Avian flu has been confirmed in Canada. What does that mean for you? – CBC

Risk in humans remains relatively low, but there are ways we can help reduce the spread

Nov 13, 2024

A B.C. teenager remains in hospital with avian flu, according to British Columbia’s top doctor.

On Tuesday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the teen is suffering from severe respiratory distress. On Wednesday, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) confirmed it as avian flu — the first case of its kind in Canada.

Henry said it’s very likely that the B.C. teen’s infection took place due to an exposure to either a sick animal or something in the environment, but it is a “real possibility” that the source might never be determined.

Avian flu typically spreads between wild and domestic birds but can spread to other animals and people. There have now been more than 40 confirmed human cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most of which have been found in California and are linked to dairy cows.

The variant of avian flu in dairy cattle in the U.S. is not the same as the branch confirmed in the B.C. teen, the PHAC says.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/avian-flu-what-you-need-to-know-1.7382459