http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/h5n...med-in-alberta-1st-in-north-america-1.2489160
Alberta health officials have confirmed an isolated, fatal case of H5N1 or avian influenza, Health Minister Rona Ambrose said Wednesday.
But officials repeatedly emphasized that there is no risk of transmission between humans.
The infected person, an Alberta resident who recently travelled to Beijing, China, died Jan. 3.
The case was confirmed in a lab test last night. It's the first such case in North America.
Colorized transmission electron micrograph of Avian influenza A H5N1 viruses (seen in gold) grown in MDCK cells (seen in green). WHO is concerned flu data had the potential to be misused. (Ho/Cynthia Goldsmith, Jackie Katz, Sharif Zaki/CDC/Canadian Press)
The person first showed symptoms of the flu on a Dec. 27 flight from Beijing to Vancouver aboard Air Canada flight 3030. The passenger continued on to Edmonton after spending a few hours in the Vancouver airport and was admitted to hospital Jan. 1. The symptoms of fever, malaise and headache worsened and the patient died two days later. The Public Health Agency of Canada was notified Jan. 5.
Dr. Gregory Taylor, deputy chief public health officer, said the avian form of influenza has been found in birds, mainly poultry, in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
There have been fewer than than 650 cases of bird flu in 15 countries over the last decade, primarily among people who have spent time around infected birds, he said.
"The illness [H5N1] causes in humans is severe and kills about 60 per cent of those who are infected," Taylor said.
"No other illnesses of this type have been identified in Canada since the traveller returned from Canada. This is an isolated case."
The officials added that the patient was otherwise healthy and it's not yet clear how the person contracted H5N1.
Risk of getting H5N1 low
Officials emphasized that this is not a disease transmitted between humans.
There were two people travelling with the infected person, whom officials are following for 10 days to ensure they don't have any symptoms. They are also going to notify the other passengers from the flights between Beijing and Edmonton.
Officials created confusion by referring to the patient as "him" and "her" in order to avoid identifying anyone. Officials said that they would not identify the sex, age or occupation of the patient. They also refused to say whether the infected passenger was an Edmonton resident or whether the patient went to hospital in Edmonton, although the final leg of the flight ended there.
Ambrose, who phoned into a news conference in Ottawa, said Canadian officials are working with Chinese authorities on the case, as well as the World Health Organization.
"The risk of getting H5N1 is very low. This is not the regular seasonal flu. This is an isolated case," she said.
Source: World Health Organization
Figures for all countries except Canada are current as of Dec. 10, 2013. Canada's one case was reported on Jan. 8, 2014.
Alberta health officials have confirmed an isolated, fatal case of H5N1 or avian influenza, Health Minister Rona Ambrose said Wednesday.
But officials repeatedly emphasized that there is no risk of transmission between humans.
The infected person, an Alberta resident who recently travelled to Beijing, China, died Jan. 3.
The case was confirmed in a lab test last night. It's the first such case in North America.
Colorized transmission electron micrograph of Avian influenza A H5N1 viruses (seen in gold) grown in MDCK cells (seen in green). WHO is concerned flu data had the potential to be misused. (Ho/Cynthia Goldsmith, Jackie Katz, Sharif Zaki/CDC/Canadian Press)
The person first showed symptoms of the flu on a Dec. 27 flight from Beijing to Vancouver aboard Air Canada flight 3030. The passenger continued on to Edmonton after spending a few hours in the Vancouver airport and was admitted to hospital Jan. 1. The symptoms of fever, malaise and headache worsened and the patient died two days later. The Public Health Agency of Canada was notified Jan. 5.
Dr. Gregory Taylor, deputy chief public health officer, said the avian form of influenza has been found in birds, mainly poultry, in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
There have been fewer than than 650 cases of bird flu in 15 countries over the last decade, primarily among people who have spent time around infected birds, he said.
"The illness [H5N1] causes in humans is severe and kills about 60 per cent of those who are infected," Taylor said.
"No other illnesses of this type have been identified in Canada since the traveller returned from Canada. This is an isolated case."
The officials added that the patient was otherwise healthy and it's not yet clear how the person contracted H5N1.
Risk of getting H5N1 low
Officials emphasized that this is not a disease transmitted between humans.
There were two people travelling with the infected person, whom officials are following for 10 days to ensure they don't have any symptoms. They are also going to notify the other passengers from the flights between Beijing and Edmonton.
Officials created confusion by referring to the patient as "him" and "her" in order to avoid identifying anyone. Officials said that they would not identify the sex, age or occupation of the patient. They also refused to say whether the infected passenger was an Edmonton resident or whether the patient went to hospital in Edmonton, although the final leg of the flight ended there.
Ambrose, who phoned into a news conference in Ottawa, said Canadian officials are working with Chinese authorities on the case, as well as the World Health Organization.
"The risk of getting H5N1 is very low. This is not the regular seasonal flu. This is an isolated case," she said.
Source: World Health Organization
Figures for all countries except Canada are current as of Dec. 10, 2013. Canada's one case was reported on Jan. 8, 2014.
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