First bird flu death of 2010 confirmed
By Hien Nguyen - The Saigon Times Daily
HCMC – Last week the Ministry of Health confirmed 2010’s first bird flu casualty, after a spate of outbreaks late last year.
Nguyen Huy Nga, director of the Department of Preventative Medicine and Environment, said the casualty, a 38-year-old woman from the An Thai Trung Commune in the southern province of Tien Giang, worked in poultry slaughtering.
The woman, who was diagnosed on February 23, was taken to a local clinic where she received treatment. However, she showed no signs of recovery. She was then transferred to Sa Dec Hospital in Dong Thap Province after experiencing chest pain and breathing difficulties.
Two days later, she was pronounced dead following a serious case of pneumonia and shock from the infection. A test indicated that she had contracted the H5N1 virus.
A 3-year-old girl from Khanh Hoa Province was also diagnosed with the strain, but has since recovered.
Nga told the Daily via the telephone he was worried that two cases of the avian influenza had been diagnosed already this year. He said it was an alarming trend, and the virus could spread further.
According to Nga, H5N1 remains in Ca Mau, Dien Bien, Soc Trang, Nam Dinh and Khanh Hoa. In addition, the disease can attack the northern region when the season changes.
The Ministry of Health reported a total of 58 bird flu fatalities. All five people who were diagnosed with the H5N1 strand of the virus in 2009 died from the infection.