Via Shanghai Daily, some unwelcome news to bring in the Year of the Snake: China confirms two human cases of bird flu. Excerpt:
China on Sunday reported two human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in southwestern city of Guiyang, the Ministry of Health announced.
A 21-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, who developed symptoms on Feb. 2 and Feb 3, respectively, tested positive for H5N1 virus on Sunday, the ministry said, citing local health authorities.
"They are in critical condition and medical workers are carrying out emergency treatment," the ministry said in a statement. "No epidemiological connections have been found between the two cases."
An investigation did not find the two had contacts with fowls before they fell ill, it said.
People who had close contacts with the two patients have been put under medical observation, but none of them has been found ill so far.This is the Xinhua report. The Hong Kong government website has also picked up the story, without new details. I'll look for more.
