birdflu spreads its wings, page-4

""good news: bird flu not so contagious" This is excellent news. Based on what you have posted it indicates that avian flu does not spread as fast as previously believed:

1. They "may have contracted the virus during an outbreak early this year in Japan."

2. The five were based in rural Kyoto prefecture (state), about 370km west of Tokyo, which suffered a bird flu outbreak after a farmer tried to cover up the fact the disease was killing thousands of his chickens.

3. Researchers found antibodies to the bird flu virus in blood samples taken from the people in February and March, but were unable to determine if any of them had actually contracted the disease, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

4. The ministry said there was a chance the five were infected with the virus, but it hadn't reached a conclusion. There was no threat the five could still infect others, it said.

Excellent news. If these people were infected early this year then they have not spread the disease by person to person contact.