Australia has reported its first human case of bird flu (H5N1) in a child. Here is all you need to know about avian flu from symptoms to precautions. Published: May 23, 2024 1:39 PM IST By Edited by In a first, avian flu human case has been reported in Australia’s Victoria.
According to the Australian health authorities, a child had contracted the virus and reportedly he or she may have contracted it in their time in India in March 2024. However, The officials also ruled out the possibility of further spread in the community. “The child experienced a severe infection but is no longer unwell and has made a full recovery,” said Dr Clare Looker, Chief Health Officer, Victoria in a statement, as quoted by IANS.
“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,” Dr Looker added. The report comes amidst a global outbreak of H5N1, including India, that has killed millions of wild birds and thousands of mammals. In 2023, the H5N1 virus killed a record number of birds and also spread to otters, sea lions, foxes, dolphins, and seals, among others.
More recently, it affected numerous cattle farms across the US, and fragments of the virus were found in pasteurised milk sold in stores. Can H5N1 be Transmitted Via Humans? A Texas man, in contact with dairy cows, has reportedly acquired the virus.While the H5N1 virus has so far not caused any human-to-human transmission, .