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H7N9 case count exceeds 300
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Since Monday, WHO confirmed 36 cases of influenza A(H7N9) virus in eastern China, bringing the total number of cases to 308. Sixty-three people have died of the infection.
The most recent cases occurred in patients aged 2 to 84 years and were reported from Guangdong (n=17), Zhejiang (n=11), Hunan (n=3), Jiangsu (n=3) Fujian (n=1) and Guangxi (n=1) provinces. Of the 36 patients, 22 are in critical or serious condition; five patients have died. Most of the patients (n=28) had a history of exposure to poultry or a live poultry market.
WHO officials stated in a news release that they expect additional human cases to continue in mainland China and that the virus has the potential to spread to neighboring countries. There has been no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission of the H7N9.
“As always, a diagnosis of infection with an avian influenza virus should be considered in individuals who develop severe acute respiratory symptoms while traveling or soon after returning from an area where avian influenza is a concern,” the release stated.