The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that a human infection with the H9N2 bird flu virus has been detected in a four-year-old child in West Bengal, India. The child was admitted to a pediatric ICU in February with severe respiratory issues, high fever, and abdominal cramps and was discharged three months later after diagnosis and treatment.
The patient had exposure to poultry at home and in the surrounding area, with no other family members or contacts reporting symptoms. Details on vaccination status and antiviral treatment were not available.
This is India’s second reported human case of H9N2 bird flu, with the first occurring in 2019. While H9N2 typically causes mild illness, the WHO warns that further sporadic human cases are possible due to its prevalence in poultry worldwide. The Indian health ministry has yet to respond to the situation.
