A 53-year-old man from Chile has been diagnosed with bird flu after experiencing a sore throat, hoarseness, and coughing. His symptoms worsened in March 2023, leading to his hospitalization in an intensive care unit. Following treatment with antiviral and antibiotic medications, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that he is still under surveillance in the hospital.
Laboratory tests conducted by Chilean and American health officials revealed two mutations related to the viral infection (in the PB2 gene), which are believed to make the virus more lethal and potentially transmissible to humans. The British newspaper "The Sun" noted that this comes just weeks after the culling of 40,000 chickens in central Chile. According to the World Health Organization, the patient is thought to have contracted the infection through contact with sick or dead birds.
The CDC confirmed that despite the new mutations, the current threat to humans remains low. Currently, there is no evidence that the mutated virus has spread to other people or has the ability to evade treatments and vaccines.
