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Bird flu sickens
girl in Sichuan
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CHINA announced the spread of H5N1 avian flu to an eight-year-old girl on Thursday, its second human case this month, coming a day after a top World Health Organization (WHO) official warned the world not to tire of fighting the virus. Bird flu’s spread has led to the death and culling of 200 million birds since late 2003, with scientists fearing the avian disease could mutate to a form easily passed among people. Britain and Ivory Coast prepared to start more poultry slaughtering after discovering viral outbreaks, although Britain said the virus it had detected at a chicken farm was probably not the H5N1 strain dangerous to humans. China’s Health Ministry said an eight-year pupil in Sichuan province was confirmed to be infected with H5N1 bird flu and was being treated in hospital. The girl from Tangjia Township in the city of Suining showed symptoms of fever and pneumonia on April 16. She was being treated in a local hospital, said the ministry. |
Investigators report that poultry deaths occurred in the patient’s house before she caught the deadly disease. Samples of the girl’s lower respiratory tract tested positive for the H5 avian flu sub-type by the Sichuan provincial centre for disease control and prevention (CDC). China’s national CDC confirmed the test result to be H5N1 strain of bird flu on Thursday. The patient was confirmed infected with bird flu in accordance with the standards of the WHO and Chinese official standards, said the ministry. Governments and health departments at all levels in Sichuan have taken immediate prevention and control measures after the human bird flu case was confirmed. People who were in close contact with the patient have been put under medical observation by health authorities. So far none has shown any abnormal symptoms. – Agencies |
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