Ms Wang, a 26-year-old farmer from east China's Anhui Province who contracted bird flu a month ago, is discharged from a hospital in Fuyang yesterday. Meanwhile in Shanghai, a 29-year-old migrant woman died of a suspected bird flu infection.

 

A migrant woman who worked in Shanghai has died of a suspected bird flu infection, and the city is stepping up inspections of poultry shipments from out of town, health authorities said last night.

 

The city has asked the Ministry of Health to send experts for a final diagnosis of the case.

 

The woman was identified as Ms Li, 29. Her hometown was not reported.

 

Health authorities said Li visited doctors in Shanghai on March 15, complaining of cough and fever.

 

Her condition deteriorated quickly, and she died on Tuesday night despite hospital treatment, authorities said.

 

An unspecified number of people who had come in close contact with the woman have been put under medical observation. None showed any signs of illness as of last night, health authorities said.

 

Medical workers have sterilized every site the woman visited in town.

 

No bird flu outbreaks among poultry have been reported in Shanghai since early 2004. There has never been a confirmed human case of the disease in the city.

 

As a result of the woman's death, quarantine authorities have intensified monitoring of animals at highway checkpoints, the city's animal epidemic center said. They have also warned poultry markets to take preventive measures such as sterilizing facilities.

 

Meanwhile, health authorities said there was no reason for local residents to be unduly concerned as long as they practice good personal hygiene.

 

China has confirmed 15 cases of human avian flu since last year. Ten of the victims died.

 

In Beijing yesterday, the Chinese and American Red Cross societies launched a campaign to blanket China with millions of posters to teach the public how to avoid bird flu as health experts warned of new virus risks when migrating birds return from their winter homes.

 

(Shanghai Daily March 24, 2006)