China says 19-year-old dies from bird flu
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Chinese woman has died from bird flu in a Beijing hospital, the government reported today, but the World Health Organisation said the case did not appear to signal a new public health threat.
China's Ministry of Health said Huang Yanqing, 19, died yesterday and tests confirmed she had the H5N1 bird flu virus. The official Xinhua News Agency said Huang became ill after buying and cleaning nine ducks in December at a market in Hebei province, which borders Beijing.
It was the first reported death in China from the illness in nearly a year.
Her father, Huang Jinxian, told reporters that the family tried to treat Yanqing at home first with store bought medicine. "It was useless, so we sent her to Guanzhuang hospital" in the eastern suburbs of Beijing, he said.
The WHO said Huang's case was similar to others reported worldwide, in that it did not appear to involve human-to-human transmission.
"This single case, which appears to have occurred during the slaughtering and preparation of poultry, does not change our risk assessment," the organization's Beijing office said in a statement.
Officials worry the virus could mutate into a much-feared form that could spread easily among people. But, for now, it remains hard for people to catch, with most human cases linked to contact with infected birds.
According to the latest WHO tally, bird flu has killed 248 people worldwide since 2003, including 21 in China.
In northern Vietnam, meanwhile, an 8-year-old girl has tested positive for the disease — the first human case reported there in almost a year, health officials said today.
The girl from Thanh Hoa province was admitted to a hospital on Dec. 27 with a high fever and other symptoms after eating a sick goose raised by the family, said Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, acting director of the provincial health department. The girl is recovering.
The H5N1 bird flu virus continues to devastate poultry stocks around the world. China, which raises more poultry than any other country, has vowed to aggressively fight the virus.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments