World’s First Case Of H5N8 Bird Flu Strain In Humans Confirmed In Russia

23 February 2021

World’s first-ever case of the transmission of the H5N8 bird flu strain in humans has been detected in Russia. According to reports, seven workers of a poultry plant in the south of the country have contracted the virus.

"Information about the world's first case of transmission of the avian flu (H5N8) to humans has already been sent to the World Health Organization," says Anna Popova, the health watchdog of the country.

Popova states that the infected workers “are now feeling well.” She also clarified that no signs of transmission of the strain among humans have been observed.

Russia saw an outbreak of bird flu in December. The Vektor laboratory discovered the infection in humans, and Russian scientists will now start developing test systems.

The avian flu is fatal for birds, as was seen during the outbreak in Delhi in January. Humans have been infected with bird flu before, leading to deaths, but this is the first time the H5N8 variant of the flu has been transmitted to humans.

Animal agriculture has been the cause of many other severe diseases in the past, including the current Coronavirus pandemic. Popova says that “time will tell” whether the H5N8 strain of the bird flu mutates and becomes fatal to humans as well.

Find out more on the relation between animal agriculture and animal borne diseases here.