WHO profiles latest H7N9 cases in China
The World Health Organization (WHO) today released a snapshot of 15 H7N9 avian influenza cases, 3 of them fatal, that it received from China on Jun 12.
Today's report didn't include individual details about each patient, but rather a broad epidemiologic view of the most recent infections. The WHO said illness-onset dates range from Apr 19 to May 22 and all of the cases involved exposure to poultry environments.
The ages of patients range from 3 to 77 years, and eight of the people are male. No clusters were reported, and the cases were from seven provinces and cities: Anhui (4), Zhejiang (4), Jiangsu (3), Beijing (1), Fujian (1), Hubei (1), and Jiangxi (1).
The WHO said it is assessing the epidemiologic situation and conducting further risk assessment. It added, however, that the overall public health risk from H7N9 hasn't changed and that more cases are expected in affected areas and possibly neighboring locations.
The number of cases reported by the WHO today is similar to those mentioned in a recent China health ministry monthly update, some of which were reported earlier by provinces and cities, according to earlier statements translated and posted by FluTrackers, an infectious disease news message board.
An H7N9 case list maintained by FluTrackers puts the global total for the disease at 681 cases.
Jun 15 WHO update
Jun 11 CIDRAP News scan "China confirms 9 recent H7N9 cases, 1 death"
FluTrackers H7N9 case list
Iran reports H5N1 in backyard flock
Iran officials have confirmed H5N1 avian flu in a backyard free-range chicken flock in Mazandaran province, which lies along the Caspian Sea, according to a report posted today by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
The outbreak, which began Jun 12, involved 19 sick birds in a flock of 25 in Nogardan village. Seventeen of those birds died, and the rest of the flock was destroyed to prevent disease spread.
Authorities have begun a post-outbreak investigation to trace the source of infection, and surveillance steps have been implemented to track possible spread, the report noted. Officials have also quarantined additional flocks and have initiated disinfection of the affected premises.
Iran has not reported an H5N1 outbreak since January 2012, according to OIE data.
Jun 15 OIE report
More H5N2 outbreaks strike 23,000 poultry in Taiwan
Three new H5N2 avian flu farm outbreaks have affected more than 23,000 poultry total in Taiwan—the latest H5N2 events in the hard-hit region—according to a separate OIE report published late last week.
All the outbreaks are in Yunlin County in the west, one of Taiwan's most-affected counties. They involve geese flocks of 1,500 and 3,380 birds, and a chicken farm of 18,648 birds. Of the 23,528 susceptible poultry, 8,894 were killed from the virus, and the rest were culled to contain the outbreaks, which began on May 28, May 30, and Jun 1.
Samples were sent to Taiwan's National Laboratory after the farms experienced increased poultry deaths. As is standard procedure, a 3-kilometer zone of intensified surveillance has been created around each farm.
Jun 12 OIE report
