B.C.’s provincial health officer is set to appear before the media on Tuesday after the first presumptive case of avian influenza in Canada, the H5 virus, was detected in the province over the weekend.
Dr. Bonnie Henry is slated to speak at 11:30 a.m.
Authorities shared on Saturday that a teenager in the Fraser Health region had tested positive for the virus, otherwise known as bird flu.
The source of exposure is still under investigation, but authorities say it is likely from an animal or bird.
“This is a rare event, and while it is the first detected case of H5 in a person in B.C. or in Canada, there have been a small number of human cases in the U.S. and elsewhere, which is why we are conducting a thorough investigation to fully understand the source of exposure here in B.C.,” said Henry on Saturday.
The provincial health officer said it was following up with contacts who may have been exposed in order to check for symptoms and develop testing and prevention measures.
Avian flu has been detected across farms in B.C., with the latest case found at a petting farm in Campbell River where over 50 animals were killed after catching the virus.
People are advised to stay up to date on the seasonal flu vaccine, stay away from animal droppings, and keep pets away from dead animals.
–With files from Emma Crawford.