H7N9 death rate hits 36%

Average age of victims is 62 years old.

Chinese researchers released a report on the H7N9 strain of bird flu that first broke out in China in late March and has since affected 130 people and killed 37. Scientists estimate the death rate from H7N9 to be 36%.

Findings indicate that more than a third of patients infected with it died after being admitted to the hospital. Chinese researchers, however, say there isn’t enough evidence to claim H7N9 is spread human-to-human.

Researchers have also discovered that the number of bird flu cases has stalled but warn the virus may still persist and return this winter.

It might be more deadly this time since it would have learned to adapt to previous therapies used to treat it. Doctors in Shanghai who treated 14 H7N9 victims found it was resistant to Tamiflu in three patients.

Researchers found H7N9 affected older people more, with the average age of infection being 62 years. Men were also more prone to infection than women.

A recent article comparing the H7N9 strain to the H5N1 showed that both viruses were mainly related to poultry exposure since 75% of those infected with the new strain had contact with poultry. There was not enough evidence to support the claim that H7N9 is spread human-to-human.

The World Health Organization described H7N9 as one of the most lethal influenza viruses ever seen as it spread faster than the last bird flu.