LONDON: A “rare” human case of bird flu has been detected in England, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) announced on Monday (Jan 27).
“The person acquired the infection on a farm, where they had close and prolonged contact with a large number of infected birds. The risk to the wider public continues to be very low,” the agency said in a statement.
The individual, who caught the A(H5N1) infection in England’s West Midlands, is “well” and has been admitted to a High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) unit, UKHSA said in a statement.
The birds were infected with the DI.2 genotype, which is different to strains circulating among mammals and birds in the United States, it added.
“The risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low despite this confirmed case”, said Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA.
