Health Officer Reports BC Teen Infected with Bird Flu in Critical Condition, Source of Infection Unknown

Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer of British Columbia, has reported that a teenager diagnosed with bird flu is currently in critical condition and receiving treatment at B.C. Children’s Hospital.

The teenager, who is the first presumptive human case of bird flu in Canada, was admitted to the hospital late on Friday, according to Henry.

It is believed that the teenager likely contracted the illness from exposure to an animal or the environment, although there is a possibility that the exact source may never be determined.

Twelve other individuals, including medical workers who had contact with the teen, have been tested for avian flu, but none have tested positive for the illness.

Henry also mentioned that there is no connection between the teen and any of the two dozen poultry farms in B.C. that have experienced avian flu outbreaks during the fall migration of wild birds.

She noted that H5N1 strain of avian influenza causing infection in humans is rare and has only been reported in a few cases in the U.S. and other countries.

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