Russia reports the world’s first case of human infection with a new strain of avian influenza

This was stated by the head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova, writes Meduza.

According to her, all sick workers of the poultry farm, where there was an outbreak of influenza among the poultry in December 2020, suffered the disease easily, and the researchers were able to record the response of the patients’ immune system to the infection. Popova stressed that, although the transition of the bird virus to humans was recorded for the first time, it has not yet been transmitted from person to person.

«How quickly subsequent mutations will allow him to overcome this barrier, time will tell. Detecting these changes while the virus is not yet able to spread from person to person gives us time to prepare for possible changes and respond appropriately to them, ”she added.

Reuters reports that this is the first case of a new flu strain in the world. In the past few months, outbreaks of the H5N8 strain have been reported in Russia, China, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, but only among poultry.

Avian influenza is an infectious disease of animal birds that is a consequence of influenza type A. Migrating waterfowl – most often wild ducks – are a natural reservoir of the avian influenza virus. Avian influenza viruses can infect other species of animals as well as humans. The H5N1 strain is especially dangerous.

With avian influenza, it takes 2-4 days from infection to the first clinical manifestations. The disease is accompanied by fever, dry cough, sore throat, muscles, joints, headache. In many cases, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting are observed.

Very often, bird flu causes SARS, acute pulmonary failure and ends in death. Since 2003, WHO has confirmed more than 400 human cases of avian influenza, of which more than 250 have died.