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Bird flu showing up in clusters in northern Vietnam

Infection Control Monitor, March 11, 2005

Health experts expressed concern this week that new cases of the bird flu in northern Vietnam could signal the possibility that the virus is slowly transforming to allow human-to-human transmission, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

Although six of the last seven reported cases are connected to two families, there is not evidence so far that the virus has mutated into a form easily transmitted by people.

"Certainly, it calls for an investigation. It's too early to say whether these cases are any different from previous cases or not," Peter Horby, MD, an epidemiologist with the World Health Organization told the AP.

So far, bird flu has killed 46 people in Asia. Health experts worry that the virus may be changing.

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