TORONTO — A teenager in a British Columbia children's hospital is in critical condition with Canada's first probable human case of avian influenza.

"This was a previously healthy teenager with no underlying conditions," said provincial health officer Bonnie Henry during a news conference on Tuesday (Nov 12).

Henry emphasized that the case highlights how this virus can rapidly cause severe illness in young individuals, with the teen's health declining quickly.

British Columbia health officials reported Saturday that the province had identified Canada’s first human case of H5 bird flu in a teenager.

Henry noted that while the specific strain is still under analysis, it is suspected to be H5N1.

According to the World Health Organization, H5N1 has a low risk of human transmission but has been found increasingly in animals, including livestock in the U.S.

Henry did not specify the teen's gender or exact age but stated that symptoms began on Nov 2, with testing done on Nov 8 upon hospital admission. Symptoms included fever, cough, and conjunctivitis.

The teenager remains hospitalized with acute respiratory distress syndrome as of Tuesday, Henry reported.

Although the teen had no contact with farms, they had been exposed to dogs, cats, and reptiles, though the infection source is still unknown. "It is an ongoing investigation," Henry added. She explained that severe illness is often a result of the virus binding to receptors deep within the lungs.

Public health teams have identified and tested around 36 contacts, with no signs of further infection. Currently, there is no evidence that the virus spreads easily among people, though experts have warned that if it did, it could trigger a pandemic.

Earlier in November, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that farm workers exposed to bird flu test for the virus even if they lack symptoms.

Since March, nearly 450 dairy farms in 15 U.S. states have reported bird flu cases, with the CDC identifying 46 human cases since April.

In British Columbia, officials have detected the virus in at least 26 locations and in various wild birds, Henry said Tuesday. Canada has found no cases in dairy cattle, nor in milk samples.

"H5N1 has historically been capable of causing severe and fatal cases," stated Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert from Johns Hopkins, via email, adding that confirming the subtype will be critical.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters file