Chinese scientists on Wednesday reported the first likely case of direct person-to-person transmission of the H7N9 bird flu virus that has killed more than 40 people since March.

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Chinese scientist believed that the strain of avian flu may have passed between people.

This development made the team worry.

However,Bao Changjun said that there is no need to panic. "The transmissibility of this novel virus... was not so effective."

For the past years scientist has been afraid that the virus might mutate in a way that it can be transmitted faster from an individual to another individual.

Bao and a group reported about the case of an old man who died after contracting the avian virus. Apparently, her daughter who  nursed his ailing father also died. She looks healthy before she was admitted in the ICU and she was never exposed to live poultry.

This has led the experts to believe that the H7N9 bird flu virus strain might have been transmitted to her. His father often visits live poultry markets.

Bao  stated that "Aside from the exposure to her father's respiratory secretions during her bedside care, the daughter had no definite exposure to poultry or other suspect sources of infection,"

Nevertheless,the evidence of direct transmission is "limited and non-sustainable"according to the written report.This is because all the 43 people who had established a close contact with the two patients did not contract the virus.

Thus the team said that "These findings suggest that potential genetic susceptibility might be one of the determinants and that avian influenza viruses... are more easily transmitted between individuals with genetic connection," .

Official figures released last month said the H7N9 virus had made 132 people ill in mainland China since the first human cases were reported in March, of which 43 died. One case was recorded in Taiwan.

Official records say that the H7N9 virus has made 132 people sick in mainland China and out of them 43 died.People have received a warning that new infections may happen in the autumn.

 Rodgers and Coker have said  that while the study might not say that the avian bird flu will be the next epidemic, it is still necessary to remain vigilant .