New Delhi, February 3, 2020: With deaths from coronavirus rising, China is battling greatest threat at the moment. While she is still in the process of containing the deadly virus, a new enemy has knocked its door. In the latest development outbreak of H5N1 Bird flu have been reported at chicken farm which leaves her more vulnerable at the moment.
Highly Pathogenic strain
The highly pathogenic strain of bird flu was reported in Hunan Province. The region neighbors the coronavirus-hit province of Hubei. According to China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs 4,500 chickens had died at a farm in the city of Shaoyang. Around 17,800 birds have been culled so far to prevent the disease from spreading.
Threat to humans
The H5N1 type of bird flu virus is known to infect humans and cause serious symptoms. The World Health Organization (WHO) said while H5N1 can be transmitted to humans. Typically through contact with dead birds or a contaminated environment it can infect. However it is rare in humans. The virus does not infect humans easily, and spread from person to person appears to be unusual.
First death from coronavirus outside China
Meanwhile, A 44-year-old man in the Philippines has died of the coronavirus. It is the first known fatality outside China. With this the number of deaths jumped to more than 360. His wife was also tested positive for the virus and is presently under quarantine.
India reports third case
India reported its third case of coronavirus today. A person who had traveled to China’s Wuhan earlier tested positive in Kerala. The patient is under treatment at the Kanjangad District Hospital in Kasaragod. The patient’s condition was found to be stable.
Speedily spreading
Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in central China, is the epicenter of the outbreak. Across the world, it has been reported in 24 countries, including India. China’s National Health Commission in its daily report said that 2,829 new cases of coronavirus were reported nation wide so far. It takes the total number of infection to 17,205.