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As we discussed at some length on Friday, in Virology: Receptor Binding Specificity Of H9N2 Avian Influenza Viruses, avian H9N2 viruses continue to show signs of improved mammalian adaptation - and while it generally causes only mild to moderate illness in humans - it is on the CDC's short list of novel flu viruses with pandemic potential (see CDC IRAT SCORE).
Today Taiwan's CDC has been notified of an H9N2 case from late last December in Hunan Province involving a 2 y.o. male from Changde City and has issued a Yellow Travel Notice to the region.This is the 7th H9N2 case reported by China in 2018 (see FluTrackers List), although seroprevalence studies suggest infection is far more common than the official case counts would suggest.
Today's notification was part of a larger announcement today on an investigation into cluster of influenza at a Taipei City Hospital, and stats on increased travel during this Spring Festival and Lunar New Year holiday.
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United Christian Hospital cluster of influenza surveillance expiration of the relevant contacts in full lifting of track; the other to enhance the new type A influenza epidemic recommend travel to mainland China Hunan Province second stage warning level (Alert)
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On the 1st of February, the Department of Disease Control received a new case of H9N2 flu in mainland China. The case was a 2-year-old boy from Changde City, Hunan Province. On December 27, 2018, the disease was mild and unclear. History of live poultry exposure; based on the local risk of exposure to avian influenza, the Department of Disease Control will raise the awareness of tourism epidemics in Hunan Province to the second level of alert.
There have been 4 cases of H9N2 influenza in the world since October last year, no deaths, distributed in Guangdong Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hunan Province, all of which are mild, 1 case has a history of poultry exposure; 34 cases have been accumulated worldwide since 2013 There are 28 cases in mainland China.
The Department of Diseases and Prevention reminds people who travel to mainland China to visit relatives. To prevent new types of influenza A, the principle of "5 to 6 no" should be observed. 5: Poultry and eggs should be cooked, wash hands with soap, and wear symptoms. Get a quick mask, get a long-term contact with birds, get a flu shot, have a balanced diet and exercise properly; 6 no: don't eat raw bird eggs or products, don't smuggle and buy unidentified bird meat, don't touch or feed Migratory birds and birds, no wilderness and random discarding of birds, no breeding of poultry and other livestock, no air circulation or crowded places. For more information, please visit the UNDCP World Wide Web (https://www.cdc.gov.tw) or call the toll-free vaccination line 1922 (or 0800-001922).
