A child has been confirmed as the first human case of H5N1 virus in Australia. As per reports, the child had returned from India in March, and is believed that he contracted the flu virus there.
"This is the first human case of H5N1 avian influenza in Australia. The case occurred in a child, who acquired the infection in India and was unwell in March 2024. The avian influenza virus was detected through further testing of positive influenza samples that takes place to detect novel or concerning flu virus strains, as part of Victoria’s enhanced surveillance system. Contact tracing has not identified any further cases of avian influenza connected to this case," Victoria Health Department has said in an official statement.
"There is a current global outbreak of avian influenza in birds and animals. Avian influenza does not usually infect people, but in rare cases human infection can occur. The recently reported case in Victoria was in a child who returned to Australia from overseas in March 2024. The child experienced a severe infection but is no longer unwell and has made a full recovery," it has also said.
Australia is the only continent where animals have so far stayed free of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, but authorities on Wednesday said a different strain of highly pathogenic bird flu had been detected at an egg farm near Melbourne. "Transmission to humans is very rare, with a small number of human cases of H5N1 reported globally, resulting in death in a number of cases. This is the first confirmed human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Australia, and the first time the H5N1 strain has been detected in a person or animal in Australia," the Health Department has said.
In severe cases, the infection can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multi-organ failure, and septic shock. Neurological symptoms, including altered mental status and seizures, have been reported in some instances. The high mortality rate associated with H5N1 makes early detection and treatment critical.