Credit The Weather Channel
# 7807
A day after the autumnal equinox, temperatures and humidities in Northern China are beginning to lower, conditions that are more conducive for the survival, and transmission, of flu viruses. This week, with temperatures dropping into the mid-40s at night, level II hospitals and above in Beijing are on the alert for increases in respiratory infections – and for the return of the H7N9 virus.
Hospitals in China are ranked as either level I, level II, or level III (with level 3 at the top and level 1 at the bottom). Each level is further divided into sub-ranks of A, B, or C.
Today’s advisory (h/t Gert van der Hoek on FluTrackers) appeared earlier today in the Chinese media, but is now available in an English language version from europe.chinadaily.com
China / Society
Hospitals asked to monitor flu-like cases
Updated: 2013-09-24 17:29
(chinadaily.com.cn)
The health bureau of Beijing has asked all hospitals at level two or above in the city to monitor flu-like cases for two weeks in an attempt to keep down a possible epidemic of H7N9 as it gets colder, Beijing News reported on Tuesday.
All flu-likes cases coming to these hospitals and patients hospitalized for severe acute respiratory infections must be monitored for two weeks, the bureau said in its plan to combat H7N9 in the coming months.
A person is considered to have flu-like symptoms if his or her temperature exceeds 38 C with symptoms of a cough or a sore throat.
Children under 5 years old don't have to be running a fever before being monitored, the bureau said. They should be closely monitored if they show acute symptoms of coughing or difficulty breathing, or other signs such as refusing to eat, severe vomiting or sleepiness.
Unlike H5N1 – which causes heavy mortality in poultry - birds infected with H7N9 generally show no symptoms. The first indication we may get of this virus circulating again will likely come from human cases. Hence the call for enhanced hospital surveillance.
Although we’ve seen very little H7N9 (or H5N1) activity over the summer, two weeks ago in the FAO Warns On Bird Flu, concerns were raised over the return of cooler fall weather, and the seasonality of avian flu viruses.
Bird flu viruses could re-emerge in upcoming flu season
International experts recommend vigilance and promote targeted surveillance, market restructuring to fight H7N9, H5N1 and other threats
Bird flu viruses continue to circulate in poultry.
16 September 2013, Rome – FAO has issued a new warning to the international community that the H7N9 and H5N1 avian influenza viruses continue to pose serious threats to human and animal health, especially in view of the upcoming flu season.
“The world is more prepared than ever before to respond to bird flu viruses in light of a decade of work on H5N1 and the recent response to H7N9,” said FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Juan Lubroth at a joint meeting with United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
