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Sunday, January 5, 2014

Taiwan Issued Travel Warning for Shanghai After H7N9 Avian Influenza Case

H7N9 avian influenza
A day after the Chinese city confirmed a new human H7N9 avian influenza case; Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) issued a yellow travel warning for Shanghai on Saturday. It also
asked people to pay special attention to their health and safety if travel to the city cannot be avoided.

Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported Saturday that the new H7N9 case in Shanghai involving an 86-year-old man brought the total number of confirmed H7N9 cases in China to 13 since October, including five cases in Zhejiang, five in Guangdong, two in Hong Kong, and one in Shanghai.

Taiwan has confirmed two imported human cases of H7N9 avian influenza, with one involving a Taiwanese businessman who fell ill after returning from a trip to Jiangsu province in April 2013 and made a full recovery after a month of serious treatment.

CDC said that since March 31, 2013, mainland China and Hong Kong have reported 147 confirmed human H7N9 cases, including 48 in which the patients eventually died.

The MAC urged Taiwanese citizens to pay special attention to travel safety if heading to China and reconsider their travel plans, warning that the H7N9 virus could spread to southern China. The MAC also advised people, who have to travel to epidemic areas in China to avoid direct contact with birds or poultry, wash their hands regularly and wear a surgical mask, not feed wild birds including pigeons, and not eat uncooked meat and eggs.

The council warned that if travelers to epidemic areas develop a fever and cough, they should quickly see a doctor after returning to Taiwan.

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