A WHO Disease Outbreak News report: Avian Influenza A(H5N1) – Viet Nam. Excerpt:
Situation at a Glance
The World Health Organization (WHO) was notified about a case of human infection with an influenza A(H5N1) virus on 25 March 2024 by the national authorities of Viet Nam. The patient, who had no underlying medical conditions, developed symptoms on 11 March and died on 23 March. Exposure to birds was ascertained to have taken place in the third week of February. Samples collected from close contacts tested negative for influenza A(H5N1) virus.
This is the first human infection with an avian influenza A (H5N1) virus reported in Viet Nam since 2022. According to the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005, a human infection caused by a novel influenza A virus subtype is an event that has the potential for high public health impact and must be notified to the WHO. Based on available information, WHO assesses the risk to the general population posed by this virus as low.
Description of the Situation
On 25 March 2024, Viet Nam National Focal Point (NFP) for International Health Regulations (IHR) notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of one case of human infection with an influenza A(H5N1) virus in a 21-year-old male with no underlying conditions from Khanh Hoa Province, Viet Nam.
The case developed a fever and cough on 11 March 2024 and was admitted on 15 March to a local hospital due to persistent symptoms, including abdominal pain and diarrhoea. On 17 March, his condition worsened, and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a provincial hospital. On 20 March, the patient was transferred to another provincial hospital with a diagnosis of severe pneumonia, severe sepsis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The case died on 23 March.
On 19 March, samples were taken for real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing by the Pasteur Institut in Nha Trang, which resulted in a positive result for the influenza (H5) virus. On 22 March, genomic sequencing conducted by the Pasteur Institut of Nha Trang revealed the presence of the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus.
Initial results from the case investigation revealed that during the second and third weeks of February 2024, the case went bird hunting. Between that time and the onset of illness, no contact with dead or sick poultry nor contact with anyone exhibiting similar symptoms was reported. Among close contacts traced, no further cases of influenza A(H5N1) were detected.
