Canada Reports First Human Case of Bird Flu

Canada has confirmed its first case of bird flu in a person, as a teenager in British Columbia tests positive for the H5 avian flu, Arab News reported yesterday.

The provincial health department announced that the individual is currently receiving treatment at a children’s hospital. Authorities are investigating the source of the infection and any potential contacts.

Health Officer Bonnie Henry described the case as “rare,” emphasizing that the infection likely originated from a bird or animal. Bird flu is primarily found in wild birds and poultry but has increasingly been detected in mammals, raising concerns among scientists about the virus’s potential to mutate and spread among humans.

While human infections remain uncommon, the recent rise in cases among mammals, including an outbreak in cattle in the U.S., has heightened vigilance. In September, a person in Missouri was reported as the first in the U.S. to test positive for bird flu without known exposure to infected animals. Currently, there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission.