China reports sixth human death from bird flu

A 35-year-old Chinese woman who handled sick and dying chickens has died of the H5N1 strain of bird flu, becoming the mainland’s sixth human fatality, the government and the World Health Organisation said today.

The woman fell ill on January 3 and died on January 11, said Roy Wadia, a WHO spokesman in Beijing. She was mainland China’s ninth reported human case of bird flu.