B.C. Teen Recovering from Avian Flu Taken Off Oxygen, No Longer Infectious

A 13-year-old girl from British Columbia, who tested positive for H5N1 avian flu in November, has shown significant improvement in her recovery, according to Canadian health officials. A letter published in The New England Journal of Medicine confirms that the teenager no longer requires supplemental oxygen and is no longer considered infectious.

The letter, signed by doctors from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, B.C. Children’s Hospital, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and B.C.’s Ministry of Agriculture, provides a detailed account of the girl’s case.

The teenager, who had a history of mild asthma, first sought medical attention on Nov. 4 with symptoms of fever and conjunctivitis but was discharged without treatment. Her condition worsened, leading to a return to the hospital on Nov. 7 with respiratory distress. She was later transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit at B.C. Children’s Hospital, where she received treatment, including temporary intubation.

First Human Case in Canada

The case marked the first human instance of H5N1 avian flu acquired in Canada. Investigators have not determined the source of the girl’s exposure, but testing revealed the strain closely matches that found in wild birds in the Fraser Valley in October. The strain was not directly linked to recent outbreaks at poultry farms in the region.

Health officials confirmed no secondary transmission occurred in the girl’s household or the hospital where she was treated. By Nov. 29, the teen was deemed no longer infectious, and her condition continued to improve, with supplemental oxygen discontinued by Dec. 18.

Avian Flu in B.C.

The Fraser Valley, where the teen is from, has been a hotspot for avian flu outbreaks, significantly impacting the commercial poultry industry. Since spring 2022, more than 8.5 million birds in B.C. have been affected, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Investigators conducted extensive testing on pets, birds, and environmental samples from nearby premises but have yet to determine a direct source of the teen's exposure.

Expert Concerns

The H5N1 virus, known for its severity in humans, has raised alarms among health experts.

“This is a terrible virus with a significant inflammatory response,” said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital. While the virus has not yet shown the ability for sustained human-to-human transmission, Bogoch emphasized the importance of minimizing infections in mammals to prevent potential mutations.

“We need to ensure the virus has as few opportunities as possible to adapt in ways that make human transmission more likely,” he said.

Health officials continue to monitor the situation closely, stressing the importance of vigilance in preventing the spread of avian flu among animals and humans.