Russia detects first case of H5N8 bird flu in humans

Russia has reported the first case of a bird flu strain, H5N8, being passed from poultry to humans.

Officials told the BBC seven workers at a poultry plant in the south of the country had been infected following an outbreak there in December.

The head of Russia's consumer health watchdog Anna Popova told the BBC all seven people are now feeling well.

She said that adequate measures had been quickly taken to stop the spread of infection.

Popova said there was no sign of transmission between humans and the case had been reported to the World Health Organization.

BBC News reports other strains of bird flu occasionally infect humans and have led to deaths - but this is the first report of the H5N8 strain being passed on.

[Source: BBC]