News & Perspective

In other H7N9 developments, China's agriculture ministry this week announced plans to expand poultry vaccination to the whole country.

Some products have shown promise, but efficacy varies across animal populations and more study is needed.

Many of the new cases are in the north, which has reported a late-season surge; elsewhere, Egypt has a new H5N1 case.

Also, Croatia reports its first high-path H5N5 outbreak in poultry.

H5N8 has now been confirmed in 40 countries, and South Korean scientists shared genetic findings from a recent H5N6 isolate.

China's premier urges officials in affected areas to shutter live-poultry markets.

Austrian officials said H5N8 had also been found in Croatia, which would raise the number of countries affected in Europe to five. 

Recent outbreaks in Iraq and Lebanon pose a risk to other nations because of political instability and a host of other factors.