WHO: avian flu is transferred from the person to the person
Experts of the World Health Organization suppose that the avian flu can now be transferred from the person to the person, informed agency France Press referring to the statement of WHO’s representative John Rainford.
Scientists came to such conclusion when two members of one family have caught the avian flu in China. 24-years-old man was the first to fall ill (he died on December, 2). After him his father fell ill.
The representative of the WHO has added that cases when the virus of the avian flu was transferred from the person to the person were extremely rare. In total only three such cases were registered: in Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam. Usually it is transferred between birds, and the person risks to be ill, having eaten infected meat. However scientists are afraid of virus mutation and appearance of a new virus strain which can be transferred from the person to person.
Since 2003, according to WHO’s information, 328 person were ill with the avian flu in the world, 200 from them have died. The greatest number of lethal cases is fixed in Indonesia - 91 people.