WHO announces first H3N8 bird flu death: report

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the first death from H3N8 subtype of avian influenza in China, Reuters reports.

Per The Guardian, the WHO said in a statement Wednesday, "Based on available information, it appears that this virus does not have the ability to spread easily from person to person, and therefore the risk of it spreading among humans at the national, regional, and international levels is considered to be low."

However, Reuters notes the "monitoring of all avian influenza viruses is considered important given their ability to evolve and cause a pandemic."

READ MORE: Why scientists are keeping a close eye on a troublesome H5N1 bird flu mutation

The victim was a 56-year-old Chinese woman who had "multiple underlying conditions," as well as "a history of exposure to live poultry," according to the WHO, noting, "There were no other cases found among close contacts of the infected woman."

The H3N8 strain is not to be confused with H5N1 strain of bird flu, which according to PBS NewsHour's William Brangham, is a "specific strain" which "has been circulating among birds for several years, but has only become deadly in the U.S. in the last year and a half."

According to Brangham, the virus "spread rapidly not only among chickens, but also bird populations that aren't typically infected with H5N1, like falcons, hawks, eagles, and owls."

Like H3N8, the bird flu also is not known to spread from person to person, as Brangham notes "epidemiologists have told him there is not an immediate threat to the general population. But the outbreak is deeply concerning for the scientific community and something it is watching closely."

READ MORE: Avian flu is back: Millions of poultry birds culled ahead of Thanksgiving

Additionally, Reuters reports, "Sporadic infections in people with bird flu are common in China where avian flu viruses constantly circulate in huge poultry and wild bird populations."

Per The Guardian, the WHO mentions although "exposure to a live poultry market may have caused the infection, 'it is still unclear what the exact source of this infection is and how this virus is related to other avian influenza A(H3N8) viruses that are circulating in animals.'"

READ MORE: My pandemic in three acts: Coping with a virus that refuses to go away

Reuters' full report is available at the link. PBS News' report is here. The Guardian's report is here.