Health

China Records World’s First Human Death from Bird Flu Variant

By Web News 668

A Chinese woman has become the first person to die from a type of bird flu that is rare in humans, according to the World Health Organization, WHO.

It, however, says the strain does not appear to spread between people.

The 56-year-old from the southern province of Guangdong was the third person known to have been infected with the H3N8 subtype of avian influenza, the WHO said in a statement late on Tuesday.

All of the cases have been in China, with the first two cases reported last year.

The Guangdong Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported the third infection late last month but did not provide details of the woman’s death.

The patient had multiple underlying conditions, said the WHO, and a history of exposure to live poultry.

According to a recent ABC report, sporadic infections in people with bird flu are common in China where avian flu viruses constantly circulate in huge poultry and wild bird populations.

FRCN/Adetutu Adetule

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Agriculture

Bird Flu: Fed Ministry of Agric Calls for Sensitization of Poultry Farmers

By Web News 1328

Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has called on directors of veterinary services in all the states of the federation to begin sensitization of poultry farmers on prevention and control of avian influenza also known as bird flu.

In a letter signed by a director in the ministry, Dr. Olaniran Alabi, the ministry said this became imperative due to the outbreak of bird flu recorded in some commercial farms in Kano and Plateau state.

The ministry noted that it got a report of confirmed cases of bird flu from the National Veterinary Research Institute on the twenty ninth of last month.

The letter also states that there should be serious disinfection of live birds markets in all states while there should be full activation of avian influenza emergency preparedness plan in all states.

The letter adds that the country had not reported any confirmed case of bird flu in the past two years and would not allow another outbreak of the flu. 

PR/Fawole/Dr Agboola