The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a case of human infection with bird flu caused by the H9N2 virus in a four-year-old child in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.
The child was admitted to a local hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) in February due to severe respiratory issues, high fever, and abdominal cramps. After diagnosis and treatment, the patient was discharged three months later.
The WHO stated that the child had been exposed to poultry at home and in the surrounding area. No family members or other contacts reported symptoms of respiratory illness.
Details on the child’s vaccination status and antiviral treatment were not available at the time of the report.
This marks the second human infection of H9N2 bird flu in India, with the first case recorded in 2019. Although the H9N2 virus generally causes mild illness, the WHO warned that further sporadic human cases could occur, as this virus is one of the most prevalent avian influenza viruses in poultry across various regions.
