Australia reports first human case of bird flu in child who contracted it in India
The patient had experienced a severe infection but made a full recovery from the illness, health authorities said.
Australia on Wednesday recorded its first human case of avian influenza, colloquially known as bird flu, in a child who authorities said contracted the infection in India, reported Reuters.
The case was reported from the country’s southeastern state of Victoria. Avian influenza is caused by the H5N1 influenza virus.
The Victorian Department of Health said that the “child experienced a severe infection but is no longer unwell and has made a full recovery”. The child had returned to Australia “from overseas” in March, the agency said in a statement.
“There is no evidence of transmission in Victoria and the chance of additional human cases is very low as avian influenza does not easily spread between people,” the health department said.
A human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) infection, also known as “bird flu”, has been reported in Victoria.
— Victorian Department of Health (@VicGovDH) May 22, 2024
There is no evidence of transmission in Victoria and the chance of additional human cases is very low as avian influenza does not easily spread between people.
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The child had contracted the infection when in India and had been unwell in March, PTI reported citing reports in the Australian press.
The case was reported hours after another strain of the avian influenza – the H7N7 strain – was detected on an egg farm in the state after several deaths in poultry, PTI reported. The news agency said that chickens at the egg farm were being euthanised in the hundreds of thousands after the disease was detected there.
