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Mr. York Chow |
The H5N1 avian influenza virus may have mutated and can spread easily in warm weather, similar to winter conditions, according to York Chow, the head of Hong Kong’s health sector.
A recent case of avian influenza in China involves a 31-year-old truck driver from Shenzhen. This patient contracted the virus during the summer (on June 3) after visiting a poultry market in the area, without having prolonged contact with infected birds.
Mr. Chow emphasized that this case is unusual and suggests that the virulence of the H5N1 virus may have increased, as it typically spreads only through prolonged contact with infected poultry and usually has a strong transmission rate in winter.
