China Two people died of bird flu

H7N9: Two people died of bird flu

01/18/2015

Two people in eastern China have died of bird flu. The two victims had been infected with the pathogen H7N9. This type of virus is not the same one that has been detected several times in recent months in Europe, including Germany.

Two people died of H7N9 virus
According to AFP news agency, two people have died of bird flu in eastern China. According to local state health officials, Xinhua state news agency reported on Saturday that the two victims had died of virus type H7N9 in Fujian province. In the province 15 cases had been registered since the beginning of the year. No details were given as to when the two patients died.

More cases reported from other provinces
On Friday, according to Xinhua, a human infection was also reported in the neighboring province of Jiangxi. There were also cases in Shanghai and Zhejiang Province „in this winter“ reported. In China, 310 bird flu cases were officially registered last year until 10 December, including 132 deaths. Another patient died in late December. Meanwhile, 22,000 birds have been slaughtered in Taiwan. These had been tested positive for the type H5 virus.

Avian Falls in Europe
An H5 variant, namely the virus subtype H5N8, has been appearing since November last year in several European countries, including Germany. For example, the Rostock Zoo recently had to close temporarily because of an avian influenza case. Diseases of people exposed to H5N8 have not been reported. In the case of the pathogen H7N9, to which the two people in China fell prey, mild illnesses usually show typical bird flu symptoms such as fever, cough and sore throat. In some cases, symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea and vomiting occur. In the case of a severe course, death threatens. (Ad)

Picture credits: Clarissa Schwarz