# 1779
Yesterday two relatively mainstream media sources (The Bangkok Post and RIA Novosti) mentioned `bird flu' in connection with the deaths of three children in Hong Kong over the past two weeks.
Today, the BBC adds their voice to the coverage, and they too are mentioning the possibility of bird flu. Specifically, they state:
A two-year-old boy died in February and a three-year-old girl died on 1 March from what appeared to be a variant of bird flu.
I'm not exactly sure what they mean by `a variant of bird flu'. There are, of course, other non-H5 avian flu strains out there. Strains, such as the H7's and H9's have produced illness in humans. Outbreaks are, however, exceedingly rare.
The Hong Kong Department of Health, on March 4th, announced the 3-year-old had tested negative for H5 and tested positive for the H3 virus.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (March 4) confirmed that respiratory samples taken from a three-year-old girl, admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital on March 1 with influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms and passed away on the same day, showed a positive result for influenza A/H3, and negative for influenza A/H5.
Further tests will be done to ascertain her cause of death. The findings will be reported to the coroner.
Presumably the A/H3 detected is the Brisbane A/H3N2 virus, which suddenly appeared last summer, although the testing may not have been that specific.
It is now being suggested that both children were given medicines containing aspirin, and that they may have succumbed to Reyes Syndrome, a rare, but often fatal condition that arises when children suffering from a virus are administered aspirin.
And even SARS has been mentioned as a possibility.
Obviously, for now, the picture is confused and incomplete. Rumors flying around Hong Kong seem to be about as prevalent as the flu virus right now.
Meanwhile at least one school has closed early for Easter Break, while other schools are requiring that students wear masks, are restricting activities, and are apparently taking student's temperatures each day.
Photo from Ta Kung Pao
(Hat tip Treyfish, who has been following this story closely on Flutrackers for this photo and background info)
According to the BBC, a team of experts has been convened to determine the cause of deaths of these 3 children.
Given the level of fear in the community, and the rampant speculation going on in the media, the sooner they can report back, the better.
Flu fears over Hong Kong deaths
By Vaudine England
BBC News, Hong Kong
A school has been closed in Hong Kong amid fears of a return of a mysterious flu epidemic.
More than 30 students have flu-like symptoms and one of them died on Tuesday.
Two other young children have died in separate cases from flu-like illnesses in recent weeks.
An expert team is to assess whether the cases are linked to either bird flu or to Sars, the severe acute respiratory syndrome that hit Hong Kong in 2003.
'Very concerned'
Seven-year-old Law Ho-ming was admitted to hospital semi-conscious with fever and flu at the weekend.
He died on Tuesday from serious encephalitis and swelling of the brain.
Five of his fellow students from the Ho Yat Tung Primary School remain in hospital and more than 30 others are displaying flu-like symptoms.
Government medical officers said they were "very concerned" about the outbreak and had brought forward the Easter holiday at the school by 10 days.
The school closure is the first since 2003, when almost 300 people died from Sars.
Concerns have also been raised about two other recent child deaths from flu.
A two-year-old boy died in February and a three-year-old girl died on 1 March from what appeared to be a variant of bird flu.
Government records show that people in 25 other schools, a hospital ward and a disabled residential home are suffering from outbreaks of flu.
The government has set up an expert team led by a University of Hong Kong microbiologist to identify the illnesses in question and assess the risk posed to the territory.
Experts say there is no reason yet to fear a major flu outbreak, but admit they do not yet know what caused the deaths of three young children.
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