Mexican child infected with H5N1 bird flu dies from respiratory complications

A 3-year-old miss successful Mexico died this period aft getting infected with H5N1 vertebrate flu, according to a study issued by the World Health Organization this week.

Authorities accidental the strain of vertebrate flu is 1 that has been circulating successful chaotic birds passim North America, known arsenic D1.1. It is the aforesaid strain implicated successful the decease of a idiosyncratic successful Louisiana earlier this year, and successful the lawsuit of a 13-year-old Canadian who was placed connected life-support for respective weeks earlier recovering.

Two others, a idiosyncratic successful Wyoming and a poultry idiosyncratic successful Ohio, were besides reported to person terrible illness aft vulnerability to this strain of the virus.

The strain has been detected successful dairy herds from Nevada and Arizona.

“The lawsuit successful Mexico is different large reminder of however unsafe H5 viruses tin be,” said Richard Webby, an infectious illness adept astatine St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital successful Memphis, Tenn.

The D1.1 strain is wide successful the U.S. and Canada, but until this week’s WHO study it was unclear however acold southbound the strain had traveled, helium said.

“It has been a precise progressive microorganism to date,” helium said, and “further dispersed volition undoubtedly pb to much infections, some successful birds and humans. “

He said researchers are present awaiting work of the familial sequence, which volition supply much accusation astir whether determination person been further changes that could marque it much terrible and/or transmissible.

According to the WHO, the young girl’s symptoms, which included fever, malaise and vomiting, began connected March 7. She was admitted to a infirmary successful the authorities of Durango connected March 13 owed to respiratory failure. She was treated with oseltamivir, an antiviral drug, the pursuing day. On March 16, she transferred to different infirmary successful the metropolis of Torreón.

She died connected April 8 from “respiratory complications.”

The miss did not person immoderate underlying aesculapian conditions, had not received a seasonal influenza vaccination, and had nary past of travel, according to the WHO report.

The root of the child’s corruption remains nether investigation.

According to the report, 91 radical were identified arsenic contacts of the toddler, including 21 household contacts, 60 healthcare workers and 10 radical from a childcare center. Each of these radical was tested and each person tested antagonistic for the virus.

Between 2022 and August 2024, determination person been 75 reported H5N1 poultry outbreaks crossed Mexico, though nary successful Durango. At the extremity of January 2025, a sick vulture astatine the Sahuatoba Zoo, successful Durango, was diagnosed with the virus. In addition, dozens of chaotic birds successful the authorities were besides reported, including a Canada goose.

The microorganism is inactive circulating successful U.S. dairy herds, poultry, chaotic birds and chaotic mammals. Since April 1, determination person been 5 caller reports of infected dairy herds from California, 15 successful Idaho and 1 from Arizona, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

There person besides been dozens of home cats infected with the virus, including 3 caller reports from California’s Orange and Alameda counties: 2 successful Orange and 1 successful Alameda.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, determination person been 70 reported cases of H5N1 vertebrate flu successful the U.S. since March 2024, erstwhile the microorganism was archetypal reported successful dairy herds. There has been 1 death, a idiosyncratic older than 65 from Louisiana.

Health officials accidental the hazard of H5N1 vertebrate flu to the wide nationalist remains debased and determination has been nary denotation of person-to-person spread. Most cases person been associated with interaction with infected livestock and poultry.