China Confirms Another Bird Flu Case

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health recently announced it is closely monitoring a human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) on the Mainland.

The new case involves a 54-year-old man living in Changsha, Hunan. He was admitted for treatment on November 5, 2022, and was in critical condition.

Changsha is the 17th most populous city in China, with a population of about 10 million.

As of January 5, 2023, the CHP website says the Alert Response Level is activated under the Government's Preparedness Plan for Influenza Pandemic.

From 2014 to January 6, 2023, 82 human cases of avian influenza A(H5N6) have been reported by Mainland health authorities.

The CHP says travelers to the Mainland or other affected areas must avoid visiting wet markets, live poultry markets, or farms. And they should strictly observe personal and hand hygiene when visiting any place with live poultry.

Additionally, travelers returning from affected areas should consult a doctor promptly if symptoms develop.

Outbreaks caused by avian influenza viruses, including both highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and low pathogenic avian influenza, occur in U.S. domestic poultry from time to time, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Since the H5N1 strain appeared in North America in January 2022, 47 states have been impacted, resulting in the loss of over 57.8 million birds as of January 4, 2023.

And a man working in Colorado was diagnosed with an influenza A H5N1 2.3.4.4b infection in 2022.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says multiple countries have reported more than 860 human infections with HPAI A(H5N1) viruses since 2003, with about 53% of those cases resulting in fatalities. 

However, the WHO says the risk to humans remains low, and no sustained human-to-human transmission has been reported.

The U.S. government has approved one vaccine for a type of avian influenza and would distribute it if a person-to-person outbreak occurs.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the Audenz™ vaccine.

And to dispel rumors, the FDA says annual flu shots do not protect people from avian influenza (bird flu) infections.

Other avian influenza (bird flu) news is posted at PrecisionVaccinations.com/Avian.