Officials with the Taiwan Disease Control Department reported Friday (computer translated) on an additional human H9N2 avian influenza case in Mainland China.

Image/Robert Herriman
Image/Robert Herriman

According to officials, the case was reported in a 2- year-old boy from Changde City, Hunan Province.

This is the seventh case reported in China in 2018.

In most human cases of H9N2 avian flu, the associated disease symptoms have been mild and there has been no evidence of human-to-human transmission. Influenza A(H9N2) viruses are enzootic in poultry populations in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Most human cases are exposed to the A(H9N2) virus through contact with infected poultry or contaminated environments. Human infection tends to result in mild clinical illness. Since the virus continues to be detected in poultry populations, further human cases can be expected.