A two-year-old girl died from the Avian Influenza (H5N1) virus after reportedly consuming raw chicken meat given by her parents in Balaiah Nagar, Narasaraopet town, Palnadu district. This marks the first human death due to the bird flu virus in the state. The toddler passed away on March 16 while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Mangalagiri. She was admitted by her parents on March 4 after developing symptoms of acute fever, breathing difficulties, and diarrhea. According to sources, the district medical and health department authorities collected blood samples from the deceased child’s family members, all of which tested negative. “Subsequently, nasal swab samples from the family have been collected today and will be sent to the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) in Guntur for further analysis to detect the presence of the bird flu virus,” a senior health department official told TOI. The deceased child's father works as a loan recovery agent at a private bank, while her mother is a housewife. They reside in Balaiah Nagar, Narasaraopet town. Reportedly, on February 28, the parents fed a piece of raw chicken meat to the child while they themselves consumed cooked chicken. As a result, the child fell ill. When her condition worsened, the parents took her to a local hospital and later transferred her to AIIMS Mangalagiri on March 4. Doctors at AIIMS collected the child's nasal swab samples on March 7 and tested them at the hospital’s VRDL lab, confirming Influenza A. The samples were then sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) lab in Delhi, where further tests identified the H5N1 virus. The results were also confirmed by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. The child ultimately succumbed to the bird flu virus. This first recorded human death due to bird flu comes at a time when the Animal Husbandry Department recently declared Andhra Pradesh free of the virus, citing zero mortality in commercial poultry farms across the state. Speaking to TOI, Animal Husbandry Director Dr. T. Damodar Naidu stated, “Following the child’s death due to bird flu, the department conducted physical surveillance at all poultry farms and backyard poultry in Guntur, Palnadu, and parts of Prakasam district, adjoining Narasaraopet town. No traces of bird flu were found in poultry.” As a precautionary measure, the department will conduct physical surveillance across all districts on Wednesday. Dr. Naidu emphasized that the child’s death resulted from consuming raw chicken meat, whereas the parents, who ate cooked meat, did not fall ill. “We always advise people to consume chicken and eggs only after cooking them thoroughly, as the bird flu virus cannot survive at temperatures above 60 to 70 degrees Celsius,” he added.