Nanjing bird flu cases contained

Two cases of bird flu in humans involving family members in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, have been effectively contained, China's Ministry of Health said, adding all close contacts involved have been released from medical observation. China announced on December 2 that a 24-year-old man surnamed Lu in the provincial capital Nanjing died of H5N1 infection. On December 7, the man's father was also confirmed to be infected with the virus.About 80 people who had contact with either man were put under close medical observation.

"The father, who has been under intensive medical treatment, is in stable condition and showing signs of improvement," the ministry said in the statement.

So far, the means of transmission remained unknown and experts were still conducting an investigation.

The son was said to have no known contact with dead poultry. In addition, the Jiangsu Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Bureau said last week that no bird flu epidemic had been discovered in the province.......

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