With China reporting its first two human deaths from bird flu, international health specialists are warning that current tallies may greatly underestimate the problem, there and elsewhere.
Scientists have long been mystified by the low number of cases in humans reported in China, which has such a severe bird flu problem that it recently announced plans to vaccinate 14.2 billion chickens, geese and ducks. Far smaller countries, with less severe bird flu outbreaks, have reported many more human cases.