Child's Journey with H5N1: From India to Australia and Back

The World Health Organization reported a case of H5N1 bird flu in a child who traveled from India to Australia. The child had no known exposure to infected sources in Kolkata. Genetic sequencing confirmed the virus subtype as H5N1. No close contacts in either country developed symptoms as of May 22.

The World Health Organization on Friday said the child with H5N1 bird flu reported by Australia last month had traveled to Kolkata, India, and the family said they did not have any known exposure to infected people or animals while there.

In May, Australia reported its first case of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in a child who was infected in India. The WHO said on Friday that the child traveled to Kolkata from Feb. 12 to Feb. 19 and returned to Australia on March 1. The child was hospitalized on March 2 and remained there for more than two weeks.

No close family contacts in Australia or India developed symptoms, as of May 22, the WHO said. The WHO said genetic sequencing showed the virus was subtype H5N1 and part of a strain that circulates in Southeast Asia and has been detected in previous human infections and in poultry.

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