China worried about bird flu outbreak

China worried about bird flu outbreak

01/26/2015

In China, people are worried about the current bird flu outbreak. At least eleven people have already died as a result of H7N9 infection. It is a different pathogen than the one that has been found more frequently in Germany in recent months.

„Bird flu is only in the south or east“
At a large market in Beijing, a poultry saleswoman says a message from the dpa news agency appeases: „No, no, we do not have bird flu here“. It reassures a customer who wonders if it's safe to buy freshly slaughtered chicken on the busy market. „Do not worry. Avian flu is only in the south or east, but not here in northern China“, says the dealer. „We pay attention, always clean well“, she says, handing over a bag of chicken breasts.

At least eleven deaths after H7N9 infection
The east and south of China have recorded a new wave of bird flu cases. Now, however, a dead man suggests a further spread in the northwest. According to dpa, the health authorities have now sounded alarm nationwide. So far, eleven people have died as a result of H7N9 infection since last November. In addition, more than 50 diseases have been reported. It is said that the trend is rising. There are around 15 patients in critical condition in the hospital.

Many bird flu cases are not recognized
The number of unreported cases may be high. While the diagnosis is simple, many infections remain undetected, as bird flu symptoms such as fever, cough, respiratory problems, diarrhea, or abdominal pain are similar to a normal flu or other rather harmless condition. „There are a lot of bird flu cases that are not detected“, said Cheng Jun, vice president of the prestigious Beijing Ditan Hospital. „This is common in such infections.“ In winter and spring, there are most cases. During this time, migratory birds are on the way and people are vulnerable.

Worry about Chinese New Year travel wave
The state health department called urgently for increased caution a few days ago and warned against the spread of the virus. Deputy Director Wang Guoqiang said he was particularly worried about the upcoming trip to the Chinese New Year in February. Then hundreds of millions of Chinese will be on crowded trains and buses. To date, H7N9 virus infections have been reported in both the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian in southern China and the eastern Chinese provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shandong, the port metropolis of Shanghai and the Xinjiang region in the northwest.

„Overreaction in public“
The culling of thousands of animals came, but the reports in the state media are probably sparing for fear of hysteria and damage to the poultry industry. The bird flu last winter cost the industry, according to official estimates, over 40 billion yuan, today more than five billion euros. „The outbreak drops our sales“, The state agency Xinhua now quoted a dealer in Fuzhou. He cleans his cages three times a day. „It's good to be careful, but media coverage of the disease always causes an overreaction in public.“ During the previous outbreak, 460 H7N9 infections and 177 deaths were reported in the eleven months to December.

Bird Flu Falls in Germany
Taiwan is currently experiencing the worst bird flu outbreak in its history. Affected are about 300 poultry farms. So far, half a million animals have been culled. In the island state the virus types H5N2 and H5N3 as well as the subtype H5N8 were discovered. The latter has also been detected in recent months in various European countries, including Germany. For example, the zoo in Rostock recently had to close temporarily due to an avian influenza case. It is still unclear whether the virus has come to Europe via wild birds or the feed and poultry trade.

H5N8 virus not yet identified in humans
„So far, H5N8 virus has been identified only in animals, not in humans“, Shu Yuelong, director of the Chinese Health Department in Beijing, said. „However, every virus can theoretically also infect humans.“ According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a feared recurrence of bird flu transmission from human to human is not so easy or persistent. However, there are certainly reports of clusters of cases involving two or three family members. (Ad)