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CHANGSHA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Live poultry trading will cease for three weeks in the central Chinese city of Changsha on concerns over the H7N9 bird flu virus, the local health and family planning commission said Friday.
The ban is effective from Friday, and aims to prevent spread of the avian flu to humans. All poultry markets have been ordered to be cleaned and disinfected.
A total of 24 infections and five fatalities have been reported in Hunan Province as of February.
February and March are the key period to prevent the virus from spreading, experts have said, adding that more human infections are likely to be reported in Changsha due to frequent population movement in the capital city.
According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, 79 people died nationwide in January from the virus.
Several provinces have measures to tackle the virus, with live poultry sales suspended in cities in Sichuan, Hunan, Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces.
H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in China in March 2013. Infections usually occur in winter and spring.
