(VOVWORLD) - A Chinese woman has become the first person to die from the H3N8 bird flu, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.
The patient had multiple underlying conditions, said the WHO, and a history of exposure to live poultry. Wild birds were also sighted near the patient’s home. There were no other cases found among close contacts of the infected woman.
H3N8 first appeared in 2002 and was found in North American birds, which subsequently infected horses, dogs, and seals.
According to WHO, China previously reported two people infected with this type of flu in April and May last year, but not fatal.