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China: 1 case of human infection with H3N8 bird flu confirmed in Guangdong Province - 56 yr. old female in Zhongshan City

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  • China: 1 case of human infection with H3N8 bird flu confirmed in Guangdong Province - 56 yr. old female in Zhongshan City

    Source: https://www.gov.mo/zh-hans/news/683720/

    1 case of human infection with H3N8 bird flu confirmed in Guangdong Province
    Health Bureau
    March 27, 2023 19:27


    The Health Bureau stated that according to the announcement of the health department in the Mainland, a case of human infection with the H3N8 avian influenza virus was confirmed in Guangdong Province. Residents are urged to avoid contact with poultry and birds, and pay attention to personal and food hygiene.

    According to the notification information, the patient is a 56-year-old female who lives in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province. She has a basic medical history, a history of exposure to live poultry before the onset of the disease, and a history of wild bird activities around her home.

    The H3N8 avian influenza virus is an avian-origin virus, which cannot be directly transmitted between humans, and the risk of large-scale transmission is low. The H3N8 virus has been detected globally in horses, dogs, poultry and seals.

    The Health Bureau will continue to maintain close contact with the health departments of the country and neighboring regions, and the World Health Organization, and closely monitor the epidemic situation in various places and Macao. To prevent human infection with avian influenza, the Health Bureau appeals to the public to pay attention to the following:

    Avoid contact with birds or their secretions and excreta; if in contact, wash your hands immediately;
    Do not buy or carry unquarantined poultry;
    Do not eat poultry meat, offal, blood products and eggs that have not been thoroughly cooked;
    Pay attention to personal hygiene and wash hands frequently;
    If symptoms such as fever, cough, and difficulty breathing occur, you should wear a mask, seek medical treatment as soon as possible, and describe your travel history and animal contact history to the doctor in detail.

    For information on avian influenza, please visit the website of the Health Bureau (www.ssm.gov.mo) or call the infectious disease hotline of the Health Bureau at 28700800 during office hours.

  • #2
    Also please see:

    China: Guangdong CDC Reporting 1 H3N8 Infection (Zhongshan City) - Added Macao Statement

    Comment


    • #3
      Avian inluenza detected in China’s Zhongshan city

      Health authorities advise caution after 56-year-old woman found infected with H3N8 infection

      Riyaz ul Khaliq |

      28.03.2023 - Update : 28.03.2023
      ...
      A case of H3N8 infection, also known as avian influenza, was reported in China’s southeastern coastal province of Guangdong, bordering Hong Kong and Macau autonomous regions.

      The case was reported by local health authorities in Zhongshan city, home to around 4.4 million people, on Sunday, according to Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

      It said a 56-year-old woman with multiple myeloma and other basic medical history was found infected with the H3N8 avian influenza virus.

      According to the Avian Flu Diary blog, it is the third case in China since 2022.
      ...

      Health authorities advise caution after 56-year-old woman found infected with H3N8 infection - Anadolu Ajansı
      "Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear."
      -Nelson Mandela

      Comment


      • #4

        A case of H3N8 bird flu was reported in Zhongshan, Guangdong, and the authorities launched close contact tracing and investigation of places involved in the epidemic

        Author:Sun Shengran
        publishing:2023-03-29 10:30

        A case of H3N8 avian influenza was reported in Zhongshan, Guangdong. The patient was a 56-year-old female who had a history of exposure to live poultry before contracting the disease.

        The Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Sunday (26th) that the patient was a 56-year-old female with a history of multiple myeloma and other underlying medical conditions. She had a history of exposure to live poultry before the onset of the disease, and a history of wild bird activities around her home. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed the test and the result was positive for H3N8 avian influenza virus nucleic acid.
        The Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention has instructed Zhongshan City to carry out epidemiological investigations, close contact tracking and management, investigation of epidemic-related places, and on-site killings in accordance with relevant plans. At present, no abnormalities have been found in the close contacts.
        Experts believe that this case is an occasional case, and the risk of the virus spreading at this stage is low...

        原文網址: 廣東中山報告1宗H3N8禽流感 當局展密接者追蹤、涉疫場所排查 | 香港01 https://www-hk01-com.translate.goog/...medium=referra l
        CSI:WORLD http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.com/

        treyfish2004@yahoo.com

        Comment


        • #5
          Source: https://www.who.int/emergencies/dise...em/2023-DON456

          Avian Influenza A(H3N8) - China
          11 April 2023

          Situation at a glance

          On 27 March 2023, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China notified WHO of one confirmed case of human infection with an avian influenza A(H3N8) virus. This is the third reported case of human infection with an avian influenza A(H3N8) virus; all three cases have been reported from China.

          Epidemiological investigation and close contact tracing have been carried out. There have been no other cases found among close contacts of the infected individual.

          Based on available information, it appears that this virus does not have the ability to spread easily from person to person, and therefore the risk of it spreading among humans at the national, regional, and international levels is considered to be low. However, due to the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses, WHO stresses the importance of global surveillance to detect virological, epidemiological and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses which may affect human (or animal) health.

          Description of the situation

          On 27 March 2023, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China notified WHO of one confirmed case of human infection with an avian influenza A(H3N8) virus. The patient was a 56-year-old female from Guangdong province with an onset of illness on 22 February 2023. She was hospitalized for severe pneumonia on 3 March 2023 and subsequently died on 16 March 2023.

          The case was detected through the severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance system. The patient had multiple underlying conditions. She had a history of exposure to live poultry before the onset of the disease, and a history of wild bird presence around her home. No close contacts of the case developed an infection or symptoms of illness at the time of reporting.

