According to Taiwan's "United Daily News" reported, H7N9 avian flu heating, Taiwan's Taitung County, a 59-year-old Taiwanese 9th consecutive fever, Taitung hospital. The hospital to be prudent to require isolation, and collected specimens sent to the Taipei CDC inspection in the afternoon yesterday (8th). The Taitung County Health Bureau said today (9) morning, the test results will only be known after service of eight hours, is expected to announce the results in the afternoon two or three.
Chu Nien-feng, head of the hospital, said patients currently in stable condition, still fever. This man back to Taitung in the Qingming even false, he visited the mainland when the market two weeks ago after another fever, antipyretic before his return to Taiwan, so the clearance at the airport undetected illness.
According to Taiwan's "Central News Agency" reports, Taiwan's Department of Health, Center for Disease Control (9) As of yesterday (8th), Earlier Taiwan reported 27 suspected cases, total exclusion of infection of H7N9 avian influenza. http://tw.people.com.cn//n/2013/0409/c14657-21071923.html
Hong Kong (HKSAR) - The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) received a report from Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) today (April 9) of a suspected case of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus.
According to the CHP's preliminary investigation, the 66-year-old man complained of headache, difficulty in breathing and chills yesterday (April 8). The man was found collapsed in a hotel room this morning. He was sent to the Accident and Emergency Department of PMH and died despite resuscitation.
Investigations revealed that the man was a tourist from Indonesia. He had travelled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between March 30 and April 8. He transited in Dubai and arrived in Hong Kong this morning and stayed in the hotel for subsequent departure to Indonesia this afternoon.
Preliminary laboratory test results today for the man's respiratory specimens were negative for Novel Coronavirus associated with Severe Respiratory Disease.
The DH has notified the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Hong Kong about the case.
The case will be referred to the Coroner for investigation.
"The CHP will continue its surveillance mechanism with public and private hospitals, practising doctors and the airport for any suspected cases of severe respiratory disease associated with novel coronavirus," a DH spokesman remarked.
"No human infection with this virus has been identified so far in Hong Kong," the spokesman stressed.
"We would like to reassure the public that the Government will be as transparent as possible in the dissemination of information on cases of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus. Whenever there is a suspected case, particularly involving patients with travel history to the Middle East and the affected areas, the CHP will release information to the public as soon as possible," the spokesman reiterated.
Vietnam has confirmed its first human death from bird flu in more than a year, though it is not related to an outbreak of a new strain in China.
Health official Doan Tan Buu said Tuesday that a 4-year-old boy died of the H5N1 strain of bird flu on April 4 after being hospitalized in southern Dong Thap province.
Buu said the boy developed fever and other symptoms on March 23 after his family slaughtered a chicken bought in a village where tests later confirmed an outbreak among poultry.
Vietnam's last human bird flu death was reported in February last year.
Published: 2013-04-09 19:40 Source: China National Radio of:
Hong Beijing, April 9 learned today from the Health Department of Jiangsu Province, the province one cases of human infection with confirmed cases of the H7N9 avian flu afternoon died after death.
Patients Shen, male, 83 years old, Suzhou Wujiang District. Disease, on March 20 for medical treatment at a hospital in Suzhou. April 2 confirmed human infection of H7N9 avian influenza. Provincial expert group has organized a consultation, guiding clinical treatment. On the afternoon of April 9, died after rescue invalid.
As of 17:00 today, the Shanghai new confirmed cases of human infection with H7N9 avian influenza.Patients Lin, male, 62 years old, the people of Shanghai, retirees; patients Wang, male, 77 years old, the people of Shanghai, retirees. Two in stable condition and being treated in a total of 10 close contacts have been implemented under medical observation, were not present abnormal. There were confirmed cases of 13 cases.
Zhejiang Provincial Health Department Bulletin, April 9 as of April 9, 2011, 4:00 PM EDT, Zhejiang add two cases of human infection with the H7N9 avian influenza. Patients Jiamou, female, 51 years old, retired, who lives in Huzhou City. Now to a hospital for treatment. Patients Shentu a male, 79 years old, retired, who lives in Hangzhou. Now to a hospital for treatment. Currently, Gumou case severe, the disease is still smooth; Shentu a case of critically ill.
