Taiwan reports H6N1 bird flu case

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Taiwan on Friday, June 21, reported what it said was the world’s first ever human case of the H6N1 strain of bird flu, commonly found in poultry.

A 20-year-old woman living in central Taiwan showed flu symptoms on May 5 and was briefly hospitalized for minor pneumonia before making a full recovery, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) said.

Samples from her later tested positive for the H6N1 strain of avian influenza, the CDC said.

The woman, who works for a breakfast diner, has never been out of Taiwan nor had any contact with birds. The H6N1 virus was not detected in two poultry farms in her home area, the CDC added.

Four out of 36 people who have had close contact with the woman showed flu symptoms but none tested positive for H6N1, it said.

Taiwan in April reported the first case of the potentially fatal H7N9 bird flu outside of mainland China in a 53-year-old Taiwanese man who had been working in eastern China.

The CDC has warned people to avoid touching and feeding birds and visiting traditional markets with live poultry when visiting Chinese regions with H7N9 cases. – Rappler.com