Woman dies from H5N6 bird flu in China after handling poultry

A woman in China has died after contracting H5N6 bird flu, a rare but often severe form of avian influenza that has infected nearly 100 people over the past decade, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The case was reported to WHO between May 1 and May 7 in the Western Pacific Region. The patient was a 55-year-old woman from Chongqing, a large municipality in southwestern China.

WHO said the woman developed symptoms on April 16 and later suffered severe pneumonia. She was hospitalized on April 23 and died on May 3.

The woman had purchased, slaughtered and eaten poultry before becoming ill, according to WHO. Samples taken from a cutting board tested positive for influenza A(H5). All close contacts tested negative for the virus and none developed symptoms.

H5N6 is a subtype of avian influenza that primarily circulates in birds but can occasionally infect humans, usually after exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments. Human infections are rare, but many reported cases have involved severe illness, including pneumonia and respiratory failure.

Since 2014, 93 laboratory-confirmed human cases of H5N6 have been reported to WHO in the Western Pacific Region, including 58 deaths. That represents a case fatality rate of 62.4%, though confirmed cases are more likely to include severe infections.