An Indian wildlife department doctor collects a swab sample from a duck at Manda park in Jammu, India, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021 | AP

Russia confirms first case of human infection with AH5N8 bird flu

The country has reported the case to WHO

by · THE WEEK · Join

Russia has confirmed the first case of human infection with the H5N8 strain of the influenza A virus, which causes bird flu, and has reported the case to the World Health Organization (WHO).

“The first case of human infection with the H5N8 strain of the Avian influenza A virus in the Russian Federation was confirmed in a laboratory,” Anna Popova, head of consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, said on Rossiya 24 state TV on Saturday.

According to her, seven workers at a poultry plant in Russia's south were infected with the AH5N8 strain when there was an outbreak at the plant in December. 

She, however, added that there was no sign of transmission between humans so far.

"All the seven people that I have mentioned feel fine, they had only mild clinical symptoms," she said.