In Mexico, a person has died in the first confirmed case of H5N2 bird flu, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The person, who died on April 24, had symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, and nausea – as well as "multiple underlying medical conditions", according to WHO.
The person had not recently come into contact with poultry or other animals, and it was unclear how the infection was spread. Cases of H5N2 bird flu have been reported among birds in Mexico earlier this spring – but according to WHO, it was impossible to establish a link between them and the human case. The organization estimates the risk to humans as low.
Another variant of bird flu, H5N1, has recently begun to spread among various mammals, as well as both wild and domestic birds. For example, dairy cows on a large number of farms in the US have been affected, and a small number of people have been infected.
None of the cases are infections from person to person, but the disease has spread from animals to humans.
