Mother Diagnosed With H5N6 Bird Flu Gives Birth to Healthy Baby in China

Jan 12, 2016 10:33 AM EST

(Photo : Reuters) A Chinese woman diagnosed with H5N6 has successfully given birth to a child via a cesarean section, but a hospital representative said she is still in critical condition.

Local hospital officials have confirmed that a mother infected with the H5N6 bird flu virus has given birth to a health baby in Zhaoqing city, Guangdong Province. She reportedly delivered the baby via cesarean section.

The 40-year-old mother surnamed He was first admitted to Zhaoqing No. 1 hospital on Dec. 28 after struggling with fever and cough for six days. She was eventually diagnised with the H5N6 avian flu. According to Shanghai Daily, He, who was at 35 weeks gestation, immediately underwent an operation the following day to deliver the baby.

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She successfully gave birth to a healthy child on Dec. 29. After thorough assessment, medical practitioners found that the baby is safe and has not been infected with the virus.

However, on Sunday, Zhong Jiali, a hospital personnel, reveaked that the mother remains in a critical condition as she her case has become more complicated. She now needs to recover from the cesarean surgery as well as lung infection and other organ problems. Doctors have reportedly directed everyone, who comes in contact with the mother, to take an anti-viral drug Tamiflu as a precautionary measure.

So far, there have been four cases of the H5N6 avian flu virus in China. All of them seem to have occured within a two-week span except for the latest case. Last week, a 25-year-old man surnamed Cai in the Longgang District, Shenzhen City was diagnosed with the virus. Cai, like the others, is reported to be in a serious condition and is being treated in a health facility.

Health authorities in Jiangxi Province continued to monitor patients with serious pneumonia symptoms over the weekend for signs of the H5N6 virus. Meanwhile, the Guangdong Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the H5N6 case can still be spread locally and prevention is a must. On the other hand, China Center for Disease Control and Prevention experts have encouraged Guangdong authorities to completely eradicate all live poultry market to contain the bird flu virus.