Tuesday 10th May 2016- World Health Organisation: Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus – China

‘On 4 May 2016, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of an additional laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus.’

’65-year-old female living in Xuancheng City, Anhui province developed symptoms on 24 April. On 27 April, her condition worsened and she was admitted to a local hospital for treatment and is currently in critical condition. The patient’s clinical sample was confirmed to be A(H5N6) virus nucleic acid positive by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) on 2 May. She had exposure to live poultry before symptom onset. This is the first A(H5N6) case reported from Anhui province, China.’

This makes 20 cases of avian influenze A in China reported by the World Health Organisation in May 2016, 5 of which are now deceased.

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The following details are regarding the first 17 cases (which includes 5 deaths):

‘Onset dates range from 21 February to 20 March. Cases range in age from 26 to 86 years, with a median age of 60 years. Of these 17 cases, 11 (65%) are male. The majority (15 cases, 88%) reported exposure to live poultry, slaughtered poultry, or live poultry markets. The exposure history of one (1) case is unknown. One (1) case is linked to a cluster of two (2) cases reported earlier to WHO (see below).

Cases were reported from 6 provinces and municipalities: Anhui (4), Jiangsu (4), Fujian (3), Guangdong (3), Zhejiang (2) and Hubei (1).’

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The following details are regarding 2 additional cases discovered in April 2016:

‘Between 21 and 26 April 2016, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 2 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus.’

• ‘A 35-year-old male living in [the]… Hubei Province… was admitted to hospital for treatment on 12 April and is currently in critical condition. The patient’s clinical sample was confirmed to be A(H5N6) virus nucleic acid positive by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) on 21 April. He had exposure to a live poultry market before symptom onset.’
• ‘An 11-year-old female living in Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province developed fever and cough on 11 April. As her symptoms worsened on 12 April, the patient was admitted to hospital for treatment. She is currently in stable condition. The patient’s clinical sample was confirmed to be A(H5N6) virus nucleic acid positive by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) on 24 April. She was exposed to live poultry before onset of the disease.’

Related Articles:

Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus – China

Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus – China [6th May 2016]

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – China [3rd May 2016]

Monday 13th July 2015- The Guardian: Bird flu confirmed on Lancashire farm

‘All birds at poultry farm being culled as 6-mile exclusion zone put in place after H7N7 strain found, which can infect people’.

‘A case of bird flu has been confirmed on a poultry farm in Lancashire, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has said.

The strain of avian flu is the H7N7 strain, which can infect people, but Public Health England has said that the risk from this strain is very low, while the Food Standards Agency said there is no safety risk for consumers.

A six-mile surveillance zone and an inner 1.8 mile protection zone have been put in place around the farm, and humane culling of all birds at the farm is continuing, officials said on Monday.

The strain is highly pathogenic, which means it is highly contagious in flocks and can cause deaths in birds. However, it is not the H5N1 strain which has led to hundreds of deaths in people worldwide. Most types of bird flu are harmless to humans but two types – H5N1 and H7N9 – have caused serious concerns.’

Related Articles:

Bird flu confirmed on Lancashire farm

Bird flu in Lancashire: 170,000 animals to be culled after suspected outbreak- The Independent

Wednesday 8th April 2015- World Health Organisation: Avian influenza A(H5N1) in Egypt

‘The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has notified WHO of additional laboratory-confirmed human cases of avian influenza A(H5N1) during the last few weeks. With this additional number, the total number of cases reported during the month of March 2015 now stands at 30 cases, including 4 deaths. This increase in reported human cases has been observed since the beginning of November last year.’

‘Since it was first reported in March 2006, a total of 336 cases of avian influenza A(H5N1) infections in humans have been reported, including 114 related deaths (case-fatality rate =34%)

Table 1. Cumulative number of laboratory-confirmed human cases of avian influenza A(H5N1) reported to WHO, 2006-2015

Year	Cases	Deaths
2006	18	10
2007	25	9
2008	8	4
2009	39	4
2010	28	13
2011	40	15
2012	11	5
2013	4	3
2014	38	18
2015 (end of 31 March 2015	125	33
Total	336	114

Total number of cases includes number of deaths
WHO reports only laboratory-confirmed cases.’

See:

Avian influenza A(H5N1) in Egypt