Disease

Bird Flu in China

Two people in southwest China have tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus and are critically ill.

The pair did not have contact with fowls before they fell ill. In most cases, victims had direct contact with infected birds, mostly chickens. The virus is especially abundant in the faeces and respiratory secretions of affected birds.

The H5N1 virus mainly affects birds, but occasionally jumps to people. Experts fear it may mutate into a form that could spread easily among humans who have no natural immunity against it.