Chile Detects First Human Case of Bird Flu

The Chilean Ministry of Health announced the detection of the first human case of bird flu.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, the case was detected in a 53-year-old man who had symptoms of severe influenza, but his condition was stable.

The government is searching for the source of the infection and is working to identify who was in contact with the patient.

Chile announced the detection of H5N1 bird flu infections late last year in wild animals.

Recent cases in industrial farms have led the government to suspend poultry exports. Cases have also been reported in the Argentine sector. But Brazil, the world's largest poultry exporter, remains infection-free.

Chilean health authorities have indicated that the virus can be transmitted from birds or marine mammals to humans, but there is no known human-to-human transmission.