Unfortunately it was recorded the first case of death of a woman infected with the H3N8 variant
of bird flu in China. This was confirmed in its latest report on influenza by the World Health Organization, WHO, communicating that a 56 enne of the province of Guangdong she passed away after being hospitalized with severe pneumonia on March 3.
This is precisely the first victim for the H3N8 variant: so far there have been three cases confirmed by WHO of human influenza A/H3N8 virus infection, while two other infected patients subsequently recovered. There woman had been infected on 22 February last and his case was identified thanks to the Sars surveillance system. WHO reports that the patient suffered from multiple underlying conditions and had a history of exposure to live poultry prior to disease onsetas reported by The Corriere della Sera.
The H3N8 viruses are a different subtype of the influenza A virus and are not related to the H5N1 viruses currently spreading in wild birds and poultry around the world.