Both CNN andthe China Daily have reported a 19 year-old woman has died of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in Beijing this past Monday. She had been ill since December 24th. According to The Ministry of Health, there have been no further outbreaks and no one else has been infected with the virus.
Bird flu hasn’t been hitting the headlines in recent times, but that doesn’t mean China is rid of it. Since the outbreak in mid-2003, only Japan, South Korea and Malaysia have managed to eradicate the virus, according to the WHO.
You don’t necessarily have to reconsider ordering your gongbao jiding, the WHO’s report on Bird Flu stated that as long as the bird is prepared and cooked properly, there is no risk to the eater.
However, standard bird flu rules apply: Do not spend any time in areas where live poultry is farmed or prepared, and keep away from bird poop. The virus stays alive longest in cold temperatures and is active in bird feces for at least 35 days at four degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit).
In short: Be alert, not alarmed.
Flickr photo published under the Creative Commons licensed content.
