Two Human Cases of Bird Flu Reported in China

China has reported two human cases of bird flu in the southwestern city of Guiyang, say officials. A 21-year-old woman and 31-year-old man tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus on Sunday after developing symptoms on February 2 and February 3 respectively, Xinhua said.

"They are in a critical condition and medical workers are carrying out emergency treatment," the Ministry of Health said in a statement, cited by Xinhua.

Avian Influenza / Bird Flu-Causes-Symptoms-Treatment- FAQs
Bird flu (avian influenza/avian flu) is a disease caused by an influenza virus (H5N1) that primarily affects birds but can infect humans also.

People who had close contact with the two patients are under medical observation but none have been found ill so far, the agency said. It reported that the pair did not have contact with birds before they developed symptoms.

The bird flu virus has killed 365 people worldwide since a major outbreak in 2003, according to the World Health Organisation.

It typically spreads from birds to humans through direct contact, but experts fear it could mutate into a form transmissible between humans.

Quiz on Flu
Influenza (or rather, the flu) is a cold weather infectious condition that affects the young and old alike. Though most reported cases are mild, the flu can sometimes cause severe and life-threatening complications in both children and adults, thanks to wrong medications and improper vaccinations. Learn more about the disease from our Flu Quiz and guard yourself and your family from a possible infection.

China is considered one of the nations most at risk from bird flu epidemics because it has the world's biggest poultry population and many chickens in rural areas are kept close to humans.

Source-AFP

Scientists to Resume Controversial Bird Flu Study
Scientists who created a mutant strain of the bird flu virus revealed that they will be resuming their controversial study.

New Strain of Bird Flu Virus Forces Indonesia to Cull Over 112,000 Ducks
More than 112,000 ducks have been slaughtered in order to prevent the spread of a new strain of bird flu virus in Indonesia.