What Is Bird Flu? What is bird flu?It's a form of influenza believed to strike all birds.Though poultry  are believed to be especially prone to humans,no human-to-human transmission  has been reported. Where is it?Thailand,Vietnam,Indonesia,Cambodia,South Korea,Japan,Taiwan and China have reported outbreaks in birds in recent months.Thailand and Vietnam have reported human cases.Bird flu was first reported in humans in Hong Kong in 1997.Since then,it's popped up mostly in Asia,although the Netherlands reported an outbreak,including human cases,in 2003. How many people have been affected?The disease has killed seven people.Vietnam has confirmed six human cases,and all of them have died.Thailand has confirmed three cases,including one death. How is it passed?Infected birds spread the virus through saliva ,faeces ,and nasal secretions . So far,only humans with direct contact with sick birds have caught the disease.But scientists are worried that bird flu could link with regular human influenza,mutate ,and become a deadly new virus and cause a pandemic . What are the symptoms  in birds?Loss of appetite,ruffled  feathers,fever,weak- ness,diarrhea ,excessive thirst,swelling.Mortality rate  can range between 50 percent to 100 percent. What are the symptoms in humans?Fever,cough,sore throat,muscle aches,eye infections,pneu- monia ,viral pneumonia and so on. World Health Organization(WHO) says this year's strain is resistant to cheaper antiviral drugs,for instance,amantadine(,).Scientists are exploring more expensive treatment. WHO also recommends quarantining  sick people. There's no evidence that the virus is being passed through eating chicken products,health experts say.Heat kills viruses,and WHO says chicken products should be cooked thoroughly at the temperature of at least 70 degrees Celsius(158 degrees Fahrenheit).WHO also says people should wash their hands after handling poultry so as not to contaminate  other objects. In which place no bird flu cases were reported?
Japan. Australia. Taiwan. South Korea.