          Environmental samples were collected from the patient's residence and the wet market where the patient spent time before the onset of illness. The results of testing showed that the samples collected from the wet market were positive for influenza A(H3).
          Epidemiology of the disease

          Zoonotic influenza infections in humans may be asymptomatic or may cause disease. Depending on factors related to the specific virus and the infected host, disease can range from conjunctivitis or mild flu-like symptoms to severe acute respiratory disease or even death. Gastrointestinal or neurological symptoms have been reported but these are rare.

          Human cases of infection with avian influenza viruses are usually the result of direct or indirect exposure to infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments.
          Public health response

          The Chinese government has taken the following monitoring, prevention, and control measures:

          Enhanced monitoring and disinfection in the surrounding environment of the patient’s residence and suspected exposure areas;
          Public risk communication activities to improve public awareness and adoption of self-protection measures.

          WHO risk assessment

          Avian influenza A(H3N8) viruses are commonly detected globally in animals. Influenza A(H3N8) viruses are some of the most commonly found subtypes in birds, causing little to no sign of disease in either domestic poultry or wild birds. Cross-species transmission of A(H3N8) avian influenza viruses has been reported for various mammal species, including being endemic in dogs and horses.

          This is the third reported human infection with A(H3N8) from China. Two previous cases were reported in April and May 2022. One of the previous cases developed a critical illness, while the other had a mild illness. Both cases likely acquired infection from direct or indirect exposure to infected poultry. So far, no additional cases linked with this case, nor the previous cases, have been reported. According to reports from health officials, the preliminary epidemiological investigation into this event suggests that exposure to a live poultry market may have been the cause of infection. However, it is still unclear what the exact source of this infection is and how this virus is related to other avian influenza A(H3N8) viruses that are circulating in animals. To better understand the current risk to public health, more information is needed from both human and animal investigation.

          The transmission of avian influenza viruses from birds to humans is usually sporadic and happens in a specific context: most human infections with avian influenza viruses that have been reported previously were due to exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments. Since avian influenza viruses continue to be detected in poultry populations, further sporadic human cases are expected in the future.

          The available epidemiological and virological information suggests that avian influenza A(H3N8) viruses do not have the capacity for sustained transmission among humans. Therefore, the current assessment is that the likelihood of human-to-human spread is low. However, due to the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses, WHO continues to stress the importance of global surveillance to detect virologic, epidemiologic and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses which may affect human (or animal) health.
          WHO advice

          To minimize the risk of infection, countries should increase public awareness of the importance of avoiding contact with high-risk environments such as live animal markets/farms, live poultry, or surfaces that may be contaminated by poultry or bird faeces. It is recommended to maintain good hand hygiene by frequently washing hands or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer and wearing respiratory protection when in a risky environment.

          Given the observed extent and frequency of avian influenza cases in wild birds and some wild mammals, the public should avoid contact with animals that are sick or dead from unknown causes and should report the occurrence to the authorities.

          Travellers to countries with known outbreaks of animal influenza should avoid farms, contact with animals in live animal markets, entering areas where animals may be slaughtered, or contact with any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with animal faeces or other body fluids. Travellers should also wash their hands often with soap and water and follow good food safety and good food hygiene practices.

          WHO advises against the application of travel or trade restrictions based on the information available at this time.

          Influenza viruses are constantly evolving and large outbreaks occur among animal populations, which is why WHO stresses the importance of global surveillance to detect any changes in virology, epidemiology, and clinical patterns associated with emerging or circulating influenza viruses, which may pose a threat to human or animal health. Collaboration between the animal and human health sectors is essential. As the extent of influenza viruses circulation in animals is not clear, epidemiologic and virologic surveillance and the follow-up of suspected human cases should continue systematically. Timely sharing of information is critical for risk assessment.

          The variety of zoonotic influenza viruses that have led to human infections is worrying and demands increased surveillance in both animal and human populations, as well as a comprehensive examination of each zoonotic infection, and planning for pandemics. To prevent a viral mutation that could make human-to-human transmission easier, poultry workers have been recommended to receive seasonal influenza vaccination.

          If a human infection with a novel influenza virus that has pandemic potential, such as avian influenza, is confirmed or suspected, even before receiving confirmatory laboratory results, contact tracing should be immediately initiated. A thorough epidemiological investigation should be conducted, including a history of travel and exposure to animals . The investigation should also involve early identification of unusual clusters of respiratory disease that could indicate person-to-person transmission of the novel virus. Clinical samples collected from the time and place that the case occurred should be tested, and then sent to a WHO Collaborating Centre for further characterization.

          Close analysis of the epidemiological situation, further characterization of the most recent viruses found in humans and poultry, and serological investigations, are critical to assess risk and to adjust risk management measures in a timely manner.

          Under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), States Parties are required to immediately notify WHO of any laboratory-confirmed case of human infection caused by a new subtype of influenza virus. Investigation, virus sharing, and genetic and antigenic characterization of every human infection are essential.

          This event does not change the current recommendations from WHO for public health measures and surveillance of influenza.
          Further information

          Influenza A Virus (H3N8): https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics...a-a-virus-h3n8
          Transmission of Avian Influenza A Viruses Between Animals and People: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/virus-transmission.htm
          Case definitions for the four diseases requiring notification in all circumstances under the International Health Regulations (2005): https://www.who.int/publications/m/i...-the-ihr-(2005)
          Guangdong Province Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Press Release. 27 March 2023. http://cdcp.gd.gov.cn/ywdt/jkyw/cont...t_4140571.html
          Joint FAO/OIE/WHO Preliminary Risk Assessment Associated with Avian Influenza A(H3N8) Virus. 18 May 2022. https://www.who.int/publications/m/i...-a(h3n8)-virus

          Citable reference: World Health Organization (11 April 2023). Disease Outbreak News; Avian Influenza A (H3N8) – China. Available at https://www.who.int/emergencies/dise...em/2023-DON456

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