Teen in Critical Condition After Contracting Canada's First ‘Presumptive’ Human Case of Bird Flu

Mar. 15, 2025

Getty

A teenager in British Columbia, Canada, is in critical condition after contracting the first presumptive case of bird flu in the country, health officials say.

British Columbia health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry shared in a news conference, perGlobal News,ReutersandThe Washington Post, that the teenager, who has not been identified, was admitted to the hospital on Friday and developed “acute respiratory distress,” which sent them to critical care.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a “life-threatening” condition that happens when fluid begins to leak into the lung, preventing enough oxygen from getting into the body, according to theAmerican Lung Association.

Henry shared that the teen, who had been “healthy” with “no underlying conditions,” previously went to the hospital on Nov. 2 after they were experiencing “conjunctivitis” symptoms (red eyes) with a “fever and cough” — similar to other respiratory viruses — per Global News. The teenager was eventually sent home.

However, a week later on Nov. 9, British Columbia’s Office of the Provincial Healthannouncedthat a teenager had “tested presumptive positive for avian influenza” and had been “receiving care at BC Children’s Hospital.” The teenager’s positive test was sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg for further confirmation.

“This is a rare event, and while it is the first detected case of H5 in a person in B.C. or in Canada, there have been a small number of human cases in the U.S. and elsewhere, which is why we are conducting a thorough investigation to fully understand the source of exposure here in B.C,” Henry said in a statement.

Henry noted in a separate press conference, perThe Washington Post, that the teen had not come into contact with any birds, but was exposed to animals both in and outside her home including dogs, cats and some reptiles. She said that a source for the infection had not yet been identified.

Public health officials have so far tested less than three dozen people whom the teen had contact with, and they have all tested negative, Henry said, per the outlet.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

British Columbia’s Office of the Provincial Health recommended that people take preventative measures including staying up to date on the “seasonal flu vaccine” and avoid contact with wild, sick or dead animals.

They also asked people to watch out for “symptoms of influenza-like illness,” especially if they were in contact with any dead or sick animals within 10 days. These symptoms include conjunctivitis, fever, sore throat, muscle aches and respiratory illness.

source: people.com