Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Apr 2: A two-year-old girl from Andhra Pradesh has succumbed to bird flu, marking a rare case of human infection in the state. Officials confirmed that the toddler from Narasaraopet town in Palnadu district died on March 16 while undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Mangalagiri.

According to health authorities, the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) confirmed the presence of bird flu in the child’s samples on March 24. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) lab in Delhi also verified the findings. However, officials clarified that none of the child’s family members had contracted the virus.

State health officials visited the family's residence on Monday and discovered that the child had consumed a small piece of raw chicken on February 26. Family members stated that she occasionally ate raw chicken, and her symptoms began shortly after her last consumption.

The child developed fever and other symptoms on February 28 and was initially treated at a local hospital before being shifted to AIIMS-Mangalagiri on March 4 with acute fever, breathing difficulties, and diarrhea.

Animal Husbandry Department director Dr T Damodar Naidu stated that no other bird flu cases had been reported in Palnadu or surrounding districts. “We conducted thorough surveillance of all poultry farms, and no symptoms of bird flu were detected among poultry,” he assured.

Dr Naidu emphasized that the virus does not survive in temperatures above 60-70 degrees Celsius and advised people to consume only well-cooked chicken and eggs.

Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry is yet to issue an official statement on the incident.