WHO broadcasts first loss of life from H3N8 chook flu in China | well being

The World Well being Group mentioned on Tuesday (11) {that a} girl died in China from H3N8 chook flu, a virus that has been circulating since 2002, however to this point has not triggered human casualties.

The H3N8 virus, which first appeared in North America, was till now thought prone to be transmitted to horses, canines and sea lions.

The virus has been detected in people in China on two events, in April and Could 2022, however with out inflicting deaths.

The deceased particular person, aged 56, lived in China’s Guangdong Province (southeast) and fell unwell on February 22. On March 3, she was hospitalized with extreme pneumonia and died on March 16, based on the World Well being Group.

“The affected person had a number of underlying circumstances,” the group mentioned in a press release, “a historical past of publicity to reside poultry earlier than the onset of the illness, and a historical past of untamed birds round her dwelling.”

The UN company added that “not one of the shut contacts had” an an infection or signs of the illness, as of the writing of this report.”

The World Well being Group acknowledged that the contamination could have occurred as a result of she frequented a poultry market, however that “the precise supply of an infection has not but been decided, in addition to the connection between this virus and different avian influenza kind A (H3N8)” circulating within the animal’s setting.

Based on the group, the obtainable knowledge present that the virus shouldn’t be transmitted between people, and due to this fact “the danger of its unfold on the nationwide, regional and world ranges is taken into account low.”

Nevertheless, the World Well being Group has insisted on the necessity to monitor the virus as a result of its ongoing mutations.