WHO confirms the first case of H5N2 bird flu in humans

Geneva [Switzerland], June 7: The World Health Organization (WHO) on June 5 announced the death of a 59-year-old man in Mexico infected with influenza A/H5N2, the first person in the world confirmed to have H5N2. The source of infection to this person has not been clarified, but WHO noted that there were three outbreaks of H5N2 in poultry in the vicinity of the patient's residence in March. However, WHO said it could not confirm the connection. link between cases and outbreaks, and noted that the risk of avian influenza virus to people in Mexico remains low.
Mexican health officials said the patient had never had contact with poultry or other animals. This person was bedridden for 3 weeks for unknown reasons, while he had many underlying diseases such as chronic kidney failure, diabetes and high blood pressure, which can easily cause severe illness when infected with the flu, even if it is seasonal flu. By April 17, the patient showed symptoms of fever, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, and nausea. On April 24, the patient was taken to the hospital and died from complications. Test results confirmed that the patient had influenza A/H5N2. Close contacts, including 17 people at the hospital and 12 people living near the patient's home, were all negative for the viruses that cause influenza and Covid-19 . Reuters quoted a statement from the Mexican Ministry of Health saying there was no evidence of person-to-person transmission and that farms near the victim's home were being further monitored.
Viruses are increasingly evolving
According to WHO, animal influenza viruses can be transmitted to humans, mainly through direct contact with infected animals or through the environment. Bird flu viruses can cause mild to severe respiratory infections in humans, even leading to death. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), human cases of influenza A/H5N1 have been recorded in 23 countries since 1997 with a mortality rate of up to 50%. Meanwhile, H5N6 cases have been recorded in the two countries since 2014, with a mortality rate of more than 40%. An H5N6 outbreak in China in 2021 killed 18 people, The Guardian reported, citing CDC statistics. In May, Australian authorities recorded the first human case of influenza A/H5N1 in this country but noted there were no signs of further spread. However, this country detected many cases of H7 influenza infection in poultry raised on farms in Victoria state.
Scientists also said the Mexican case is not related to the H5N1 outbreak in livestock in the United States, which has so far sickened three farm workers. US officials say there have been no cases of human-to-human infection and that the pathogen only spreads from livestock to humans. Flu expert Andrew Pekosz at Johns Hopkins University (USA) said that since 1997, the H5 virus has continuously tended to infect mammals, more than other bird flu viruses. "It continues to be a warning bell for us to be very vigilant when monitoring these infections because each spread is an opportunity for the virus to find ways to accumulate mutations that help them become more infectious. on people," Mr. Pekosz warned.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper