This month, the first positive case of avian influenza, also known as bird flu or H5N1, was detected in BC.
Not only was this the first positive case of bird flu in the province, but it is also the first confirmed positive case in Canada.
The individual who contracted bird flu is from the Fraser Health region and is being cared for at BC Children’s Hospital.
When the news first came out about this case of bird flu, BC’s Provincial Health Officer, Bonnie Henry said that this case is a rare event, though there had been a few positive cases of bird flu in the United States and elsewhere around the same time as the BC teen tested positive.
This case of bird flu is being investigated by BC’s Chief Veterinarian as well as other public health teams, including the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
On Tuesday, November 26th, Dr. Henry provided an update on the teen who contracted bird flu as well as the progress of the investigation.
“First and foremost, the teenager who developed a rapidly progressive, severe respiratory illness from this remains in critical care at our tertiary pediatric hospital,” Dr. Henry said.
“This young person has received the best possible care from the critical team at BC Children’s, and is stable, though still very sick.”
She added she remains hopeful as the sick individual has made some progress in the last few days.
As for the investigation into the cause of this case of bird flu, Dr. Henry said a major focus has been on contact tracing, from which 60 people have been identified who came in contact with the sick individual.
All of those individuals have since tested negative and are confirmed to have not contracted bird flu.
“We have identified no additional cases of H5N1,” said Dr. Henry.
She also stated that a potential source of the teenager’s bird flu has been identified, which was a pet dog that was sick at the time of the onset of the illness in the affected individual.
“This dog was thoroughly investigated with every test possible and we consulted with colleagues across Canada and in the US,” she continued.
“There have been only two known cases of K9 H5 in the world and so, there is a lot we don’t yet know about how this virus might present in a dog.”
In testing this dog, all test results for H5 influenza have come back negative.
Dr. Henry says no one else is known to be impacted or infected by this incident of bird flu in a human.
About avian influenza
Bird flu, or H5N1, can be contracted if people are exposed to sick or dead birds or animals, or if they work on a farm where avian influenza has been detected.
According to the Province, avian influenza viruses can occur naturally among wild aquatic birds and are known to spread easily from bird to bird.
In recent years, the H5N1 has been spreading at an unprecedented rate among birds and other animals around the globe.
In North America, it has been most prevalent in wild birds and on poultry farms, but has also been impacting dairy cattle, foxes, skunks, marine mammals and more.
The humans who have contracted bird flu thus far have, for the most part, been in contact with sick animals.
As of the beginning of October 2024, at least 22 infected poultry premises have been identified in BC alone, with numerous wild birds testing positive as well.
Symptoms of bird flu are similar to those of regular influenza viruses: a fever, cough, sore throat, aching muscles, and sometimes diarrhea or eye infections can occur.
The Province asks that if people get these symptoms within 10 days of exposure to a sick or dead animal, they contact their health-care provider immediately and stay home, away from others while symptoms are present.
The following are recommended prevention measures against avian influenza:
- Stay up to date on all immunizations, especially the seasonal flu vaccine
- Do not touch sick or dead animals or their droppings and do not bring sick wild animals into your home
- Keep your pets away from sick or dead animals and their feces
- Report dead or sick birds or animals through the proper channels
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