Officials in China have confirmed the first seasonal case of the H7N9 bird flu in a human being in that country. The person is hospitalized in critical condition. The 36-year-old patient had direct contract with live poultry. Four family members also have symptoms of the disease. This summer, there were 139 cases of the H7N9 bird flu in eastern China. Forty five people died in that outbreak. The virus does not spread easily from person-to-person at this point, but it may evolve that capability. The virus is now in the southern part of the country, around Hong Kong. The city is on a heightened alert status. Officials plan to inspect poultry farms. The problem is that birds do not exhibit symptoms of the disease. Yesterday officials said they are putting temporary bans of live poultry … [Read more...]
China Developing Five Year Policy to Control Bird Flu Outbreaks
Chinese officials are trying to control bird flu outbreaks by occasionally suspending live poultry trading in 110 of the country's poultry markets. The first suspension will be January 31, 2014 and will last until April 30, 2014. Last year, an outbreak of the H7N9 bird flu in China sickened 134 people and killed 43 in that country. In April 2013, all live poultry markets were shut down in Shanghai. That ban was lifted in June 2013. Any violators of this ban will be fined thousands of dollars. Poultry from other cities and provinces must go through designated slaughterhouses and can't be sold at the local markets. Experts say that the H7N9 virus may recur. So far this autumn, there have been five cases of the bird flu in humans beings on the mainland. There have not been verified … [Read more...]
National Institutes of Health Begins Testing H7N9 Avian Flu Vaccine
The National Institutes of Health has begun testing the H7N9 avian flu vaccine. This strain of the flu first emerged in China last year, with 135 confirmed human cases and 44 deaths. No H7N9 infections have been reported outside of China, and the virus hasn't demonstrated sustained person-to-person transmission, but it could mutate at any time and pose a public health threat. The trials are sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The H7N9 virus mostly occurred among people who live with live chickens. It's difficult to tell which birds carry the virus, since it doesn't cause serious illness in poultry. When people started getting sick in China, officials culled more than 111,000 birds nationwide and banned live poultry trading. The two clinical … [Read more...]
WHO Updates H7N9 Outbreak in China
The World Health Organization updated the status of the avian influenza A (H7N9) virus in China yesterday. The National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of an additional fifteen lab-confirmed cases of the virus. Three additional deaths were reported. To date, there are 102 lab confirmed cases, including 20 deaths. Sixty-seven patients are hospitalized and seven have been discharged. There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission so far, even though 40% of the patients had no contact with live poultry. Wild bird sales have been suspended in the country, and a ban on live poultry trading where the illnesses have occurred is in place. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations released an FAQ on the illness last week. They recommend that … [Read more...]
U.S. and Canadian Governments Issue Statements on H7N9 Flu Virus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States and the Public Health Agency of Canada have each released a statement about the H7N9 bird flu in China. Public health officials are trying to reassure citizens that the flu is not a serious threat at this time. The CDC states that no sustained person-to-person spread of the H7N9 virus has been found at this time. This non-human virus does have the potential to become a pandemic if it were to evolve, but the virus doesn't have that capability for now. Public health officials in the U.S. are developing a candidate vaccine virus to make a vaccine if it is needed. The CDC has posted a Traveler's Health Notice for anyone traveling to China. Canadian health authorities say that the strain of avian influenza causing … [Read more...]
New Strain of Bird Flu in China Increases Worry
A new strain of bird flu has appeared in China. The virus, H7N9, has killed six people in that country and infected 21 so far. McDonald's in Shanghai has cut the price of its chicken McNuggets in half in the past few days. And China's airlines are no longer serving chicken to passengers. Consumers there are worried that the outbreak may have infected the city's poultry market. The virus has evolved to infect people. I talked to Dr. O. Peter Snyder about the bird flu and poultry products a few years ago. He said, "the bird flu will have an effect on chicken consumption, and for a while, people will be fearful and eat less chicken. Then, people will realize it doesn't hurt the ordinary citizen and we will eat as much chicken as ever." This has been verified by public health … [Read more...]
