NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Ministry of Health reports the first case of bird flu in humans in Chile, reported in northern Chile.

H5N1 avian influenza/CDC

The individual is a 53-year-old man affected by a severe influenza case. He is currently stable.

The health protocols established for the management of this disease were activated and the corresponding tests were taken for analysis by the Institute of Public Health (ISP), which confirmed that it is avian influenza.

The source of contact is investigated and whether there is a history of others affected in the patient’s environment.

The H5N1 virus or “bird flu” is a virus that can be transmitted from birds or marine mammals to humans, but there are no known cases of human-to-human transmission.

The Ministry of Health calls on citizens not to handle sick or dead birds or mammals and urges poultry workers to follow the corresponding safety protocols and to get vaccinated against seasonal influenza.