China has confirmed the first human infection of the H3N8 strain of bird flu in Zhumadian within Henan province.

The National Health Commission (NHC) announced the case in a statement, adding that the risk of spread was low.

A 4-year-old boy was found to have been infected after developing symptoms, including fever.

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He had been in contact with chickens and crows raised at his home, the NHC noted.

The H3N8 variant was previously detected in some countries in horses, dogs, birds and seals.

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For now, the variant does not have the ability to effectively infect humans or get to a large-scale epidemic.

Bird flu causes aching muscles, fever, headache, cough and diarrhoea.

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Others are chest pain, stomach pain, conjunctivitis, and bleeding from the nose and gums.