The World Health Organization has announced the death of a person due to the first laboratory-confirmed infection with a strain of bird flu. The organization stated that the 59-year-old man residing in Mexico died on April 24 after suffering from fever, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, nausea, and general fatigue. This was the first case recorded globally of a confirmed human infection with the H5N2 variant of bird flu, and the first confirmed case of the H5 virus among humans in Mexico.
The organization noted that the man had no history of exposure to domestic birds or other animals. Mexico has reported cases of the H5N2 strain of bird flu in domestic birds. The organization added that the individual had pre-existing medical conditions and had been bedridden for three weeks due to unrelated reasons before the onset of his severe symptoms.
Experts warn that the virus responsible for the spread of bird flu worldwide is evolving rapidly, with increasing calls for poultry vaccination. Since its emergence in 1996, the bird flu virus has primarily caused seasonal epidemics. However, "something happened" in mid-2021 that enhanced its ability to spread, according to Richard Webby, a virologist and director of the World Health Organization's Center for Research on Avian Diseases, who previously discussed the topic with AFP. Since then, the outbreak has become annual and spread to new areas, causing the death of large numbers of wild birds in addition to the culling of tens of millions of poultry.
