Deadly poultry flu could be 'disease X' to spark pandemic

Most of those infected have been in close contact with poultry or poultry markets. (Stock picture)

Anne Gulland

A new strain of bird flu which kills 38pc of those it infects has been identified as the most likely candidate to spark a worldwide flu pandemic.

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England with special responsibility for emergency preparedness and pandemic planning, told the 'Daily Telegraph' the virus concerning him and others most was H7N9, a flu virus circulating in poultry in China.