First human death from H3N8 bird flu recorded in China

Two other cases have also been recorded in the country

The 56-year-old, from the southern province of Guangdong, was the third person known to have been infected with the H3N8 subtype of avian influenza, WHO said.

Two non-fatal cases in humans were detected - both in China - in April and May last year.

H3N8 is known to have been circulating since 2002, first emerging in North American waterfowl. It is also known to infect horses, dogs and seals.

H3N8 is common in birds, but it causes little to no sign of disease.

On Tuesday, it was announced that bird flu measures in the UK will be lifted later this month, Sky News reported.

WHO said that samples taken at a wet market visited by the woman before she became ill were positive for influenza A(H3), suggesting this may have been the source of infection.

WHO said in a statement: "Based on available information, it appears that this virus does not have the ability to spread easily from person to person, and therefore the risk of it spreading among humans at the national, regional, and international levels is considered to be low."

No other cases were found among close contacts of the infected woman, it added.

The Guangdong Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported the third infection late last month but did not provide details of the woman's death.

WHO added that the woman had multiple underlying conditions and a history of exposure to live poultry.

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