No proof China bird flu H7N9 spreading between humans: World Health Organization

[xchrom]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/08/no-proof-china-bird-flu-h7n9-spreading-between-humans-world-health-organization/

The World Health Organisation said Monday there is no evidence China’s bird flu is spreading between humans, but jitters over the outbreak that has killed six people saw airline and tourism shares slump.

China announced just over a week ago that H7N9 avian influenza had been found in humans for the first time, and the number of confirmed cases has since reached 21.

Like the more common H5N1 variant which typically spreads from birds to humans, experts fear the possibility that such viruses can mutate into a form easily transmissible between humans, with the potential to trigger a pandemic.

“Although we do not know the source of infection, at this time there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission,” Michael O’Leary, the WHO’s representative in China, told a news conference.

[In_The_Wind]

1. That is good news.

[Robb]

2. Waitwaitwait... "Sustained?"