Up to now, the country confirmed infection of H7N9 avian flu to 28 people, eight people were killed. Which 13 cases (5 deaths), Jiangsu 8 cases (deaths), Zhejiang 5 cases (2 deaths), two cases in Anhui. http://news.nfdaily.cn/content/2013-04/09/content_66667904.htm
The release of full sets of sequences by The Harbin Veterinary Institutehas allowed for comparisons with the four human sequences. Although these sequences are closely related, the PB2 E627K in all human sequences was absent from all three avian sequence.
The earliest human sequence, A/Shanghai/1/2013, was the most diverse, and did not have H7 Q226L a key receptor binding domain. Q226L was in the next two human sequences, A/Shanghai/2/2013 and A/Anhui/1/2013. This position evolved further to L226I in A/Hangzhou/1/2013, signaling human adaptation. The three avian H7N0 sequences from a pigeon, (A/Pigeon/Shanghai/S1069/2013), chicken (A/Chicken/Shanghai/S1053/2013), and environment (A/Environment/Shanghai/S1088/2013) are from recent samples. They were congenic with the human sequences and did not have E627K.
This difference is significant, since E627K produces temperature dependent differences in polymerase activity. Avian sequences typically have an E at position 627 which produces optimal activity at 40 C, the body temperature of a bird, while E627K produces optimal activity at 33 C
Prior to the H7N9 outbreak there have been only one reported death due to bird flu, which was a veterinarian infected with H7N7 during the 2003 outbreak in the Netherlands, which had E627K. Thus, the presence of E627K in the first three cases, which were severe or fatal, and the expectation of E627K in the most recent human sequence, which was also from a fatal case, raises serious pandemic concerns.
Moreover, all sequences have D225G and M230I. D225G is in all H5N1 sequences and was also linked to severe H1N1pdm09 cases, as well as a subset of 1918 cases. M230I is present in human seasonal flu (H3N2 and influenza B) raising additional transmission concerns. Thus, the presence of E627K in all human H7N9 reported to date, and its absent in the avian sequences, significantly increases pandemic concerns.
Nanjing Gulou Hospital were treated three cases of H7N9 patients, the country admitted to the hospital of the H7N9 patients. Check first patient March 27 Gulou Hospital, hospital intensive care unit due to illness symptoms generally severe pneumonia performance is highly sensitive to report immediately to the hospital leadership, launched the emergency procedures and results of the test showed that patients with H7N9 virus nucleic acid positive. The hospital on March 30 and April 4, admitted two cases of H7N9 patients, 3 patients have lived in the intensive care unit of the Drum Tower Hospital in negative pressure rooms. Three patients arrived in the hospital are high fever, respiratory failure, incontinence, unconsciousness, pulmonary edema, multiple organ dysfunction, extremely rapid progress of the disease, including two cases of admission continuously ejected from his mouth a lot of pink foam sputum. These patients is still very ill, which is a relatively stable condition. http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/china/20130409/51337521
, April 09, 2013 Avian influenza virus infection have been reported in China [Nago], a larger concern by day 8, the world authority of Virus Research Director of the Institute of Biological Resources analysis information of all genes (type H7N9) is Nago provided by researchers in Japan (73) to serve as Mr. Kuniaki Nerome. Mr. Nerome talk analyzing the genetic information "that spread from birds to humans is unlikely," and I have the possibility of explosive spread of infection is low. Emphasized is also likely to be susceptible to infection by mutations in mammals only "next two weeks maximum precautions need to be taken and". According to Mr. Nerome, it is that thing that is included in a particular protein gene of avian influenza virus in avian influenza-specific, hard to attach to human cells. You may have entered the human bronchus in a place where there are a large number of bird droppings that have been contaminated with the virus from cases in the past. At the stage of data that has been provided to the person looking at the possibility of infection is low people, from people from birds. On the other hand, I also found that the onset of type H7N9 bird is less attenuated virulence.Mr. Nerome will be mingle pig. That there is a danger that become virulent in attenuated virulence, and transmitted to humans for the birds "in attenuated virulence Spanish flu pandemic occurred in the past, as well as type Hong Kong A, virus and human I said, "a problem. The correspondence of the future, in order to take up to 48 hours before the onset of infection, Mr. Nerome the border to prevent the entry strategy is that there is a limit to an infection, such as miss. I pointed out that measures such as vaccines hurry, even if people were moved to "complications current is suppressed with antibiotics, do not be afraid there is also a preventive medicine. Than necessary" and. (Jun Kaneshiro)http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-205073-storytopic-1.html
Latest incident of dead animals in waterway raises concerns about disposal procedures
Scores of dead pigs have been retrieved from a Central China waterway, just weeks after thousands were discovered in Shanghai's Huangpu River.
