BREAKING! Child Dies from H5N1 Bird Flu Infection in Andhra Pradesh-India, Sparking Fears of Possible Surge in Human Cases
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Apr 02, 2025 3 weeks, 16 hours, 59 minutes ago
Medical News: A wave of concern is sweeping across India following the heartbreaking death of a two-year-old girl in Andhra Pradesh due to an H5N1 bird flu infection. The child, hailing from Narasaraopet in the Palnadu district, is now the country’s first recorded human fatality from avian influenza for 2025, igniting alarm among health authorities and the general public.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/andhra-pradesh/ap-reports-first-bird-flu-death-as-2-year-old-succumbs-to-h5n1-1870375
https://newsmeter.in/regional/andhra-pradesh/ugadi-greetings-from-cm-naidu-honouring-telugu-heritage-and-vision-for-aps-growth-746074
Already reports are emerging daily of various geolocations across India reporting H5N1 outbreaks in poultry farms in the last few weeks.
Child Dies from H5N1 Bird Flu Infection in Andhra Pradesh-India, Sparking Fears of
Possible Surge in Human Cases
The child was first admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Mangalagiri, on March 4th after experiencing a high fever, labored breathing, and other troubling symptoms including fainting, diarrhea, and a loss of appetite.
Despite all efforts to stabilize her condition, she tragically passed away on March 16th. Her swab samples, sent to AIIMS's virology lab, tested positive for Influenza A. However, suspicions grew, prompting further testing, and by March 24th, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune confirmed the worst - the child had indeed been infected with the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain.
Government officials were concealing this development until the last few hours when a local media source in Andhra Pradesh broke the news. There are speculations that there could be other such cases in India that are being concealed. The various state governments in India have an established behavior of concealing critical data related to disease outbreaks. To a large extend, India is no different from China when it comes to concealing or downplaying disease outbreaks!
According to the child’s family, she had accidentally consumed a piece of raw chicken meat while food was being prepared at home. This
Medical News report highlights that the incident is raising red flags among medical experts, given the uncommon but deadly potential for raw poultry to carry the virus. The family also mentioned that she often played with both domestic and stray dogs, which could potentially act as mechanical carriers of the virus if they come into contact with infected birds.
Authorities Scramble for Answers Amidst Public Concern
Officials from the Animal Husbandry Department stated that no bird flu outbrea
k had been recorded in the immediate vicinity of Narasaraopet at the time of the girl’s illness. However, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has confirmed the case and immediately notified state authorities. This has led to heightened surveillance across all districts in Andhra Pradesh. In a bid to calm growing panic, the state government has reassured the public that there is no cause for alarm at present, though they continue to urge caution and strict adherence to food safety and hygiene practices.
The timeline of medical intervention provides a chilling glimpse into how quickly avian influenza can prove fatal in humans:
-March 4: Admitted to AIIMS with fever and respiratory distress.
-March 7: Swabs tested positive for Influenza A.
-March 15: Further tests conducted in Delhi raised suspicions of H5N1.
-March 24: NIV Pune confirmed the presence of H5N1 virus.
To contain any potential outbreak, a fever survey was conducted in the child’s neighborhood, but fortunately, no one else displayed similar symptoms. A local meat shop situated around a kilometer from the family's residence was also investigated, but no direct link to the infection was found.
Bird Flu Wreaks Havoc Across Andhra Pradesh
While the specific area where the child lived had not seen an active outbreak, Andhra Pradesh has been grappling with a widespread H5N1 outbreak since early January 2025. According to data from the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS), over 537,000 bird flu cases have been reported in the state, resulting in the death of 362,000 birds. To prevent further spread, authorities have culled 178,000 additional birds.
The worst-hit areas include:
-Kanuru Agraharam, Peravali Mandal
-Badampudi, Ungutur Mandal
-Velpuru in Tanuku
-Pithapuram, Kakinada
-NR Pet in Kurnool
These regions witnessed mass deaths and culling in poultry farms and backyard chicken units. Smaller but notable outbreaks also emerged in Krishna and Kakinada districts. The virus was confirmed through real-time RT-PCR testing conducted by the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal.
