Bird flu: China finds first human case of rare H10N3 mutation

The first human case of H10N1 strain (bird flu) has been diagnosed in China

The 41-year-old Chinese man has been confirmed as the first human case victim of a rare bird flu outbreak.

Authorities have not released details on how the man was infected, but it is thought the H10N3 strain could not be easily transmitted from human to human.

He was later diagnosed with H10N3 bird flu on May 28 - but it remains stable and has to be discharged from the hospital.

The Beijing National Health Council (NHC) on Tuesday admitted a resident of Zhengjiang to a hospital on April 28 and was diagnosed with H10N3 a month later.

"No human cases of H10N3 have been reported in the world. This case is transmitted from chicken to human from time to time, and the risk of large-scale transmission is very low," the NHC said. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) told the Reuters news agency that "at this time, there are no signs of human-to-human transmission."

"It should come as no surprise that avian influenza viruses have spread from bird flu to humans, which is a clear reminder that the threat of an influenza pandemic continues," the WHO explained.

Video In Tamil