China announces new human case of bird flu
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-01-18 21:03

China's Ministry of Health on Wednesday announced another human case of bird flu, in which the victim had died.

A Chinese worker disinfects a truck at a checkpoint in Jiangxi province, December 16, 2005. [Reuters]

The infected is a 35-year-old woman surnamed Wei from Zhoujiaxiang Village of Jianyang City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, said a report released by the ministry.

She died on Jan. 11.

This is the ninth human case of bird flu reported in China.

The virus has killed at least 79 people since 2003, the vast majority in East Asia, and governments in affected countries have urged the world community to do more to tackle H5N1, including providing funds to compensate owners of culled poultry.

The virus has since spread to Turkey and is endemic in poultry in parts of Asia, where it continues to kill people and infect poultry flocks.