H3N8 Bird Flu: Trouble in China as New Strain of Flu is Detected in Human

• China has confirmed the first human infection with the H3N8 bird flu strain.

• The H3N8 variant has been known to infect animals like dogs, horses, and birds but no human case had been previously reported.

• The risk of widespread transmission of the variant is low, according to the NHC.

The first human case of H3N8 bird flu has been detected in China. This was brought to light by the country’s health authority in a statement released Tuesday.

The H3N8 is a flu variant that has previously been seen in horses, seals, dogs, and birds around the world. Up to this point, H3N8 had not been detected in humans.

This strain of bird flu is believed to have been in existence since 2002 after its discovery in a North American waterfowl. 

In 2012, H3N8 bird flu was responsible for the deaths of about 200 harbour seals, causing deadly pneumonia in the animals. 

According to China’s National Health Commission (NHC), a four-year-old boy from central Henan province was discovered to have been infected with avian influenza. 

This happened after he had been hospitalized with a fever and other symptoms earlier in April. He had been in close contact with the chickens they raised at home in an area where wild ducks were present. 

The NHC said the boy was infected directly by birds. Hence, the risk of large-scale transmission is “low”. They also confirmed that no close human contacts of the boy were infected with the virus.

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China is blessed with a huge population of poultry and wild birds. The large gathering of these birds can create a perfect environment for the avian viruses to spread and mutate.

The commission has warned the general public to be careful when dealing with sick birds and stay away from dead ones. The commission also urged people to pay attention to dietary hygiene and seek medical attention for fever or respiratory symptoms quickly.

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