Bird flu claimed the life of a third child from the same family in Eastern Turkey. Hulya Kocyigit, an eleven-year-old girl, died last night. The day before, her sister, Fatma Kocyigit 15, died. Five days ago Mehmet Kocyigit, 14 (boy) died. All three died as a result of H5N1 bird flu virus strain infection.
Many health experts have expressed their concern to Medical News Today about the state of the bird flu virus. Did one child infect the other two, or did all three catch the virus from a bird? If one child infected the other two, does this mean the virus is improving its ability to spread from human-to-human?
Locals said the three children had been playing with the heads of dead chickens a few days before they became ill. If this is true, then more likely than not, they caught it from infected birds.
The children’s family were regularly in close contact with chickens. If the nights were cold they would often bring their chickens into their house.
Authorities are checking 25 more people in the same village who have bird flu like symptoms.
Human bird flu infection has now spread to the edges of eastern Europe. Until the end of last week there had only been cases in East Asia.
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today