, dairy cows in the US. While cases among US farm workers have also been reported. However, any human-to-human transmission has not yet been documented, which according to experts could pose pandemic risks.
The US CDC has recommended testing for farm workers exposed to bird flu, even asymptomatic ones, amid ongoing outbreaks affecting nearly 450 dairy farms in 15 states and resulting in 46 human cases since April.
British Columbia has recorded infections in 22 poultry farms since October, with no detections in cattle or milk.
