Bird Flu: 11-Year-Old Boy Dies At AIIMS, First Recorded Casualty In India This Year

An 11-year-old boy died of H5N1 avian influenza on July 20. This is the first recorded death due to the bird flu in India this year. An AIIMS official told The Indian Express that the boy had been admitted to the hospital on July 2 and that he died on July 20. The Indian Express reported that all staff who had been in contact with the patient are under isolation.

Avian influenza is a highly contagious viral disease caused by Influenza Type A viruses which generally affects poultry such as turkeys and chickens. It does not spread so easily to humans. People who have come in close contact with the infected birds, dead or alive, can contract the H5N1 flu.  However,  according to the WHO, it does not usually spread from person to person. Watch the video to know more.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 21, 2021 03:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).