Chile has identified the first human case of bird flu, according to the country’s health ministry on Wednesday.
According to a ministry statement, the instance was discovered in a 53-year-old male who had severe influenza symptoms, although the patient was in stable condition.
The authorities are also looking into the source of the infection as well as anyone who came into touch with the sufferer.
Since late last year, Chile has documented occurrences of H5N1 bird flu in wild animals.
Recent incidents on industrial farms prompted the authorities to suspend chicken exports. Although industrial instances have been found in Argentina, Brazil, the world’s biggest chicken exporter, remains clear of the virus.
The virus may be transferred from birds or marine animals to people, although no human-to-human transmission has been documented.
Ecuador verified its first incidence of human transmission of bird flu earlier this year in a 9-year-old child.
Although global health experts have said that the chance of human-to-human transmission is minimal, vaccine manufacturers have been manufacturing avian flu injections for people “just in case.”
