The first human case of H5N1 bird flu since 2022 has been detected in England.
Symptoms of bird flu can come on “very quickly” and have the potential to develop into more “severe” complications, the NHS has warned. It comes as the first human case in years has been detected in England.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed a case of avian influenza in the West Midlands region. According to the Government body, bird-to-human transmission of avian influenza is “rare” and has only previously occurred a small number of times in the UK. The affected person contracted H5N1 strain, which hasn’t been detected in a human since 2022.
The UKHSA reported that the infection was acquired on a farm where the patient had “close and prolonged contact with a large number of infected birds”. They have since been admitted to a High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) unit and is “currently well”.
Professor Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at UKHSA, said in an update: “The risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low despite this confirmed case. We have robust systems in place to detect cases early and take necessary action, as we know that spillover infections from birds to humans may occur.
“Currently there is no evidence of onwards transmission from this case. People are reminded not to touch sick or dead birds and it’s important that they follow Defra advice about reporting any suspected avian influenza cases.”
And UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss added: “While avian influenza is highly contagious in birds, this is a very rare event and is very specific to the circumstances on this premises. We took swift action to limit the spread of the disease at the site in question, all infected birds are being humanely culled, and cleansing and disinfection of the premises will be undertaken all to strict biosecure standards.
“This is a reminder that stringent biosecurity is essential when keeping animals. We are seeing a growing number of avian flu cases in birds on both commercial farms and in backyard flocks across the country.
“Implementing scrupulous biosecurity measures will help protect the health and welfare of your birds from the threat of avian influenza and other diseases.”
Symptoms
The NHS states that the main symptoms of bird flu can appear “very quickly”. These include:
- A very high temperature or feeling hot or shivery
- Aching muscles
- Headache
- A cough or shortness of breath
However, other early symptoms may include:
- Diarrhoea
- Sickness
- Stomach pain
- Chest pain
- Bleeding from the nose and gums
- Conjunctivitis
The NHS says: “It usually takes three to five days for the first symptoms to appear after you’ve been infected. Within days of symptoms appearing, it’s possible to develop more severe complications such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
“Getting treatment quickly, using antiviral medicine, may prevent complications and reduce the risk of developing severe illness.”
It is very unlikely to contract avian flu from another human. The illness is typically spread by close contact with an infected bird (dead or alive).
This includes:
- Touching infected birds
- Touching droppings or bedding
- Killing or preparing infected poultry for cooking
- Markets where live birds are sold can also be a source of bird flu
You should use NHS 111 online (111.nhs.uk) or call NHS 111 if you experience any symptoms of bird flu and have visited an area affected by bird flu in the past 10 days. If you’re abroad you should seek medical help straight away if you get the symptoms of bird flu and contact your travel insurance company if you need advice about where to get help.
