First known human case of H10N3 influenza in China

A Chinese man tested positive for an H10N3 influenza virus of avian origin, which is believed to be the first time this has occurred in a human.

(bangoland | Bigstock)
(bangoland | Bigstock)

In April, a Chinese man tested positive for an H10N3 influenza virus of avian origin. This is believed to be the first time this virus variant has caused disease in a human, reports Chinese news agency, Xinhua.

The patient, who was a 41-year-old man from Jiangsu province was admitted to hospital with a fever and other symptoms at the end of April. His condition is stable, and he is ready to be discharged. 

Analysis of the viral genome indicates the virus originated in birds. According to Chinese experts, it is not infectious to people, and so poses a “very low” risk of causing a large outbreak. 

First detection of H5N8 HPAI virus in Tibet

In mid-May, two flocks of wild geese tested positive for the H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus in Tibet (Xizang autonomous region). According to the official report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), more than 260 wild geese were found dead at the two locations in the Nagchu city area during the second week of May. 

This was the first time that this virus has been detected in Tibet. 

According to China’s agriculture ministry, an emergency response team disposed of the dead birds safely, and disinfected the area. 

Avian flu measures eased in South Korea

After a period of two months with no new cases of HPAI in poultry, South Korea is easing its culling measures. According to Yonhap news agency, the most recent cases in poultry were on April 6. There have also been no further positive tests in wild birds since April 1.

Easing of restrictions will come as some relief to the country’s poultry farmers. From now on, automatic culling of their birds will not be required following an outbreak, providing they cans how they carried out all possible disease prevention measures. 

Currently, all poultry of the same type are culled within one kilometer of a confirmed outbreak. Previously, this has applied to all birds within three kilometers. 

Since the country’s first cases of HPAI linked to the H5N8 virus variant in November of 2020, almost 30 million poultry have been culled. To ease the pressure on South Korea’s farmers, the agriculture ministry will offer some incentives to hard-hit poultry farmers, according to the same source.

Latest official report from the nation’s animal health agency to the OIE records 14 new confirmed HPAI outbreaks in poultry. Starting between February 17 and March 23, these directly involved more than 1.43 million birds in five provinces. Affected flocks included six of laying hens, four of ducks, and one of turkeys — all commercial farms. 

Based on OIE data, there have been 111 confirmed HPAI in South Korea since November. These have involved 10.26 million birds in infected flocks through mortality or culling.  

Three new outbreaks in Nepal

HPAI was detected recently at three locations in the Kathmandu valley, reports The Himalayan Times

Involving a total of 1,561 poultry, the H5N8 HPAI virus was detected at a farm in Chandragiri municipality in mid-May, and at two premises in Kirtipur during the following week. Around 460 of the birds died, and the rest have been destroyed, according to the official OIE report. These were the first new registered cases of avian flu in Nepal for two months. 

These bring to nine the number of HPAI outbreaks in Nepal since January. Losses of poultry through mortality or culling come to around 27,400.   

Taiwan, Vietnam each register two further HPAI outbreaks in poultry

In Taiwan, the number of new cases of HPAI linked to the H5N5 virus subtype appears to be slowing. However, the battle to control the infection — ongoing since September of 2019 — is not over yet.

During the second week of May, two more commercial flocks tested positive for this virus, both in Yunlin County. Affected were around 10,200 native chickens, and 3,400 meat geese. 

These bring to 68 the number of HPAI outbreaks in Taiwan linked to this virus type, and total birds directly impacted to almost 546,000.

Vietnam’s veterinary authority has registered a further two outbreaks of HPAI in village flocks to the OIE. These birds tested positive for the H5N1 virus in a long-running series of outbreaks in the south of the country. In the second week of May, the disease hit around 5,000 birds in a village in Tien Giang province (Mekong Delta region), followed by a flock of 1,300 poultry in Ninh Thuan (South Central Coast region).

In this latest HPAI “wave” that started in July of 2020, there have been 11 confirmed outbreaks in Vietnam impacting around 16,600 poultry.

HPAI situation in Iran

OIE was informed in December of 2020 by the national animal health agency that the H5N8 variant of HPAI had returned to Iranian poultry flocks. Since then, presence of this virus has been confirmed at 54 locations in 13 regions across much of the country. Around half of the outbreaks have affected commercial poultry farms, particularly in the South Khorasan region. Losses of birds well exceed 1.3 million through mortality and culling. Iran’s most recent outbreak registered with the OIE began on April 9.

View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.

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