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BC's provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, said the teenager infected with the H5N1 bird flu remains in critical condition at Children's Hospital.
Henry said the teen is “stable” and has made some progress in recent days, but is still “very sick.”
She said they are hopeful the teen will recover.
In addition, Henry said 34 healthcare workers were exposed to bird flu, but there have been no new cases of H5N1 bird flu in humans.
On. On November 13, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed that a teenager at BC Children's Hospital was infected with a human case of bird flu – also known as bird flu – caused by the influenza A(H5N1) virus in Canada.
This is the first domestically acquired case of H5N1 bird flu in humans.
It is not yet known how the teen contracted the virus, but Henry said a possible source of the exposure was a dog that was sick at the time this child's illness began.
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“This dog was thoroughly examined with all possible tests and we consulted with colleagues in Canada and the US,” Henry said.
“There are only two known cases of H5 in dogs worldwide, so there is still a lot we don't know about how this virus might present itself in a dog.”
Henry said there was additional follow-up at the vet and the home where the dog was before the adoption, and all people and other animals in those places tested negative for H5N1.
“That said, all additional tests performed, including samples from many different parts of this dog, were all negative for H5 flu.”
She also said there was no exposure at the teen's school.
Henry did warn that they may never know where the teen was exposed to the virus or where it came from.
She said the teen was healthy before the infection.
“We can't talk to them directly about where the exposure may have occurred,” Henry said. “If we can't talk to this teen directly, we may never know for sure where they were exposed and where it came from. This is not unheard of.
“Our investigation, our detailed public health investigation is closed for now unless something new arises, and I am confident that there are no new cases at this time, but we still need to be cautious and we need to look and think about how to prevent we want this to happen to someone else.”
Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) is rare and usually occurs after close contact with infected birds, other infected animals or highly polluted environments.
Henry said the public health team was able to identify the H5N1 genotype – Clade B.2.3.4.4B and genotype D1.1.
“This is important because this clade and genotype are the same as those detected in wild birds here in British Columbia,” she said, “and also in the many poultry outbreaks we see here in buildings throughout the region, particularly in the Lower Mainland. ”
Henry said there are now 54 bird flu outbreaks on farms in B.C
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Amy Judd
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