Bird flu H5N1 virus

According to AFP, a bus driver infected with the H5N1 virus, otherwise known as bird flu, is in critical condition in Shenzhen. He was hospitalized for running a high fever and later on was found to have the deadly strain. According to authorities, the 39-year-old man apparently did not have direct contact with poultry. Hong Kong recently raised its bird flu alert to 'serious' and banned live poultry imports from China after three birds tested positive with the virus. China has the world's largest poultry population and in many rural areas, chickens are kept close to people. According to the World Health Organisation, since the virus reappeared in 2003, 26 people have died from the strain in China.