News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – Local emergency responses to H7N9 influenza outbreaks in China have all ended, a Chinese media report said today, as the World Health Organization (WHO) released an overview of what has been learned about the virus and the disease since it emerged 2 months ago.

(CIDRAP News) – Antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are useful for treating H7N9 influenza infections, but there are worrisome signs that resistance can easily develop when patients take the drug, which can lead to a poor prognosis, researchers from China and Hong Kong reported today.

Chinese officials are wrapping up the bird sampling part of the investigation into the novel H7N9 avian flu virus, as international experts weigh the effect of live-bird market closures assess diagnostic tests, and explore candidate vaccine viruses.

(CIDRAP News) – Researchers from China today published a detailed clinical analysis of 111 patients sickened in the country's H7N9 influenza outbreak that showed how severe patients' illnesses have been, with 77% admitted to intensive care units (ICUs).