The World Health Organization has reported a concerning case: a four-year-old child in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal has been diagnosed with a human infection of bird flu, specifically caused by the H9N2 virus.
According to the World Health Organization, the patient was hospitalized in February with severe respiratory problems, high fever, and abdominal cramps, leading to admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) of a nearby hospital. After diagnosis and treatment, the child was discharged three months later.
The patient had exposure to poultry at home and in his surroundings, and there were no known person reporting symptoms of respiratory illness among his family and other contacts, the agency said.
The World Health Organization also stated that details regarding the patient's vaccination status and specifics of antiviral treatment were not accessible during the reporting period.
This incident marks the second documented case of H9N2 bird flu infection in humans from India, with the first occurrence recorded in 2019, as confirmed by the agency. Although the H9N2 virus typically induces mild illness, the United Nations agency cautioned that sporadic human cases may persist due to its widespread presence among avian populations across various regions.