Authorities have been pulling the carcasses from Liuyang River in Hunan province since Saturday. More than 70 pigs had been retrieved as of Sunday, but an official figure has yet to be released.
The carcasses were probably dumped by pig farmers upstream and were carried along the river due to recent rainstorms, the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald reported on Monday, quoting an unnamed agriculture, forestry and water resources official for Changsha's Kaifu district.
"We have to immediately remove them in a sanitary way to avoid water pollution and contamination," the official said.
Wu Guohua, another official, said it is rare to see such a large amount of dead pigs in the river.
The district environmental protection bureau said it will closely monitor the river's water quality to guarantee residents' safety.
"No bird flu virus was detected on the dead pigs," Tan Jingming, deputy director of the Changsha animal disease prevention and control center, said.
A series of similar discoveries have been reported across China since residents started complaining on March 5 about finding dead pigs in Huangpu River.
There has been an abnormally high number of dead hogs following an outbreak of porcine circovirus, a common disease, plus changeable weather this winter, the Ministry of Agriculture said on its website.
"Authorities should seriously investigate where the dead pigs come from and harshly punish the pig dumpers," said a resident surnamed Zhang, who said the situation posed a great threat to people's safety, especially after a new and deadly strain of bird flu was detected.
The discovery of tens of thousands of pig carcasses nationwide has raised concerns about how the country deals with numerous dead pigs every year.
The National Bureau of Statistics said China had about 700 million pigs in 2012, of which 18 million died of disease.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, pig farmers can get a subsidy of 80 yuan ($12) for each pig dead of disease. Regulations require animals that died in this way to be disposed of in a sanitary way, such as burial at least 1.5 meters deep or cremated.
But because the subsidy application process is complicated, many pig farmers choose to sell the dead pigs to illegal buyers, said Li Waiguang, a farmer in Yingtan, Jiangxi province.
"If authorities crack down on dead pig transactions, farmers will dump the dead into the nearest rivers," he added.
Li suggested authorities establish sanitary treatment stations for dead animals to help farmers.
As the H7N9 strain has claimed the lives of six people in China, the Incheon International Airport begins to decontaminate the whole body of people working in the livestock industry among those who are entering Korea through the airport Monday. The airport headquarters of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency has strengthened its quarantine against those arrived from countries hit by the highly contagious animal disease.
