# 4481
On Monday of this week we saw a report out of Bac Kan province in Vietnam of a new confirmed bird flu case (22 M), along with 4 other suspect cases with similar symptoms from the same area, all being treated in isolation.
Since then, we’ve seen a procession of Vietnamese news reports basically reiterating the same information.
Last night, however, the number of suspect cases being reported by the local press appears to have increased significantly (8 or 9 hospitalized – 14 others receiving Tamiflu), and the media reports a second lab confirmed case from that region – a 27-month old child.
I’m always a bit hesitant to jump on these translated news reports. Machine translations, while often valuable, sometimes mangle the story a bit, and nuances can easily be lost.
Still, the stories coming out of Vietnam appear to be reasonably consistent, and have persisted now for several days. They are worthy of our notice.
The newshounds at FluTrackers have been working hard to collect, translate, and post these articles all week. A new thread was started last night by Treyfish with these updated reports, augmented by Sharon Sanders, Laidback Al, and others.
Here is the result of one of those translations posted by Sharon Sanders.
Focus for prevention of influenza A (H5N1)
07:06' 09/04/2010 (GMT+7)
Appear as local flu A (H5N1), Cho Moi district is concentrating all the resources, conditions for prevention services.
Add a case positive for influenza A (H5N1)
After the patient Chu Van Hoa, 22, residing in rural Cao Na (as) - first patient, have tested positive for influenza A (H5N1) Steering Committee for prevention of respiratory infections acute health sector virus Bac Kan, Cho Moi district has directed the professional sector, in particular the district health center inspection organization, to the list of people who have had contact with patients and poultry and aquatic birds sick.
Simultaneous deployment of medical examination and treatment in time for the cases show signs of fever, cough, shortness of breath in the locality.
Tính đến ngày 8/4,
Up to date 8 / 4, the district health center has received nine more cases have manifested as fever, cough, shortness of breath.
Of these 8 patients are residing in villages Na Tao, a patient residing in Yen Dinh. Cases of patients with Luc Van Ha (Yen Ting), hospitalized in a state of fever, cough, dyspnea and diarrhea.
Before hospital about 4-5 days, patients had access to the epidemic areas.
Notably, out of 8 patients residing in rural areas, the patients Na Cao Nguyen Thi Thanh Thu (27 months old) had tested positive for influenza A (H5N1).
Letters Apart patients, five other family members of patients hospitalized in the state also cough, fever, trouble breathing.
All these patients have had contact with the patient first or eat meat, contact with sick poultry.
Thus, up to date Cho Moi district has two cases positive for nfluenza A (H5N1) and 8 cases of cough, fever, difficulty breathing, have expressed suspicion of avian influenza A (H5N1).
Chợ Mới
Luc Van Ha patients being treated at the medical center Cho Moi district
It is a bit premature to draw any conclusions from the limited data we have at hand. Geographic clusters of H5N1 infection have been – to date – rare occurrences.
Until we know the test results on the `suspect’ cases, and more about contacts they may have had with sick birds or others who might have been infected, we can’t say much more than it is a story worth following.
But rest assured the newshounds on the Flu forums will do just that.
