Taiwan prepares for bird flu outbreak

Health officials inspect a hospital in Taipei as Taiwan prepares for a possible outbreak of bird flu.

It is part of a network of hospitals with rooms especially equipped for patients infected with the H7N9 virus.

Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control says there have been 14 suspected cases in the country so far, but none have tested positive.

Authorities say they are implementing measures to detect infections early and prevent the virus from spreading.

In China, the new H7N9 strain of bird flu has infected 16 people, six of whom have died.

This prompted the government to cull more than 20,000 birds at a Shanghai market, leaving many poultry stalls closed.

State media announced Saturday that the virus had been found in more areas in Shanghai and the nearby city of Hangzhou.