For the time being, there is no evidence that the strain detected in the UK can be transmitted from person to person, but we are monitoring the situation because we know that viruses evolve, UKHSA leading scientist, Isabel Oliver, said.
Health authorities added that the strain detected in the infected person corresponds to type H5, common in birds, but they do not know if it belongs to the H5N1 variant that is currently circulating among the country’s birds.
Although there have been cases of transmission of avian flu from birds to humans in the world, which has killed many people, this has been the first case with that strain reported in the United Kingdom.
According to UKHSA, this case was notified to the World Health Organization.
ef/aph/msm/nm