Beijing (dpa) - The World Health Organization said Wednesday they
needed more evidence to determine if human transmission of a new
strain of bird flu had occurred in China.
"The evidence so far is not enough to conclude that there is
person-to-person transmission," said Keiji Fukuda, WHO assistant
director general for health security.
But future proof of human transmission "would not be surprising,"
Fukuda said after WHO completed a study of China's outbreak of the
H7N9 bird flu strain and the government's response.
Live poultry at markets and the surrounding environment appeared
to pose the biggest risk of human infection, he said.
Chinese health authorities confirmed more than 100 infections,
including 20 deaths, mainly in eastern areas near Shanghai.
The lower number of cases reported in eastern China in recent days
"suggests the closing of the poultry markets was effective," said
Anne Kelso, chief of a WHO flu research centre in Australia.
The organization said factors that "warrant particular concern
include the fact that the virus does not seem to cause visible
illness in poultry, making it harder to track and control."
Fukuda said it was possible that more people had carried the virus
without showing symptoms.
He said the researchers were "very impressed with the response of
the government."
"The health authorities were well-prepared," he said. "Information
was shared in a timely way."
The recommendations to the Chinese government included closer
examination of infections, maintaining a high level of alert,
investigating animal populations across China, and coordination
between ministries.
Copyright 2013 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH