BC is investigating the first suspected human case of bird flu detected in Canada

British Columbia health officials are investigating what is believed to be the first human case of bird flu discovered in Canada after a teenager tested presumptive positive for the disease, the health ministry announced Saturday.

The teenager, who the ministry says is from the Fraser Health region, is currently being treated at BC Children's Hospital as officials work to confirm the diagnosis and trace potential sources of exposure.

According to the statement, avian influenza – also known as bird flu – is a virus that primarily affects birds but can occasionally spread to humans through contact with infected animals or contaminated environments.

BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says this case is the first time a person has been infected with H5 bird flu in Canada, although isolated cases have been reported in the United States and other countries.

“Our thoughts are with this young person and his family at this difficult time,” she said.

Henry said a thorough investigation is underway to understand how the virus may have been contracted.

The ministry noted that public health officials are tracing the patient's contacts to monitor symptoms and provide guidance on testing and prevention measures.

No other human cases have been identified at this time in connection with this incident.

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital, said the virus is particularly concerning because it has the potential to cause “significant clinical harm” in humans.

“This is a virus that is known to cause epidemics or potential pandemics,” he told CBC News.

While human infections with bird flu are rare, symptoms can range from mild to severe, potentially leading to pneumonia, organ failure and even death, according to Health Canada.

According to Health Canada, more than 900 human cases have been reported worldwide since 1997, mostly in Asia and Africa, with about half resulting in death. However, the government warns that this death rate may be overestimated because mild infections often go undetected and are underreported.

Another aspect that makes the virus worrisome, according to Bogoch, is its ability to reassort itself – or swap genes – to make it more transmissible.

Bird flu outbreaks in the U.S. have already resulted in at least 44 human cases, according to the Toronto-based doctor, although he said that may be a “severe underestimate.”

“We know that political borders do not stop the spread of infectious diseases, and of course that can happen in Canada and elsewhere in the world,” he added.

VIEW | First human infection linked to H5N1 outbreak in US dairy cows:

Cases of bird flu in humans are linked to outbreaks in dairy cattle in the US

A person in Texas who had close contact with infected dairy cows has been diagnosed with bird flu. It is the second known human case in the country after the virus was first discovered circulating among dairy cows in at least four US states.

According to the federal government, only one human case of A(H5N1) has been reported in Canada. A Canadian resident died of avian influenza A (H5N1) in early 2014 after returning from a trip to China, where he was likely infected.

Since early October, the H5N1 virus has been detected in animals at numerous locations in British Columbia, including 22 poultry farms and a variety of wild birds and small mammals such as foxes and skunks.

Earlier this week, the Vancouver Island Health Authority warned residents of possible bird flu infection at a petting zoo in Campbell River.

Given the confirmed animal cases in British Columbia, authorities are urging residents to avoid direct contact with sick or dead animals, keep pets away from affected wildlife and report any dead or sick birds or mammals to provincial authorities.