Vet dies from pneumonia in avian flu case

The Dutch government has ordered an independent investigation into the rare death of a veterinary surgeon from pneumonia after infection with avian flu virus. Until now the worst effect that this virus has had in infected people has been conjunctivitis.

The National Influenza Centre, part of Rotterdam's Erasmus Medical Centre, has already confirmed that the strain of virus was identical to avian flu virus and not a mutant strain such as the strain that caused deaths during the 1997 outbreak of avian flu in Hong Kong. …