The sale of chicken dishes and fresh and frozen chicken has dropped in Qatar in the wake of the bird flu outbreak in five large eastern cities of China, inquiries have found. Gulf Times spoke to a number of stakeholders to discover the decline varies between ‘significant’ at upscale eateries frequented by locals and westerns to ‘slight’ at mid-market restaurants famous among Asian and African expatriates. Supermarkets selling frozen chicken and stores dealing in live poultry were also hit by the scare. “We are receiving customers who ask for beef, mutton and vegetables now instead of chicken…chicken is no more the most sought out food,” said the owner of a south Indian restaurant in Al-Najma locality in Doha. Though he wasn’t sure about the reason behind people staying away from what has been a specialty of his eatery, the owner was shocked because of business losses. Same was the case with Turkish restaurant Ali Baba in Al-Mansoura area nearby. “We are losing clientele which will come to us because of our chicken dishes…but it is not very dramatic,” said one of the chefs. Officials at some hypermarkets said the sale of frozen chicken at their outlets across Doha is also down but they are not sure about the percentage. “It is something we can feel now…not very high but not ignorable as well,” said an official at a supermarket, requesting his name not be mentioned. The impact of bird flu scare was much more pinching at restaurants inside the city’s elitist hotels in the West Bay area that is home to several thousand Westerners working in Qatar. “Chicken is almost no more served at our restaurants…we avoid it ourselves but provide if there is a demand,” said an official at the Doha Marriott Hotel, seeking anonymity. The new strain of bird flu that surfaced in China has infected 18 people, most of them critical, and six have died until Saturday, causing concern overseas. Four deaths occurred in Shanghai and two in Zhejiang. Chinese authorities have killed more than 20,000 birds from a live-poultry trading zone in Shanghai in an effort to deal with the issue. The cull came as researchers in the US said they had started work on developing a vaccine for H7N9. Incidentally, in Qatar the Supreme Council of Health announced last week the first death from Influenza A (H1N1). The deceased was a 43-year-old Qatari man. The Council said the citizen was admitted to hospital on March 29 complaining of difficulty in breathing and a rise in temperature, adding that he was also suffering from chronic diseases. After medical examinations it became evident that the patient was suffering from severe pneumonia and was given anti-flu treatment. He was admitted to the intensive care unit under the supervision of a medical team but his condition did not improve and he died on Thursday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed a new type of avian influenza virus in humans identified as A(H7N9) in the People’s Republic of China. All cases developed severe pneumonia and breathing difficulties, some resulting in death. Additional cases are expected. Official numbers are available here.
Risk to Canadians
The strain of H7N9 avian influenza causing illness in people in China has not been identified in birds in Canada.
There have been no reports of human illness in Canada associated with the H7N9 flu virus currently causing illness in China.
The risk posed to humans by avian influenza in birds is generally very low. Avian influenza does not transmit easily from birds to infect humans.
While there is no risk of catching the flu virus by eating affected poultry, Canada, in fact, does not import raw poultry or raw poultry products from China.
Canadians should protect themselves and their fellow citizens from seasonal/annual influenza by:
Getting an annual flu shot;
Washing hands frequently;
Covering coughs and sneezes;
Keeping common surfaces clean; and
Staying home when sick.
Travel information
While the Agency is not advising any travel restrictions related to this event at this time, a Travel Health Notice has been posted on the travel.gc.ca website to provide advice to Canadian travellers. We will continue to monitor this situation very closely and advise Canadians as appropriate.
What the Public Health Agency of Canada is doing
The Agency works closely with its national and international partners, including the WHO, to track all types of flu activity in Canada and around the world.
An Agency medical expert is based in Beijing and is liaising with the Chinese infectious disease prevention authorities on this outbreak.
The Agency's National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) has access to the H7N9 whole genome sequence through the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID). This information allows the NML to rapidly detect the H7N9 flu virus.
Ko Wing-man, the Secretary of the Hong Kong Food and Health Bureau, April 8, to attend the special session of the Council of Health Affairs, said there are nine suspected cases of infection of H7N9, need experts further assessment. The authorities had announced two of these cases, and confirmed not confirmed cases.
The Government announced earlier, another seven people of Hong Kong to the East China travel tour after fever symptoms, HA confirmed that seven people infected. The authorities reiterated that there would not advise the public not to travel to the East China. The World Health Organization does not support the the individual government unilateral right place for travel alerts.
Ko Wing-man, said the people of Hong Kong are not new coronavirus virus or the H7N9 avian influenza infection , but the authorities are on high alert, never falter. From the 11th, the relevant authorities for the import of poultry at Man Kam To Control Point H7 rapid test results to be available within four hours, if no problem can be shipped to the poultry market to sell. And stressed with the continent multiple units to maintain close contact and there is no big problem.
