Bird flu spreads from person to person in China

The Chinese Ministry of Health recently said it is likely that the H5N1 avian influenza virus has spread from person to person in an infection in Jiangsu province.

Lu, 52, was infected just days after his 24-year-old son died of bird flu on December 2, 2007. According to Reuters news agency, the Ministry of Health spokesman announced the initial judgment that it was the children who transmitted the H5N1 virus to their father. Currently Mr. Luc is recovering.

However, Beijing also confirmed that the sample collected from the victim showed that the H5N1 virus has not been genetically modified to easily spread from person to person. Currently, Chinese experts have not yet identified the source of infection of the child. Both Luc and his father had no contact with sick birds.

According to Reuters, recent infections have brought the number of bird flu patients in China to 27, with 17 deaths.

A poultry farm in China (Photo: Reuters)

HIEU TRUNG