China has confirmed the first known human case of the H3N8 strain of avian flu, but health authorities say there is a low risk of widespread transmission among people.
A four-year-old boy from the central province of Henan was found infected on April 5 after developing a fever and other symptoms. The boy's family raised chickens at home and lived in an area populated by wild ducks, China's National Health Commission, NHC said in a statement.
The NHC said H3N8 had previously been found in horses, dogs, birds and seals in other parts of the world, but no human cases of H3N8 have been reported.
Last year China reported the first human case of H10N3.
The NHC has advised people to avoid close contact with dead birds and contact a doctor immediately if they experience a fever or other respiratory symptoms.
WHO recommends Member States remain vigilant and consider mitigation steps to reduce human exposure to potentially infected birds to reduce the risk of additional zoonotic infection.