China kills birds as new flu strain death toll hits 6

Workers dispose of dead birds in China

Authorities in China halted the sale of live fowl and slaughtered all of the poultry at a Shanghai market where the new virus was detected in pigeons being sold for meat. The H7N9 strain of bird flu, has sickened 16 people, many critically, and killed 6.

So far health officials believe people are contracting the virus through direct contact with infected birds and say there has been no evidence that the virus is spreading easily between people. However, scientists are watching closely to see if this new flu poses a substantial risk to public health or could start a global pandemic.