Hong Kong has not officially reported any cases of bird flu since December, but a Hong Kong government adviser warned that something very terrible could happen in China due to bird flu. “There’s no doubt there has been an outbreak, but the government has not admitted it,” he was quoted as saying.

 

He blamed the situation on the “inefficient communication between the Hing Kong and mainland authorities.” He also said the number of human infections could be much higher than the government announced.

 

According to information released by the World Health Organization, a total of eight people have been infected with the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in China this year. The most recent case is a 21-year-old woman who fell ill Jan. 23 after handling poultry infected with the deadly virus. The World Health Organization said the situation is “within expectations at this time of the year.” In 2008, there were just three human cases of infection.

 

H5N1 is a subtype of the Influenza A virus; the subtype may mutate into another stain capable of efficient human-to-human transmission. A risk factor for getting the virus is handling of infected poultry. Infected birds transmit the virus though their saliva, nasal secretions and blood.

Experts say that these viruses continue to evolve and to suffer major changes in their internal gene aspects. A flu pandemic could lead to the death of 71 million people worldwide and contribute to a major global recession.

A December bird flu outbreak has lead to a mass cull of 300,000 birds in China.