Bird flu case reported in North America

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)

Federal health officials are reporting a Canadian has died from the bird flu.

This is the only current confirmed case of its kind in North America.

At a briefing in Ottawa, officials said the person traveled to China in December. They warned people about coming into contact with birds in China.

Last year officials say there were 38 worldwide cases of H5N1 avian influenza reported to the World Health Organization and 24 deaths.

(SOUNDBITE) GREGORY TAYLOR, DEPUTY CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER SAYING:

"This is an isolated case. The individual began to feel unwell on a return flight from Beijing to Vancouver on Air Canada 0303 and Vancouver to Edmonton Air Canada 244 on December the 27th, 2013. The symptoms worsened and the individual was hospitalized and passed away on January the 3rd."