Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.leaderpost.com/health/Wi...perts+struggle+assess+risk/9454296/story.html
With Chinese New Year H7N9 cases soar, but experts struggle to assess the risk
By Helen Branswell, The Canadian Press January 31, 2014 12:10 PM
Human infections of H7N9 bird flu soared in the lead up to Friday's start of the lunar New Year celebrations in China, with fall-winter cases now overtaking the tally from last spring's first explosive outbreak of the new virus.
The Chinese New Year is the single biggest travel event on the global calendar; the movement around the country of hundreds of millions of people and the family feasts associated with the multi-day holiday are expected to raise the infection count higher still.
Scientists who monitor influenza are watching China especially closely now.
"For the current period it is important to remain extra vigilant, I would say," says Dr. Sylvie Briand of the World Health Organization, stretching out the first syllable of "extra" for emphasis...
With Chinese New Year H7N9 cases soar, but experts struggle to assess the risk
By Helen Branswell, The Canadian Press January 31, 2014 12:10 PM
Human infections of H7N9 bird flu soared in the lead up to Friday's start of the lunar New Year celebrations in China, with fall-winter cases now overtaking the tally from last spring's first explosive outbreak of the new virus.
The Chinese New Year is the single biggest travel event on the global calendar; the movement around the country of hundreds of millions of people and the family feasts associated with the multi-day holiday are expected to raise the infection count higher still.
Scientists who monitor influenza are watching China especially closely now.
"For the current period it is important to remain extra vigilant, I would say," says Dr. Sylvie Briand of the World Health Organization, stretching out the first syllable of "extra" for emphasis...