...."Liang Wannian stressed currently active vaccine research is basic research, if the disease mutation, lead The spread between people, in particular, is a large area of the crowd spread that the vaccine is necessary to produce, if only a sporadic, mainly derived from animals, then the number of the patient occurred only punctate, this time there is no need to vaccinate....http://news.dayoo.com/china/57400/201304/09/57400_109966629.htm
Technology Daily News April 8, the General Logistics Department of Health organized by the Ministry of the People's Liberation Army No. 302 Hospital of Infectious Disease Clinic and Research Center Director Zhao experts, hospital remote medical information system, to carry out the whole army medical personnel "of human infection with the H7N9 avian influenza medical treatment "the remote training activities. Training, Zhao, director title "people interpret and typical cases of H7N9 avian flu infection analysis of human infection of H7N9 avian influenza etiology characteristics, epidemic monitoring and reporting, clinic, laboratory monitoring, health education, etc. training, carried out a detailed analysis and interpretation of human infection with the H7N9 avian influenza.
It is understood that the People's Liberation Army No. 302 Hospital is the country's largest, the military only three A-level infectious disease hospital, has a whole army of new outbreaks of infectious diseases prevention and control key laboratories and a large number of infectious diseases leading experts in the field, they have attended, including the fight against various types of critically ill outbreak of SARS prevention and control of a stream, including disposal tasks more than 20 times, has a wealth of prevention and control of communicable diseases and treatment experience. http://www.kaixian.tv/R1/n1723689c7.shtml
April 8 (Reporter Guo Guozhong) reporters today learned from the Wuxi Municipal Health Bureau, the city start since April 3, emergency response, monitoring, prevention and control work leading group established to address influenza epidemic city departments, health care institutions hav..\ http://www.kaixian.tv/R1/n1723596c7.shtml
The new type of the H7N9 avian influenza virus genes from wild birds Korea and China in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu flocks gene reassortment
Network】 【Finance (Reporter Wang Chen) new avian influenza virus H7N9 in China, the number of infections rising, as of April 8, to 24, the number of infections and deaths increased to seven cases. Such a low-morbidity in poultry, the viruses that cause high mortality in humans, caused by the high degree of concern in the scientific community. H7N9 avian influenza virus, one of the most important direction - gene traceable Recently, some preliminary conclusions.
Institute of pathogenic microorganisms and Immunology Key Laboratory researchers said the new financial reporter April 8, the reassortant virus fragments of the Laboratory results showed that the eight gene segments of the H7N9 avian flu virus, H7 fragment derived from Zhejiang avian influenza virus isolated in ducks, and Zhejiang ducks virus up retrospective homologous with the avian influenza virus isolated Korean wild birds; homology of the avian influenza virus isolated N9 fragment of wild birds in Korea. The remaining six gene segments (PB2, PB1, PA, NP, M, NS) derived from the H9N2 avian influenza virus. According to the viral genome comparison and phylogenetic analysis, H9N2 avian influenza virus from flocks of China in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and other places.
Gene reassortment likely occurred in China's Yangtze River Delta region. Process possibly via Korea of wild birds in the natural migration process, and the Yangtze River Delta region of China, ducks, chickens with its own bird flu virus gene reassortment produce. The results also show that the H7N9 avian influenza virus evolution traces, yet found in pigs and that pigs do not play the role of intermediate host in this viral gene reassortment.
Korean wild birds
Avian influenza virus is composed of eight gene fragment, including the HA, NA, PB2, PB1, PA, NP, M, NS, virus named determined by these two genes HA, NA name, each of the middle of the 6 "family members" not identical. Is also known as the H7N9 virus, is not necessarily the same. This different from the gaggle in the Czech Republic in 2009, found that the H7N9 avian influenza virus H7N9 found in mainland China, is also different from the H7N9 avian influenza virus isolated from wild ducks in Korea in 2008, three common virus only is that the same N9, the remaining seven genes are not the same - they are collectively referred to as the H7N9 subtype.
