HK CHP: Another Human H5N6 Case on the Mainland (Hunan Province)

 
#16,115

Just 4 days ago Hong Kong's CHP announced they were Monitoring 2 More H5N6 Infections On The Mainland (Guangxi & Sichaun), which were just  the latest in a spate of human H5N6 infection reported by China since the spring (see here and here).    

Avian flu infections during the summer are somewhat unusual, as the virus tends to survive better in cooler, dryer weather.

After a roughly 3-year global lull in reported avian flu cases, this uptick in human H5N6 infections in China began last November, continues today with the following report.

CHP closely monitors human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Mainland

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (August 10) closely monitoring a human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in the Mainland, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

The case involves a 55-year-old woman living in Chenzhou City of Hunan Province, who had prior exposure to a live poultry market before the onset of symptoms. She developed symptoms on July 26 and was admitted for treatment on August 1. The patient is in serious condition.

 From 2014 to date, 38 human cases of avian influenza A(H5N6) have been reported by Mainland health authorities.

"All novel influenza A infections, including H5N6, are notifiable infectious diseases in Hong Kong," a spokesman for the CHP said.

Travellers to the Mainland or other affected areas must avoid visiting wet markets, live poultry markets or farms. They should be alert to the presence of backyard poultry when visiting relatives and friends. They should also avoid purchasing live or freshly slaughtered poultry, and avoid touching poultry/birds or their droppings. They should strictly observe personal and hand hygiene when visiting any place with live poultry.

Travellers returning from affected areas should consult a doctor promptly if symptoms develop, and inform the doctor of their travel history for prompt diagnosis and treatment of potential diseases. It is essential to tell the doctor if they have seen any live poultry during travel, which may imply possible exposure to contaminated environments. This will enable the doctor to assess the possibility of avian influenza and arrange necessary investigations and appropriate treatment in a timely manner.

While local surveillance, prevention and control measures are in place, the CHP will remain vigilant and work closely with the World Health Organization and relevant health authorities to monitor the latest developments.

The public should maintain strict personal, hand, food and environmental hygiene and take heed of the advice below when handling poultry:

• Avoid touching poultry, birds, animals or their droppings;

• When buying live chickens, do not touch them and their droppings. Do not blow at their bottoms. Wash eggs with detergent if soiled with faecal matter and cook and consume the eggs immediately. Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling chickens and eggs;

• Eggs should be cooked well until the white and yolk become firm. Do not eat raw eggs or dip cooked food into any sauce with raw eggs. Poultry should be cooked thoroughly. If there is pinkish juice running from the cooked poultry or the middle part of its bone is still red, the poultry should be cooked again until fully done;

• Wash hands frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, before handling food or eating, and after going to the toilet, 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; and

• Wear a mask if fever or respiratory symptoms develop, when going to a hospital or clinic, or while taking care of patients with fever or respiratory symptoms.

The public may visit the CHP's pages for more information: the avian influenza page, the weekly Avian Influenza Report, global statistics and affected areas of avian influenza, the Facebook Page and the YouTube Channel.

Ends/Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Issued at HKT 19:15

While COVID understandably has captured most of the world's attention, there are other - potentially worse - zoonotic threats in the wild. And H5 avian influenza (H5N1/H5N6/H5N8) is very near the top of our watch list. 

Last May, in  Science: Emerging H5N8 Avian Influenza Viruses, we looked at a review by two well-respected Chinese scientists (Weifeng Shi and George F. Gao)  on the evolution, and growing zoonotic threat, of avian H5, stating:

•  the  ". . . global spread of AIVs, particularly the H5N8 subtype, has become a major concern to poultry farming and wildlife security but, critically, also to global public health."
• And due to the ". . . long-distance migration of wild birds, the innate capacity for reassortment of AIVs, the increased human-type receptor binding capability, and the constant antigenic variation of HPAIVs  the authors warned that it was imperative that " . . . the global spread and potential risk of H5N8 AIVs to poultry farming, avian wildlife, and global public health are not ignored."

While in June, in V. Evolution: Genomic Evolution, Transmission Dynamics, and Pathogenicity of Avian H5N8 Viruses Emerging in China, 2020, we saw Chinese researchers describe the rapid rise in 2020 of an antigenically distinct H5N8 virus that is lethal to chickens and mice, that is similar to the Russian Zoonotic strain, and has shown signs of mammalian adaptation.

Going back to  2017, in Nature Sci Rpts: H5N6 Viruses Exhibit Varying Pathogenicity & Transmissibility In Mammals, we looked at the ongoing evolution and spread of HPAI H5N6 in China.

Last February, in China's Recent Resurgence Of Human HPAI H5N6 Infections, we looked at the recent uptick in HPAI H5 outbreaks in birds and poultry - and its occasional jumps to humans - which began in early 2020. 

After 3 years of relative quiescence, avian flu appears firmly on the ascendant once again.

 
Unfortunately, surveillance and reporting is less than optimal even when we aren't in a pandemic, but is undoubtedly even less robust today. In too many ways, we are still Flying Blind In the Age Of Pandemics & Emerging Infectious Diseases.

While most of these viruses with modest zoonotic abilities will never rise to the level of a global health threat, it only takes one overachiever send the world back into a global emergency. And our history with pandemics has been, we never see it coming until it is too late.