The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Wednesday the first human case of the H5N2 bird flu virus was reported in Mexico.
The infected individual, a 59-year-old Mexican man, succumbed to a combination of ailments, including chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and systemic arterial hypertension. He exhibited severe symptoms such as fever and breathlessness before he died in a Mexico City hospital.
WHO emphasized the man’s death was not solely caused by the H5N2 virus. Testing identified the virus posthumously, with close contacts showing no signs of infection. The source of the virus remains under investigation, with potential links to poultry.
Simultaneously, the WHO announced the first confirmed human case of the H5N1 virus in Australia, involving a young girl who required intensive care after returning from India. The agency highlighted that this strain, detected in Indian poultry previously, likely caused her infection. Despite her severe condition, her immediate family showed no symptoms.
The WHO described the overall risk to the public from H5N2 as low and outlined the broader impact of H5N1. Since its emergence, H5N1 has led to numerous poultry deaths and crossed species barriers.
Read: First Human Case of H5N2 Bird Flu Confirmed in Mexico Leads to Death
Despite increasing cases, the risk of transmission through poultry consumption remains extremely low, as humans lack the necessary receptors for avian influenza in their digestive systems.
