China has the 10th bird flu patient

An additional case of bird flu occurred in Sichuan province, while the whole Chinese territory raised vigilance before the Lunar New Year and the migratory season to the North.

WHO Director-General Lee Jong-Wook (Photo: wikipedia)

New patient named Cao, 29, in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. She had a fever and pneumonia since January 12, and five days later she was found to be infected with the H5N1 virus. The Chinese Ministry of Health does not say whether there is an outbreak on poultry in Cao's place. People in direct contact with her are being monitored.

Last Wednesday, Sichuan province also had a 35-year-old woman who became the 9th bird flu patient and was the sixth death of China. After this death, the World Health Organization (WHO) questioned China's epidemic surveillance measures, as the majority of deaths occurred in areas where there were no outbreaks in poultry.

Since the beginning of 2005, China has had more than 30 outbreaks in poultry and climax in October . The leader of the country called for strengthening prevention and control of the Lunar New Year, when demand for poultry products increased sharply and migratory birds would start their flight to the North.

"Although the current situation is under control, it cannot be relaxed or optimistic. This year there may be more outbreaks," warned the Deputy Prime Minister of China.

Meanwhile, Turkey yesterday said that the disease here is "pale" gradually. There are no new infections in the past week and some patients have been discharged. However, according to WHO Director General Lee Jong-Wook, the epidemic in Turkey has shown that the world has little time to prepare for a pandemic. The organization also denies accusations that it has inflated the risk. "We can only partially limit the losses caused by pandemics to people and the economy, if we catch the risks and prepare them in full. This is a global problem," Lee said. . WHO predicts about 2-7.4 million people will die if the pandemic sweeps the world.

My Linh (according to AFP)