Chinese Authorities Says Bird Flu Human Transmission Is Low After Reported Death Of A Woman Infected By The Virus

(Photo : Getty Images/CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN)

A woman in China died as a result of an infection with a combination of the H3N2 and H10N5 strains of bird flu.

The 63-year-old woman from Anhui province had underlying health concerns and had cough, sore throat, fever, and other symptoms on November 30 before passing away on December 16, according to the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration.

Isolated Case

China's National Disease Control and Prevention Administration examined all of her close contacts, but no other similar cases were discovered.

Whole genome sequencing indicated that the H10N5 virus is of avian origin and cannot infect humans.

"The outbreak is an episodic cross-species transmission from bird to humans," the statement from the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration said.

The agency called the incident an isolated case of bird-to-human transmission, underscoring the virus's low risk of infecting humans and confirming that no human-to-human transmission happened.

China's enormous populations of farmed and wild birds create an environment conducive to the mixing and modification of avian viruses.

In April of last year, a woman died from H3N8 bird flu in China, becoming the first documented human mortality from the avian influenza strain.

The patient was a 56-year-old female from Guangzhou province who became unwell on February 22, 2023. She was hospitalized for acute pneumonia on March 3, 2023, and died on March 16, 2023.

The World Health Organization confirmed the death caused by the virus, which had not been found in humans until two non-fatal instances occurred in April and May 2022, both in China.

Bird Flu Variants

Bird flu variants are common in China, and officials have expanded virus surveillance. Some of the recognized subtypes of A(H10) viruses are A(H10N3), A(H10N4), and A(H10N5).

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, A (H10N5) was discovered in swine (pigs) in 2008.

The majority of A (H10) virus infections in humans are the result of exposure to infected poultry.

Avian flu is one of hundreds of dangerous viruses spread between animals and humans. Most avian influenza viruses do not infect people. Certain strains, however, can infect humans. These are H5N1, H7N3, H7N7, H7N9, and H9N2.

The most prevalent type is the avian influenza subtype H5N1 virus. Bird flu can infect people if they come into contact with an infected bird.

Since infecting people in Hong Kong in 1997, the H5N1 strain has spread throughout Asia, Europe, and Africa. The virus is widespread in various nations, posing one of the most serious threats to human health. The risk to people is now low.

The symptoms are similar to those of the ordinary flu, but if it progresses to an acute respiratory condition, it can be fatal. H5N1 symptoms include coughing, colds, and fever. In severe situations, the lungs can also be impacted.

WHO encourages individuals to avoid contact with high-risk situations such as live animal markets and farms, live poultry, or surfaces that may be contaminated by poultry or bird excrement.

They should also avoid interaction with sick or deceased animals for unknown reasons.