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China reports 10th bird flu victim
China has reported a 10th case of bird flu in humans, as authorities warned of a heightened risk of the disease during the Lunar New Year holiday.
A 29-year-old woman, surnamed Cao, was in a critical condition in hospital in Chengdu, south-western China, the health ministry said.

It said she had tested positive for the deadly H5N1 virus on 17 January.

China is seen as a potential flashpoint for a human pandemic, because it has the world's largest poultry population.

The latest victim was from an area which had suffered no known outbreaks of the disease.

She worked in a dry goods shop in a farm goods market in Jinhua town, Sichuan province, the health ministry's website said.

Dry goods shops typically sell foods like nuts and seeds, but not poultry.

Holiday risk

Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu warned that officials must be on alert for bird flu over the New Year period, when large amounts of chicken are set to be slaughtered.

The disease cannot be contracted by eating cooked poultry, but those in close contact with sick birds are at risk.

Thousands of poultry will be transported across China for the holiday, increasing the chance that outbreaks will be spread.

Among the 10 people in China who have been confirmed with bird flu, six have died.

More than 70 people in South East Asia are known to have died of bird flu since late 2003.

Scientists fear the H5N1 bird flu virus could mutate from a disease that largely affects birds to one that can pass easily between people, leading to a human pandemic.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/4643636.stm