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Second Human Fatality in India: A girl in Andhra Pradesh died from the H5N1 bird flu virus, marking India’s second confirmed human death from this strain since 2021.
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Exposure and Symptoms: The girl reportedly consumed raw chicken and developed high fever and diarrhea before passing away on March 16.
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H5N1 Overview: H5N1 is a type of avian influenza virus, deadly to birds and occasionally transmissible to humans.
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Transmission & Fatality: Primarily spreads through direct contact with infected birds/contaminated environments. Human-to-human transmission is rare. H5N1 has a high mortality rate (~60%).
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Global Context: First human cases emerged in 1997 (Hong Kong). Most cases have been in Asia, linked to close contact with infected birds. WHO recorded 972 confirmed human cases (2003-Feb 2025).
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Symptoms & Treatment: Common symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches. Antiviral drugs (e.g., oseltamivir) are effective if administered early.
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Prevention Measures: Medical officers are screening hospital visitors for fever, though government officials have ruled out an outbreak. Affected areas declared red zones.
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Poultry Culling: Dozens of chickens died in Andhra Pradesh, resulting in the culling of hundreds of chickens in affected and nearby farms.
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Pandemic Potential: While H5N1 poses a threat, one case isn’t indicative of a pandemic. The virus requires further study to determine if it is easily transmissible among humans. Avian influenza is not currently on the WHO priority list of pathogens of pandemic potential.
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Chicken Consumption: Properly cooked chicken is safe to eat, as high temperatures kill the virus.
