BOOM

Trending Searches

    SUPPORT
    BOOM

    Trending News

      • Fact Check 
        • Fast Check
        • Politics
        • Business
        • Entertainment
        • Social
        • Sports
        • World
      • Law
      • Explainers
      • News 
        • All News
      • Decode 
        • Impact
        • Scamcheck
        • Life
        • Voices
      • Media Buddhi 
        • Digital Buddhi
        • Senior Citizens
        • Videos
      • Web Stories
      • BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos 
        • Facts Neeti
      • Home-icon
        Home
      • About Us-icon
        About Us
      • Authors-icon
        Authors
      • Team-icon
        Team
      • Careers-icon
        Careers
      • Internship-icon
        Internship
      • Contact Us-icon
        Contact Us
      • Methodology-icon
        Methodology
      • Correction Policy-icon
        Correction Policy
      • Non-Partnership Policy-icon
        Non-Partnership Policy
      • Cookie Policy-icon
        Cookie Policy
      • Grievance Redressal-icon
        Grievance Redressal
      • Republishing Guidelines-icon
        Republishing Guidelines
      • Fact Check-icon
        Fact Check
        Fast Check
        Politics
        Business
        Entertainment
        Social
        Sports
        World
      • Law-icon
        Law
      • Explainers-icon
        Explainers
      • News-icon
        News
        All News
      • Decode-icon
        Decode
        Impact
        Scamcheck
        Life
        Voices
      • Media Buddhi-icon
        Media Buddhi
        Digital Buddhi
        Senior Citizens
        Videos
      • Web Stories-icon
        Web Stories
      • BOOM Research-icon
        BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs-icon
        BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker-icon
        Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos-icon
        Videos
        Facts Neeti
      Trending Tags
      TRENDING
      • #Operation Sindoor
      • #Pahalgam Terror Attack
      • #Narendra Modi
      • #Rahul Gandhi
      • #Waqf Amendment Bill
      • #Arvind Kejriwal
      • #Deepfake
      • #Artificial Intelligence
      • Home
      • Health
      • China Reports First Human Case Of...
      Health

      China Reports First Human Case Of H3N8 Bird Flu

      The Chinese National Health Commission said that a four-year-old boy who was in contact with chickens and crows raised in his house was infected with the virus.

      By - Shachi Sutaria |
      Published -  28 April 2022 7:21 PM IST
    • Boomlive
      China Reports First Human Case Of H3N8 Bird Flu

      China reported the first human case of a new avian flu virus. A four-year-old boy who was in contact with chickens and crows raised at home contracted the H3N8 strain of the flu

      The Chinese National Health Commission in a press release stated that the possibility of human-to-human transmission is very low. The boy from Henan district exhibited symptoms on April 5.

      This is the very first case of the H3N8 strain transmitting from birds to humans. Common in horses and dogs, this strain has even been found in seals. Whole genome sequencing of the virus in the boy found that the H3N8 virus in the current case is a combination of genes that have earlier been detected in poultry and wild birds.

      Also Read:Omicron Explained: How Are Variants Sequenced And How Long Does It Take?

      China has a huge population of farmed and wild birds of different species that provides an ideal environment for the viruses to thrive as well as spillover into humans and mutate. Those who work with poultry are normally susceptible to being infected by the viruses. There are a few sporadic incidents in the country. Last year, they reported the first human case of H10N3.

      Experts told the Guardian that there is a need for increased surveillance regarding this virus as this is 'reassortant'- combination of genes that could make it easier for it to spread into humans in the future. With the devastating effects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which was also a zoonotic virus whose source of origin is still being debated, scientists have chosen to adopt the precuationary tone. Even the World Health Organisation and the Food And Agriculture Organisation is looking into this current case.

      China is not the only country that sees a prevalence of outbreaks of bird flu and human transmission. At the beginning of 2022, India, United States and the United Kingdom witnessed several outbreaks among birds. India even reported the H5Nx virus in a boy in Haryana that led to his death.

      While 50 countries have reported poultry being infected by this virus, India along with Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Indonesia, and Vietnam are said to be endemic for the virus. Considered to be highly pathogenic among birds, the virus is deadly even for birds.

      What Is Bird Flu?

      India reported an outbreak of bird flu in poultry as well as crows in January 2021. The influenza A virus that causes bird flu is categorised as avian because wild birds are natural hosts of this sub-type. Classified on the basis of the protein on its surface, Influenza A has 18 HA subtypes and 11 NA subtypes.

      H5N1 is the most rampant Avian Influenza virus. So far, only H1N1- swine flu and H3N2- which was also first found in pigs, are the Influenza A sub-types known to adversely affect humans. H5N1 was first recorded in China in 1996 in geese but its first human transmission was reported in 1997 at a outbreak in Hong Kong.

      The H3N8 virus found in the four-year-old boy was first isolated in Miami in 1963 and later spready tot North and South America and Europe, leading to massive outbreaks during 1964 and 1965. It has also been suggested to be a possible cause for the 1889-1890 pandemic in humans but there is not enough concrete evidence pointing towards the same.

      Bird Flu In Humans

      As shared earlier, only close to 700 human cases of bird flu have been recorded, yet. However, the mortality rate of human bird flu infections is very high.

      Although human to human transmission is rare, there have been a few cases of outbreaks across Asia and Africa but they have been contained and the communities have recovered.

      Children between the ages of 10-19 are the ones most at risk of being infected and their mortality rate due to bird flu is higher than the other age groups. Individuals under the age of 40 working with poultry and not taking precautions are susceptible to the virus.

      Some signs and symptoms include atypical presentations of fever and diarrhoea before pneumonia, multi-organ failure, encephalitis, and septic shock. The only way to reduce exposure of the virus to humans is through precautionary measures.

      People working on poultry farms should wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits while tackling with infected poultry. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had also released a series of guidelines that should be followed by people consuming poultry when the outbreak was reported in the country. Also

      Also Read:Bird Flu: Avoid Half-Boiled Eggs, Under-Cooked Meat, Says FSSAI



      Tags

      Bird FluChinaHealth
      Read Full Article
      Next Story
      Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
      Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker. Please reload after ad blocker is disabled.
      X

      Subscribe to BOOM Newsletters

      👉 No spam, no paywall — but verified insights.

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe for free!

      Stay Ahead of Misinformation!

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe Now🛡️ 100% Privacy Protected | No Spam, Just Facts
      By subscribing, you agree with the Terms & conditions and Privacy Policy connected to the offer

      Thank you for subscribing!

      You’re now part of the BOOM community.

      Or, Subscribe to receive latest news via email
      Subscribed Successfully...
      Copy HTMLHTML is copied!
      There's no data to copy!