The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced on Monday that a rare human case of bird flu has been recorded in England, emphasizing that transmission of the virus to humans remains uncommon, with only a limited number of cases reported in the UK
According to the agency’s statement, the infected individual, whose gender was not disclosed, contracted the virus while working on a farm in central England, where they had prolonged and direct exposure to a large number of infected birds. The agency confirmed that the patient is in stable condition and is receiving treatment in a specialized infectious disease unit.
The “risk to the general public remains very low,” the agency assured, adding that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. It also stated that all individuals who had contact with the infected person have been identified, and antiviral treatment has been offered to those considered most at risk.
The agency further noted that this strain differs from the one currently spreading among birds and mammals in the United States. Earlier in January, the first human fatality linked to bird flu was recorded in the US, involving a patient over 65 years old with underlying health conditions—the first severe case of the H5N1 virus reported in the country.
