The Andhra Pradesh government has launched fever screenings across the state after a two-year-old girl died from the H5N1 bird flu virus in Narasaraopet, Palnadu district. This marks the second case and death from H5N1 in India since the virus’s global outbreak in 2003. The first case occurred in 2021, when an 11-year-old boy passed away after being treated at AIIMS.
The young girl died on March 16 while receiving treatment for bird flu symptoms at AIIMS Mangalagiri. Her father told officials that on February 27, she had chewed on a piece of raw chicken that she asked for while her mother was preparing a meal. Two days later, the girl developed a high fever and diarrhea, prompting her admission to the hospital on March 4. Medical experts advised that swab samples be taken from her nose and throat on March 7 for testing. Despite nearly two weeks of treatment, she passed away on March 16.
The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) confirmed that her death was caused by the H5N1 virus. In response, the Andhra Pradesh government has urged the public to remain alert and is conducting screenings to monitor for further signs of infection.
