China has formally launched a research project to develop a vaccine to counter the H7N9 virus. The project was jointly launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Health and Family Planning Commission. It is expected to have a vaccine ready within seven months.

China officially confirmed the occurrence of human infection with the H7N9 virus late last month. So far, the country has reported a total of 33 H7N9 cases, including nine which ended in deaths.

A top Chinese biology lab has ascribed the H7N9 avian influenza to genetic reassortment of wild birds from east Asia and chickens from east China. The researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that no genes in H7N9 were traceable to pigs, thus excluding pigs as intermediate hosts for the deadly new strain of bird flu.

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