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For the second time in two days (see Monday’s Hong Kong CHP: Notification Of New H7N9 Case In Yangjiang City) Hong Kong has been notified of a new H7N9 infection hailing from Yangjiang City in the Southwestern portion of Guangdong Province. Today’s announced case is described as a 62 year-old male in critical condition.
We’ve no word of any epidemiological links between these two cases at this time.
While of concern, it should be noted that we fully expected to see a resurgence of the H7N9 virus this winter in China, and now that cold weather has set in there, we are beginning to see that happen. Thus far, cases appear to the sporadic, and the small handful of clusters of cases we’ve seen have been very limited in size.
All of which leads public health authorities to believe that this virus has not yet gained the ability to transmit efficiently from person-to-person (see WHO Avian Flu Risk Assessment – December).
Two reports, first the notification from Hong Kong’s CHP, followed by the statement on the Guangdong Province Ministry of Health website:
18 December 2013
Notification of confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Guangdong
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) has been notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province of a confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) today (December 18) affecting a 62-year-old man in Yangjiang, Guangdong Province.
The patient is currently in critical condition. His sample tested positive for the avian influenza A(H7N9) virus by the relevant health authority of Guangdong Province and the diagnosis was confirmed today.
To date, a total of 143 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been laboratory confirmed in the Mainland, including Zhejiang (51 cases), Shanghai (33 cases), Jiangsu (28 cases), Jiangxi (six cases), Fujian (five cases), Guangdong (five cases), Anhui (four cases), Henan (four cases), Shandong (two cases), Hunan (two cases), Beijing (two cases) and Hebei (one case).
A spokesman for the DH remarked that the CHP is closely monitoring the situation and maintaining close liaison with the Mainland health authorities for case details, as well as keeping a close eye on the latest advice from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Travellers, especially those returning from avian influenza A(H7N9)-affected areas and provinces, with fever or respiratory symptoms are reminded to immediately wear facial masks, seek medical attention, and reveal their travel history to doctors. Health-care professionals should also pay special attention to patients who might have had contact with birds, poultry or their droppings in affected areas.
In response to the human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) in the Mainland, port health measures have been implemented at all border control points and health information is being disseminated to travellers through various means including display of posters on avian influenza A(H7N9) in departure and arrival halls, distribution of health education pamphlets, in-flight announcements, enhanced environmental health inspection, provision of regular updates to travel industries via meetings and correspondence, surveillance of sick travellers and referral of suspected cases to public hospitals for further investigation.
The spokesman also urged travellers not to visit wet markets with live poultry in the affected areas and to avoid direct contact with poultry, birds and their droppings. If contact has been made, they should thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water.
Members of the public should remain vigilant and are reminded to take heed of the following preventive advice against avian influenza:
- Poultry and eggs should be thoroughly cooked before eating;
- Wash hands frequently with soap, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, handling food or eating; after going to the toilet or touching public installations or equipment such as escalator handrails, elevator control panels or door knobs; or when hands are dirtied by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing;
- Cover the nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing, and hold the spit with a tissue and put it into a covered dustbin;
- Avoid crowded places and contact with fever patients; and
- Wear a mask when respiratory symptoms develop or when taking care of fever patients.
The public may visit the CHP's avian influenza page (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/24244.html) and its website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/global_statistics_avian_influenza_e.pdf) for more information on avian influenza-affected areas.
Ends/Wednesday, December 18, 2013
This from the Guangdong Province Ministry of Health and Family Planning Commission.
Yangjiang new case of human infection of avian influenza H7N9 confirmed cases of the provincial government dispatched five steering group supervision prevention and control of the province
2013-12-18 17:10:06 Ministry of Health and Family Planning Commission |
December 18, Yangjiang 1 new confirmed cases of human infection with H7N9 avian influenza. Patients Yijun, male, 62 years old, who lives in Yangjiang City, the patient is currently in critical condition. Epidemiologists and clinical experts have assisted the province in Yangjiang conduct epidemiological investigations and guide patient treatment. Currently, the province's people infected with H7N9 bird flu case in five cases, including one case in Huizhou, Dongguan, two cases, Yangjiang two cases.
According to the provincial government deployed since December 18, the provincial prevention and control of human infection with H7N9 avian flu leading group sent five inspection teams to the province's 21 cities and Shunde conduct of human infection with H7N9 avian influenza prevention and control work supervision .
Inspection team will be listening to the reports and on-site inspections by the way, for poultry farming and management, the medical institutions of human infection with H7N9 avian influenza situation supervision. Implementation, medical institutions and other key neuraminidase inhibitors inspection of live poultry business market, "a cleaning day, a week a cleaning" and "turns Rest day, comprehensive cleaning and disinfection" and other measures, the procurement and use of antiviral drugs, case screening investigation and investigation and so on.
