Infant girl dies from bird flu in Andhra Pradesh

Narasaraopeta

A two-year-old girl from Andhra Pradesh passed away from bird flu on March 15, officials confirmed on Wednesday. The cause of death was confirmed after her sample was tested by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. She was receiving treatment at AIIMS-Mangalagiri when she succumbed to the illness.

Surprisingly, the bird flu was only found in the infant, with no other cases reported in her household. Authorities were unable to determine how she contracted the virus, as there were no known bird flu cases in Palnadu district. When questioned, the family admitted that the girl occasionally ate raw chicken, which officials consider a possible but unconfirmed source of infection.

Although no new cases were found, a precautionary survey was conducted, and there were no signs of bird flu spreading, even among the family members. The investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the infection.