#11,122
For the past year many Chinese provinces have provided their H7N9 notifications in large batches - often buried in EOM epidemiology reports (see Hong Kong CHP Notified Of 19 Additional H7N9 Cases On Mainland) - meaning we may not learn of their cases until weeks after they occur.
Guangdong province - due to its close proximity to and trade relations with Hong Kong - is an exception, and we usually hear of their cases in relatively short order.
Today Guangdong's Ministry of Health and Family Planning Commission has announced a new H7N9 case, that of a 37 y.o. male from Jieyang City.
First the (translated) Provincial announcement, then the HK CHP notification.
Guangdong Province, H7N9, H5N6 outbreak communications (March 10)
2016-03-10 10:14:38This week (March 3 to March 10 10:00) province reports new H7N9 cases, 1 case of male patients was 37 years, Jieyang City Huilai County. Unreported new H5N6 cases. Up to now, the province reported a total of 2016 H7N9 cases, nine cases (compared with the same period in 2015 decreased 86.9%), 3 cases were cured, 3 died; H5N6 cases, 3 cases were cured in 1 case, 2 deaths.Experts advise: the public should remain vigilant, take the following measures to prevent H7N9 / H5N6. To wash their hands: after contact with poultry, wash hands before meals and after. To cook: poultry and eggs should be cooked before eating. To early treatment: If fever, cough, headache, general malaise and other respiratory symptoms, to early to the nearest health institution for treatment. If before contact with birds, to take the initiative to tell the doctor. Do not eat dead poultry. Do not buy poultry products from unknown sources. As far as possible to avoid live bird markets.
From Hong Kong's CHP we get the following notification:
CHP notified of additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Guangdong
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (March 10) received notification of an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) from the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. The patient is a 37-year-old man who lives in Jieyang.
"H5 and H7N9 avian influenza viruses can cause severe infections in humans. Due to the seasonal pattern, our risk assessment shows that the activity of avian influenza viruses is expected to remain at a high level in winter months. Human H5N6 and H7N9 cases have been recorded in the Mainland since this winter. Locally, birds positive for H5N6 and an imported human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) were also detected this winter. The public, particularly poultry traders, travellers and those who may visit the Mainland, should be highly alert. Do not visit poultry markets or farms. Avoid poultry contact. We will continue to monitor the regional and global disease situation," a spokesman for the CHP said.
From 2013 to date, 708 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities.
Although the 2016 YTD numbers on H7N9 cases are down considerably over last year, we've yet to see February's numbers from most of the provinces. Hopefully we'll start seeing some of those reports in the next few days.
