World Health Organization (WHO) Said A man died in Mexico on Wednesday after contracting the H5N2 strain of avian influenza, which has not previously been reported to infect humans.
This strain is different from the H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus that has been circulating among livestock in the United States and infected three dairy workers.
The WHO said the current risk from the virus to the general public is “low”.
A 59-year-old man from the State of Mexico died on April 24, the same day he was admitted to a hospital in Mexico City. According to the WHO, the man had been experiencing symptoms including fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea and general fatigue since April 17, a week earlier.
The man had “multiple underlying health conditions” and had been bedridden for three weeks before developing acute symptoms, a relative told WHO. He died from “complications from illnesses”.
The WHO said the man had no previous contact with poultry or other animals and that the source of his exposure to the virus remains unknown.
Mexico has had previous cases of the H5N2 virus in poultry, but the WHO has said it has not confirmed a link to humans.
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