An ambulance in China. File photoBEIJING, Apr 27 The first case of human infection with H3N8 avian influenza has been recorded in Henan province, according to the National Health Committee of the People's Republic of China. Before the onset of symptoms, the child had contact with poultry, and wild ducks were also found close to the house. The first symptoms, including fever, appeared in the boy on April 5, and on April 10 he was hospitalized due to a worsening condition. After an analysis on April 24, the child was found to be infected with H3N8.» Experts estimate that the H3N8 influenza virus is of avian origin and has not previously been able to effectively infect humans. The H3N8 virus has been found in horses, dogs, birds and seals around the world, but no cases of H3N8 have been reported in humans,» the statement said. According to the State Committee of the People's Republic of China, this case represents an accidental interspecies transmission from birds to humans, and the risk of large-scale spread of the virus is low.
New outbreak of bird flu detected in Japan
