Chinese officials put to death 20,000-plus birds on Friday after an investigation into an unusual strain of flu that was sweeping the region led back to a Shanghai live-poultry trading facility.
Six have died so far from the H7N9 virus — a strain of bird flu that had not previously been seen in humans, CNN reported. Fourteen cases were reported just this week, and Chinese authorities have been trying to identify and isolate the source. They found the strain in the pigeons at the Shanghai trading zone and put them immediately to death.
Human-to-human infection has yet to be reported, CNN said.
U.S. health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta are working with their Chinese counterparts to stem the infections, CNN said.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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