Mexico on Tuesday reported its first human death from H5N1 avian influenza virus. A three-year-old girl died after the infection caused respiratory complications, news agency AP reported.
The girl had been hospitalised in the neighbouring state of Coahuila. Health officials had announced she was the country’s first human infection on Friday.
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It was not known how the girl contracted the virus. Investigators are now monitoring her family members. So far 38 human contacts have been tested and none of them tested positive. Officials are also testing wild birds in the vicinity of the girl’s home.
Bird flu has been spreading through animals and some people in the United States. There have been 70 cases in that country since last year.
The WHO said most human cases reported to date have been linked to direct exposure to infected animals or contaminated surroundings. The virus has not shown signs of spreading easily between people, and there is no evidence of ongoing human-to-human transmission.
