China reports first death from H3N8 avian flu

The recent case in China marks the third confirmed case of H3N8 infection in humans, and notably, it is the first case involving an adult and resulting in death.

The infection was confirmed by the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention on March 26, with no further details provided at that time.

WHO confirmed on Monday that the woman who tested positive for H3N8 avian flu in southern China was hospitalized with severe pneumonia and died. The woman had several pre-existing health conditions, including multiple myeloma.

“The case was detected through the surveillance system for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI). No close contact of the case has developed an infection or symptoms of illness at the time of notification,” the WHO said in the update.

The WHO has revealed that the woman who tested positive for H3N8 bird flu in China had been exposed to live poultry at a wet market before falling ill.

Earlier, in April 2022, a 4-year-old boy in central China fell seriously ill after being exposed to backyard chickens and wild ducks. However, he eventually recovered from the H3N8 bird flu virus. Notably, the family’s pet dog and cat also contracted the virus.

About a month later, in May 2022, a 5-year-old boy from Hunan province was also infected but showed only mild symptoms and recovered quickly, as reported by the Chinese government.

The H3N8 avian flu virus is commonly found in birds, but has also been detected in horses, and is one of two viruses known to cause canine flu.