WHO confirms human bird flu case in India after US and Mexico

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Tuesday, June 11, a human case of bird flu in West Bengal, a state in eastern India.

A four-year-old child was diagnosed with bird flu and admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit at a local hospital. The child had been suffering from severe respiratory issues, abdominal cramps, and a high fever since February. Following diagnosis and treatment, he was discharged three months later. The WHO reported that the child had been exposed to infected poultry both at home and in his surroundings. No respiratory illness symptoms were reported among his family members or others who had come into contact with him.

The WHO noted that it did not have details on the antiviral treatment provided to the child or his vaccination status.

### Second Human Case of Bird Flu in India

This marks the second human infection of the H9N2 bird flu strain reported in India, with the first case identified in 2019. According to the International Health Regulations (2005), “a human infection caused by a novel influenza A virus subtype is an event that has the potential for high public health impact and must be notified to the WHO.”

Humans typically contract the avian influenza A(H9N2) virus through exposure to contaminated environments or infected poultry, and these infections generally result in mild clinical illness. However, despite the mild nature of the H9N2 virus, sporadic human cases can occur because it is one of the most prevalent avian influenza viruses spreading among poultry worldwide.

The Indian health ministry has not yet responded to this case.

### Bird Flu Measures in Australia

In response to the avian influenza virus, Australian supermarket chain Coles has limited customers to purchasing two cartons of eggs per day in all states except Western Australia, according to a Bloomberg report. This measure aims to prevent the spread of the virus.

On June 10, Agriculture Minister Murray Watt reassured the public that Australian eggs are safe to consume and that contaminated eggs are not entering the supply chain.

Last week, a man in Mexico died after contracting the H5N2 bird flu strain, which had not been previously confirmed in humans.