04.04.2013

China's agricultural authorities said the infectious H7N9 avian influenza virus has been detected from pigeon samples collected at a marketplace in Shanghai. After gene sequence analysis, the national avian flu reference laboratory concluded that the strain of the H7N9 virus found on pigeons was highly congenetic with those found on persons infected with H7N9 virus.

China has thus far confirmed 14 human cases of H7N9 infections.