China reports the world's first fatality from H3N8 bird flu - what is it and how might I get it?

 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), China has recorded the world's first fatality from H3N8 bird flu.

It is the first human mortality associated with the avian influenza strain. There had been no reports of human instances until April and May of 2022, when two non-fatal cases were discovered. 

The first person to die was a 56-year-old woman from the southeast Chinese province of Guangdong.

She was sent to the hospital on March 3 with acute pneumonia after becoming ill on February 22, and died nearly two weeks later on March 16, according to the WHO.

The patient had a number of underlying medical issues. "Before the onset of the disease, she had a history of exposure to live poultry, as well as a history of wild bird presence around her home," the UN health agency said in a statement.

"No close contacts of the case developed an infection or symptoms of illness at the time of reporting," it continued.

While the infection may have been caused by exposure to a live poultry market, the WHO highlighted that "it is still unclear what the exact source of this infection is and how this virus is related to other avian influenza A(H3N8) viruses that are circulating in animals." 

What exactly is H3N8 flu?

H3N8 is an avian influenza subtype, or bird flu as it is more often known.

H3N8 has been known to circulate since 2002, when it first appeared in North American waterfowl. It has been observed infecting horses, dogs, and seals.

It is exceedingly rare in people and quite frequent in birds, yet it shows little to no illness symptoms.

In China, where avian flu viruses are constantly circulating in large poultry and wild bird populations, random infections are especially common among people.

Is it contagious among humans?

Although frequent in birds, it is uncommon in humans. After testing, no more cases were discovered among the afflicted woman's close contacts.

According to WHO, "it appears that this virus does not have the ability to spread easily from person to person, and thus the risk of it spreading among humans is considered low at the national, regional, and international levels."

"However, because influenza viruses are constantly evolving, WHO emphasizes the importance of global surveillance to detect virological, epidemiological, and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses that may affect human (or animal) health."

What do the experts think?

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The World Health Organization has given governments specific instructions on how to raise public awareness of the disease and limit any possible outbreaks. 

People should avoid "contact with high-risk environments such as live animal markets/farms, live poultry, or surfaces that may be contaminated by poultry or bird faeces." 

They also cautioned on a number of activities that have become all too common in the aftermath of the Covid outbreak. 

"It is recommended to maintain good hand hygiene by frequently washing hands or using alcohol-based hand sanitiser and wearing respiratory protection when in a risky environment." 

It is also critical to avoid handling and staying away from deceased birds.  

"Given the observed extent and frequency of avian influenza cases in wild birds and some wild mammals, the public should avoid contact with animals that are sick or dead from unknown causes, and report the occurrence to authorities." 

Some limitations on keeping some animals indoors are being relaxed in the United Kingdom. 

Since November 7, bird keepers have been subject to a national housing order to assist reduce an extraordinary number of bird flu cases — more than 330 have been identified in the UK since October 2021.

Poultry and other confined birds can be kept outside again beginning at midnight on April 18 unless they are in a designated protected zone, according to the authorities. 

Eggs laid by hens having access to outside ranges can be labeled as free range as of this date.

Dr. Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, stated that the danger of bird flu transmission has decreased as a result of restrictive measures implemented throughout the winter, while bird keepers are asked to adhere to "stringent biosecurity standards." 

The severe limitations imposed under the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone will remain in effect, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), because the virus may continue to circulate in the environment for several weeks.

Places with inadequate biosecurity are considered to be at medium risk of infection, whereas those with good biosecurity are considered to be at low risk.

Defra has requested bird keepers to report any sickness suspicions. 

By Covenant