Representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that a Chinese woman recently died from
All three human cases of H3N8registered in China. The first case occurred in April 2022 in a four-year-old boy in Henan Province. He probably contracted the virus from chickens or wild ducks on his home farm. A second case was recorded a month later in a five-year-old boy in Hunan province. He recently went to a market where live poultry was sold, although he did not have direct contact with the animals. The first boy's condition worsened and he required intensive care. The second one had a mild illness. Both children recovered.
A third case was recently registered—a 56-year-old woman from Guangdong Province. Her symptoms appeared on February 22, 2023. Already on March 3, she was hospitalized with severe pneumonia and died on March 16.
According to WHO, before itfell ill, she had contact with live poultry, as well as wild birds near her home. Researchers later collected samples from her home and a nearby market. The latter tested positive for influenza A (H3), a broad category of influenza viruses that includes the H3N8 subtype.
“The available epidemiological and virologicalInformation indicates that avian influenza A(H3N8) viruses are not capable of sustained transmission among humans, WHO said. “The current assessment is that the likelihood of person-to-person spread is low.” However, because viruses are constantly evolving, it is important to continue monitoring H3N8 for changes that could make it more dangerous to human health.