Chinese develop vaccination for H7N9, bird flu

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- The Chinese government, responding to a deadly influenza strain, said researchers have come up with a vaccine for H7N9 -- more commonly called the bird flu.

Shu Yuelong, director of the Chinese National Influenza Center, said the vaccine has passed tests on ferrets and has been approved for human distribution, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday.

The bird flu has killed 45 of the 130 people who were infected after H7N9 surfaced in China this year.

The vaccine was developed based on a throat swab taken from an infected patient April 3.

Xinhua said it's the first time Chinese researchers have developed a flu vaccine.

Officials said H7N9 hasn't spread far enough to merit widespread vaccination.