| ■ Vietnam Reports Suspected Human Bird Flu Case | 07.05.29 |
| A suspected human case of H5N1 bird flu has been reported in Vietnam and, if confirmed, it would be the first human infection in that country in one-and-a-half years, Agence France-Presse reported. The World Health Organization (WHO) is investigating the case, which involves a 30-year-old farmer from the northern province of Vinh Phuc. He is in critical condition in a Hanoi hospital. About a month ago, the man helped slaughter chickens from a neighboring farm, where several birds in the flock later got sick and died. This week, a veterinary team was sent to inspect the farm, AFP reported. Between 2003 and late 2005, 42 people in Vietnam were killed by the H5N1 virus. There have been no reported human infections in the country since November 2005. In related news, Indonesian officials reported Wednesday that a 5-year-old girl in Central Java province had died of bird flu. The girl had experienced bird flu symptoms for more than a week. It's believed she was infected by sick chickens around her home, the Associated Press reported. |