First Human Dies From H5N2 Bird Flu in Mexico

June 6, 2024

The first known death from the H5N2 strain of bird flu was recorded by the World Health Organization (WHO) on April 24 in Mexico. This is a very bad sign for public health. The man who died was 59 years old and from the state of Mexico. He had been sick with fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, and feeling sick. He finally died from the virus on the day he was taken to the hospital in Mexico City. This case is important because it is the first proven case of the H5N2 virus in a person around the world.

Investigation and Background Details

The person had no direct touch with chickens or other animals, which makes it even more mysterious how he got the virus. Global health experts are confused because H5N2 cases have usually been found in chickens in the past. The person who died also had several other health problems, such as chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and systemic artery hypertension, all of which could have made him more likely to get infections. After lab tests on May 23, Mexican health officials told WHO what they knew about this case. At this point, the source of the virus has not been found, but H5N2 outbreaks have been seen in chickens in the same area before.

Response and Preventative Measures

Regarding the event, health officials are closely watching farms close to where the person who died lived. They set up a surveillance system to find any new cases of the virus quickly in any nearby wildlife or poultry. The health ministry has reassured the public that the risk of spreading the disease from this incident is still low, as shown by the fact that everyone who had touch with the victim experienced negative outcomes.

About H5N2 virus

The H5N2 virus was first found in Ireland in 1983. It is a highly pathogenic type of avian influenza that mostly affects birds. It was known for spreading in U.S. chicken farms in 2015, and millions of birds had to be killed to stop the disease from spreading. Even though the virus mostly affects birds, a few cases of infections in humans have made health officials worry about the possibility of zoonotic spread. Researchers have found that H5N2 can mix with other flu viruses, which could make the risk of a pandemic higher. Ecological studies show that migratory birds play a big part in how the virus spreads around the world, affecting both wild bird populations and the chicken industry.

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