Rare avian flu infection in central China

A 4-year-old boy in the city of Zhumadian in central China's Henan Province has tested positive for the H3N8 strain of the avian flu, the National Health Commission reported on Tuesday.

The boy's family raised chickens and crows, and there were traces of wild ducks around their home as well, the commission said.

The boy developed a fever on April 5 and was sent to the local hospital for treatment as his condition worsened on April 10. He tested positive for H3N8 on April 24.

No abnormal results were detected in sample testing of his close contacts, according to provincial authorities.

Experts from the health commission said the flu originates in poultry, and currently won't effectively infect humans after the preliminary evaluation.

H3N8 is known to infect horses, dogs, poultry and seals, but has not previously been detected in humans. Experts said it was an isolated case of cross-species transmission, and there is a low risk of widespread transmission among people.