Japanese man being tested for possible Ebola infection

Via Xinhua :

" The Health Ministry said Monday that a Japanese man who returned from Sierra Leone earlier this month is being tested for possible Ebola infection after he developed a fever earlier in the day.

Local media reported that the man in his 30s said he had no direct contact with Ebola patients but he "touched with his bare hands" a bag containing a body on Dec. 17 during a burial in the epidemic-hit country.

He stayed there for eight days through Dec. 21, said the Kyodo News, adding he returned to Japan on Dec. 23 and has since stayed at home at the request of authorities."

China : Four more bird flu deaths reported

Via The Standard :

" Four mainlanders have died of H7N9 bird flu and three have been infected, taking to 454 the number of people who have been sickened by the virus across the border.

But the situation is unusual in that mainland authorities have not reported to the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health any outbreaks in poultry, which should be standard.

The bird flu virus usually jumps from chickens and other birds to infect humans.

The Centre for Health Protection said last night that it had received notification of the seven new cases five men and two women aged from 36 to 81 of the H7N9 strain.

Four were in Xinjiang, two in Zhejiang and one in Jiangsu, officials of the National Health and Family Planning Commission told the center."