Saturday, January 18, 2014

Zhejiang, Guangdong, Fujian Provinces Report New H7N9 Cases

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While we may hear of additional cases later in the day, as of 7 am EST three Chinese provinces (Zhejiang, Guangdong, Fujian) have reported a total of 7 new H7N9 cases today, bringing to 48 the number of new cases reported since the first of the year.

 

Our first stop, Zhejiang province, which for the 10th day in a row is reporting new cases, bringing that province’s total since the first of the year to 21 cases.

 

Zhejiang Province, three new cases of human infection of bird flu H7N9


Release date :2014-01-18 Source: Ministry of Health and Family Planning Commission Views: 332 

January 18, 2014
Zhejiang Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission January 18 briefing, the province today added three cases of human infection with H7N9 avian influenza.

1, the patient Xiao Moumou, male, 35 years old, farmer, Cixi, Ningbo people. January 16 confirmed human cases of avian influenza H7N9 infection. Is now in critical condition, a hospital for treatment in Ningbo.

2 patients Moumou, female, 72 years old, retired, Binjiang District, Hangzhou people. January 17 confirmed human cases of avian influenza H7N9 infection. Is now in critical condition, in Hangzhou, a hospital for treatment.


3, the patient Zhong Moumou, male, 69 years old, farmer, Shaoxing Paojiang people. The 17th confirmed human infection of H7N9 avian influenza. Is now in critical condition, a hospital for treatment in Shaoxing.

 

Our second stop is Guangdong Province, which sits next to Hong Kong.  They too are reporting 3 new cases, bringing their total since the first of the year to 17 cases.

 

Province added three cases of human infection with H7N9 bird flu

2014-01-18 17:50:25 Ministry of Health and Family Planning Commission

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province on January 18 briefing, the province confirmed three cases of human infection with the H7N9 avian influenza cases were reported two cases in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, reported one case.

Case 1 Panmou, female, 5 years old, currently residing in Baiyun District of Guangzhou City. January 14 onset, January 18 confirmed cases of human infection of H7N9 avian influenza, patients with mild symptoms currently in Guangzhou designated hospital admission.

Case 2 Yang, female, 83 years old, retired people, now living in Liwan District of Guangzhou City. January 2 disease, January 18 confirmed cases of human infection of H7N9 avian influenza, the patient is currently in critical condition in the Guangzhou designated hospital admission.

Case 3 Zhou, male, 62 years old, retired people, now living in Futian District, Shenzhen. January 6th disease, the patient's condition is currently stable in Shenzhen designated hospital admission.

 

Of note, the first case listed is a 5 y.o. with mild symptoms, which is the first case under the age of 20 we’ve seen reported in 2014.  By my count, only a little over 3% of the cases (n=7) reported to date have been under the age of 20. For the most part, these younger cases seem to experience less severe symptoms than do older patients. 

While it certainly appears that younger children are less likely to be infected, it may also be a factor that younger patients seem to experience much milder symptoms, and are therefore are less likely to seek medical aid and get tested.

 

Our last stop is Fujian Province, which is reporting a single case today. The Health and Family Planning Commission of Fujian Province website appears to be offline right now, but we have the following report from Xinhua News.

 

New human H7N9 case in E China

English.news.cn   2014-01-18 17:20:50
 

FUZHOU, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- A new human case of H7N9 bird flu was reported in east China's Fujian Province on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases in the province to seven.

The patient is a 55-year-old man surnamed Lu, a motorcycle driver from Yongning Township in the city of Shishi, according to a statement from the provincial health and family planning commission.

Lu is being treated in a local hospital and is in a critical condition.

Human H7N9 cases have also been reported this year in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces and Shanghai municipality.

 

While this daily parade of fresh cases is obviously a concern, thus far we haven’t seen any epidemiological evidence to indicate the virus is transmitting between humans in an efficient or sustained manner.

 

That said, there are a great many unanswered questions regarding how this virus is infecting humans, the incidence of mild or asymptomatic cases in the population, and its reservoir host.