B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the teen infected with H5N1 avian flu remains in critical condition in Children’s Hospital.
Henry said the teen is “stable” and has made some progress in the past few days, but is still “very sick.”
She said they are hopeful the teen will recover.
In addition, Henry said 34 health-care workers were exposed to avian flu but there have been no additional human cases of H5N1 avian flu.
On. Nov. 13, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed that a teen in B.C. Children’s Hospital was infected with a human case of avian influenza — also known as bird flu — caused by influenza A(H5N1) virus in Canada.
This is the first domestically acquired human case of H5N1 avian influenza.
It is not yet known how the teen contracted the virus but Henry said one potential source of the exposure was a pet dog that was sick at the time of the onset of illness to this child.
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“This dog was thoroughly investigated with every test possible and we consulted with colleagues across Canada and the U.S.,” Henry said.
“There have been only two known cases of canine H5 in the world, so there is a lot yet we don’t yet know about how this virus might present in a dog.”
Henry said there was an additional follow-up at the vet, the home where the dog was prior to adoption and all humans and other animals in those places tested negative for H5N1.
“Having said that, all of the additional testing that was done, including samples from many differnet parts of this dog, all of them have been negative for H5 influenza.”
She also said there was no exposure at the teen’s school.
Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) is rare and usually occurs after close contact with infected birds, other infected animals or highly contaminated environments.
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