The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Tuesday that a four-year-old child in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal has been infected with bird flu caused by the H9N2 virus.
According to WHO, the child was admitted to a local hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) in February due to severe respiratory issues, high fever, and abdominal cramps. After three months of diagnosis and treatment, the child was discharged.
The child had been exposed to poultry both at home and in the surrounding area. There were no reports of respiratory illness among family members or other contacts.
At the time of reporting, information regarding the child’s vaccination status and details of antiviral treatment were not available.
This marks the second human infection of H9N2 bird flu in India, following a case reported in 2019. While the H9N2 virus typically causes mild illness, WHO warns that further sporadic human cases could occur, as it is one of the most prevalent avian influenza viruses circulating in poultry across various regions.
