Suspected bird flu case investigated
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-06-14 21:06
A 31-year-old man, identified only by his surname Jiang, was suspected to
have contracted the deadly H5N1 virus in the boomtown of Shenzhen in Guangdong
province and was in critical condition in hospital, Xinhua news agency said.
A security guard wearing respirator stands on
duty at Donghu Hospital in Shenzhen, Guangdong province June 13,
2006. The suspected bird flu patient is undergoing treatment at the
hospital. [newsphoto] |
The truck driver, who developed a fever, back pains and a cough on June 3,
was admitted to hospital on Friday. Preliminary tests carried out by local
health officials showed he had H5N1, it said.
Jiang has since been transferred to another hospital in Shenzhen for
"advanced treatment", Xinhua said, adding that provincial authorities had
reported the case to the health ministry for verification.
A health ministry spokesman confirmed to AFP that tests were being carried
out on the man. He said an official announcement on whether he had contracted
bird flu would only be made after the tests were completed.
If confirmed, the man would become China's 19th reported human case of bird
flu. Twelve of those cases have been fatal.
China has reported 35 cases of bird flu outbreaks among poultry since October
last year, although many of the human cases have been in areas where no
outbreaks have been recorded.
Xinhua reported that Jiang may have contracted the virus after his wife had
bought a chicken from a wet market two weeks earlier and served it for dinner to
him and four other family members.
The other relatives had not shown any signs of illness, the agency said,
adding that they were under observation.
More than 120 people worldwide have died from bird flu since it re-emerged as
a threat in 2003, with most of the victims in Asia.
Humans are believed to contract the virus mainly from direct contact with
infected animals. Scientists fear a global pandemic if the virus mutates and
becomes easily transmissible between humans.
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