Bird flu possibly transmitting from human-to-human, officials say

SHANGHAI – There may have been limited human-to-human transmission of the H7N9 virus, a World Health Organization official said on Monday.

There has been no sustained human-to-human transmission but the situation remains "complex and difficult," WHO assistant director general for Health Security and Environment, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, told reporters.

As of Sunday the virus had killed 20 and infected 102 in China.

"It's virtually impossible to predict how many more cases" there could be, Dr. Fukuda said.

Shanghai has seen new cases slow in the past 10 days in spite of more new cases elsewhere in the country, the city's health officials said. Shanghai has been well prepared and acted quickly and effectively, Dr Fukuda said.

In Shanghai the virus has been detected in one wholesale market and two wet markets only, according to Dr. Liu Peihong of the Shanghai Municipal Animal Center for Disease Control and Prevention.