Avian Influenza Scare in China

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The H1N1 virus is not the only flu that we may have to worry about this flu season. For the first time is seven years, the Avian flu, also referred to as the H5N1 virus, is once again being seen in humans. The first confirmed case is again seen outside the United States. However, there is slight concern, as travel always poses the risk of spreading a virus, as we saw previously with the SARS outbreak.

The first case seen since 2003 was reported in China last week, after a 57 year-old woman returned to mainland China and was admitted to a hospital in serious condition after a visit to Hong Kong. The woman has since stabilized and the strain that she contracted appears to be an un-mutated strain that is responding well to the standard flu treatments.

Shortly after the case was reported, China raised their bird flu alert to serious, saying that travelers were at risk of contracting the virus if they were traveling to the area. China conducted tests on a number of chicken farms but as of yet all tests are coming back negative, with the country still unsure of where the woman contracted the virus. As of now the virus appears to be an isolated incident.

Human cases of the virus, which is very rare, were last seen 7 years ago, when China had an outbreak of Avian influenza that killed 6 people and sickened many more. China responded by culling millions of ducks and chickens to rid the nation of the virus. For more information on the Avian flu virus and its risks, visit the CDC’s influenza page here.