The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the death of a man in Mexico City after contracting the A(H5N2) strain of bird flu. This marks the first recorded instance of this strain infecting a human, although the health agency emphasizes that the overall risk to the public remains low.
The 59-year-old individual, who had pre-existing health complications, passed away in April after exhibiting symptoms including fever, shortness of breath, diarrhoea, and nausea. According to reports, the man had been bedridden for three weeks due to other health issues before the onset of acute symptoms.
Mexico’s public health department stated that the man suffered from chronic kidney failure, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Despite seeking hospital care on April 24, he succumbed to the illness on the same day.
Initial tests indicated an unidentified type of flu, later confirmed through lab testing to be A(H5N2). Andrew Pekosz, an influenza expert at Johns Hopkins University, noted that the man’s underlying health conditions placed him at a higher risk of severe influenza, although the source of infection remains unclear.
While cases of A(H5N2) have been documented in poultry in Mexico, including in regions bordering the victim’s residence, authorities have yet to establish a direct connection. Despite testing individuals who came into contact with the deceased, no further human cases have been identified.
The WHO underscores that the current risk to the general population posed by this virus is deemed low, based on available information. Mexico’s Ministry of Health concurs, stating that there is no risk of contagion for the population and that all samples from identified contacts of the patient have tested negative.
Authorities continue to monitor farms near the victim’s home and have implemented a permanent surveillance system to detect potential cases in wildlife in the area.
While A(H5N1) and other variants of bird flu have caused fatalities in humans in previous outbreaks, experts emphasize the importance of vigilance and monitoring to prevent further spillovers and mutations that may enhance human infectivity.
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