The first human case of H5 bird flu in the United States has been reported, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday.
The CDC said that a person in Colorado, who was involved in killing chickens who probably had H5N1 bird flu, tested positive for avian influenza A(H5) virus.
The person was tired for a few days and has since recovered, the CDC said. During his sickness, the patient was isolated and treated with the influenza antiviral drug oseltamivir. Since late 2021, H5N1 bird flu viruses have been found in American industrial animal farms.
Since 2003, 863 humans got infected with H5N1 avian influenza in eighteen countries, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Of these 863 cases, 455 were fatal.
In January, a person in England got infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu from being in contact with birds at their house.
H5N8 avian influenza virus
In February 2021, the first human cases of H5N8 bird flu were reported in Russia. The people who got infected worked at an animal farm.
H7N9 avian influenza virus
Since early 2013, 1,568 humans have been infected with H7N9 avian influenza virus, 616 people died.
H9N2, H10N3, H7N4
A total of 58 cases of human infection with H9N2 avian influenza have been reported to the WHO. Only one human case of H10N3 avian influenza virus and one human case of H7N4 bird flu have been reported globally.
First human case of H3N8
On Tuesday, China recorded the first human infection with the H3N8 strain of bird flu. A four-year-old boy from central Henan province tested positive for the variant after developing a fever and other symptoms.
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