South China Morning Post : declared in China reports six new bird flu cases, one death, despite live poultry ban

The mainland reported six new cases of H7N9 bird flu including one death in Hunan province after live poultry markets in the province were closed last month. A total ban on live poultry trading in Changsha had been in effect since March 17 and would continue for another five days, the agency said. Medical specialists have said attempts by mainland authorities to curb the H7N9 bird flu virus in live poultry markets came too late, with officials failing to take ­preventative steps before the peak flu season started. The H7N9 virus shows little or no clinical symptoms in poultry, complicating detection. In March, the authorities reported an outbreak of the virus in the province originating from a farm with about 29,760 infected birds.

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The pathogen comes from wild bird lineage, which is scary because those wild birds are migratory. There are many strains of the avian flu and most have caused little human harm in North America. Although scientists worry there may be a chance that if someone gets the old fashioned flu and the avian flu at the same time, the virus could mutate and cause serious harm. The avian flu is not passed by eating poultry but by close contact with infected birds. The Department of Agriculture says growers should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds, and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to state and federal officials .


BEIJING China reported six new cases of H7N9 bird flu including one death in Hunan after live poultry markets in the province were shuttered last month. In March authorities reported an outbreak of the virus in the province originating from a farm with about 29,760 infected birds. Health authorities said that cold and wet weather in Hunan played a role in the recent spread of the virus. A total ban on live poultry trading in the provincial capital of Changsha has been in effect since March 17 and will continue for another five days, the agency said. The infections were reported in the last week of March by the provincial center for disease control and prevention, according to a report by Xinhua news agency on Sunday.


collected by :Lucy William
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