China has reported the first human infection with the H3N8 strain of bird flu, but the risk of its spread among people is low.
- The variant was found in a four-year-old boy from Henan. The boy showed fever and other symptoms on April 5.
- The child had been in contact with chickens and crows raised at his home.
About H3N8
- The H3N8 variant is common in horses and dogs and has even been found in seals.
- No human cases of H3N8 have been reported.
- Whole genome sequence analyses indicate that the H3N8 virus in this human case is a reassortant, with genes from viruses that have been detected previously in poultry and wild birds.
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