China Reports Six New Bird Flu Cases, One Death
Beijing. China reported six new cases of H7N9 bird flu recently, including one death in Hunan province after live poultry markets there were shuttered last month.
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 (02/04).
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.
In March, authorities reported an outbreak of the virus in Hunan province originating from a farm with more than 29,000 infected birds. More than 170,000 birds were culled as a result.
The number of human infections this season has surged to the highest level since 2009. At least 162 deaths have been reported since October 2016.
Health authorities said that cold and wet weather in Hunan played a role in the recent spread of the virus.
Reuters
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