April 24th, 2013
06:39 AM ET

WHO: H7N9 virus 'one of the most lethal so far'

As the death toll from China's bird flu outbreak rose to 22 with news of another victim in eastern Zhejiang Province, the World Health Organization warned the H7N9 virus was one of the most lethal that doctors and medical investigators had faced in recent years.

"This is an unusually dangerous virus for humans," Keiji Fukuda, WHO's assistant director-general for health, security and the environment told a news conference in Beijing Wednesday.

"We think this virus is more easily transmitted from poultry to humans than H5N1," he added, referring to the bird flu outbreak between 2004 and 2007 that claimed 332 lives.

"This is definitely one of the most lethal influenza viruses that we have seen so far."

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Filed under: China • Health
soundoff (5 Responses)
  1. francois2012

    OK

    April 24, 2013 at 6:46 am | Report abuse |
  2. bobcat (in a hat)©

    WHO said H7N9 virus one of the most lethal so far ? That's what I'd like to know too.

    April 24, 2013 at 11:00 am | Report abuse |
  3. TvNyC

    This disease sprrads from human to human.

    April 24, 2013 at 1:28 pm | Report abuse |
  4. RonG

    Every year it's the flu that will kill us all..... Boring.

    April 24, 2013 at 5:16 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Injun Ere

    "HLNG!"That's the noise the wolf made when it swallowed Peter. Peter kept writing articles all the way down his gullet.

    April 24, 2013 at 7:26 pm | Report abuse |
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