WHO ready to help as China's H7N9 toll rises
Source: Agencies |
April 9, 2013, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
The World Health Organization is talking with the Chinese government about sending international experts to China to help investigate the new bird flu strain that has now sickened at least 24 people, killing seven of them.
Michael O'Leary, head of the WHO's office in China, told reporters in Beijing that the organization had confidence in China's efforts to track and control the outbreak of H7N9 infections, but that growing interest in the virus globally prompted WHO to consider sending a team.
The cases are of "great interest not only in the scientific community but in the world at large," O'Leary said at a joint press conference with China's national health agency. "WHO's responsibility in part is to make sure that we serve as liaison and linkage between China and the rest of the world."
The team would likely include epidemiological, laboratory and communications experts, but the matter was still being discussed by the two sides and it remained unclear if and when such a group would arrive, O'Leary said.
The WHO praised China for mobilizing resources nationwide to combat the H7N9 flu strain by culling tens of thousands of birds and monitoring hundreds of people close to those infected.
"So far, we really only have sporadic cases of a rare disease, and perhaps it will remain that way. So this is not a time for over-reaction or panic," O'Leary said.
China reported three more cases of human infection of the H7N9 bird flu virus yesterday, with one death in Shanghai. Most of the patients have become severely ill, however milder infections may be going undetected.
There could be additional infections, both among animals and humans, in other regions and authorities have stepped up measures to monitor cases of pneumonia with unexplained causes, said Liang Wannian, director of the Chinese health agency's H7N9 flu prevention and control office.
Liang said Chinese experts were also in the early stages of researching a possible vaccine for the virus, though it might not be needed if the virus remains only sporadically reported and if it does not spread easily among people.
The H7N9 strain was previously known only to infect birds, and officials say they do not know why the virus is infecting humans now. The virus has been detected in live poultry in several food markets where human cases have been found, leading officials to think people are most likely contracting the virus through direct contact with infected fowl.
Authorities have halted live poultry trade in cities where cases have been reported, and slaughtered fowl in markets where the virus has been detected.
Further investigations are under way and there's no evidence the virus is spreading between people. However, scientists are watching to see if there is a substantial risk to public health.
Michael O'Leary, head of the WHO's office in China, told reporters in Beijing that the organization had confidence in China's efforts to track and control the outbreak of H7N9 infections, but that growing interest in the virus globally prompted WHO to consider sending a team.
The cases are of "great interest not only in the scientific community but in the world at large," O'Leary said at a joint press conference with China's national health agency. "WHO's responsibility in part is to make sure that we serve as liaison and linkage between China and the rest of the world."
The team would likely include epidemiological, laboratory and communications experts, but the matter was still being discussed by the two sides and it remained unclear if and when such a group would arrive, O'Leary said.
The WHO praised China for mobilizing resources nationwide to combat the H7N9 flu strain by culling tens of thousands of birds and monitoring hundreds of people close to those infected.
"So far, we really only have sporadic cases of a rare disease, and perhaps it will remain that way. So this is not a time for over-reaction or panic," O'Leary said.
China reported three more cases of human infection of the H7N9 bird flu virus yesterday, with one death in Shanghai. Most of the patients have become severely ill, however milder infections may be going undetected.
There could be additional infections, both among animals and humans, in other regions and authorities have stepped up measures to monitor cases of pneumonia with unexplained causes, said Liang Wannian, director of the Chinese health agency's H7N9 flu prevention and control office.
Liang said Chinese experts were also in the early stages of researching a possible vaccine for the virus, though it might not be needed if the virus remains only sporadically reported and if it does not spread easily among people.
The H7N9 strain was previously known only to infect birds, and officials say they do not know why the virus is infecting humans now. The virus has been detected in live poultry in several food markets where human cases have been found, leading officials to think people are most likely contracting the virus through direct contact with infected fowl.
Authorities have halted live poultry trade in cities where cases have been reported, and slaughtered fowl in markets where the virus has been detected.
Further investigations are under way and there's no evidence the virus is spreading between people. However, scientists are watching to see if there is a substantial risk to public health.
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