Due to the severity of the outbreak, Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety promptly suspended all poultry egg imports from both Andhra Pradesh and neighboring Telangana.
H5N1 in Humans - A Rare but Deadly Reality
Though rare, H5N1 infections in humans are particularly dangerous, often resulting in high mortality. Dr. Vinod Scaria, a noted Indian scientist, underscored the significance of tracking the virus's genetic lineage through genome sequencing. He emphasized that even if the infection was reported from a location without an active outbreak, past incidents in Andhra Pradesh should not be ignored.
“Genome sequencing will allow us to trace the virus's genetic epidemiology and understand its mutation patterns,” Dr. Scaria stated on social media platform X. He added that sharing genome sequences from both animal and human cases is critical for shaping an informed and targeted public health response.
https://x.com/vinodscaria/status/1907274540872352176
Dr. Scaria also offered practical advice for preventing bird flu infections:
-Avoid close contact with sick or dead birds
-Refrain from consuming raw or undercooked poultry or eggs
-Wear protective gear when handling birds, especially during outbreaks
Previous Human Bird Flu Cases in India
This is not the first time India has recorded human cases of bird flu, though such instances remain isolated.
1. July 2021 - Haryana (H5N1)
An 11-year-old boy undergoing treatment for an immunocompromising illness became India’s first confirmed fatality due to H5N1. He suffered from respiratory symptoms that escalated to acute respiratory distress and eventually died on July 12 at AIIMS, Delhi. Although his family owned a butcher shop, the origin of his infection was never conclusively established.
2. May 2024 - West Bengal (H9N2)
A 4-year-old child from Kolkata became the country’s second known human case of bird flu, albeit from the less virulent H9N2 strain. After severe illness and multiple hospitalizations, the child recovered. The exposure was likely from backyard poultry at the family home, though no other infections were reported among close contacts.
3. 2024 - International Case with Indian Link (H5N1)
An Australian child who had recently traveled to Kolkata tested positive for H5N1 upon returning home. While it remains unclear where the infection was acquired, the case sparked global concern about the possibility of international transmission.
Global Health Implications and the Road Ahead
The recent fatality in Andhra Pradesh, coupled with the ongoing avian outbreaks in poultry, underlines the urgent need for rigorous biosecurity measures in India’s agricultural and food sectors. Although H5N1 does not easily transmit from human to human, the virus is notorious for its ability to mutate, increasing the risk of a more transmissible or deadly form in the future.
Public health experts are calling for:
-Mass education campaigns on food hygiene and safe poultry practices
-Better disease surveillance in both human and animal populations
-Improved coordination between health and veterinary authorities
The child’s tragic death serves as a grim reminder that even isolated infections can foreshadow broader public health threats if not swiftly and effectively managed. While India’s healthcare system has made strides in rapid diagnosis and response, more transparency, genome sharing, and inter-agency collaboration are crucial in containing future outbreaks.
Conclusion
The unfortunate death of the young girl in Andhra Pradesh is a sobering event that has once again brought the threat of zoonotic diseases like bird flu into the spotlight. Though human cases of H5N1 remain extremely rare, the high fatality rate associated with the virus demands constant vigilance. The tragic incident underscores the urgent need for better public awareness about the dangers of consuming raw or undercooked animal products and the importance of surveillance systems that can detect outbreaks before they reach human populations. As the virus continues to circulate in animal reservoirs, particularly poultry, it is imperative for health officials, veterinarians, and the public to work together to prevent future infections. India's vast poultry industry, combined with dense human populations in many regions, creates a fertile ground for cross-species transmission. Thus, maintaining rigorous hygiene standards, investing in genomic surveillance, and ensuring timely reporting of suspected cases will be key in preventing future tragedies.
For the latest H5N1 News, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
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