Canadian health officials reported on Saturday the country’s first presumptive case of H5 bird flu in a person—a teenager in British Columbia, Reuters reported.
Authorities said that the teenager likely contracted the virus from an infected bird or animal and is currently receiving care at a children’s hospital.
Health officials in British Columbia launched an investigation to determine the exact source of the teenager’s exposure, while also working to trace any contacts.
British Columbia’s Chief Health Officer, Bonnie Henry, said that public risk remains low and noted the rarity of human cases. “We are conducting a thorough investigation to fully understand the source of exposure here in B.C.,” Henry said in a statement.
Canada’s Health Minister Mark Holland echoed Henry’s reassurances, stating on X that “the event poses a limited danger to the public.”
The H5 bird flu virus has become increasingly prevalent among wild birds worldwide, causing serious outbreaks in both poultry and, in the U.S., dairy cattle.
Several recent human cases have appeared among U.S. dairy and poultry workers, although authorities stated that no cases of person-to-person transmission have been confirmed. Health officials continue to monitor the virus closely, as experts warn that a shift to human-to-human spread could lead to a pandemic.