China bird flu death toll climbs to 16

Beijing, April 17: Two more person died on Wednesday in China due to the deadly bird flu, taking the toll to 16, even as a seven-year-old girl recovered fully from the H7N9 strain.

State television reported that the death toll has gone up to 16 with two more deaths due to the virus for which there is no set medicine or vaccine yet.

The disease caused serious financial losses as sales of live chickens and chicken products have dropped by over 13 billion yuan (about USD 2.1 billion), China Animal Agriculture Association (CAAA) said.

The total cases have gone up to 78 with after seven more new cases reported today from different areas.

Meanwhile, a seven-year-old girl in Beijing who was infected with H7N9 bird flu, the first such case in the Chinese capital, was discharged from hospital.