A young, healthy teenager in British Columbia, with no preexisting conditions, remains in critical condition after contracting H5N1. However, there are signs of improvement after spending a month in intensive care.
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BC Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, highlighted that mutations in this strain suggest it is becoming better adapted to infect humans. In this patient, it started as pink eye or conjunctivitis, then progressed to a severe lung infection.
Genetic analysis shows this variant resembles strains found in wild geese in the region in Oct., rather than those associated w/ poultry or cows. Dr. Henry emphasized that the more humans & mammals infected with the virus, the higher the risk of it evolving to spread more efficiently between people.
Preventing infections and swiftly containing outbreaks in both farm animals and humans are crucial steps to reduce the risk of further adaptation to humans.
Watch the full briefing here. https://www.youtube.com/live/JH76Mi-Wntg?si=sP54ZbMYCiCguqUv
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Watch the full briefing here.
https://www.youtube.com/live/JH76Mi-Wntg?si=sP54ZbMYCiCguqUv