Bird Flu Center

After admitting that a bird flu case in late 2003 was incorrectly identified, China is asked to analyze other similar cases. The United Nations health agency asked Beijing to re-examine similar pneumonia cases with unknown origin. A health ministry spokesman declared that the 2003 case was not an evidence of a severe outbreak of avian influenza at the time and that the government does not intend to review other similar cases. A letter published abroad by Chinese scientists revealed that a soldier had died following an infection with the H5N1 strain of the virus, two years before the country’s first publicly announced case. Further tests by national health authorities confirmed the suspicion and raised considerable doubts as to how Beijing detects emerging diseases as well as its transparency. China has so far reported 20 avian influenza infections to humans, of whom 12 have succumbed to the disease, but this does not include the 2003 case. World Health Organization officials state that a conclusion cannot be drawn that the virus originated from China, just that the virus has been sweeping the region for a long time. The case also highlights communication difficulties withing the Chinese government.