In Shanghai, a 29-year-old migrant woman died of a suspected bird flu infection. After this incident the city is stepping up inspections, surveillance of poultry shipments from out of town.

The city has requested the Ministry of Health to send experts for a final diagnosis of the case. Health authorities said that the woman complained of cough and fever. Her condition deteriorated quickly, and she died despite hospital treatment. The hospital authorities and the city health authorities have come together and have put all the people who have come in close contact with the patient under medical observation. But thankfully they showed no signs of the disease.

Medical workers have sterilized every site the woman visited in town. It was said that so far no bird flu outbreaks among poultry have been reported in Shanghai since early 2004. There has never been a confirmed human case of the disease in the city. The city's animal epidemic center said that after the death of the woman quarantine authorities have intensified monitoring of animals at highway checkpoints. They have also warned poultry markets to take preventive measures such as sterilizing facilities.