Very important as the name of the virus HA, NA gene fragment Two glycoproteins protrusions on the surface of the influenza virus, hemagglutinin (HA) like virus used to open and the invasion of the keys to the cells of humans or livestock, nerve ammonia acid enzymes (NA), can destroy the cell receptors, help virus spread freedom in the host body. Can be divided into 16 kinds of HA, NA can be divided into nine kinds. Different combinations between them, the theoretical maximum can be combined into 144 different virus subtypes, in reality, it has been found more than 130 species.
Continuous generation of reassortant viruses in nature, different virus through contact with their respective host another exchange of gene fragments. The H7N9 avian flu virus found in the Chinese mainland, in the nature of the spread process is likely to follow the following path: migratory the Korean wild bird carrying H subtypes (including H7N3 and H7N9 subtype avian influenza virus) to the Yangtze River Delta region of China, the contact Zhejiang ducks, the virus reassortant ducks carrying the H7 subtype viruses, ducks are likely as an intermediate host, and Zhejiang, Shanghai and other places carrying H9N2 avian influenza virus in chickens contact eventually gene reassortment become the new avian flu virus H7N9.
Break the person poultry barrier
According to the traditional experience of the avian flu virus, regardless of the poultry is low pathogenic virus or high pathogenic virus, are more difficult to infect human cells, generally after the human respiratory tract Jibei stand in the way.
Reality and research revealed that the original virus circulating in poultry, or through an intermediate host pig gene reassortment infected person;, or directly from poultry to people. The H7N9 avian influenza virus, that is, directly from birds to people. The danger is that this presents a low pathogenic virus in birds who was devastating in the human body, the virus replicated in human lungs crazy, very rapid progression of the disease, the mortality rate is also high.
In accordance with the mechanism of virus structure, the process of the virus invades the human body like a teamwork combat is divided into three steps: HA like a key breakthrough who host limit; NA helps the virus destroys the cell receptor so that the new copy synthesis spread of the virus the remaining six gene fragments collaboration, and the completion of the virus to copy a large number of cells in the body, three steps with the lack of a non-Which one imbalance can be caused by viruses strength weakening, difficult to play killing effect on the human body.
Unfortunately, these three steps efficient havoc with the human body in a new type of H7N9 avian influenza virus. According to experts, research, resulting in new H7N9 avian influenza virus to infect humans and cause high mortality from the virus mutates.
"N9 mutation has been observed the N9 gene fragment is shorter than the N9 gene fragments, but still I do not know this variation lead to what specific consequences". The above researchers said.
This change in the course of the study, the the H7 gene fragments and customary H7 has not changed much, but in people - avian receptor binding specificity, critical amino acid changes in determining people affect pending further scientific assessment. H7 subtypes of avian influenza virus infection case had occurred.
From 1959 to 2007, 112 cases of infections in the United States, Australia and the Netherlands, but showed a slight, only conjunctivitis and mild flu-like symptoms, H7 subtypes of avian influenza virus has been unaffected the attention of the scientific community."
Seven local patients are undergoing tests for H7N9 bird flu in Hong Kong. Two earlier suspected cases tested negative for the virus.As part of efforts to guard against a possible outbreak, the government will start checking imported poultry for the H7 strain of bird flu from Thursday. A territory-wide poultry cull will be considered, if there are any confirmed cases of H7N9 among birds or humans.http://rthk.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20130409/news_20130409_56_913813.htm
Monday, April 8, 2013, 22:28 pmREPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG - In this April, the month that are prone to poultry. Because, in the transition season, bird flu easily infect poultry.
According to the Head of Department of Animal Husbandry (Disnak) Jabar, Koesmayadi, has been two months since it anticipate the spread of bird flu virus to farms in West Java. Moreover, now the H7N9 virus outbreak in China. "Hopefully, the virus does not go to Indonesia. But indeed, the current month transition period prone to disease," said Koesmayadi told Reuters on Monday (8/4). According Koesmayadi, Jabar Disnak perform a variety of anticipated working with a team of URC (Quick Response Unit). So there are cases of bird flu, it will be addressed immediately in order not to spread to other birds. "Traffic poultry, we watch as well," he said.http://www.republika.co.id/berita/nasional/jawa-barat-nasional/13/04/08/mky0bn-disnak-jabar-perketat-pengawasan-unggas
There is no proof that the H7N9 bird flu virus is being transmitted between people in China, the World Health Organisation said, despite several members of a family falling ill in Shanghai.
