The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man (right), visits poultry Market April 8th. – Credit HK Govt.
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While no sustained human-to-human transmission of the emerging H7N9 virus has been documented, with six new cases reported this morning (see here) and an expansion of the virus into Henan Province, disease detectives are trying to fathom how this virus is spreading this rapidly.
Asymptomatic infected poultry – essentially a `stealth’ delivery system that is very advantageous to the virus – is strongly suspected. The lack of overt symptomology among birds makes detection and eradication of the virus far more difficult.
The geographic expansion of cases to Beijing and to Henan Province over the past 24 hours has served to increase concerns in Hong Kong, where SFH (Secretary of Food & Health) Dr. Ko Wing-man, made the following remarks at a public event today.
SFH on human cases of Influenza A (H7N9)
Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, after officiating at a public function this morning (April 14):
Reporter: (On the spreading of human cases of Influenza A (H7N9) on the Mainland)
Secretary for Food and Health: In these two days, there were reports saying that confirmed cases were found not only in the eastern part of the Mainland, but also in the central and northern part, namely Henan province and in Beijing. This is an issue of concern.
Evidences now showed or confirmed that the H7N9 virus is indeed widely circulating among the poultry population. The exact mechanism of how and why the disease has now affected Henan and Beijing remains an issue for the experts, particularly the experts in epidemiological studies for further investigation.
I think we ought to take it as a warning sign and strengthen our preventive measures.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)Ends/Sunday, April 14, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:29
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