Chickens are hung in line at a slaughterhouse, approved by the municipal government to process poultry, after live poultry trading was banned following the H7N9 bird flu outbreak, in Pudong, Shanghai Friday, April 12, 2013. After a new and lethal strain of bird flu emerged in Shanghai two weeks ago, the government of China’s bustling financial capital responded with live updates on a Twitter-like microblog. It’s a starkly different approach than a decade ago, when Chinese officials silenced reporting as a deadly pneumonia later known as SARS killed dozens in the south. (AP Photo) CHINA OUT
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese health authorities have reported another death and two new infections from a new strain of bird flu.
The new cases reported Friday in Shanghai bring the total number of deaths in China from the bird flu virus, known as H7N9, to 11. Another 29 people have been infected. All of the cases have been in eastern China.
China began reporting cases of the new virus on March 31 and has ordered preventative and containment measures. Shanghai, the center of the outbreak, has warned residents to watch for high fevers, breathing difficulties and other symptoms. Hospitals have set up special fever clinics.
China has been more open in its response to the new virus than it was a decade ago with an outbreak of SARS, when authorities were highly criticized.
