The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that a woman in China has become the first person to die from H3N8 bird flu.
A 56-year-old man from the southern province of Guangdong became the third known person to be infected with this variant, which is not thought to be easily spread from person to person.
This particular strain is very rare in humans, but is common in birds, which usually show no signs of disease when infected.
The deaths come after the UK government announced on Tuesday that it was reversing measures it had taken to stem the spread of bird flu due to reduced risk levels.
What is the H3N8 bird flu strain?
The activity of the H3N8 strain has been known since 2002, when it was first detected in ducks and other waterfowl in North America.
WHO reports: “Avian influenza A(H3N8) viruses are widely detected in animals worldwide. Influenza A(H3N8) viruses are among the most common subtypes in birds and cause little or no disease in domestic or wild birds. Interspecies transmission of avian influenza A(H3N8) virus has been reported in several mammalian species, including endemic dogs and horses.”
Human infections with avian influenza viruses usually result from direct or indirect contact with infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments.
The woman who died in China had multiple comorbidities and had contact with live birds in the past. Samples from a wet market the woman visited before she became ill tested positive for this variant.
Wet markets are markets in China that sell fresh produce including meat, fish, vegetables and fruits. Some sell live fish and poultry, some don’t.
She fell ill on 22 February and was admitted to hospital on 3 March for severe pneumonia. She died March 16th.
Two previous human cases were reported in April and May 2022. One developed a severe illness, the other a mild illness.
The WHO adds: “Transmission of avian influenza viruses from birds to humans is usually sporadic and occurs under specific conditions: most cases of human influenza virus infection reported to date have occurred through contact with infected poultry or in contaminated environments.
“As avian influenza viruses continue to be detected in poultry populations, more sporadic human cases are expected in the future.
“Available epidemiological and virological information indicates that avian influenza A (H3N8) viruses cannot be transmitted between humans in the long term. Therefore, according to current estimates, the likelihood of person-to-person transmission is low.”
What are the symptoms of bird flu?
“Depending on factors related to the specific virus and infected host, illness can range from conjunctivitis or mild flu-like symptoms to severe acute respiratory illness or even death. Gastrointestinal or neurological symptoms have been reported but are rare.
The NHS lists the following main symptoms of bird flu:
- very high fever or feeling hot or shivering;
- Muscle spasms;
- Headache;
- cough or shortness of breath.
Other early symptoms may include:
- diarrhea;
- Disease;
- Abdominal pain;
- chest pain;
- bleeding from the nose and gums;
- conjunctivitis.
Once infected, it usually takes three to five days for the first symptoms to appear.
How is bird flu treated?
Use the NHS 111 online service (111.nhs.uk) or call NHS 111 if you have bird flu symptoms and have been in an area affected by bird flu in the past 10 days.
Seek immediate medical attention if you develop symptoms of bird flu while abroad. Doctors may do a Pap smear to see if you test positive for the virus.
If symptoms of avian flu are suspected, it is recommended to stay at home or seek treatment in a hospital in isolation from other patients. You may be given an antiviral medicine such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza), which can help reduce the severity of the condition.
How to prevent bird flu?
Travelers to countries with known outbreaks of animal influenza should avoid visiting farms, contact with animals in live animal markets, entering areas where animals may be slaughtered, or contact with surfaces that appear to be contaminated with animal feces or other body fluids. WHO. .
The National Health Service recommends the following preventive measures when visiting a country with a known outbreak:
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, especially before and after handling food, especially raw poultry;
- Use different utensils for cooked and raw meat;
- Make sure the meat is cooked to hot steam;
- Avoid contact with live birds and poultry.
You cannot get avian influenza by eating fully cooked poultry or eggs, even in areas with outbreaks of avian influenza.
Is there bird flu in the UK?
There has been an outbreak of bird flu in the UK and a highly contagious strain of H5N1 is still circulating.
The availability of free-range eggs has plummeted over the past five months as bird owners have been subject to strict national keeping rules since November in an attempt to curb an unprecedented number of cases of bird flu.
As of October 2021, over 330 cases have been confirmed in the UK, including poultry and wild birds.
Because of the worldwide outbreak of bird flu, chickens were effectively quarantined last winter.
Eggs laid by hens that normally have free-range access and meat-raised hens cannot be sold as free-range, but will be free-range again as of Tuesday 18. The government cancels the housing decree.
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.