China announced Friday it had made the first ever discovery of a deadly strain of bird flu in pigs, a development that could have ominous implications for efforts to restrict the disease's spread to humans.
Scientists discovered the lethal H5N1 virus in pigs tested in 2003 and again in others this year, China National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory official Chen Hualan told journalists.
"It is not just the first time it has been found in China but in the world," Chen said, speaking on the sidelines of an International Symposium on the Prevention and Control of SARS and Avian Flu.
A chart she showed during a presentation at the conference indicated the avian influenza virus had been found in several pig farms in China in 2003 and 2004.
Chen, however, refused to provide more details.
"We probably should not talk about this anymore. Don't report it. Once it's reported, it will make a lot of people really scared," Chen said.
Up until now the virus has been found only in birds and poultry and its transmission to humans has been limited.
A senior World Health Organization (WHO) disease expert attending the conference expressed surprise at the revelation.
"It's the first time I heard at the conference that pigs are being reported [to carry the virus]," said Julie Hall, WHO's Beijing-based coordinator for communicable disease surveillance and response.
She expressed concerns the virus could mutate to a more lethal form and spread more easily to humans because pigs are good mixing vessels for viruses from birds and humans.
"Pigs are able to catch both the bird influenza virus as well as human influenza virus. The fear is if those two viruses swap together, they share genetic information and what comes out is more dangerous," Hall said to reporters.
Seven people sustained mostly minor injuries in an airplane fire in South Korea, authorities said yesterday, with local media suggesting the blaze might have been caused by a portable battery stored in the overhead bin. The Air Busan plane, an Airbus A321, was set to fly to Hong Kong from Gimhae International Airport in southeastern Busan, but caught fire in the rear section on Tuesday night, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said. A total of 169 passengers and seven flight attendants and staff were evacuated down inflatable slides, it said. Authorities initially reported three injuries, but revised the number
‘BALD-FACED LIE’: The woman is accused of administering non-prescribed drugs to the one-year-old and filmed the toddler’s distress to solicit donations online A social media influencer accused of filming the torture of her baby to gain money allegedly manufactured symptoms causing the toddler to have brain surgery, a magistrate has heard. The 34-year-old Queensland woman is charged with torturing an infant and posting videos of the little girl online to build a social media following and solicit donations. A decision on her bail application in a Brisbane court was yesterday postponed after the magistrate opted to take more time before making a decision in an effort “not to be overwhelmed” by the nature of allegations “so offensive to right-thinking people.” The Sunshine Coast woman —
BORDER SERVICES: With the US-funded International Rescue Committee telling clinics to shut by tomorrow, Burmese refugees face sudden discharge from Thai hospitals Healthcare centers serving tens of thousands of refugees on the Thai-Myanmar border have been ordered shut after US President Donald Trump froze most foreign aid last week, forcing Thai officials to transport the sickest patients to other facilities. The International Rescue Committee (IRC), which funds the clinics with US support, told the facilities to shut by tomorrow, a local official and two camp committee members said. The IRC did not respond to a request for comment. Trump last week paused development assistance from the US Agency for International Development for 90 days to assess compatibility with his “America First” policy. The freeze has thrown
PINEAPPLE DEBATE: While the owners of the pizzeria dislike pineapple on pizza, a survey last year showed that over 50% of Britons either love or like the topping A trendy pizzeria in the English city of Norwich has declared war on pineapples, charging an eye-watering ￡100 (US$124) for a Hawaiian in a bid to put customers off the disputed topping. Lupa Pizza recently added pizza topped with ham and pineapple to its account on a food delivery app, writing in the description: “Yeah, for ￡100 you can have it. Order the champagne too! Go on, you monster!” “[We] vehemently dislike pineapple on pizza,” Lupa co-owner Francis Wolf said. “We feel like it doesn’t suit pizza at all,” he said. The other co-owner, head chef Quin Jianoran, said they kept tinned pineapple
RSS