China’s Zhejiang Province reports an H7N9 avian flu case for the 15th straight day

Chinese health authorities have reported an additional six confirmed human H7N9 avian influenza cases today, five from  Zhejiang Province and one from Shanghai, according to a Xinhua report today.

This negatively-stained transmission electron micrograph (TEM) captured some of the ultrastructural details exhibited by the new influenza A (H7N9) virus.
Image/CDC

The five new cases from  Zhejiang Province bring the total cases there to 37 since the beginning of the year. In fact, Zhejiang has reported confirmed cases for 15 days straight, according to the report.

The one patient reported from Shanghai is described as a 61-year-old woman who is currently hospitalized for her illness.

Li Lanjuan, a leading researcher on bird flu at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, predicted China will see more human H7N9 cases in the future as the virus tends to become more active during winter and spring.

She expressed concerned that the travel rush and mass slaughter of live poultry associated with the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Jan. 31 this year, will increase the risk of H7N9 spreading.

Prior to these six cases, the Hong Kong  Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) reported a total of 214 cases of H7N9 bird flu on the Mainland since the outbreak began last February.

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