Thursday, January 12, 2006

Girl Lucky to be Alive After Bird Flu Ordeal

Sumeyya Mamuk's backyard chickens were her beloved pets. She fed them, petted them and took care of them. When they started to get sick and die, she hugged them and kissed them goodbye. The next morning, the 8-year-old's face and eyes had swollen and she was suffering from a high fever. Her father took her to a hospital, and five days later she was confirmed to have been infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu.

Following a few tense days when her family worried if she would recover, Sumeyya's condition has improved due to quick treatment with the antiviral drug Tamiflu, Van hospital's Chief Physician Dr. Huseyin Avni Sahin said on Tuesday. Even if not animal lovers like Sumeyya, children in poor agricultural towns tend to be extremely comfortable with the animals they share their lives with. It has been particularly difficult to convince them that this can now be dangerous. Read More ....


Source: China Daily
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