H7N9 Bird Flu Spreads Beyond Mainland China as Taiwan Reports First Case
Taiwan today reported its first case of deadly H7N9 bird flu, and said three hospital staff that had contact with the patient had developed symptoms.
The patient is a 53-year-old Taiwanese man who became sick after returning to Taiwan from Jiangsu Province in China, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, citing the Central Epidemic Command Center.
Eastern China, where Jiangsu is located, has been the center of the outbreak of the new disease since the first case was reported last month. Taiwan is an important investor in eastern China, and a popular region for Taiwanese living in the mainland.
As the Taiwan H7N9 patient reportedly had no contact with poultry while in the mainland, the case will likely raise new concerns about human transmission of the disease. Chinese state media has said repeatedly there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. Michael O’Leary, the World Health Organization representative in China, said earlier this week, however, H7N9 “is still an animal virus that occasionally infects humans.” Up to half of mainland victims have been reported to have had no contact with poultry.
The number of confirmed H7N9 bird flu cases in China increased by four to 108 yesterday, the official Xinhua news agency reported. The number of dead rose by one to 22.
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