The China bird flu H5N1 has made its way to the shores of North America. The first documented case on the continent has resulted in the confirmed death of a Canadian citizen, though the patients sex has not been released. Though difficult to transmit between humans, the virus kills most of the people who contract it.
The victim was a resident of Alberta, who arrived at Vancouver Dec. 27, on a flight from Beijing, according to Canadian Health Minister Rona Ambrose. Ambrose insists that this is an isolated case, imported from China.
Canadian officials are already reacting to the incident, claiming that China is involved in containing the virus. Dr. Gregory Taylor explains that all the proper people have been altered (via Fox News):
"This is the first evidence of this particular virus circulating in Beijing. Chinese authorities are going to be very interested. We've contacted them already.”
Anyone that contracts the virus has a 60 percent chance of mortality, but experts say there is no reason for alarm, because it is extremely difficult to get the virus from anything other that an infected bird.
Professor Nick Phin, a flu expert from Public Health England, dispels worry, as he explains the virus isn’t easily spread to human beings (via BBC):
“H5N1 has been circulating in poultry over the last decade and occasionally humans are infected. Infection of humans causes severe illness with a high death rate, but the virus does not transmit readily from person-to-person."
That means you can put down the hand sanitizer; you’re safe.
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