China announced just over a week ago that the virus had been found in humans for the first time, and the number of confirmed cases has since risen to 21, with six deaths.
"Although we do not know the source of infection, at this time there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission," Michael O'Leary, the WHO's representative in China, told a news conference in Beijing.
Concerns over human transmission arose after the two sons of an elderly man in Shanghai, one of the earliest deaths from H7N9, developed respiratory illness, one of them dying, but the virus was later ruled out by Chinese authorities.
The WHO confirmed that government finding on Monday.
Two women ride past the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, on April 4, 2013. There is no proof that the H7N9 bird flu virus is being transmitted between people in China, the World Health Organization said. (Photo by AFP)
"The family cluster raises the possibility of human-to-human transmission, but two of the cases in that cluster have not been laboratory confirmed," O'Leary said...
Catching the flu: As a precautionary measure against bird flu, a worker carries a cage during an attempt to catch pigeons in People's Square in Shanghai on Saturday. | AP
Airline, tourism shares slump despite assurances from WHO over outbreak that's killed six in China
BEIJING – The World Health Organization said Monday there is no evidence China’s bird flu is spreading among humans, but jitters over the outbreak that has killed six people so far has also seen airline and tourism shares slump.
China announced just over a week ago that H7N9 avian influenza had been found in humans for the first time, and now 21 cases jave been confirmed.
Like the more common H5N1 variant, which typically spreads from birds to humans, experts fear such viruses can mutate into a form easily transmissible between humans, with the potential to trigger a pandemic.
“Although we do not know the source of infection, at this time there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission,” Michael O’Leary, the WHO’s representative in China, told a news conference in Beijing.
“The human cases we know of are very serious. A large proportion have died,” he added.
Fears over the deaths sparked a slump in Shanghai shares, with hotel and tourism shares leading the decline.
China United Travel, a tourism agency based in the eastern city of Nanjing, slumped 4.1 percent and hotel operator Shanghai Jinjiang International Hotels Development fell 3.8 percent, while flag carrier Air China was off 2.6 percent. But medical stocks rose.
Concerns over the outbreak were also blamed for a tumble in Hong Kong stocks Friday; however, shares rallied on Monday.
“The major cause of bird flu remains unknown and this will cause panic among people and affect consumption, which may affect market expectations for the trend of the domestic economy,” BOC International analyst Shen Jun said.
The outbreak has so far been confined to China’s developed eastern region, with four deaths in the commercial hub of Shanghai and two in the neighboring province of Zhejiang. Other infections have occurred in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces.
A Chinese expert said more H7N9 cases could be found in a wider area.
“We are tracking the source and cannot rule out the possibility of finding the virus in other regions,” said Feng Zijian, director of the emergency office for China’s Disease Control Center.
Another official, Shu Yuelong, said that poultry infected with the H7N9 strain die more slowly than those with H5N1, giving the virus more time to infect people.
More than 365 people have died of H5N1 worldwide since a major outbreak in 2003, and it kills about 60 percent of people who develop it, according to WHO statistics.
The first deaths from H7N9 were not reported by Chinese authorities until three weeks after they occurred, prompting criticism the initial announcement was too slow.
But Chinese officials have said the delay in announcing the first results was because it took time to determine the cause of the illness, and O’Leary praised China’s transparency, saying the WHO was “very satisfied and pleased with the level of information shared.”
China faced condemnation a decade ago on accusations it covered up the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, which eventually killed about 800 people globally.
Users of China’s popular weibo microblogs have expressed skepticism about official assurances. “Although there is no human transmission, why does the number (of cases) increase daily? This makes people scared,” said user Li Xiao Lei.
The WHO said in a statement that it is possible the virus can spread to humans from animals, such as pigeons.
The China Daily newspaper Monday called for “high alert” nationwide and urged stronger regulation of the poultry trade.
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