Three held in China for spreading false bird flu rumours

Police in south-west China have detained three people for spreading false rumours online that a new strain of bird flu had spread to their province, state media reported.

The Xinhua News Agency said two people were being detained for five days for writing on their microblogs that the H7N9 virus had been detected in a live poultry market in Guizhou province. The report said their message was reposted many times, causing fear to local people.