Australia reports first human case of bird flu, says child was infected in India
In a health advisory, Victoria's Chief Health Officer, Dr. Clare Looker said, "A case of avian influenza A (H5N1) infection, also known as 'bird flu,' has been reported in Victoria. This is the first human case of H5N1 avian influenza in Australia. The case occurred in a child, who acquired the infection in India and was unwell in March 2024."
FollowIn a recent development, Australia has confirmed its first human case of avian influenza A, with a child diagnosed after contracting the infection in India in March. This development marks the first instance of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a human in Australia and the first detection of the H5N1 strain in a person or animal within the country.
In a health advisory, Victoria's Chief Health Officer, Dr. Clare Looker said, "A case of avian influenza A (H5N1) infection, also known as 'bird flu,' has been reported in Victoria. This is the first human case of H5N1 avian influenza in Australia. The case occurred in a child, who acquired the infection in India and was unwell in March 2024."
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The advisory explained that the virus was identified through enhanced surveillance testing of positive influenza samples to detect novel or concerning flu strains. Despite the child experiencing a severe infection, they have since made a full recovery. Contact tracing has not revealed any further cases connected to this incident.
Details regarding the child's travel itinerary in India, age, gender, and specific illness-related information were not disclosed.
Since its identification in China in 1996, bird flu viruses have been circulating among wild and domestic birds. Occasionally, these viruses infect humans in close contact with birds, with a fatality rate exceeding 50%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The past two years have seen a notable increase in the frequency and spread of the virus among both birds and mammals. In 2022, 67 countries across five continents experienced H5N1 outbreaks, resulting in the loss of over 131 million domestic poultry due to death or culling.
In 2023, 14 additional countries, mainly in the Americas, reported outbreaks and mass fatalities in wild birds linked to influenza A (H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses.
