China Urges Calm Amid Fears Over Bird Flu

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China Econtracker

6:22 pm
Jan 29, 2014 
Environment & Health

 China Urges Calm Amid Fears Over Bird Flu 

Chinese health officials are moving to calm fears over the potential spread of the H7N9 bird flu virus after three members of a Chinese family contracted it, sparking concerns of an outbreak spread between humans.

The World Health Organization is working with Chinese authorities to investigate the family, but WHO officials still believe H7N9 is an infection transmitted from birds to humans, a Beijing-based spokeswoman for the organization said. Thus far there has been “no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission,” the spokeswoman said, adding that it is natural for flu-like infections to rise in the winter, when weather is colder.

Health officials in China’s coastal Zhejiang province said Wednesday they confirmed three new H7N9 cases in a Hangzhou-based “family cluster,” a term used in public health to define infections of multiple family members, according to a statement on the Zhejiang Health and Family Commission’s website. The statement said that prior to the onset of the virus, the patients had common environmental exposure and close contact with one another. It didn’t say whether the family members were exposed to live poultry prior to falling ill.

Authorities are investigating the matter, the statement said.

Concerns over the spread of the virus have heightened as China prepares to celebrate its Lunar New Year on Friday, a holiday period in which citizens are expected to make more than 3 billion journeys—many in close quarters of planes and trains—to see family members.

Chinese authorities say the disease in China remains localized and has been transmitted only to humans who have had close contact with poultry, yet they are advising the public to cook food thoroughly and to wash hands frequently.

Chinese officials in recent days closed live poultry markets in Zhejiang province, where H7N9 infections have spiked to 49 infections, including 12 deaths, this year, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Nationally, there have been a total of 110 cases to date, according to the state-run People’s Daily.

A total of 254 cases have been recorded to date in mainland China since the virus emerged in the country last year, according to a tally kept by Hong Kong health officials. Hong Kong culled some 20,000 chickens and announced Tuesday a temporary suspension of live poultry imports from China to help prevent the spread of the disease there. Meanwhile, Hong Kong authorities said the city suffered its third H7N9-related fatality Wednesday, with the death of a 75-year-old man who contracted the disease after visiting a relative in Shenzhen who lived near a poultry market

http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/01/29/china-urges-calm-amid-fears-over-bird-flu/

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arirish Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: June 19 2013 Location: Arkansas Status: Offline Points: 39215	Post Options Post Reply Quote arirish Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: China Urges Calm Amid Fears Over Bird Flu Posted: January 29 2014 at 6:50am
	China Econtracker 6:22 pm Jan 29, 2014 Environment & Health China Urges Calm Amid Fears Over Bird Flu Chinese health officials are moving to calm fears over the potential spread of the H7N9 bird flu virus after three members of a Chinese family contracted it, sparking concerns of an outbreak spread between humans. The World Health Organization is working with Chinese authorities to investigate the family, but WHO officials still believe H7N9 is an infection transmitted from birds to humans, a Beijing-based spokeswoman for the organization said. Thus far there has been “no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission,” the spokeswoman said, adding that it is natural for flu-like infections to rise in the winter, when weather is colder. Health officials in China’s coastal Zhejiang province said Wednesday they confirmed three new H7N9 cases in a Hangzhou-based “family cluster,” a term used in public health to define infections of multiple family members, according to a statement on the Zhejiang Health and Family Commission’s website. The statement said that prior to the onset of the virus, the patients had common environmental exposure and close contact with one another. It didn’t say whether the family members were exposed to live poultry prior to falling ill. Authorities are investigating the matter, the statement said. Concerns over the spread of the virus have heightened as China prepares to celebrate its Lunar New Year on Friday, a holiday period in which citizens are expected to make more than 3 billion journeys—many in close quarters of planes and trains—to see family members. Chinese authorities say the disease in China remains localized and has been transmitted only to humans who have had close contact with poultry, yet they are advising the public to cook food thoroughly and to wash hands frequently. Chinese officials in recent days closed live poultry markets in Zhejiang province, where H7N9 infections have spiked to 49 infections, including 12 deaths, this year, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Nationally, there have been a total of 110 cases to date, according to the state-run People’s Daily. A total of 254 cases have been recorded to date in mainland China since the virus emerged in the country last year, according to a tally kept by Hong Kong health officials. Hong Kong culled some 20,000 chickens and announced Tuesday a temporary suspension of live poultry imports from China to help prevent the spread of the disease there. Meanwhile, Hong Kong authorities said the city suffered its third H7N9-related fatality Wednesday, with the death of a 75-year-old man who contracted the disease after visiting a relative in Shenzhen who lived near a poultry market http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/01/29/china-urges-calm-amid-fears-over-bird-flu/
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