11 April 2013 (23:25 UTC-07 Tango 10 April 2013)/30 Jumada l-Ula 1434/22 Farvardin 1391/02 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention is shipping out 160000 new tests (real-time PCR reagents) for the new H7N9 virus.
It’s hoped the new test will speed identification of new cases. So far 33 people confirmed infected, nine have died.
10 April 2013 (14:27 UTC-07 Tango)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
Shanghai health officials reporting new human cases, now at 33. A 76 years old woman developed symptoms on 01 April, then went into hospital on 05 April. Another woman, an 81 years old farmer, she had symptoms of gastroenteritis and pneumonia. Yesterday she was confirmed to have H7N9.
Three new cases were also reported in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. So far the only person to recover is a four years old boy in Shanghai.
10 bloggers were arrested in six provinces, Shaanxi, Guizhou, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Fujian. They were spreading rumors that the H7N9 had spread to other provinces.
The city of Taiyuan, in Shanxi Province, has joined Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Shanghai in banning live poultry markets.
10 April 2013 (02:29 UTC-07 Tango)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
Chinese and Japanese researchers have made independent reports, indicating the new H7N9 is rapidly mutating. This could explain the difficulty in detecting it.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo said H7N9 samples from four Chinese victims showed noticeable differences in gene sequences, from person to person. The Researchers think the infections were from multiple sources.
In China, researchers at South University of Science and Technology said they noticed rapid mutation in nine of H7N9’s 560 amino acids. They estimate the new virus is mutating eight times faster than ‘normal’ flu viruses: “It happened in just one or two weeks. The speed may not have caught up with the HIV, but it’s quite unusual for a flu.”-He Jiankui, South University of Science and Technology
The rapid mutation will make it almost impossible to develop vaccines or anti-virals for the new ‘bird’ flu.
10 April 2013 (19:50 UTC-07 Tango 09 April 2013)/29 Jumada l-Ula 1434/21 Farvardin 1391/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
A 35 years old woman has died in Anhui Province. So far 28 cases, nine deaths since the end of March.
Chinese health researchers have yet to find a definite connection between birds and humans. This suggests the H7N9 infecting humans is unique to humans. The new strain of H7N9 hasn’t been found in pigs either.
Yesterday, the top veterinarian in China stated that this new H7N9 came from outside continental Asia, which backed up what health officials in Thailand said a couple of days ago.
09 April 2013 (14:50 UTC-07 Tango)/28 Jumada l-Ula 1434/20 Farvardin 1391/29 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711
Yesterday, Thai health officials pointed out that H7N9 is new to continental Asia, that it’s only been found in Japan, Europe and United States.
Today China’s chief veterinarian, Yu Kangzhen, revealed that this is the first time the H7N9 virus has been detected in China. To make things more interesting, Yu says so far no connection has been found between the poultry cases and the human cases. He believes the source of infection for both poultry and humans came from outside China.
This announcement by China’s Ministry of Agriculture comes two days after a Chinese air force Colonel, Dai Xu, accused the United States of biological warfare.
09 April 2013 (14:20 UTC-07 Tango)/28 Jumada l-Ula 1434/20 Farvardin 1391/29 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711
An 83 years old man in Jiangsu Province died. Two people in Shanghai and two in Zhejiang province confirmed to have H7N9 infection. This brings the cases to 28 in the past couple of weeks.
Citing time constraints, Taiwan’s Deputy Health Minister, Lin Tzou-yien, says his country will not co-operate with mainland China in developing a vaccine. Could this be a capitalist maneuver because of concerns over patent rights?
Here’s how China responded: China’s State Food and Drug Administration is warning medical personnel and local health departments to inspect protective apparel, respirators, anesthesia machines and diagnostic reagents, among other equipment. Chinese officials want to make sure those products have officially-approved labels and manuals. Also, the Chinese FDA is warning that prosecutions could take place for those who do not follow proper product registration laws in regards to H7N9 research.
The UN World health Organization says that , so far, H7N9 is not showing up in pigs.
08 April 2013 (13:43 UTC-07 Tango 06)/27 Jumada l-Ula 1434/19 Farvardin 1391/28 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711
The H7N9 outbreak in China is affecting several industries.
The Nanshan Wholesale Poultry commodity market reports a 30% decline in trading.
Restaurants in China, including KFC and McDonald’s, report huge drops in orders for chicken products.
Reports that sales of other meats are dropping as well.
The Public Health Agency of the Federal Government of Canada is warning people about traveling to China. The airline industry is bracing for a drop in passengers flying to China. Already the price of stocks of airline companies are dropping.
08 April 2013 (11:23 UTC-07 Tango 06)/27 Jumada l-Ula 1434/19 Farvardin 1391/28 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711
A seventh person has died in Shanghai. The 64 years old man died one week after showing symptoms. By Wednesday he had pneumonia.
Health officials in Jiangsu Province say two people are sick with H7N9. An 85 years old man and a 25 years old woman.
In Hong Kong, seven people are being tested for H7N9. So far everyone tested in Hong Kong have been negative for the new bird flu.
At this point there are 24 confirmed cases of H7N9, and seven deaths, since the end of March.
08 April 2013 (01:08 UTC-07 Tango 06)/27 Jumada l-Ula 1434/19 Farvardin 1391/28 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711
The Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention says a four years old boy has recovered from an infection of H7N9.
08 April 2013 (19:39 UTC-07 Tango 06 April 2013)/27 Jumada l-Ula 1434/19 Farvardin 1392/28 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711
“H7N9 used to be found only in poultry in Europe, the United States and Japan. Never before have there been reports of people contracting the disease…..To be ready for H7N9, every hospital in Phuket will strictly monitor patients who have serious respiratory symptoms similar to those brought on by pneumonia and influenza. Surveillance Rapid Response Teams have been ordered to be ready around the clock.”-Bancha Kakong, Phuket Provincial Health Office
The Thai Agriculture Ministry is not worried about the Chinese ban on poultry imports: “H7N9 spread in China won’t affect Thai poultry exports.”
Thai officials say several foreign inspectors have given the OK for Thai chickens. Qatar is the latest country to resume importing poultry from the southeast Asian country.
At latest count there are 21 cases of human H7N9 infections in China, six have died.