China has reported its first case of a human being infected with the H3N8 bird flu virus. The virus has been circulating in the environment since 2002 and was first detected in North American waterfowl. In 2012, the virus infected numerous seals on the northeast coast of the United States, resulting in the deaths of around 160 of them. Since then, the virus has been found in horses, dogs, and other seals, but it has not yet been transmitted to humans. However, the National Health Commission of China has confirmed the first case of a human being infected with the virus.
The infected person is a four-year-old boy from the central province of Henan. He was diagnosed with the infection after being treated for fever and other symptoms on April 5th. The child’s family raises chickens at home and lives in an area with many wild ducks, so it is possible that the child contracted the virus through direct contact with an infected bird. The National Health Commission of China has stated that this is a “single transmission” case, and there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. However, the commission recommends that people stay away from sick or dead birds.
China is an ideal environment for the H3N8 virus because it has a large population of domestic and wild birds of different species, which provide a basis for the mutation of influenza viruses. About a year ago, China reported its first case of human infection with the H10N3 bird flu variant. Typically, people who have frequent contact with poultry are most affected by bird flu.
In conclusion, while the H3N8 virus can infect humans, it is not effective in doing so, according to the National Health Commission of China. The commission has confirmed the first case of human infection with the virus, but it is a single transmission case, and there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. The commission recommends that people stay away from sick or dead birds to avoid contracting the virus.
