Published on July 9, 2023

Chinese woman suffered from H5N1 bird flu and COVID-19 at the same time

ByBNO News

Micrograph of avian influenza, also known as bird flu (Credit: CDC/F.A. Murphy)

A 52-year-old woman in eastern China who tested positive for H5N1 bird flu earlier this year was also suffering from COVID-19, according to a new report, making it the first known case of co-infection with both viruses.

The woman, from a rural area in Anhui province, was exposed to sick poultry and developed a fever on February 1. She was initially given antibacterial treatment but was transferred to a hospital in Jiangsu province when her symptoms got worse.

At admission, the woman had a temperature of 39°C (102.2°F), worsening shortness of breath, decreased blood pressure, air bronchogram and lung consolidation, according to a team of researchers at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University.

As a result…