China reports Second Bird Flu Death

A 27 year old woman in northern China has died from bird flue in the country's second death from the disease this year. The woman, surnamed Zhang, lived in Jinan city of Shandong province and died last Saturday after falling sick on January 5. The ministry reported this on their website late last Sunday. The notice did not say how she contracted the virus. Hopefully, they will be able to track down the source.

A 19 year old woman died earlier this month, from the bird flu virus in a Beijing hospital after contact with ducks in a market in a neighboring province. That was the first death from bird flu since February last year. Health officials worry that the H5N1bird flu virus could mutate into a form that could spread easily among people. China, which raises more poultry than any other country, has vowed to aggressively fight the virus.

Bird Flu Confirmed as Deadly H5N1 Virus

In London, an outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm in eastern England was confirmed Tuesday as H5N1. This is the same virulent strain that has killed scores of people around the world. Bird flu's return to Britain, weeks before the Christmas holidays, is yet anothyer blow to Britain's farmers, already struggling after livestock herds were hit this year by foot and mouth and bluetongue. They had to slaughter thousands of free range turkeys, ducks and geese.