Don't get too relaxed yet.
Nearly three times as many Chinese poultry are infected with H5N1 now than last year, despite China’s insistence that all poultry be vaccinated. In fact, vaccination may be the reason for the increase in infections, researchers say.
...More infected – yet apparently healthy – birds in Chinese markets for more of the year means more risk for humans. All but one of China’s reported human cases of H5N1 happened after the Fujian strain started its rise, and some lived far from any known outbreak in poultry, but close to urban poultry markets.
There could be many more unrecognised cases.
The Fujian strain appears to be either vaccine-resistant or spread by vaccines. And by apparently healthy birds. |
