As coronavirus claims over 300 lives, China hit by dangerous H5N1 bird flu outbreak
With increasing coronavirus death toll, China has been hit by another dangerous epidemic. The Chinese Agriculture Ministry on Sunday confirmed the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in the Hunan province. They, however, also confirmed that no human exposure has yet been registered.
"An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza occurred at a farm in the Shuangqing district of Shaoyang city, Hunan province", a ministry statement said.
The ministry also confirmed that over 4,500 chickens have died from the illness.
The viral strain of H5N1 virus being referred to has taken dozens of lives across the globe in the last fe decades. In recent past, the bird flu outbreak was reported in 2009-10 and again in 2013-14. The international community led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), on both occasions came together to fight the epidemic.
Hunan province of China is a neighbouring region to the Hubei province, which is the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak that has taken 304 lives and infected over 14,000 people worldwide.
The WHO has declared coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern.
In India, one case of coronavirus has been registered. The infected patient, who was a student of Wuhan University, has been put in an isolated facility in Kerala.
Air India flights have brought back all Indian students from Wuhan. The students have been kept in an isolated facility in Manesar, in the outskirts of Delhi, and will be thoroughly inspected for any trace of coronavirus.
