China sharing virus samples, WHO says

China and the United States have continued sharing influenza virus samples for public health purposes, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has received five H7N9 viruses from the China CDC since May this year, according to the World Health Organization.

The statement was made in response to a US media report, citing allegations by US officials, that China has refused for more than a year to share H7N9 virus with the US to develop vaccines and treatments.

Influenza virus sharing for public health via the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System has been ongoing for 66 years, and the China and US CDCs are two of the six WHO Collaborating Centres participating in the response system, the WHO said.