Two dead in Fujian from H7N9 avian flu as 22,000 birds culled in Taiwan

Two people have died of H7N9 avian influenza in the coastal province of Fujian, where 15 have cases of human infection have been reported this year, with another reported in Jiangxi on Friday, South China Morning Post reported, citing local health officials quoted by state media. Both Shanghai and the neighboring province of Zhejiang have reported cases “this winter”, according to a Xinhua report. That report came as Taiwan said it had begun culling an additional 22,000 birds on Saturday after they tested positive for the H5N2 strain of the virus in the island’s worst bout of the disease in a decade.