China reports H5N8 bird flu in swans at Wuhan zoo - OIE

PARIS (Reuters) - China reported an outbreak of the highly contagious H5N8 bird flu virus among swans at a zoo in the city of Wuhan, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Thursday, citing a report from the Chinese agriculture ministry. Of 314 swans at risk from the outbreak, 99 died from the virus and the rest were slaughtered, according to the report posted by the Paris-based OIE. China has been hit by outbreaks of other bird flu strains in recent weeks, including the H7N9 virus that has caused a number of human deaths. The H5N8 strain has never been found in humans. (Reporting by Gus Trompiz and Sybille de La Hamaide)