NPR

First Human Case From New Bird Flu: How Many More Strains Are Out There?

The case of a Chinese woman adds to a growing list of avian flu strains to keep an eye on, including ones that are deadly and contagious. So why are there so many?
Influenza covers its shell with two types of accessories: the H spike, blue, and the N spike, red. Here the flu particle is sliced open to show its genetic material.

On Christmas Day last year, a 68-year-old woman in southern China came down with the flu. A week later she was hospitalized.

The woman eventually recovered, but she spent three weeks in the hospital.

The culprit? H7N4, a new type of bird flu.

"This is the first case of human infection with avian influenza A (H7N4) in the world," the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection said Wednesday in a statement.

The woman caught

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
Tyla Is The New Face Of African Pop. She's Aiming To Take Over The Whole World
The South African singer brought a homegrown genre, amapiano, to new ears with a viral hit and a Grammy. With her debut album, she wants to prove the world is ready for a full-blown African pop star.
NPR6 min read
Can Grief Make Us Accident-prone? A Writer Learns How It Destabilizes And Remakes Us
After a fall near the first anniversary of her beloved aunt's death, a writer explored why grief can make us less sure-footed. She found answers, climbing a precarious staircase in Italy.
NPR5 min read
Why A Town On The Front Line Of America's Energy Transition Isn't Letting Go Of Coal
Kemmerer, Wyo., is on the front line of America's energy transition, with its coal plant slated to close and a nuclear plant in the works. But some think the rush to quit fossil fuels is impractical.

Related Books & Audiobooks