The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the number of Vietnam's confirmed bird flu deaths by one to four, saying a five-year-old boy who died this month was found to have been carrying the virus.
The UN health agency, which is helping Vietnam battle the fast-spreading disease, said the boy, from Nam Dinh province, died on Jan. 8. Nam Dinh is about 100km south of the capital Hanoi.
"WHO now counts four confirmed cases of H5N1 in Vietnam," the agency said in a statement issued late on Friday, referring to the bird flu virus.
The virus continues to infect more people in Vietnam.
Vietnamese hospital officials in southern Kien Giang province yesterday said a 21-year-old woman admitted on Jan. 11 and a 25-year-old man hospitalized two days later showed all the symptoms of influenza A, or the H5N1 strain of bird flu.
They had high fevers, coughs, low blood pressure and low levels of blood cells, symptoms of influenza A, a doctor said on condition of anonymity.
It is the first time suspected human cases have been reported in the south, where the bulk of the bird infections have been. Authorities in the southern Mekong Delta have slaughtered more than a million chickens so far in an attempt to stop the flu's spread.
The two people had not traveled recently outside the province, where no poultry sickened by bird flu have been reported, the doctor said.
Also, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported yesterday that three 1-year-old babies from Hanoi and two surrounding provinces suspected of contracting the virus were admitted to a pediatric hospital in the last two days. Two of them are in serious condition and are on respirators, it said.
Hospital officials declined to comment.
The WHO has four experts advising the government on how to stem the disease.
More experts from the WHO, as well as from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Agriculture Organization were expected to arrive in coming days, the WHO said.
There has been a rise in respiratory cases in Hanoi's hospitals but these have not been proven to be bird flu, the UN health agency said.
Vietnam's flu cases have occurred in the north, while the bird flu has struck the south. It is unclear how the people were infected.
South Korea, Japan and Taiwan have also reported outbreaks of bird flu, but Vietnam has been the hardest hit.
Thailand, one of the world's biggest chicken producers, says it has no bird flu but will inspect every poultry farm in the country to halt the spread of cholera among chickens, a top Thai official said on Friday.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
RSS