Avian influenza – situation in China – update 46

7 December 2005

The Ministry of Health in China has confirmed a further case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case is a 10-year-old girl from the southern province of Guangxi. She developed symptoms of fever and cough on 23 November, followed by pneumonia. She remains in hospital, where she is receiving care.

Local health authorities have launched investigations to determine the source of exposure and search for further cases in the patient’s village of residence and surrounding areas. To date, monitoring of health status has revealed no additional cases of influenza-like illness. The Chinese Ministry of Health is supporting this investigation with an expert team.

This is the fourth human case reported in China. Of these, two were fatal.