Latest geographic expansion to Shandong Province – Credit Wikipedia
# 7178
We’ve three new H7N9 cases reported thus far this morning, and one fatality, plus the confirmation of yesterday’s suspected case from Shandong Province.
As we’ve seen so often with this virus (see WHO H7N9 Study: Preliminary Age & Sex Distribution), all three cases announced this morning are male, and over the age of 60.
This excellent chart by Laidback Al clearly shows the disproportionate impact H7N9 is having on the elderly, while the largest segment of the Chinese population – middle-aged adults - are far less represented in the case counts.
Source FluTrackers Demographic and Geographic Overview of H7N9
For some additional discussion on this unusual patterning of cases, you may wish to revisit H7N9: The Riddle Of The Ages.
First stop, the Shandong Province story.
First H7N9 case in Shandong confirmed
2013-04-23 16:44:36
JINAN, April 23 (Xinhua) -- East China's Shandong Province has confirmed its first case of H7N9, according to the provincial health department.
The man, a 36-year-old construction materials wholesaler from Zaozhuang City, tested positive for the H7N9 avian influenza virus on Monday by the Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The result was confirmed by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday.
The man is in serious condition. Nine people who have had close contact with him have not exhibited any abnormal symptoms.
As of Monday afternoon, a total of 104 H7N9 cases have been reported in China, including 21 that have ended in death.
Next, Zhejiang Province, which has recently surged ahead of Shanghai with having the most diagnosed cases, reports two new cases and 1 fatality.
Zhejiang new cases of human infection of H7N9 avian influenza cases
Zhejiang Provincial Health Department
April 23, 2013
Zhejiang Provincial Health Department Bulletin, April 23 as of April 23 at 15:00, Zhejiang Province, add two cases of human infection with the H7N9 avian influenza.
Patients, Mr. Hong, male, 84 years old, retired, Hangzhou, onset on April 15, Hangzhou, a hospital for treatment.
Song patients, male, aged 62, farmer, Hangzhou, onset on April 15, now a hospital for treatment.
By the provincial CDC testing, specimens of 2 patients are infected with the H7N9 avian influenza virus nucleic acid positive. My Office experts on the patient's clinical manifestations, epidemiological data and laboratory test results are discussed, and diagnosis of human infection of H7N9 avian influenza confirmed cases. Currently, two patients were seriously ill, the hospital is under active treatment.
On the morning of April 23, critically ill patients diagnosed in the 17th Zhao (male, 86 years old, retired, Hangzhou) due to further deterioration, she died.
At present, the province has confirmed 42 cases of human infection with the H7N9 avian influenza patients, 6 patients died of his wounds, two cases were cured, 34 patients are still hospitalized.
And from Anhui Province, their 4th case is reported.
Anhui new case of human infection of H7N9 avian influenza confirmed cases
Published :2013-04-23
Anhui Provincial Health Department briefing on April 23, Anhui Province confirmed case of human infection of H7N9 avian influenza. So far, Anhui Province reported a total of four cases of human infection with the H7N9 avian influenza, and 1 died, cured cases.
Patients, Wang, male, 91 years old, Chuzhou Tianchang person. April 14 disease, Chuzhou City, a hospital for treatment. April 22, the provincial CDC positive for the H7N9 avian influenza virus nucleic acid detection review. On April 23, the provincial expert group according to the state of human infection with H7N9 avian flu, 2nd Edition (2013), the diagnosis of the cases of human infection of H7N9 avian influenza confirmed cases. Patients with severe illness. Close contacts of patients a total of 35 people, until now, were not unusual.
While we may hear from additional provinces later in the day, by my count this raises the (continually changing) count to 108 cases (+ 1 asymptomatic case in Beijing), and 22 fatalities.
Despite these daily increases in cases, we are not seeing the kind of explosive growth in reported infections one would associate with efficient human-to-human transmission.
While reassuring, the concern is that the more jumps this virus makes to humans, the more opportunities it will have to `figure us out’, and adapt to human physiology.
Influenza viruses are constantly changing and are notoriously unpredictable. What we may believe to be true about a virus today, can easily change tomorrow.
So we watch the events in China with more than just passing academic interest.
