AH5N8: Russia reports first human cases of bird flu

 

Russian scientists say they have detected the world's first transmission AH5N8 bird flu to humans.

The highly contagious strain is lethal for birds but has never before been found in humans.

Scientist say they found genetic material of the virus in seven workers at a poultry farm in Southern Russia.

An outbreak was recorded among birds there in December the workers though did not suffer any serious health consequences.

Official say they have alerted the World Health Organization about the transmission.

Russia says that the discovery of AH5N8 gives the world "time to prepare for possible mutations"

Anna Popova, the country’s public-health chief, said in televised comments on Saturday,

“It is not transmitted from person to person. But only time will tell how soon future mutations will allow it to overcome this barrier. 

The discovery of this strain now gives us all, the whole world, time to prepare for possible mutations and the possibility to react in a timely way and develop test systems and vaccines,” she said.