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For the second time in less than two weeks (see January 20th Xinhua News: Vietnam Reports H5N1 Fatality) news media is carrying reports of an H5N1 fatality in Southern Vietnam. This time, the victim is reported to be a 60 year-old woman from Dong Thap Province, who died on the 28th.
A hat tip to both Tetano and Gert van der Hoek on FluTrackers for picking up this report.
02/01/2014 10:52 (GMT + 7)
TTO - According to Dong Thap Province Department of Health, a 60-year-old woman, Binh Thanh District 28-1 is the date of death due to influenza A/H5N1 infection.
Samples of this woman done by the HCM City Pasteur Institute and announced.
On 22-1, the patient had a high fever and the next day the family brought to the District Hospital in New Market (An Giang province) treatment.
By day 27-1 patients continue to be transferred to the General Hospital in An Giang treatment but died the following day.
After the test results of the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, the authorities conducted Dong Thap province spray disinfection, disinfection of the poultry sector have been exposed patient, the health monitor family. Veterinary science sampling tests in the poultry sector.
Meanwhile in Trung Hiep, Vung Liem District (Vinh Long) is happening pretty much dead chickens condition of unknown cause. According to Le Van Hau, his chickens had 40 children died in a month. Some neighbors also have a similar situation. The most obvious symptom is the chicken was limp, drooling and died. Fearing chickens infected with A/H5N1 flu so people are buried.
Just as China is celebrating the Lunar New Year this week, Tết Nguyên Đán (Feast of the First Morning) is the most important holiday each year in Vietnam, with similar travel, family reunions, and celebrations. And just as in China, there are concerns that these gatherings, and movements of people, could help spread infectious diseases.
While Vietnam has come a long way from 8 or 9 years ago when it led the world in yearly H5N1 cases, the virus remains endemic in some regions, and occasionally infects humans. Complicating matters, China’s H7N9 epidemic continues to move further south, with cases recently reported within a few hundred miles of Vietnam’s Northern border.
For now, H5N1 remains poorly adapted to humans - only rarely being passed from one person to another - and is primarily a threat to poultry.
But along with China’s H7N9 outbreak, today’s report is a reminder that emerging influenza viruses are an ongoing public health threat, and that we need to watch them closely for any signs that they may be becoming better adapted to humans.
