Bird flu virus kills 4 more in China
Iran Press TV
Tue May 7, 2013 6:43AM GMT
Four more people have died of the H7N9 bird flu virus in China's eastern provinces as the number of the infected also increased to 129.
The latest deaths brought to 31 the number of people lost their lives in the H7N9 avian influenza outbreak in China since March 31 when Beijing officially confirmed the occurrence of human infection with the new bird flu virus.
According to figures released by China's Health and Family Planning Commission late Monday, the victims were from provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui.
The commission has given no further information regarding the new deaths.
The H7N9 bird flu virus is distinct from the H5N1 virus. Since 2003, the H5N1 strain has caused more than 360 confirmed human deaths and tens of millions of birds have died from the virus.
Medical experts worry about the possibility of the H7N9 virus mutating into a form easily transmissible between humans.
Chinese health authorities have confirmed the so-called 'family clusters', where members of a single family have contracted the virus.
DB/HN
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