China's science and health authorities have announced a new project to fight the H7N9 virus, and plan to develop a vaccine within seven months.

The Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Health and Family Planning Commission announced on Wednesday the start of a joint research project to control H7N9, which includes diagnostic tests and vaccine development.

Several major science and technology projects had been carried out in China before the current H7N9 bird flu outbreak. This was good preparation for the new project, according to a Ministry of Science and Technology statement released to China Daily on Thursday.