China discovered a new strain of bird flu called H7N7

Scientists tracking the H7N9 bird flu virus, which has killed more than 40 people since March, said they had discovered a new virus in chickens in China.

>>>H7N9 virus can be transmitted through human excretion

The new virus is called H7N 7. After testing, the scientists found the virus to be able to infect mammals, so scientists warn, the virus could 'be causing a greater threat than the current influenza epidemic. '

'The continuous spread of H7 virus strains in poultry can lead to the creation of highly virulent variants and continue to infect humans' . Co-author Yi Guan from Hong Kong University informed AFP that 'if the H7N7 strain continues to spread the infection in chickens, I am sure that there will be a human infection'.

According to the World Health Organization, 135 cases have been confirmed to be infected with H7N9, of which 44 have died. All of these cases are in China except one in Taiwan.

Earlier this month, Chinese scientists reported a possible direct human-to-human infection but insisted that the strain of H7N9 could not spread easily from person to person.