The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported the first lab-confirmed human case of H5N2 bird flu, resulting in the death of a 59-year-old Mexican resident.
The patient developed symptoms, including fever, shortness of breath, nausea, and diarrhoea, and died on April 24.
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“This is the first laboratory-confirmed human case of infection with an influenza A(H5N2) virus reported globally and the first avian H5 virus infection in a person reported in Mexico,” the WHO said.
According to the WHO, the patient had no known exposure to poultry or other animals but had multiple underlying health conditions.
Before this incident, it was uncertain whether the H5N2 virus could infect humans.
However, the H5N1 strain was detected in U.S. dairy herds in March, and since then, at least three people have been infected.
They are all workers from farms with infected cows and have been diagnosed with bird flu, although the illnesses were considered mild.
While avian flu viruses generally do not infect humans, there are rare instances where they do.
Based on available information, the WHO said it assessed the current risk to the general population posed by this virus as low.
This type of virus is typically spread by birds through their faeces, mucous, and saliva.
Human cases can occur if the virus enters the eyes, mouth, or nose.
In Australia, the H7N3 virus strain has been detected in three farms in Victoria.
The H7N9 strain has also been found at a fourth farm, killing hundreds of thousands of birds.
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