China reports five more H7N9 avian influenza cases as vaccine enters clinical trial application phase
With numerous new reports of human H7N9 avian influenza coming out of China on a daily basis, researchers say that several vaccines against the novel virus are ready to enter clinical trials and applications are being made, according to a China Global Times report Monday.
Image/CIA
Genetically engineered vaccines against H7N9 is hoped to be used for high-risk groups in the future, including workers at poultry markets and housewives, Professor Xu Jianqing of the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center.
However, it still may be years until a vaccine is approved and available for use in humans.
Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is closely monitoring, as of yesterday (February 10), five additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) respectively in Guangzhou, Anhui (one case each) and Zhejiang (three cases) according to the latest reports of the Mainland health authorities.
The case in Guangzhou involves a girl aged five who recovered and has been discharged from hospital. The case in Anhui is a man aged 56 who died on February 7. The cases in Zhejiang are two men aged 62 and 67 and a woman aged 47. All of them are under treatment in hospital.
This brings the total cases confirmed on the mainland to 329.
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