H7N9: Bird flu cases surge ahead of Chinese New Year

[cronus]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25849629

H7N9: Bird flu cases surge ahead of Chinese New Year

A surge in cases of the deadly new strain of bird flu has been reported in China at the beginning of 2014.

Only a handful of people had been infected with H7N9 since June, but health officials have reported 63 cases so far this month.

Influenza researchers argue the winter season and preparations for Chinese New Year may be driving the increase.

The World Health Organization called for vigilance, saying the virus was likely to remain present for some time.

H7N9 made the jump from infecting domestic chickens and ducks to infecting people at the end of March 2013.

Within a month, 126 cases and 24 deaths had been recorded.

(continued)

[Svartalf]

I hope it doesn't reach Europe, I'm pretty sure my vax didn't cover that strain

[cronus]

I hope it doesn't reach Europe, I'm pretty sure my vax didn't cover that strain

Birds fly everywhere. The ideal bio-weapon when carrying something infectious and lethal. Have you plenty of paper masks? The bodies will pile up you realise and stink everything out.

[Rum]

*Scrumple rubs his hands and chuckles with glee*

[cronus]

H7N9 IS RAPIDLY MUTATING: PANDEMIC POTENTIAL INCREASED DUE TO ‘VIRAL FITNESS’

Almost universally, flu viruses become less virulent when they become drug resistant. In becoming drug resistant, their ability to replicate and its infectiveness is usually considerably reduced.

This is not the case with H7N9. Patients suffering with H7N9 have been treated with Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and the virus has shown it is resistant in several patients. Normally this would improve the prognosis for the patient, but it hasn’t. Patients have still suffered a long duration of illness and poor clinical outcomes generally, with some patients still dying from the disease.

http://www.governamerica.com/news/6823- ... al-fitness