Avian flu still ongoing in China, travellers warned

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians visiting China are urged to strictly adhere to hygienic practices to prevent being infected with Avian Influenza A(H7N9) as cases are still being reported in 10 provinces.
The provinces are Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Henan, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shandong and Zheijiang. Two municipalities – Beijing and Shanghai – had also reported cases.
According to the Ministry of Health, it said between March 26 and April 4, the National Health and Family Commission of China notified nine cases.
This is besides another one case reported to the World Health Organisation by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health Hong Kong SAR. All the 10 cases were newly detected laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.
To date, the ministry said, there have been a total of 410 laboratory-confirmed cases of A(H7N9) resulting in 121 fatalities in China.
"This total number of cases includes two cases reported from the Taipei CDC, the eight cases from Hong Kong CHP and one case in Malaysia," it said.
The World Health Organisation 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.
"Our advise to Malaysians travelling to China is to wash your hands regularly and keep away from infected poultry, or have indirect contact with infected poultry for example, by visiting wet markets and having contact with environments where infected poultry have been kept or slaughtered," said a spokesman.
He also advised those returning home if they have symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath to go to the nearest hospital and inform the treating doctor where you visited.
"Thus far, most patients with this infection have had severe pneumonia although common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath," he said.
Avian influenza viruses normally circulate among birds. Although some avian H7 viruses (H7N2, H7N3 and H7N7) have occasionally been found to infect humans, no human infections with H7N9 viruses were reported until cases were reported from China in March 2013.