B.C. Confirms Canada's First Human Case of H5 Bird Flu

A teenager in British Columbia has tested presumptive positive for the H5 avian influenza virus, marking the first human case of this strain in Canada. The BC Centre for Disease Control conducted the initial test, with confirmatory testing underway at the National Microbiology Laboratory. Public health officials are investigating the source of exposure, likely from an animal or bird, and are monitoring potential contacts. This case is part of a broader response to increased H5N1 detections in poultry and wild birds in the region.