An eight-strong international team of experts is expected to arrive in China this week to help with investigations and treatment of the H7N9 bird flu epidemic.

Song Shuli, a spokesperson for the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission, told a news conference in Beijing that the group involves experts from the US, the EU, Australia and the World Health Organization, and will focus mainly on virus identification and disease studies, according to a report on Xinhua News Agency.

A source with the commission, who refused to be named, said talks between the team and Chinese representatives will be held on Thursday. The experts will then visit areas hit by the virus and carry out outbreak assessments to help guide any intervention efforts.