A two-year-old girl from Narasaraopet, Palnadu district, Andhra Pradesh, has succumbed to the bird flu means Avian Influenza (H5N1) virus, reportedly after consuming raw chicken meat. This marks India’s first recorded H5N1-related fatality since 2021.
The child fell ill shortly after reportedly being fed raw chicken by her parents on February 28, while they consumed cooked meat. As her condition deteriorated, she was initially treated at a local hospital before being transferred to AIIMS Mangalagiri on March 4. Despite medical intervention, she succumbed to the infection on March 15.
Doctors at AIIMS collected her nasal swab samples on March 7, which initially tested positive for Influenza A at the hospital’s VRDL lab. Further testing at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) lab in Delhi confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus. The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune later verified the results.
Health Authorities Respond
The child’s death came just after the Andhra Pradesh Animal Husbandry Department had declared the state free of bird flu, citing no mortality in commercial poultry farms. However, in light of this case, authorities conducted surveillance across poultry farms and backyard poultry in Guntur, Palnadu, and parts of Prakasam district. No traces of bird flu were found in poultry, according to Animal Husbandry Director Dr. T. Damodar Naidu.
Dr. Naidu emphasized that the infection was linked to consuming raw chicken, as her parents, who ate cooked meat, remained unaffected. “We always advise people to consume chicken and eggs only after thorough cooking, as the bird flu virus cannot survive at temperatures above 60 to 70 degrees Celsius,” he stated.
According to WHO, Avian influenza A(H5N1) is a subtype of influenza virus that infects birds and mammals, including humans in rare instances. Infections in humans can cause severe disease with a high mortality rate. The human cases detected thus far are mostly linked to close contact with infected birds and other animals and contaminated environments. This virus does not appear to transmit easily from person to person, and sustained human-to-human transmission has not been reported.
Precautionary Measures
Health experts urge the public to practice safe food handling and avoid consuming raw poultry products. Proper cooking and hygiene measures are essential to prevent transmission of zoonotic infections like H5N1.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation to prevent further cases and raise awareness about safe food consumption practices.
