A new bird flu strain that has killed 22 people in China is “one
of the most lethal” of its kind and transmits more easily to
humans than another strain that has killed hundreds since 2003, a
World Health Organization (WHO) expert said on Wednesday.
The H7N9 flu has infected 108 people in China since it was first
detected in March, according to the Geneva-based WHO.
Although it is not clear exactly how people are being infected,
experts say they see no evidence so far of the most worrisome
scenario – sustained transmission between people.
An international team of scientists led by the WHO and the
Chinese government conducted a five-day investigation in China,
but said they were no closer to determining whether the virus
might become transmissible between people.
