Wednesday, December 18, 2013

H7N9 avian influenza found at two live poultry markets in China

    Three samples collected from two live poultry markets the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen tested positive for H7N9 avian influenza, health officials said. The risk for human avian influenza infection is very high in the region.
    Seventy samples from 13 live poultry markets in Shenzhen were examined, according to a Bloomberg report.
    The discovery comes just days after two cases of human H7N9 avian influenza infections were reported in nearby Hong Kong. Neither case has been fatal.
    Since its discovery in mainland China in 2013, H7N9 avian influenza has caused 141 people in China and Taiwan to become ill and has been fatal to 45 people.
    Local governments in China have become more restrictive with live markets in China in an effort to curb the spread of avian influenza. In early December, the Shanghai government announced it would halt live poultry trading from the beginning of the lunar year until late April.

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