Chinese tourist dies of H7N9 flu: CDC
ROC Central News Agency
2014/01/21 17:57:23
Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) A Chinese tourist in Taiwan who was diagnosed with the H7N9 influenza virus in December last year has died after developing more complicated respiratory symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday.
Although the victim, an 86-year-old man from Jiangsu Province, was discharged from quarantine Jan. 14 with a virus level testing zero, he died of septic shock six days later, the CDC said.
It was the second confirmed case of imported H7N9 bird flu in Taiwan over the past year. The first was a Taiwanese businessman who fell ill after returning from a trip to Jiangsu Province in April 2013. He made a full recovery after a month of intensive treatment.
The CDC said the virus has not yet gained the ability to transmit from person to person efficiently, although one medical worker at a Shanghai hospital has died from H7N9 flu.
According to the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning, the 31-year-old doctor at the Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Hospital, died Jan. 18 after working for several days with a fever.
The colleagues who had close contact with him have not reported any symptoms associated with the virus.
Because China has not banned trade in live poultry, the virus has more chance of developing and surviving in humans, said Huang Li-min, head of the Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases of National Taiwan University Hospital.
CDC Deputy Director-General Chou Jih-haw said the main transmission route for the virus remains from birds to humans.
The Chinese provinces of Zhejiang and Guangdong, as well as the city of Shanghai, are the major affected areas and the situation could become worse during Chinese New Year celebrations, when poultry slaughter for festive meals reaches a peak.
Taiwan should stay alert as many businessmen or students based in China will return to the island to celebrate the New Year, Chou said.
(By Chen Ching-fan and Maia Huang)
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