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British Columbia, Canada — A teenager in British Columbia has become the first person in Canada to test positive for bird flu, marking the nation’s inaugural case of avian flu in humans, health authorities confirmed on Saturday.
The individual, currently receiving treatment for H5 avian flu at a children’s hospital, is in stable condition, according to the provincial health department. British Columbia Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry emphasized that this case is an unusual occurrence. “This is a rare event,” Dr. Henry said, adding that officials are pursuing an extensive investigation to understand the source of the infection and any potential contacts. Preliminary findings suggest the teen likely contracted the virus from contact with an infected bird or animal.
Though bird flu predominantly affects wild birds and poultry, recent years have seen isolated cases in mammals, raising concerns about cross-species transmission. In North America, bird flu outbreaks among cattle have been reported in the United States this year, underscoring the virus’s potential reach.
Bird flu infections in humans are rare and typically result from close interaction with infected animals or exposure to contaminated environments. However, scientists remain vigilant about the possibility of the virus mutating, which could increase the risk of human-to-human transmission. Dr. Henry stressed that, while this case underscores the need for caution, there is no evidence to date of sustained transmission between people.
The concern over avian flu’s potential to mutate stems from recent data indicating infections in a growing range of mammalian hosts. “There is some worry that the high rate of transmission could lead to viral mutations,” one epidemiologist noted. Such mutations could potentially enable the virus to pass directly from person to person, significantly heightening the global health risk.
Earlier this year, the United States reported its first human case of avian flu in Missouri in a person with no known direct animal contact. Most American cases since the first instance in 2022 have been farmworkers, but health officials continue to monitor for signs of broader transmission.
As the investigation in British Columbia unfolds, health officials are reinforcing measures to monitor and contain any further spread of the virus among animal populations, with the hope that rapid response will keep Canada’s first human bird flu case an isolated incident.
