The Chinese health ministry has reported two cases of the H5N1 bird flu after two people tested positive for the virus.
A 21-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man started to develop symptoms indicative of the bird flu on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3 respectively, according to a report by Reuters.
"They are in critical condition and medical works are carrying out emergency treatment," the health ministry said as reported by Reuters. "No epidemiological connections have been found between the two cases."
Anyone who had contact with the two patients are currently undergoing medical observation but are not infected, according to Reuters.
The report of the two cases of this highly contagious disease comes at a time when many people are traveling via mass transportation to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Crowded buses and trains increase the risk of the bird flu spreading.
H5N1, a virus that mainly affects birds, can sometimes be transferred to humans.
But the two people who have been infected with the virus reportedly had no contact with birds before they started to display symptoms, according to Reuters.
However, there is fear among experts that the virus might mutate into a form that can become more easily transferred between humans who have no natural defense against the virus.
The bird flu virus has infected more than 600 people since the first case of H5N1 was reported in Honk Kong in 1997. The disease is usually fatal.
Signs and symptoms of the H5N1 virus are similar to those of traditional influenza including cough, fever, sore throat and muscle aches, according to the Mayo Clinic. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and a mild eye infection can also indicate a case of bird flu.
Treatment of the virus involves antiviral drugs, but many cases of influenza have proven to be resistant to these medications, according to the Mayo Clinic. The medications must be taken within two days after symptoms first develop.
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