First man dies due to bird flu strain H5N2
A Mexico resident succumbed to what officials have identified as the world’s inaugural fatality from a strain of avian influenza previously unseen in humans, as stated by the World Health Organization on Wednesday.
According to WHO, the 59-year-old individual passed away on April 24 after exhibiting symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, and general discomfort a week prior. The victim, unnamed by authorities, had pre-existing medical conditions before the onset of acute symptoms.
Bedridden in Mexico City for three weeks, the patient ultimately succumbed to complications arising from the infection.
Laboratory analyses confirmed this to be the premier instance of a human demise resulting from the avian influenza subtype A(H5N2), marking the first recorded human H5 virus infection in Mexico, as per WHO. The afflicted person had no known exposure to poultry or other animals, with the source of virus transmission remaining undisclosed, according to WHO.
Mexico has previously reported cases of the A(H5N2) strain of bird flu in poultry.
Health officials in the United States have reported at least three cases of bird flu in humans linked to dairy farm work, although those cases involve a distinct subtype of the virus (H5N1), as per health authorities.
