A person infected with the H3N8 type avian influenza (AI) virus was confirmed in Guangdong Province, southern China. The infected person is a 56-year-old woman. This is the second case after the first human infection occurred in Henan Province in April last year.
According to the Global Times, the English version of China’s state-run Global Times, on the 29th (local time), the Guangdong Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a test on the woman, who complained of suspected symptoms, and confirmed that it was positive.
The woman suffered from underlying medical conditions, including myeloma, and was found to have a history of exposure to poultry and wild birds near her home.
Health authorities instructed local officials to perform related tasks such as role investigation, close contact tracing, and site disinfection. Guangdong Provincial CDC said no additional cases of infection have been found so far as a result of testing of close contacts.
Lu Hongzhou, director of the Third People’s Hospital in Shenzhen, Guangdong’s largest city, said it was an “individual case” and the risk of infection was relatively low.
Experts advised the public to avoid direct contact with poultry, whether life or death, and to wear appropriate personal protective equipment when necessary. He also urged people to pay attention to food hygiene, such as separating raw and cooked food.
Previously, in April of last year, a 4-year-old male in Zhumadian, Henan Province, China complained of symptoms such as fever and was tested positive for H3N8. At the time, the Wigan Commission said it was “the first human infection case of H3N8.” H3N8 has been commonly found in animals such as wild birds subtypes, but it is known that it is the first human infection.
Meanwhile, on the 23rd of last month, an 11-year-old female in Cambodia died after being infected with the H5N1 AI virus. According to local authorities, the woman’s father was also confirmed to be AI virus positive.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.