Bangladesh confirms second human H5N1 case this year

Bangladesh has confirmed an about two and a half years old male child with the H5N1 virus to become the second human case of this year in the country, a national institute for conducting disease surveillance and outbreak reported Sunday.

Bangladesh's Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) under the Ministry of Health said on its website that the case of influenza H5N1 has been identified from one of its surveillance sites in Dhaka on March 15.

It said the 31-month old male child has presented with a history of cough and fever. "Nasal and throat swab and blood were collected and found positive for H5N1," it added.

"He has no symptom of illness now and completely recovered," IEDCR says.

This is the 2nd case of H5N1 infection in human this year in the country, it said.

Earlier on March 14, the IEDCR reported that a 13-month baby girl was infected with H5N1 in the capital Dhaka which was, however, the second human case since 2008 in the country.

The first bird flu in human body in Bangladesh was detected on May 21, 2008. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, diagnosed a 16-month-old Bangladesh child as being infected with H5N1 who later recovered.

Officials say fresh outbreak of bird flu was detected in many parts of Bangladesh since the first week of this year with the arrival of winter season when thousands of chickens were culled in many commercial farms including one near the capital Dhaka.

Source: Xinhua

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