The recent case of a four-year-old child in West Bengal being infected with Avian Influenza A (H9N2) has raised concerns about the potential spread of this virus in the region. Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is a highly contagious respiratory disease that primarily affects birds but can also infect humans.
It is important to note that H9N2 is a subtype of avian influenza that has been circulating among poultry in Asia for many years. While human cases of H9N2 infection are rare, they have been reported in several countries, including China and Pakistan. The fact that a young child has been infected in West Bengal highlights the need for increased surveillance and monitoring of avian influenza outbreaks in the region.
The child has recovered and was discharged from the hospital.
WHO received a notification from the International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) for India, regarding a human case of avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection in West Bengal, the health body said in a press release.
“The patient is a 4-year-old child residing in West Bengal state. The case, previously diagnosed with hyperreactive airway disease, initially presented to the paediatrician with fever and abdominal pain on 26 January 2024.
This is the second human infection of H9N2 bird flu in India, with the first in 2019, the WHO said.
While the H9N2 virus typically cause mild illness, the UN agency said that more sporadic human cases could occur as this virus is one of the most prevalent avian influenza viruses circulating in poultry in different regions.
An immediate response from the Indian health ministry was not available.
One, with the virus circulating in poultry, WHO expects to see sporadic cases of the infection. In its risk assessment, the inter-governmental agency said: “Most human cases of infection with H9N2 viruses are exposed through contact with infected poultry or contaminated environment… Given the continued detection of the virus in poultry populations, sporadic human cases can be expected.”
Human infection with H9N2 tends to be mild, but there have been some cases where hospitalisation was required like the one from West Bengal. There have been two deaths reported from across the world due to the infection. The WHO added that the current evidence suggests that the virus hasn’t acquired the ability to transmit from human-to-human yet.
The World Health Organization on Tuesday said a case of human infection with bird flu caused by the H9N2 virus was detected in a four-year-old child in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.
The patient was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) of a local hospital due to persistent severe respiratory issues, high fever and abdominal cramps in February, and was discharged three months later after diagnosis and treatment, the WHO said.
Read more
Elon Musk ditches lawsuit against OpenAI unexpectedly Hunter Biden found guilty of all 3 felony gun charges
Sarah H
Also on site :
- Michael Mosley’s family say ‘it’s hard to believe that a year has passed’ since his death
- How to prevent sports injuries in children
- 'You need to charge more': The San Francisco dive bar that refuses to raise prices