WHO Confirms Italy’s First Imported Human H9N2 Bird Flu Case

Italy has reported its first imported human case of avian influenza A(H9N2), involving an adult man who recently returned from Senegal. The patient, who had spent over six months in Senegal, was hospitalized with fever and a persistent cough shortly after arriving in Italy. Tests confirmed the presence of the H9N2 virus, closely related to strains detected in poultry in Senegal. Health authorities are investigating the source of exposure.