The Chinese woman, the first known human fatality of H3N8 bird flu, from the southern province of Guangdong had visited a wet market before she fell ill, as per the WHO. Reuters (Representational Image)
China has reported the first known human fatality from a bird flu strain that is rare in people, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
A 56-year-old woman in the southern province of Guangdong died on 16 March after being infected with H3N8 bird flu.
The woman was the third case of human infection with the H3N8 virus found in China. The first two cases were recorded in the Asian country in April and May 2022.
While one of these two cases reported last year became critically ill, the other had mild symptoms. Both had contracted the disease through direct or indirect contact to infected poultry.
What do we know about the first human death from the avian influenza A (H3N8) virus? Did the patient catch the virus from a wet market? What has the WHO saying? Let’s take a closer look.
World’s first H3N8 human fatality
The Guangdong Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported the woman’s case in late March but did not inform about her death, as per Reuters.
The woman, who has been identified as a resident of the city of Zhongshan, fell ill on 22 February and was hospitalised for severe pneumonia on 3 March, according to the WHO statement.
The patient had several underlying conditions and also a history of exposure to live poultry before falling sick.
Citing Guangdong Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the woman suffered from multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that affects the immune system.
Her H3N8 bird flu infection was detected through the severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance system.
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Wet market connection
Without elaborating, the WHO said in the statement that the patient had spent time at a wet market before she became ill.
The United Nations health agency said environmental samples were collected from the patient’s house and the wet market she visited.
The samples from the wet market tested positive for influenza A(H3).
China has confirmed three cases of H3N8 bird flu in humans since last year. Reuters (Representational Image)
The WHO also said that none of the patient’s close contacts had developed infections or symptoms.
As per Reuters, scattered infections of bird flu in humans are common in China where avian influenza constantly affects poultry and wild bird populations.
Experts have previously warned about conditions at wet markets where fish, meat and wild animals are sold in open-air stalls.
Dr Steven Salzberg, a professor of biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University, told DailyMail.com: “Of course China should report any such cases promptly, as should any country, but occasional avian influenza cases happen every year in China.”
“The [much] bigger problem is the continuing practice in China of selling birds and other animals for food at live animal markets.”
“Scientists have been saying for years that China should shut down these markets, but they don’t. So a good question is whether this case originated from a live animal market. The [WHO] report is vague on that question,” Dr Salzberg added.
Should humans be worried?
Not yet.
“Based on available information, it appears that this virus does not have the ability to spread easily from person to person, and therefore the risk of it spreading among humans at the national, regional, and international levels is considered to be low,” the WHO said in the statement.
But “due to the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses, WHO stresses the importance of global surveillance to detect virological, epidemiological and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses which may affect human (or animal) health,” it added.
The other strain of bird flu – H5N1 – is a cause for worry, as according to the UN health agency it has a 53 per cent mortality in humans.
Its recent outbreak in poultry, wild birds and mammals have fuelled concerns of the virus evolving and turning into another pandemic.
According to the WHO, from 2003 to 25 February 2023, there have been a total of 873 human cases of H5N1 infection across 21 countries, out of which 458 were fatal.
Notably, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission yet of this deadly strain of bird flu either.
What is the WHO saying?
H3N8 viruses are found in animals, especially birds, around the world.
It first emerged in North American waterfowl in 2002 and is known to be circulating since.
“Cross-species transmission of A(H3N8) avian influenza viruses has been reported for various mammal species, including being endemic in dogs and horses,” says the WHO.
Amid the report from China and the ongoing bird flu outbreak, the WHO has issued an advisory for countries and people.
H3N8 viruses are found in animals, especially birds, around the world. Reuters (Representational Image)
The UN health agency has recommended people stay away from sick animals or those who died from unknown causes.
The WHO has also urged countries to inform the public about “avoiding contact with high-risk environments such as live animal markets/farms, live poultry, or surfaces that may be contaminated by poultry or bird faeces”.
Further, it has asked visitors travelling to countries with known avian influenza cases to avoid farms, contact with animals in live animal markets or any areas where animals may be slaughtered.
With inputs from agencies
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