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Reuters

Russia has registered the first case of a strain of bird flu virus named A (H5N8) being passed to humans from birds and has reported the matter to the World Health Organization (WHO), Anna Popova, head of consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, said on Saturday.
Outbreaks of the H5N8 strain have been reported in Russia, Europe, China, the Middle East and North Africa in recent months but only in poultry. Other strains – H5N1, H7N9 and H9N2 – have been known to spread to humans.
Russia reported the case of human infection to the WHO “several days ago, just as we became absolutely certain of our results,” Popova said on Rossiya 24 state TV. There was no sign of transmission between humans so far, she added.
Most human bird flu infections have been associated with direct contact with infected live or dead poultry, though properly cooked food is considered to be safe.
H5N8 strain of bird flu found in Hong Kong for first time
Bird flu outbreaks often prompt poultry plants to kill their birds to prevent the virus from spreading, and avoid importing countries having to impose trade restrictions.
The vast majority of cases are spread by migrating wild birds, so producing countries tend to keep their poultry indoors or protected from contact with wildlife.
Seven workers at a poultry plant in Russia’s south had been infected with the H5N8 strain when there was an outbreak at the facility in December, Popova said, adding that the individuals involved felt fine now.
“This situation did not develop further,” she added.
Siberia’s Vector Institute said on Saturday it would start developing human tests and a vaccine against H5N8, RIA news agency reported.
The WHO did not reply to a Reuters request for comment.


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Russia

Russia detects world’s first case of H5N8 bird flu in humans

Seven workers at a poultry plant in southern Russia were infected with the H5N8 strain. File photo: Shutterstock

Researchers discover H5N8 strain of bird flu in Hong Kong for first time

Mai Po is Hong Kong’s largest remaining wetland and recognised for its global importance for sustaining bird migrations. Photo: Nora Tam

Migratory birds stop over on dried lands and fish ponds in Tai Sang Wai, near Mai Po nature reserve in Yuen Long. 13DEC19 SCMP / Winson Wong

Bird flu spread in China closely linked to poultry trade, study says

The live poultry trade may play a “significant role” in bird flu transmission across China, researchers say in a new report. Photo: Getty Images

A chicken pops its head out of a cage at a market in Hefei, eastern China's Anhui province on February 26, 2008.  A Chinese woman migrant worker surnamed Zhang, 44, died after developing a fever and a cough following contact with dead poultry in Guangdong, after she was tested positive for bird flu, health officials said, in what is likely the country's third reported death from the virus in 2008.              CHINA OUT GETTY OUT        AFP PHOTO (Photo by STR / AFP)

(121109) -- JIUJIANG COUNTY, Nov. 9, 2012 (Xinhua) -- Swans are seen at the East Lake in Jiujiang County, east China's Jiangxi Province, Nov. 7, 2012. Swans migrate here in late autumn and early winter to live through the winter. (Xinhua/Yang Jihong) (lx)

CHUXIONG, CHINA - NOVEMBER 23: (CHINA OUT) Health workers cull fowls at a rural yard at Hehua Village in Fumin Township of Chuxiong City, where 99,400 poultry were culled, on November 23, 2005 in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, southwest China. China issued strict new rules on reporting animal epidemics as it reported three new bird flu cases respectively in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, bringing the total number of confirmed outbreaks in the country over the past month to 20. Under the new rules, provincial governments should report major animal epidemics to the State Council, within four hours of discovering them, state media reported. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)[24MARCH2020 FEATURES]CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

“Enhanced poultry trade monitoring” could help prevent the spread of the virus according to Associate Professor Huaiya Tian, of Beijing Normal University,

News

World

Russia & Central Asia


Seven workers at a poultry plant in Russia’s south had been infected with the H5N8 strain in December
Moscow has alerted the World Health Organization



Seven workers at a poultry plant in Russia’s south had been infected with the H5N8 strain in December.


World Health Organization (WHO)

Disease

Russia detects world’s first case of H5N8 bird flu in humans

Seven workers at a poultry plant in Russia’s south had been infected with the H5N8 strain in December Moscow has alerted the World Health Organization

Seven workers at a poultry plant in Russia’s south had been infected with the H5N8 strain in December

Moscow has alerted the World Health Organization