Chile’s health ministry reported on Wednesday that the country’s first human case of avian flu had been detected. According to Reuters, the instance was discovered in a 53-year-old male who had severe influenza symptoms but was otherwise stable, according to a statement made by the ministry.
The government is also investigating how the sickness spread and who had contact with the sufferer. Chile has only documented incidents of H5N1 avian flu in wild animals since late last year.
According to Reuters, Chilean officials confirmed an avian flu epidemic at an industrial plant in the Maule area of the country’s south last week.
“This finding was made after a complaint made to the Maule SAG (agriculture and livestock agency) about an increase in mortality on the farm of around 70 birds and another 60 that were symptomatic of the virus,” the Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.
Due to recent incidents on industrial farms, the government has halted poultry exports. Although Brazil, the world’s largest chicken exporter, has not been infected, industrial cases have been discovered in Argentina as well.
Avian Flu Outbreaks reported in Latin American countries, human transmission confirmed in Ecuador
Ecuador verified its first case of human transmission of bid flu earlier this year in a 9-year-old child. Although global health officials have stated that the chance of human-to-human transmission is low, vaccine manufacturers have been manufacturing avian flu injections for humans “just in case.” At least 14 South American countries have reported outbreaks of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus.