The Taiwanese Ministry of Agriculture has reported the discovery of another harmful H7N3 virus strain in the droppings of migratory birds. The territory is conducting tests to determine if this virus has spread to poultry farms.
The H5N1 strain has killed over 60 people across Asia, and H7N3 could also pose a threat to humans, according to Huang Kwo-ching, an official from the Council of Agriculture. He stated that Taiwan is particularly concerned about both the H5 and H7 virus strains and is currently testing within a 3 km radius around Tainan, where the H7N3 virus was found in bird droppings in a swamp. However, no poultry or migratory birds have been reported dead from this virus so far.
This is the second time Taiwan has recorded the H7N3 virus, the first being in the outskirts of Taipei in April of this year.
The H7N3 virus was first identified in turkeys in the UK in 1963 and re-emerged in Canada in April and May 2004, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has stated that H5 and H7 are two strains of avian influenza viruses that can affect humans.
Today, Indonesia officially announced that seven people have died from avian influenza out of a total of 11 infected individuals.
THÙY LINH (According to Reuters)
