WHO identifies first bird flu death in 59-year-old man

On June 5, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a disease outbreak update on avian influenza A (H5N2) in Mexico, confirming the first human fatality from the bird flu globally. According to the report, the 59-year-old man died in April, and the case was reported by the Mexico International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and WHO on May 23, 2024.

Data from the Mexico IHR NFP revealed that the man did not have a history of poultry or animal exposure that could be linked to the virus. However, the patient did have multiple underlying medical conditions, which may have impacted the disease response.

The patient began developing symptoms on April 17, 2024, which included fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, and general malaise. On April 24, 2024, the patient was hospitalized in Mexico City at the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases and died later that day.

The initial testing done by the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Mexico City was a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of a respiratory sample that detected non-subtypeable influenza A virus. However, later testing on May 8 by the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Emerging Diseases Center for Research in Infectious Diseases sequenced the sample and identified the condition was influenza A(H5N2). These results were confirmed by the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference of the Mexico National Influenza Center.

Experts traced the patient contacts and identified 17 individuals; however, none of the contacts tested positive for the condition based on testing conducted between May 27, 2024, and May 29, 2024.

“This is the first laboratory-confirmed human case of infection with an influenza A(H5N2) virus reported globally, and the first A(H5) virus infection in a person reported in Mexico. The case had multiple underlying conditions, and the investigation by the health authorities in Mexico is ongoing to determine the likely source of exposure to the virus. Influenza A(H5N2) viruses have recently been detected in poultry in Mexico, " the WHO noted.

Despite confirming the first death, the WHO is not altering its current recommendations for public health efforts or viral surveillance. The organization continues to emphasize the need for global surveillance.