Chicken off menu at Beijing Olympics

Via The Courier-Mail in Australia: Chicken off menu at Beijing. Excerpt:

The Australian Olympic Committee is monitoring a recurrence of bird flu in China which has killed three people in the past five weeks.

AOC spokesman Mike Tancred said athletes in the AOC's shadow squad had been advised to eat meals inside the athletes' village while in Beijing and particularly avoid street vendors and all uncooked meat.

A 44-year-old woman from Guangdong, in southern China, died on Monday after testing positive for bird flu.

The previous two deaths from the disease since January 24 occurred in the southern Guangxi region and the central Hunan province. None of the three fatalities occurred within 1000km of Beijing.

"Bird flu is a concern for the AOC. The health and wellbeing of our athletes is paramount," Tancred said.

"Our team medical director, Dr Peter Baquie, has warned Australian athletes going to Beijing to avoid rural areas and stay away from farms.

"We expect athletes will heed this advice and bird flu will not be an issue for our team.

"The athletes are well aware of what precautions they need to take in Beijing."