Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in China – update

Since March 2013, when the avian influenza A(H7N9) virus infection was first detected in humans, a total of 1567 laboratory-confirmed human cases, including at least 615 deaths¹, have been reported to WHO (Figure 1) in accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005). In the latest wave (the 6th wave since Oct 2017), only three human cases have been detected; meanwhile there have been generally fewer A(H7N9) virus detections in poultry and environment samples, according to various reports from mainland China and China, Hong Kong SAR.

WHO has been monitoring the situation, and conducting risk assessments² through its Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), which comprises more than 150 institutions in 114 countries. These institutions actively and routinely exchange information and materials, e.g. reference viruses (seasonal, zoonotic and pandemic viruses), serology panels and reagents for risk assessment and development of countermeasures.

Published on September 03, 2018 at 09:00AM
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