Health authorities have confirmed that a teenager in critical condition is currently undergoing treatment at the BC Children’s Hospital following infection with an H5 strain of influenza.  Epidemiologic investigations are in progress to determine the source of exposure.  Contacts of the patient are undergoing examination but without reports of symptoms consistent with infection.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, Health Officer for British Columbia stated, “This is a rare event and while it is the first detected case of H5 in a person in Canada there have been a number of human cases in the U.S. and elsewhere.”