Official health updates from B.C. Children's Hospital or statements from Dr. Bonnie Henry

Canadian Teen in Critical Condition with H5N1 Bird Flu; Infection Source Unknown

Nov 12, 2024, 08:16 PM

Canada's first presumed human case of avian influenza (H5N1) has been detected in a teenager in British Columbia. The teenager, previously healthy with no underlying conditions, began showing symptoms on November 2, including conjunctivitis, fever, and cough, and was admitted to B.C. Children's Hospital on November 8. He is currently in critical condition with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Health officials, including Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, are investigating the source of the infection, as the patient had no known contact with birds or farm animals but had interacted with a dog, cats, and reptiles, which have tested negative for the virus. Approximately 36 people who were in contact with the patient have been tested and provided with antiviral medication, with no additional cases identified. Dr. Henry emphasized the importance of vigilance in light of this first presumptive human case of H5N1 in Canada.