News from May 2013

In the space of just a month, a novel influenza virus originating in birds has infected 129 people in China and killed 20% of those infected. Patients infected with this H7N9 subtype virus have demonstrated severe respiratory problems and required intensive medical care. So far there has been no evidence of the virus being able to pass from human to human and infection of people has only occurred from direct contact with birds, most likely poultry, in the large wet markets of China where live birds are sold for meat.