Don’t worry, everyone.
Chinese state media says “the risk of large-scale transmission was low” from the H5N6 strain of avian flu that’s hospitalized a 55-year-old man in Bazhong, a city in the province of Sichuan:
A 55-year-old man has been hospitalized in China after contracting the H5N6 strain of avian flu. Chinese state news media said that the risk of large-scale transmission was low. https://t.co/w0nm8GCFBB
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 15, 2021
“Wonder where have we heard that before?”:
"…the risk of large-scale transmission was low."
Wonder where have we heard that before? 🧐🤔#China https://t.co/hz0AKfNwy0
— Yoshita Singh योषिता सिंह (@Yoshita_Singh) July 15, 2021
Oh, it gets worse.
Not only is the NYT quoting Chinese state media, but also “unnamed experts” and unnamed local officials:
A man has been hospitalized in southwestern China after contracting the H5N6 strain of avian flu, Chinese state news media reported on Thursday, a reminder that the world is full of flu viruses even during a coronavirus pandemic.
The man, 55, was hospitalized in Bazhong, a city in the southwestern province of Sichuan, after coming down with a fever and testing positive for the virus on July 6, the state-run China Global Television Network reported.
Local officials had “activated an emergency response and sterilized the area,” the broadcaster said in a brief report in English. It cited unnamed experts as saying that the risk of large-scale transmission among humans was low. The report did not provide other details or say whether the man handled poultry as part of his job.
Well done, guys:
And if there’s anything we’ve learned in the past 18 months or so about the Chinese government’s ability to assess the risk of large-scale transmission… https://t.co/RqzPi2x1Fo
— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) July 15, 2021
And based on the past 18 months, we should probably shut down all travel with China right now:
Chinese state news media is just overflowing with credibility on these and other issues https://t.co/Kj8rV3lgFE
— David Rutz (@DavidRutz) July 15, 2021
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