On Wednesday, the Chinese government confirmed the first two cases of avian flu among humans. Thereby, adding to the increasing concern of a spreading pandemic across the world. Reports say that earlier there were three cases of humans affected by avian flu. The World Health Organization noted that out of the three cases two were affected by the avian flu while the tests were not performed on the third that died.

The victim of H5N1 strain was a poultry worker, 24, from Anhui. Reports say that about 550 birds were killed by an outbreak on October 20th in Tiancheng. Moreover, the second case was a young boy aged nine and he is now discharged from hospital.

In the Hunan province, a girl aged twelve is alleged to have died from the H5N1 strain. The girl died in October and has been cremated. WHO officials say that the girl’s condition was epidemiologically linked with the H5N1 strain, her symptoms too matched but due to lack of lab reports, the case cannot be proven.

Government officials say that the girl and her brother and schoolteacher were tested negative for avian flu. They had pneumonia and not influenza. However, the Chinese government has asked for help from the World Health Organization. Reports say that a schoolteacher is alleged to have had avian flu and is now stabilised in hospital.

The poultry worker who is from Liaoning, where four cases of the outbreak have been reported is undergoing tests. The Chinese government reported 11 outbreaks of avian flu among chickens in the last month, propelling the government to kill millions of flocks to stop the flu virus from spreading. There is a plan to vaccinate 14 billion birds across the country by the government.

Experts say that people stay very close to their poultry and thus spreading of the virus will not be difficult. Within a month, there were eleven cases reported in the country and the flu virus is assumed to be getting more infectious.

Indonesia too is fighting against the avian flu. The country reported two more deaths due to avian flu, which makes the seven deaths in Indonesia. In Vietnam 3 more provinces have been affected by the virus. Reports say that since 2003, sixty deaths have been reported in Asia. Vietnam and Thailand being the most affected country.