Warden Notice: Avian Flu

November 23, 2005

Avian Flu: Two Cases of Animal to Human Transmission in China Confirmed, China Showing Greater Transparency, and Suggested Means of Disease Prevention

On November 16, China's Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed two human cases and one suspected case of H5N1 avian influenza.  The two confirmed cases involve a nine-year-old boy in Xiangtan County of Hunan Province, central China, and a 24-year-old woman farmer in Zongyang County of Anhui Province, in eastern China.  The boy has recovered and was released from the hospital last weekend; the woman died on November 10. The boy's 12-year-old sister, who died on Oct. 17, was reported as a suspected human case, but it cannot be confirmed by WHO standards due to insufficient evidence from laboratory tests.

These cases represent sporadic transmission to people who had direct exposure to diseased chickens. To date, there have been no cases of confirmed human-to-human transmission of avian influenza in China.  These announcements by the Chinese government continue a welcome trend of increasing reporting by the Chinese government on avian influenza and of active measures by the Chinese government to combat avian influenza.  These measure included:
· Announcement of 17 outbreaks of AI in birds in eight provinces
· Destruction of approximately 12 million birds
· Quarantine of approximately 1900 people
· Surveying of at least 400,000 people

The main route of human infection is direct contact with infected poultry or surfaces and objects contaminated with their feces or blood.

Health professionals advise individuals living in an area affected by avian flu to avoid contact with live birds, chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese and their feces, feathers and pens.  Children, in particular, should be warned and precautions enforced.  If preparing poultry, cook it well done before eating.  Avoid cross contamination of other foods by use of separate kitchen utensils and surfaces exposed to raw poultry.  Wash hands with soap and water after any poultry contact.  Be sure, if possible, that poultry does not live near your housing area.  Do not transport live or dead poultry even if it appears to be healthy.  Avoid poultry products from areas of infected birds.  Try to avoid travel to areas that have had outbreaks of infection.  If you must travel to infected areas, check the websites listed below for more details on preventive measures.
 
Specific CDC travel information relating to avian influenza, including preventive measures, is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/index.htm.  WHO guidance related to avian influenza is available at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/

Americans living or traveling in China are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov/ or by contacting the Embassy directly at amcitbeijing@state.gov. or 86-10-6532-3431 x5609.  By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of emergency.

U.S. citizens planning to travel to China should consult the Department of State's country-specific Public Announcements, Travel Warnings, Consular Information Sheets at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html, and other travel information, available at http://travel.state.gov.  Up-to-date information on security conditions can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 in the U.S., and for callers outside the U.S. and Canada a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.