WHO Records First Fatal Human Case of Bird Flu

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced a death caused by the first laboratory-confirmed human case of infection with a subtype of avian influenza (bird flu). WHO confirmed in a statement that the first human infection with avian influenza A (H5N2) virus was recorded, which led to the death of the infected man in Mexico, after suffering from fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, and general fatigue. This is the world's first case of laboratory-confirmed human infection with the A(H5N2) subtype of bird flu, and the first case of infection with the H5 virus among humans in Mexico. The person had no history of exposure to poultry or other animals, WHO said. Cases of A(H5N2) subtype of the bird flu have been reported in poultry in Mexico. Since late 2021, Europe has been witnessing the worst outbreak of bird flu ever, while North and South America have also witnessed a severe outbreak, and this has led to the killing of tens of millions of poultry around the world, many of which carry the H5N1 virus strain. H5N1 first appeared in 1996. Bird flu infection in humans is rare, but when it occurs it can cause severe illness with a high death rate, as infection with the virus in humans usually results from direct or indirect exposure to infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments. Source: Qatar News Agency