Tracking the next pandemic: Avian Flu Talk |
CHP China reports 4 new H7N9 infections,1 fatal |
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Kyle
Adviser Group Joined: May 29 2013 Location: Colorado, USA Status: Offline Points: 5800 |
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Posted: January 13 2014 at 8:08am |
13 January 2014 Epidemiological investigation and follow-up actions by CHP on confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 13) provided an update on the confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) affecting a man aged 65. The patient passed away at 7.02pm tonight. "The CHP will report this case to the World Health Organization. The epidemiological investigations, enhanced disease surveillance, port health measures and health education about avian influenza are proceeding," a spokesman for the DH said. As of 4pm today, the number of close contacts remained at five while there were 98 other contacts. Close contacts were put under quarantine for ten days from their last contact with the patient and were prescribed the antiviral Tamiflu for prophylaxis, followed by ten more days of medical surveillance. Other contacts remain under medical surveillance. They include another family member of the patient, healthcare workers, clients and visitors of relevant healthcare facilities, an officer at a border control point and the patient's neighbours. Eight of them developed non-specific symptoms. The respiratory specimens of seven of them tested negative for H7 virus while the result of the remaining sample is pending. Since the first confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Hong Kong on December 3, 2013, the CHP's hotline (2125 1111) has been set up for public enquiries. As of 4pm today, 122 calls have been received. Additionally, the CHP today received notification of four additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Foshan (two cases) from the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, and in Zhejiang (two cases) from the National Health and Family Planning Commission. As of 9pm today, a total of 169 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been confirmed in the Mainland, including Zhejiang (60 cases), Shanghai (36 cases), Jiangsu (30 cases), Guangdong (16 cases), Jiangxi (six cases), Fujian (six cases), Anhui (four cases), Henan (four cases), Beijing (two cases), Hunan (two cases), Shandong (two cases) and Hebei (one case). "Travellers, especially those returning from avian influenza-affected areas and provinces with fever or respiratory symptoms, should immediately wear masks, seek medical attention and reveal their travel history to doctors. Healthcare professionals should pay special attention to patients who might have had contact with poultry, birds or their droppings in affected areas and provinces," the spokesman advised. Members of the public should remain vigilant and take heed of the preventive advice against avian influenza below: * Do not visit live poultry markets. Avoid contact with poultry, birds and their droppings. If contact has been made, thoroughly wash hands with soap; * Poultry and eggs should be thoroughly cooked before eating; * Wash hands frequently with soap, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, handling food or eating; after going to the toilet or touching public installations or equipment (including escalator handrails, elevator control panels and door knobs); or when hands are dirtied by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing; * Cover the nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing, hold the spit with a tissue and put it into a covered dustbin; * Avoid crowded places and contact with fever patients; and * Wear masks when respiratory symptoms develop or when taking care of fever patients. The public may visit the CHP's avian influenza page (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/24244.html) and website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/global_statistics_avian_influenza_e.pdf) for more information on avian influenza-affected areas and provinces. Ends/Monday, January 13, 2014 Source |
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Albert
Admin Joined: April 24 2006 Status: Offline Points: 47746 |
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H7N9 is clearly exploding in China. Still a little baffling that h7 hasn't popped up outside of China, or perhaps it's just a matter of days now. Between all of the ongoing h5n1 and h7n9 infections in China, the situation is not good.
Looks like we're going to remain at defcon 4 for another 60 days until warmer temps arrive and cases subside. |
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coyote
Admin Group Joined: April 25 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 8395 |
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Albert wrote:H7N9 is clearly exploding in China. Still a little baffling that h7 hasn't popped up outside of China, or perhaps it's just a matter of days now. Between all of the ongoing h5n1 and h7n9 infections in China, the situation is not good.
Looks like we're going to remain at defcon 4 for another 60 days until warmer temps arrive and cases subside. Hi Albert, A little confused here. So I guess it's safe to say that we are in the clear for this winter/spring, and next winter will be the big threat? |
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Long time lurker since day one to Member.
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Albert
Admin Joined: April 24 2006 Status: Offline Points: 47746 |
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Hello Coyote, thanks. Meant to say that we won't be decreasing the defcon level for a couple months, and of course the possibility of raising it still remains for that period of time depending on what happens.
It's still unclear is we could be facing a very slow moving pandemic in which the virus doesn't currently require any further mutation and can spread slowly via limited h2h. |
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coyote
Admin Group Joined: April 25 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 8395 |
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Thanks Buddy!
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Long time lurker since day one to Member.
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Albert
Admin Joined: April 24 2006 Status: Offline Points: 47746 |
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I should also add that last year when h7 emerged they had identified asymptomatic "carriers" of the virus. That means that although they are monitoring close contacts of the infected, they should also test them. The so-called carriers are probably the number one mode of spread with the virus.
Chinese officials and the WHO are aware of this. They might say wet markets are the culprit, but it's most likely the asymptomatic carriers is my guess, since so many cases have no contact with poultry and the wet markets. |
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talonstip
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H7N9 is getting confusing, is there somewhere on the site where we can see a running total of cases?
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Albert
Admin Joined: April 24 2006 Status: Offline Points: 47746 |
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Hi talonstip, it's a little difficult to get totals for this year so far as they're now coming in fairly quickly by CHP and there is usually quite a long lag before the WHO updates totals/cases, and they're usually behind quite a bit. I put a link at the top of the forum for totals and planned on putting a case count thread in General Discussion to see if we could all track it together, and at that point we would update the case count total daily at the top of the forum. So to answer your question, it's a little difficult to get the total cases for this year as of yet, but working on it and should be resolved shortly.
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talonstip
V.I.P. Member Joined: January 31 2007 Status: Offline Points: 380 |
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Great that should be helpful.
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KiwiMum
Chief Moderator Joined: May 29 2013 Status: Offline Points: 29680 |
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Albert, I'm not so sure that cases will subside as the weather warms up. New Zealand had a really mild flu season last winter and then a sudden explosion of flu in the Spring (Sept/Oct). When we had it the weather was lovely and warm. We caught it from sitting in a school hall to watch the school play for 2 hours, there were children sneezing and coughing throughout and most of the audience caught it from that.
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Those who got it wrong, for whatever reason, may feel defensive and retrench into a position that doesn’t accord with the facts.
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