| ■ Possibility of Bird Flu Infection of 93 people | 06.05.29 |
| May 11, 2006 at 8:35pm About the possibility of highly pathogenic avian influenza at chicken farms in Ibaraki and Saitama, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced on May 11ththat there were 93 people probably infected by the less virulent H5N2 strain. However, none of the 93 had symptoms, and there is no fear of secondary infection. From last June to this March, blood samples were taken from 399 people who were the workers or the officers who helped to control the epidemic at 41 chicken farms in the two prefectures where H5N2 was confirmed. Blood antibody tests were performed by the national institute of infectious disease. As a result of the tentative standard, it is turned out that 88 chicken farm workers (Ibaraki 81 and Saitama 7) and 5 epidemic prevention officers (all from Ibaraki) were carrying the antibody to the disease. However, the virus had not been detected in their blood, and it is hardly to say that they were infected. |