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The United Nations has reported that bird flu has appeared in about 60 countries. (Getty Images)
A 19-year-old female from Chaoyang Beijing died of H5N1 Bird Flu last Monday. The Beijing Health Bureau said that the victim had handled duck parts. Local infectious disease experts predict that the bird flu may have already spread to cities further north.
The Beijing Health Bureau says that the bird flu victim, Huang Yanqing, originally from Putian, Fujian, moved to Chaoyang District, Beijing last February. On Dec. 19, 2008, she purchased 9 live ducks at a market in Langfang City, Hebei Province, which she personally slaughtered before taking them home. Before she had exhibited any signs of illness, Huang had washed the ducks’ organs and gave three of the birds to her father and friends. She became ill on Dec. 24 and symptoms worsened on Dec. 27. She went to three hospitals for treatment, but her condition increasingly worsened until she died on the morning of January 7. Huang’s blood samples confirmed H5N1 bird flu.
Huang’s father told the media that while both he and his daughter ate the ducks, but only Yanqing developed a fever, cough and other symptoms. He said that authorities had his house disinfected last Monday but did not quarantine the place.
Beijing authorities said that 116 people have had recent contact with the victim, including 14 friends, family members and 102 health care workers at the three hospitals. One of the nurses had developed a fever, but has since recovered. The remaining individuals have not had symptoms.
No bird flu case has been reported in Langfang City where the ducks were purchased. Initial investigations give rise to suspicions that the diseased ducks may have come from Tianjin City, a major city 110 km (68 miles) east to Beijing.
Read original Chinese article.
