France has reported that one of the three travelers suspected of contracting avian influenza after returning from Thailand has tested negative. The results for the other two individuals are expected today.
Meanwhile, a laboratory in the UK has confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus in samples taken from dead swans found in a lake in Croatia last week. Europe is on high alert regarding avian influenza, with 46 out of 52 countries implementing contingency plans to combat the outbreak.
In Asia, another death linked to avian influenza has been reported: a 12-year-old girl from Hunan Province, China. However, a 7-year-old boy (the son of a man who died from avian influenza in Thailand) is showing signs of recovery. Roche has announced that it will halt the sale of Tamiflu in the U.S. market until the flu season begins in order to prevent consumers from stockpiling the medication excessively.
THUY TUNG (According to AFP, dpa)
