Where did this flu virus originate?
The virus, known as H5N1, was first detected in the chicken population in Hong Kong in 1997. Eighteen people who had handled chickens contracted the flu directly from the birds, developing high fevers, severe respiratory distress, and terrible muscle aches. Six of them died. Alarmed by the high mortality rate, health authorities ordered all 1.5 million chickens in the city to be slaughtered. That seemed to stop the virus
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
