This Friday, April 4, the Ministry of Health reported the detection of the first human case of avian influenza A (H5N1) in Mexico. It occurred in a three-year-old girl residing in the state of Durango. On April 1, the Institute of Diagnosis and Epidemiological Reference (InDRE) confirmed the result of influenza A (H5N1). The patient initially received treatment with oseltamivir and is currently hospitalized in a tertiary care unit in the city of Torreón, and her condition is reported to be serious.
Due to the high spread of this virus, health authorities notified the World Health Organization, in accordance with the protocol established in the International Health Regulations. Likewise, patrols and biological sampling of wild and synanthropic birds were conducted in the area of influence surrounding the home of the positive avian influenza A (H5N2) case, and a permanent monitoring system was established for the timely detection of other similar cases in wildlife living in the area. What are the symptoms of avian influenza?
The WHO considers the public health risk of this virus to the general population to be low, so eating well-cooked chicken or eggs does not pose a risk to human health. Zoonotic influenza is a disease that can be transmitted from birds or other animals to humans. So far, there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission.
The Ministry of Health has a strategic reserve of 40,000 oseltamivir treatments.
The symptoms of avian influenza are:
The Ministry of Health recommends seeking medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms:
Fever
Conjunctivitis (burning, itching, redness of the eyes)
Cough
Burning throat
Runny nose
Difficulty breathing
Headache
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Bleeding
Altered consciousness after contact with sick or dead birds or other animals.
How to avoid avian flu infections?
The Ministry of Health recommends that the public take the following measures to avoid influenza A (H5N1) infection.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or 70% alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Wear a face mask if you have respiratory symptoms and ventilate spaces.
Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
Wash your hands before handling cooked food and after handling raw food.
Cook chicken and eggs thoroughly (over 70°C).
Do not use the same utensils to handle raw and cooked food.
Avoid touching or approaching wild animals.
Do not handle or collect dead animals.
Do not touch sick or dead birds or poultry from unknown causes.
Wear gloves, a face mask, and protective clothing if you work on farms or in slaughterhouses and have contact with birds or other animals, their products, and waste.
Monitor for signs of illness or abnormal death in farm or backyard animals and report them immediately to the authorities.
Source: reaccioninformativa
