As we enter 2025, Dr. Theresa Tam has her eye on H5N1 bird flu, an emerging virus that had its first human case in Canada this year.

At the same time, Canada香蕉视频直播檚 chief public health officer is closely monitoring measles 香蕉视频直播� a virus that was eliminated in this country more than two decades ago, but is making an accelerated resurgence.

H5N1, a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses carried by wild birds, has been on the rise globally. It has decimated poultry farms in Canada and infected dairy cattle herds in several states south of the border.

But its spread to humans is especially worrisome.

香蕉视频直播淲hat I am particularly concerned about is that this virus has demonstrated the capability of a whole range of clinical outcomes, from asymptomatic infection 香蕉视频直播� all the way to rare cases of severe illness,香蕉视频直播� said Tam in a year-end interview on Dec. 18.

香蕉视频直播淪o it香蕉视频直播檚 something that we really need to be very vigilant about.香蕉视频直播�

Canada香蕉视频直播檚 only confirmed H5N1 patient 香蕉视频直播� a teen in B.C. 香蕉视频直播� was severely ill and hospitalized in November. Health officials there have still not been able to determine how the teen got infected.

No one else got sick with the virus, said Tam, which is encouraging because it suggests there hasn香蕉视频直播檛 yet been any human-to-human transmission.

Although the risk to the general public is still considered low, there have been at least 65 confirmed human cases in the U.S. in 2024, mostly among farm workers. Most cases have been mild, with conjunctivitis, or pink-eye, among the symptoms.

But on the same day as The Canadian Press interview with Tam, health officials announced the first case of severe illness in the U.S. 香蕉视频直播� a person over 65 in Louisiana who had been in contact with sick birds in a backyard flock.

香蕉视频直播�(That) tells me that we need to do significant outreach not just to commercial poultry farms, for instance, but there are people who keep backyard chickens or other birds,香蕉视频直播� Tam said.

香蕉视频直播淭hose backyard birds are exposed to wild birds that are the carriers of this H5N1 virus.香蕉视频直播�

Education about wearing personal protective equipment and taking biosecurity measures is important for anyone keeping birds in Canada 香蕉视频直播� not just commercial farms, she said.

Tam says it香蕉视频直播檚 also time for more bird flu awareness among the general public.

香蕉视频直播淲e need to handle any sick or dead birds (or) other animals with a great deal of care,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淚f in doubt, don香蕉视频直播檛 touch and call up your local veterinarian or public health authority in order to know what to do if you do have dead birds or animals in your garden or backyard.香蕉视频直播�

But it香蕉视频直播檚 not just new illnesses that Tam is worried about.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 an increase in circulation of a number of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, like pertussis (whooping cough),香蕉视频直播� she said.

Tam said there have been close to 170 measles cases in Canada in 2024, compared to 59 cases last year.

Many cases are related to a large outbreak that started in the fall in New Brunswick and has since spread through travel to people in Ontario, she said.

The majority of people affected had not been vaccinated.

Children can be especially hard-hit by measles, she said. One child under five years old died in Ontario this year, something 香蕉视频直播渨e have not seen for a very long time,香蕉视频直播� Tam said.

香蕉视频直播淭hese are just really incredible reminders of why we need to keep up with our vaccinations.香蕉视频直播�

Most parents haven香蕉视频直播檛 seen measles and may not realize the gravity of the illness because 香蕉视频直播渧ery effective vaccines香蕉视频直播� have protected children from getting it for decades, Tam said.

Measles was declared eliminated in Canada in 1998. Cases since then can generally be traced back to someone who travelled and brought in the virus from another country 香蕉视频直播� then it spreads to those who aren香蕉视频直播檛 immunized.

香蕉视频直播淭his is such an infectious virus, it will seek out all the unvaccinated people,香蕉视频直播� Tam said.

香蕉视频直播淚t is a serious illness. Kids get very sick and sometimes they have to be hospitalized.香蕉视频直播�

Whooping cough is also making a comeback after being controlled by vaccination for years, Tam said.

It can make young children very ill and health-care professionals often call it the 香蕉视频直播渢he 100 day cough.香蕉视频直播�

Tam said one of the factors likely driving the resurgence of measles and whooping cough is the disruption to children香蕉视频直播檚 routine immunizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite 香蕉视频直播渃atch-up香蕉视频直播� programs, 香蕉视频直播渨e香蕉视频直播檙e still not back at the pre-pandemic levels of vaccine coverage.香蕉视频直播�

When it comes to COVID-19 itself, Tam said the virus continues to evolve and spread, but has not established a predictable pattern like seasonal flu or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Flu is starting to rise and RSV activity is high, but the number of COVID-19 infections have come down since the fall, Tam said.

香蕉视频直播漌e香蕉视频直播檙e not seeing them sort of come together in one big 香蕉视频直播榯ripledemic香蕉视频直播� like we did two years ago.香蕉视频直播�

Still, a winter bump in COVID-19 is possible, and people who are older and who have underlying chronic health conditions are still especially vulnerable to serious illness, Tam said.

Handwashing, wearing masks and staying home when sick 香蕉视频直播� as well as getting updated vaccinations 香蕉视频直播� continue to serve as 香蕉视频直播渓ayers of protection香蕉视频直播� against circulating viruses, she said.

香蕉视频直播� With files from The Associated Press

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press