An H3N8 strain of bird flu has been detected in humans for the first time in China’s central Henan province. The four-year-old boy, who was infected, had been in contact with chickens and crows bred in his home, according to reports from China National Health Commission. Avian influenza or avian influenza, as it is commonly known, is a highly contagious viral disease with the first reports of human cases in the 1990s. Some strains of bird flu, such as with H3N8 now, have been transmitted to humans, but this is currently very rare and usually occurs after very close contact with infected birds or animals. H3N8 viruses circulate widely in birds and horses and have also been detected in dogs in North America.

Source: The Guardian April 27, 2022 18:14 UTC