Aussie Toddler Tests Positive for H5N1 Bird Flu After Kolkata Visit, Kept in Intensive Care

H5N1 Bird Flu

Aussie Toddler Tests Positive for H5N1 Bird Flu: The World Health Organisation reported an H5N1 Bird Flu-positive case in a small girl in Australia, the girl visited India a month ago.

After being tested positive the girl was immediately taken under hospital treatment. However, The girl’s family said they had no contact with any sick people or animals while they visited India.

The WHO in a statement said, "This is the first confirmed human infection caused by avian influenza A(H5N1) virus detected and reported by Australia.”

It further said, “Although the source of exposure to the virus in this case is currently unknown, the exposure likely occurred in India where the girl had travelled, and where this group of viruses has been detected in birds in the past.”

As per the reports from WHO, the girl’s family visited Kolkata on February 12 to left on February 19, and the family came back to Australia on March 1.

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Soon after the girl returned, the next day she was admitted to the hospital and the WHO said that the DNA test showed that the virus was of the H5N1 subtype which was spread in Southeast Asia.

As the girl's symptoms got worse she was transferred to an urgent care unit in Melbourne on March 4 and after two and a half weeks, she was released from the hospital.

WHO also said that the Indian authorities have started an investigation to identify how she was affected by the H5N1 Bird Flu. and no other cases have been recorded so far.

According to WHO, a total of 889 human cases from 2003 to 2024 among which 463 have already died in 23 countries.

People who are infected with H5N1 may have symptoms such as high fever over 38°C, sore throat, muscle pain, malaise, and cough, Other early signs may include pink eyes and other signs that aren't related to breathing.

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