Russia detects first human infection of bird flu

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, stated today (20).

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.

Seven workers at a poultry plant in Russia’s south had been infected with the H5N8 strain when there was an outbreak at the plant in December, Popova said, adding that the individuals involved felt fine now.

“This situation did not develop further,” she added.

Siberia’s Vector Institute stated today (20) that it would start developing human tests and a vaccine against H5N8, RIA news agency reported.