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Experts concerned about a new strain of bird flu in China

Experts are concerned about the spread of a new strain of bird flu that has already killed one woman in China.


Experts are concerned about the spread of a new strain of bird flu that has already killed one woman in China.

The 73-year-old from Nanchang City caught the H10N8 virus after visiting a live poultry market, although it is not known for sure if this was the source of infection.

A second person has since become infected. This particular strain of influenza A virus has not been seen before.

Scientists told The Lancet medical journal that the potential for it to become a pandemic “should not be underestimated”.

Dr John McCauley Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Influenza, said: “Previously we did not think that H7N9 infections might be so lethal. Now we also must consider H10N8 infections as well.”

In recent months, China has already been coping with an outbreak of a similar influenza virus called H7N9, which has killed around a quarter of those infected.

Read the original news article

Read the original article in The Lancet

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