the avian influenza alert level in Hong Kong has been raised to 'Serious'

Health authorities in Hong Kong have being trying to calm public fears about the H5N1 bird flu virus after a 59 year old woman tested positive after having returned from a trip to China. Because she got to hospital in time and was administered the correct medications while her condition is still described as serious she is likely to be OK. Nevertheless the avian influenza alert level in Hong Kong has been raised to 'Serious'.

This is the first human case of the H5N1 flu virus since 2003 in Hong Kong and has resulted in extensive testing being conducted at chicken farms. So far all of the farms have tested negative. Mr. Chow, the aptly named Secretary for Food and Health said that he believed the avian influenza risk was still low in Hong Kong and that there was no evidence of any human to human transmissions.

In 1997 Hong Kong experienced a major outbreak of the virus which actually killed six people and infected many more. Normally the H5N1 flu virus does not transmit to humans but in very close proximity it is possible. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world is therefore an easy breeding ground for flu viruses.

The recommendations of the World Health Organization for the bird flu virus are to wash your hands on a regular basis, take basic precautions to stay away from infected persons and also to stock up on the influenza medications Tamiflu or Relenza which have been shown in clinical tests to drastically reduce the likelihood of death from the virus.

The influenza drug Tamiflu has also been extensively used as a lifesaving remedy for people who contracted the swine flu virus last year. There was much concern that if the swine flu virus mutated with the H5N1 virus it could produce a new virus which would be both a deadly and extremely contagious. At present the H5N1 virus is relatively harmless because it is so difficult for human to contract it but if you do contract it and you don't get Tamiflu or Relenza with 48 hours you could die from it.