Experts probe human-to-human spread of China bird flu

CHINA: Experts from the UN's health agency are examining whether the H7N9 bird flu virus is spreading among humans, after a cluster of cases among relatives, but downplayed fears of a pandemic on Friday.

"What we don't know is the size of the iceberg under this tip," said the World Health Organisation's representative in China after revealing details of three families who have shown possible human-to-human transmission.

Michael O'Leary was speaking after 15 global international health experts began a weeklong mission in Beijing and Shanghai to investigate the H7N9 bird flu virus, which has killed 17 people and sickened 70 others.

"The primary focus of the investigation is to determine whether this is in fact spreading at a lower level among humans. But there is no evidence for that so far except in these very rare instances," he added.

He said one family in Shanghai had shown evidence of more than one family member being infected with the deadly strain.

AFP