A human bird flu case is thought to be found in Canada for the first time

NPR | By Ayana Archie

Published November 11, 2024 at 2:18 AM CST

A 2005 electron microscope image shows an avian influenza A H5N1 virion. A pig at an Oregon farm was found to have bird flu, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday.

A case of H5 bird flu is believed to be detected in a human in Canada for the first time, health officials said Saturday.

A teenager from the province of British Columbia tested positive for the virus and has been hospitalized, according to health officials from the province. The test is being sent to another lab to be confirmed.

Officials are investigating how the teen became exposed to the flu and whom he recently came in contact with to determine the need for additional testing and assessments for symptoms.

Almost 50 cases of bird flu have been detected in the U.S., mostly in California and Colorado, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last month, U.S. officials said a pig at an Oregon farm was found to have bird flu, the first time the virus had been detected in U.S. swine. U.S. agriculture officials said there was no concern over the nation's pork supply.