TAIPEI - The Ministry of Health of People’s Republic of China (the Ministry of Health) reported on April 27 that one case of human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed in Sichuan Province. As of now, seventeen people have been reported to be infected by bird flu in mainland China, among whom ten have already died.
According to the website of the Ministry of Health, this female patient’s last name is Sun. She is an eight-year old student from Tangjia County, Suining City.
She became sick on April 16, with symptoms of fever and pneumonia. At present, she is being treated at a local hospital. Epidemic investigators found out that some of the poultry at her home died before she got sick.
The Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention tested the patient’s specimen from the lower respiratory tract. The result showed positive for H5N1 subtype bird flu viral RNA. On April 27, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention performed a retest and confirmed the positive result.
The Ministry of Health immediately applied means for prevention and control, and strictly monitored those who were in close contact with her. No abnormal clinical symptom has been found.
The Ministry of Health has informed the situation of the patient to the World Health Organization, Taiwan, Hong Kong and some other countries.
