Mutating bird flu in China may pose a threat to humans, scientists warn

Thursday, March 12, 2015
By Paul Martin

The H7N9 virus, one of several strains of bird flu known to be able to infect humans, has persisted, diversified and spread in chickens across China
This has fulled a resurgence of infections in people, posing a wider threat
Unless control measures are put in place, the virus will spread, they warn

By ANNA HODGEKISS
DailyMailUK
12 March 2015

A wave of H7N9 bird flu in China that has spread into people may have the potential to emerge as a pandemic strain in humans, scientists have warned.
The H7N9 virus, one of several strains of bird flu known to be able to infect humans, has persisted, diversified and spread in chickens across China, the researchers said.

This has fulled a resurgence of infections in people, posing a wider threat.
In a study published in the journal Nature, they said: ‘The expansion of genetic diversity and geographical spread indicates that, unless effective control measures are in place, H7N9 could be expected to persist and spread beyond the region.’

The H7N9 bird flu virus emerged in humans in March 2013.

It has since then infected at least 571 people in China, Taipei, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Canada, killing 212 of them, according to February data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

After an initial flare up of human cases at the start of 2013, the H7N9 appeared to die down – aided in large part by Chinese authorities deciding to close live poultry markets and issue health warnings about direct contact with chickens.

But infections in people increased again last year and in early 2015.
This promoted researchers to try to understand more about how the virus re-emerged, how it might develop, and how it might threaten public health.

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