Tests confirm a new strain of bird flu has killed a woman in China and at least one other person is believed to be infected
...Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, said viruses that crossed the species barrier were always worrying because it was unlikely humans would have prior immunity.He said: “We should be especially worried when those viruses show characteristics that suggest they have the capacity to replicate easily or to be virulent or resistant to drugs. This virus ticks several of these boxes and therefore is a cause for concern.”
But others said that with no evidence of the strain spreading from human to human, there was no cause for major alarm.
Dr Ben Neuman, a virologist at the University of Reading, said: “The patient will have had contact with tens or hundreds of friends, family, acquaintances and health care workers before the severity of the disease was apparent.
“As yet there are no reports that the virus has spread to anyone else. H10N8 fits the profile of an avian flu virus in that the disease is terrible, but the virus is not readily transmitted.” ... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/flu/10617978/Bird-flu-new-strain-claims-first-victim.html