KARACHI, Jan 29: A committee formed by city Nazim Naimatullah Khan has stated that there is no such virus in poultry that can affect the human body.

The committee session held at the office of the EDO health and attended by representatives of the Pakistan Medical Association, the Poultry Association and experts concluded that viruses H-7 and H-9 spread in poultry could not get into the human body and there was no harm in using chicken meat and eggs. However, the committee, with experts, will visit the afflicted areas on Saturday, conduct laboratory tests and present its report.

WHO REPORT: To date no human case of H5NI influenza, which causes deaths in chickens and humans, has been detected in Pakistan, says a World Health Organization (WHO) report released here on Thursday.

The report says two different strains, H7N3 and H9N2, have been detected in poultry birds in the farms in Karachi and have resulted in the deaths or culling of over 3.5 million chickens. H7N3 and H9N2 are not known to cause human illness.-APP/PPI