CORRECTION: Fresh reports indicate that the Response level has been raised to SERIOUS – the second highest level - (not ALERT, as the link below would suggest).
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While details are still sketchy, Hong Kong’s CHP today has announced The Alert Response Level under the Government's Preparedness Plan for Influenza Pandemic is activated in response to the detection that City’s first imported case of H7N9.
The Alert Response level (Lowest of the three; Emergency, Serious, & Alert) is activated, based on their 2012 Pandemic Response plan when:
6. Alert Response Level corresponds to a situation where the risk of a novel influenza virus causing new and serious health impact in Hong Kong is low. Generally, it depicts the existence of a novel influenza virus capable of causing more serious illness than seasonal influenza in neighbouring regions of Hong Kong, but without imminent risk of causing any human infection in Hong Kong.
Examples of scenarios under this level include the following –
(a) confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in poultry populations outside Hong Kong; (b) confirmation of HPAI in imported birds in quarantine, in wild birds, in recreational parks, in pet bird shops or in the natural environment in Hong Kong;
(c) confirmation of novel influenza known to have caused human infection with serious health outcome in other wild/pet animals in Hong Kong; or
(d) confirmation of sporadic or small cluster of human case(s) of HPAI or novel influenza in areas that have insignificant travel and trade relationships with Hong Kong.
Under these scenarios, human-to-human transmission has not been sufficient to sustain community level outbreaks.
So far, most of the reportage has appeared in the Chinese press, and so translations are a bit rough. First stop, though, are a couple of brief reports (h/t @Ironorehopper @FluTrackers).
Hong Kong confirms first case of H7N9
02-12-2013
Hong Kong has confirmed its first human case of H7N9 bird flu. It is understood that the patient, who is being treated in Queen Mary Hospital, had visited the mainland and had been in contact with poultry. The Health Secretary, Ko Wing-man, is due to give further details tonight. So far about 140 human cases of H7N9 have been reported on the mainland, with 45 fatalities.
Hong Kong confirms first human case of H7N9 infection
At 23:37 on December 2, 2013 / Source: People's Daily
Hong Kong on December 2, according to Hong Kong media reports today, the first human infection of H7N9 in Hong Kong appears avian flu cases, the patient is being treated at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong.It is understood that the patient is a foreign domestic helper, she visited the mainland, and contact with poultry.
In addition, the Hong Kong SAR Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man tonight at the "Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan Serious Response Level Steering Committee meeting." And held a press conference at around 23:00, introduce patient details. (Cao Haiyang)
We are still awaiting an official announcement from the CHP.
