The British Columbia teenager who contracted the province's first case of H5N1, better known as avian flu, remains in "critical condition."The announcement was made on Tuesday, nearly two weeks after the infection was first confirmed. During that time, an investigation was conducted to determine the source, and whether anyone else was impacted.According to Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, the investigation found that the teen was infected with Clade 2.3.4.4b, Genotype D1.1, the same strain of flu currently making its way through the bird community in BC. Testing done by the BC Centre for Disease Control's Public Health Laboratory showed that it matched the strain in wild birds of the Fraser Valley, not those in poultry farms."Our thoughts continue to be with this young person as they remain in critical condition, and their family," Henry said. "I am confident in the extensive public health investigation that was led by the Fraser Health team in partnership with the BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, our partners at BC Children's Hospital and the chief veterinary officer."She noted that, "though we have not been able to determine definitively the source of exposure, we were able to rule out many potential risks and ensure there are no further cases related to this young person."Henry urged people to protect themselves against potential exposure by keeping up to date with flu vaccines, refraining from touching sick or dead animals and faeces, and keeping pets away from such things as well.Avian flu spreads easily between aquatic birds, among whom it occurs naturally, though it can also be passed on to other animals, and humans. Since October 1, 2024, a total of 54 poultry premises have been found to be infected, alongside a number of wild birds.
