'Pandemic' possible with H7N9 virus

Mutations could lead to worldwide catastrophe, Chinese study finds

A study published by a prestigious international medical journal has warned that mutations in the bird flu H7N9 virus could lead to a "pandemic" that could cause sickness and death around the world.

The study, led by Yu Hongjie and fellow researchers at Fudan University's Public Health Institute in Shanghai, is based on information from all lab-confirmed human cases of H7N9 reported in the Chinese mainland as of late February.