A case of a human with brid flu has been recorded in the West Midlands.
The local resident has contracted bird flu after prolonged contact with infected birds, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed.
This marks a rare occurrence, with only seven cases identified in the UK since 2021. The UKHSA has stressed that the risk to the general public remains “very low.”
The individual, who displayed symptoms but is now recovering, is receiving care in a High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) unit, a standard procedure for such cases. The infection was traced to a farm where birds carried the DI.2 genotype of the virus, a strain currently circulating among avian populations in the UK. Importantly, this differs from the strains affecting mammals and birds in the US.
The case was detected through routine bird flu surveillance. As a precautionary measure, anyone who had contact with the infected individual, particularly those at higher risk of exposure, has been offered antiviral treatment.
Symptoms of Avian Flu in humans
The Nhs says the main symptoms of bird flu can appear very quickly and include:
- a very high temperature or feeling hot or shivery
- aching muscles
- headache
- a cough or shortness of breath
Other early symptoms may include:
- diarrhoea
- sickness
- stomach pain
- chest pain
- bleeding from the nose and gums
- conjunctivitis
It usually takes 3 to 5 days for the first symptoms to appear after you’ve been infected.
Within days of symptoms appearing, it’s possible to develop more severe complications such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Prevention zone
A national Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) came into force for the whole of England and Scotland at noon on Saturday in a bid to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and other captive birds.
It is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers in Scotland and England to follow strict rules to protect their flocks from the threat of avian flu – including keeping birds indoors.
Professor Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at UKHSA, said: “The risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low despite this confirmed case.
“We have robust systems in place to detect cases early and take necessary action, as we know that spillover infections from birds to humans may occur.
“Currently there is no evidence of onwards transmission from this case.
“People are reminded not to touch sick or dead birds and it’s important that they follow Defra advice about reporting any suspected avian influenza cases.”
How bird flu spreads to humans
Human-to-human transmission of bird flu has never been documented in Europe or the UK, though has occasionally happened abroad.
Bird flu is spread by close contact with an infected bird (dead or alive).
This includes touching infected birds, touching droppings or bedding, killing or preparing infected poultry for cooking
Markets where live birds are sold can also be a source of bird flu. Avoid visiting these markets if you’re travelling to countries that have had an outbreak of bird flu. You can check health advice for the country you’re visiting on the TravelHealthPro website.
You can’t catch bird flu through eating fully cooked poultry or eggs, even in areas with an outbreak of bird flu.
Health minister Andrew Gwynne, said the safety of the public is paramount.
“The risk of wider or onward transmission is very low, however the UK remains prepared and ready to respond to any current and future health threats,” he added.
“We recently added the H5 vaccine, which protects against avian influenza, to our stockpile as part of our preparedness plans.”
The UK outbreak comes as The US is dealing with the results of an epidemic in 2022.
UK chief veterinary officer, Christine Middlemiss, said: “While avian influenza is highly contagious in birds, this is a very rare event and is very specific to the circumstances on this premises.
“We took swift action to limit the spread of the disease at the site in question, all infected birds are being humanely culled, and cleansing and disinfection of the premises will be undertaken all to strict biosecure standards.
“This is a reminder that stringent biosecurity is essential when keeping animals.
“We are seeing a growing number of avian flu cases in birds on both commercial farms and in backyard flocks across the country.
“Implementing scrupulous biosecurity measures will help protect the health and welfare of your birds from the threat of avian influenza and other diseases.”
Professor Jonathan Ball, from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), said: “Even in the rare cases where people do become infected, onward human to human transmission is very unlikely.
“However, that doesn’t mean we can be complacent.
“There is always the risk that the virus can evolve and become better adapted to spread amongst humans, so it’s important to be vigilant, to ensure good wild fowl and poultry surveillance and when human cases do occur, to isolate the patient to remove the risk of onward transmission.”
