New Strain of Bird Flu Claims Its 24th Victim in China

Chinese health authorities revealed another patient has died due to the H7N9 infection, taking the death toll caused by the new strain of bird flu virus to 24.

A patient surnamed Chen died in the eastern city of Shanghai after 12 days of medical treatment failed, Xinhua news agency said. China has recorded more than 120 cases of H7N9 infection so far.

Avian Influenza / Bird Flu-Causes-Symptoms-Treatment- FAQs
Bird flu (avian influenza/avian flu) is a disease caused by an influenza virus (H5N1) that primarily affects birds but can infect humans also.

Most cases since the new strain was first identified in late March have been confined to eastern China, and the only one reported outside mainland China has been in Taiwan. The Taiwanese victim was infected in China.

But experts fear the possibility of the virus mutating into a form easily transmissible between humans, with the potential to trigger a pandemic.

The World Health Organisation has said there has been no evidence so far of human-to-human transmission but warned that H7N9 was "one of the most lethal" influenza viruses ever seen.

Swine Flu | Swine Influenza | Hog Flu | Pig Flu
Swine flu, a type of influenza caused by a new strain of the H1N1 Type A influenza virus has originated from the pigs. Winter always brings along the chills and the flu, make sure you're safe this season.

Chinese researchers, reporting in The Lancet on Thursday, said they had confirmed poultry as a source of the virus among humans.

Chinese health officials have acknowledged so-called "family clusters", where members of a single family have become infected, but have not established any confirmed instances of human-to-human transmission.