#16,080
On Tuesday of this week, in Unconfirmed Media Reports Of an Avian Influenza (H5N1?) Death In India, we looked at what would be - if confirmed - the first HPAI H5 human infection recorded in India. The victim, a 12-year old child, was reportedly hospitalized in June and succumbed in the past couple of weeks.
While the WHO hasn't released a statement as yet, Pathfinder on Flutrackers has uncovered a press release from India's Ministry of Health (in Hindu), that confirms the original report, although the exact subtype of the H5 virus has yet to be determined.
Further testing and genomic sequencing is underway, but for now we are told this child was coinfected by Influenza A/H5 and B/Victoria. None of his contacts have shown symptoms of the illness, and the local Animal Husbandry Department has not reported any avian flu outbreaks in the vicinity.
(Translated)
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
State Surveillance Unit (SSU) of IDSP, Haryana initiates an epidemiological investigation into the first documented case of bird flu in humans.
People in close contact with the patient are under close surveillance to detect any symptoms of
bird flu suspects in the area. Case No.
Awareness activities are being carried out to detect any other symptomatic case
Entry Date: 21 JUL 2021 8:10PM by PIB Delhi
A Gurugram Haryana 11 h age group 5 first human case of NX unfolded.
The child was diagnosed with AML in June 2021 at the Department of Pediatrics , AIIMS , Delhi. Soon after the induction therapy for AML, she developed fever , cough , cold and shortness of breath. AML was diagnosed with febrile neutropenia , pneumonia that progressed to ARDS. He was admitted to AIIMS , New Delhi on 2 July 2021 . Several organs of the child stopped functioning and he died on 12 July 2021 .
Department of Microbiology AIIMS obtained Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) for respiratory panel test held on 7th and 11th July 2021 . Both Influenza A and Influenza B came positive in the sample. SARS Cov- 2 and other respiratory viruses were negative. H subtyping of influenza A 1 N 1 and H 3 N 2 is not conclusive results. In such a situation, samples were sent to NIV on 13 July 2021 .
The NIV , Influenza by Real Time PCR A and influenza B as well as influenza A seasonal (H 1 N 1, H 1 N 1 PDM 09 and H 3 N 2), non-seasonal avian subtypes (H- 5, H- 7, H- 9 and H- 10) were tested both samples. The results showed that the sample A / H 5 and type B positive for the Victoria lineage. Whole genome sequencing and virus isolation is in process.
NCDC , Delhi received the information on Friday 16 July 2021 from AIIMS Delhi along with a laboratory report of NIV Pune. The information was sent to the IDSP State Surveillance Unit (SSU) Haryana to initiate an epidemiological investigation in the matter. This information was also given to the Animal Husbandry Department. A team from NCDC comprising epidemiologists and microbiologists was formed and the team immediately visited AIIMS , New Delhi and Gurugram for epidemiological assessment . Officials of the state health department and animal husbandry department have also joined the investigation.
Based on the information available , the patient's treating doctors and nurses team L6 Julai 202l is being monitored in order to detect diseases such as influenza. So far no one has shown symptoms. People coming in contact and family members , health workers are all under observation. No symptoms have been found in any close person who came in contact. Contact tracing was done in the area of the hospital and the patient's place of residence , to identify any symptomatic case. People were advised to inform the health authorities if any symptoms are observed or detected. At present, no symptoms have been detected in any person in the area.
The Animal Husbandry Department has not found any suspected case of bird flu in the area and as a precautionary measure , surveillance has been increased in the 10 km area. In addition , epidemiological investigations are underway by the NCDC involving the Animal Husbandry Department and the State Government's surveillance unit and appropriate public health measures have been taken.
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