Ms Wang, a 26-year-old farmer from east China's
Anhui Province who contracted bird flu a month ago, is
discharged from a hospital in Fuyang yesterday. Meanwhile in
Shanghai, a 29-year-old migrant woman died of a suspected bird flu
infection.
A migrant woman who worked in Shanghai has died of a suspected
bird flu infection, and the city is stepping up inspections of
poultry shipments from out of town, health authorities said last
night.
The city has asked the Ministry of Health to send experts for a
final diagnosis of the case.
The woman was identified as Ms Li, 29. Her hometown was not
reported.
Health authorities said Li visited doctors in Shanghai on March
15, complaining of cough and fever.
Her condition deteriorated quickly, and she died on Tuesday
night despite hospital treatment, authorities said.
An unspecified number of people who had come in close contact
with the woman have been put under medical observation. None showed
any signs of illness as of last night, health authorities said.
Medical workers have sterilized every site the woman visited in
town.
No bird flu outbreaks among poultry have been reported in
Shanghai since early 2004. There has never been a confirmed human
case of the disease in the city.
As a result of the woman's death, quarantine authorities have
intensified monitoring of animals at highway checkpoints, the
city's animal epidemic center said. They have also warned poultry
markets to take preventive measures such as sterilizing
facilities.
Meanwhile, health authorities said there was no reason for local
residents to be unduly concerned as long as they practice good
personal hygiene.
China has confirmed 15 cases of human avian flu since last year.
Ten of the victims died.
In Beijing yesterday, the Chinese and American Red Cross
societies launched a campaign to blanket China with millions of
posters to teach the public how to avoid bird flu as health experts
warned of new virus risks when migrating birds return from their
winter homes.
(Shanghai Daily March 24, 2006)