Australia reports first human case of H5N1 bird flu
New Delhi, May 22: A child in Victoria has tested positive for avian influenza A (H5N1) — the first human case of bird flu in Australia, according to health authorities on Wednesday. Health officials in Victoria reported that the case was detected in a child who acquired the infection in India and returned to Australia in March 2024. The officials also ruled out the possibility of further spread in the community. “The child experienced a severe infection but is no longer unwell and has made a full recovery,” said Dr Clare Looker, Chief Health Officer, Victoria in a statement. “There is no evidence of transmission in Victoria and the chance of additional human cases is very low as avian influenza does not easily spread between people,” Dr Looker added. (IANS)
Jailed vlogger who reported on Covid released
Beijing, May 22: Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who had been serving a four-year sentence for reporting on the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in locked-down Wuhan, has been released from prison, according to supporters. The former lawyer had been sentenced to four years in prison for critical reports on the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan. She had posted videos, livestreams and essays about what she saw there. On Tuesday night, supporters published a video of the journalist and former lawyer on the social media platform X, in which she said the police took her to her brother’s flat in Shanghai. (IANS)
Vietnam names next President
Hanoi, May 22: Vietnam’s National Assembly, on Wednesday morning, approved To Lam, the Minister of Public Security, as the country’s next President following a vote at its headquarters in Hanoi. The appointment comes nearly two months after Vietnam’s former President Vo Van Thuong resigned amid a corruption crackdown. Lam has become the third President of Vietnam in less than 18 months, in a country that has a reputation for its stable politics. (IANS)
Lanka discharges over 15K soldiers
Colombo, May 22: More than 15,000 soldiers who had deserted the Sri Lankan army have received a legal discharge from their duties during a month-long amnesty period declared by the Ministry of Defence, the army said in a statement here. The general amnesty was announced from April 20 to May 20, 2024, during which army absentees were allowed to legally discharge themselves from the army in coordination with their respective regimental centers, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday. (IANS)
Panel to probe Bishkek attack
Islamabad, May 22: The Pakistan government has constituted an inquiry committee to investigate and ascertain why its students were attacked and assaulted in the mob attack in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek on the night of May 17. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who travelled to Bishkek on Tuesday, said that till date, over 4000 students have been brought back from Kyrgyzstan. (IANS)