All poultry bought at established markets, and properly cooked, is safe to eat, Yu Kangzhen, chief veterinarian at the Ministry of Agriculture, said on Monday.
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"The source and transmission of H7N9 bird flu remain unclear, but the virus should be destroyed by high temperatures," he said.
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The ministry said 20 variants of the H7N9 strain were detected from 738 samples taken at three live poultry markets in Shanghai on Thursday and Friday.
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The variants are of low virulence and so far have not triggered an epidemic among poultry, Yu said, citing the latest test results.
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But the possibility of the virus spreading to other kinds of animals and other regions also exists, he said.
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The ministry urged veterinarians and workers involved in the breeding, transport, slaughter or sale of livestock and poultry to improve their protective measures against viruses.Â