Is there any chance of recurrence of bird flu in China? Well, nothing can be said at this moment, although China recorded three bird flu cases last year and each of them was incurable. However, the death of a 19 year old Chinese woman owing to bird flu virus, especially the dreaded H5N1 strain, has given rise to a new series of horror. This dreadful news was confirmed by a health official in Hong Kong after many hesitations. According to the sources, the very woman got in touch with poultry before she started showing symptoms of the virus. What’s more China’s official Xinhua News Agency earlier reported the woman had bought nine ducks at a market in Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing.

Do you have any idea of bird flu and H5N1 strain? As indicated by specialists, bird flu, which is known as avian Influenza also, is the offshoot of Influenza viruses strain A. Nevertheless the most contagious group is H5N1 that is adept in giving rise to epidemics and deaths in birds and humans. The most vulnerable to bird flu are domestic poultry although newer studies opine that all species of birds can be sensitive to the disease. Whereas wild birds are more resistant to H5N1, chickens and turkeys are most susceptible.

Now the existing, highly pathogenic H5N1 strain on a genetic level is quite different from the other recognized H5N1 strains. This H5N1 strain is a fast-mutating, highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) found in multiple bird species. It is both epizootic (an epidemic in non-humans) and panzootic (a disease affecting animals of many species especially over a wide area).

Now, perhaps, it is clear to you what can be the intensity and dreadful consequence of bird flu in the human society. However, it seems, that the concerned governments are yet to construct adequate infrastructure to combat the spate of this disease and this reality makes the disease more appalling.