Disease

China Bird Flu - Update

TH7N9 bird flu is a 'serious threat' - researchers warn. The outbreak of a new type of bird flu in China poses a "serious threat" to human health, but it is still too soon to predict how far it will spread. H7N9 is the 'nastiest virus in humans in years.'

Of the 126 people known to be infected so far, 24 have died, with many more still severely ill in hospital. The H7N9 virus has not, however, yet proved able to spread between people - which limits its global threat. The threat should be "treated calmly, but seriously", researchers advise.

There is concern over both the pace and severity of the outbreak. There has been a relatively high number of known infections since the first case was detected in April.

How the virus spreads is key. As long as it can spread only from a bird to a person through direct contact it posses a relatively small risk globally - particularly in richer countries where such contact is rare. If it can spread from one person to another then the threat becomes much more potent. This has not yet happened and it is impossible to tell whether it will happen tomorrow or never.

The infection results in severe pneumonia and even blood poisoning and organ failure. "The WHO considers this a serious threat, but we don't know at this stage whether this is going to spread from human to human." So far nearly all cases have been traced back to contact with poultry. If the virus adapts to spread readily between people it will pose a much greater threat and scientists warn that the virus is mutating rapidly.

Meningitis in Sudan

An outbreak of Meningitis in South Sudan's Upper Nile has been declared by local authorities, after the disease reportedly killed two people in its Malakal county. At least 38 suspected cases have been confirmed.