UPDATE ON

AVIAN INFLUENZA A (H7N9) IN CHINA

  29 APRIL 2013

Affected places:

Eight (8) Provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Henan, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shandong and Zhejiang

Two (2) Municipalities: Beijing and Shanghai.

Number of cases:

Hunan, a new province reported one case with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus.

To date, there are a total of 121 laboratory confirmed human cases with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus including 23 fatalities in China reported from eight (8) Provinces: Anhui 4 (1), Fujian 1 (0), Henan 4 (0), Hunan 1 (0), Jiangsu 26 (4), Jiangxi 3 (0), Shandong 1 (0) and Zhejiang 45 (6) and two (2) Municipalities: Beijing 1 (0) and Shanghai 34 (12), and 1 (0) Taiwan case. Currently, 80 patients are hospitalized and 18 have been discharged.

WHO does not advise special screening at points of entry with regard to this event, nor does it recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied.

Symptoms:

Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus has resulted in severe respiratory illness.

Source and Mode of Transmission Avian Influenza A (H7N9):

Both the source of infection and the mode of transmission are uncertain. The Chinese health authorities are still investigating and heightened disease surveillance. So far, there is no evidence of ongoing human-to-human transmission.

Vaccine for Avian Influenza A (H7N9) virus:

No vaccine for the prevention of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus infections is currently available. The virus H7N9 is susceptible to

Neuraminidase Inhibitors (OSELTAMIVIR & ZANAMIVIR).

Travel advice to China and Taiwan:

There is no recommendation against travel to China and Taiwan at this time by WHO.

BAHAGIAN KAWALAN PENYAKIT

KEMENTERIAN KESIHATAN MALAYSIA

29 April 2013