First death in China from H3N8 bird flu. This is a 56 year old female. WHO said it was the third reported case of human infection with an avian flu virus. All three cases have been reported in China. The WHO then said that there is a low risk of contagion but it is necessary to monitor.
First death in China from H3N8 bird flu
A 56-year-old woman in southern China has died after testing positive for H3N8 bird flu. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that it was the first human death from that strain of bird flu. WHO said the woman, who died in March, likely contracted the virus from a live poultry market. He also said the woman had pre-existing medical conditions, including cancer. He then reported that epidemiological investigations and tracking of close contracts were carried out and that no other cases were found among the woman’s close contacts.
The WHO went on to say that the Chinese government has stepped up monitoring of the strain and that the risk of further spread is low. However, WHO has emphasized that, due to the evolving nature of influenza viruses, it is important to continue careful global surveillance to detect virological, epidemiological and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses that may affect human or animal health.
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