0
Yes, on Easter Day 2013, reports came out of the first known human victims of a rare strain of bird flu (H7N9), which was not known to have infected humans before. Tests identified this strain of bird flu as the strain that has now killed two men in Shanghai, China. A third person in China,a woman from Chuzhou, was also found to be infected with this strain of "bird flu" influenza virus. She is reported to be in critical condition. These three did not infect each other or any close contacts.
The previously identified Bird flu strain that can infect humans (H5N1) typically is not spread from human to human. It is contracted directly from infected birds and poultry, therefore, human victims have been rare. There have been only 360 confirmed human deaths from H5N1 since 2003 world wide, although hundreds of millions of birds died in the same period.
The two men, one aged 87 and the other only 27, and the woman, age 25, reported symptoms of coughs and fever which quickly turned to pneumonia, and then eventually death for the two men.
There is no vaccine available for the H7N9 bird flu strain. There was a human vaccine developed for the H5N1 strain, however, it has not been used or made available commercially so far. It is kept in stockpile in the US in case it should mutate to become more easily transmitted to and among humans and to be ready in case of a need for its use.
See related questions for more general information about bird flu.
What else can I help you with?
How many birds die of bird flu?
As of April 2013, only 360 people world-wide have died from avian flu, H5N1, and 10s of millions of birds have died of this strain since 2003. It is rare among humans.As of Easter Sunday 2013, it was reported that a new strain to infect humans, H7N9, had claimed the lives of the first two people with this rare strain of avian flu. Two men have died in Shanghai, and one other person in a different part of China is in critical condition with this strain of bird flu.
When did the last strain of bird flu break out?
There was a lot of worry about swine flu in 1976. In fact, the government made a vaccine and had people get vaccinated. However, there were a lot of bad side effects from the vaccine. And fortunately the swine flu never reached epidemic proportions.
What is the Avian 'bird' flu H7N9?
On Easter Day 2013, reports came out of the first known human victims of a rare strain of bird flu (H7N9), which was not known to have infected humans before. Tests identified this strain of bird flu as the strain that has now killed two men in Shanghai, China. A third person in China,a woman from Chuzhou, was also found to be infected with this strain of "bird flu" influenza virus. She is reported to be in critical condition. These three did not infect each other or any close contacts.The previously identified Bird flu strain that can infect humans (H5N1) typically is not spread from human to human. It is contracted directly from infected birds and poultry, therefore, human victims have been rare. There have been only 360 confirmed human deaths from H5N1 since 2003 world wide, although hundreds of millions of birds died in the same period.The two men, one aged 87 and the other only 27, and the woman, age 25, reported symptoms of coughs and fever which quickly turned to pneumonia, and then eventually death for the two men.There is no vaccine available for the H7N9 bird flu strain. There was a human vaccine developed for the H5N1 strain, however, it has not been used or made available commercially so far. It is kept in stockpile in the US in case it should mutate to become more easily transmitted to and among humans and to be ready in case of a need for its use.
Why will H7N9 get harder to control if infected people do not develop symptoms?
If infected people do not develop symptoms there will be no easy way to know who is infected, therefore, infected people will not be treated or quarantined and will be free to spread the disease to other people.
Where are the cases of the new H7N9 avian flu?
As of April 5, 2013 there have been a total of 16 lab-confirmed cases of human avian flu H7N9 in China. Of those, 6 have died.Originally there were three cases identified of this new version of human avian flu which was reported first on March 31, 2013. The five new cases reported as of April 5 included three cases in Shanghai and two in Jiangsu. One of these cases in Shanghai involved the death of a 52 year old woman and the other two cases are a 67 year old male in critical condition and a 4 year old boy with mild illness of of the date of the report. The patients involved in the two cases in Jiangsu are both in critical condition.
Is h7n9 a Frankenstein virus?
This is a new strain of "bird flu" never seen before. It does seem to be causing many to be hospitalized and very ill. I am not sure what is meant by Frankenstein except it may have been given to it because it is rather serious and deadly. It might not turn out that way. When more cases are reported, more will be known.
What strand of avian influenza is strong?
Both of the two strains known to infect humans, H5N1 and H7N9 are very strong. H5N1 kills approximately 50 - 60% of humans infected. The mortality rate of H7N9 is unknown since it was only first discovered in humans at Easter time in 2013.
When did theBird Flu equidemic break out?
AnswerIt is not yet at epidemic proportions, but there is an outbreak of a new strain of avian flu to infect humans, H7N9, in China as of March 31, 2013.In 2009 (as of November), there have been 47 confirmed cases with 12 deaths world wide. The counties which reported the laboratory confirmed cases are: Viet Nam with 4 cases and 4 deaths.Egypt with 36 cases and 4 deaths.China with 7 cases and 4 deaths.From 2003 to November 2009, the world total number of confirmed cases is 442 with 262 deaths. It is the virulence more than the spread that makes this influenza significant and that is why the World Health Organization has a reporting system to track the cases. The country that has had the most cases so far is Indonesia with 141 cases and 115 deaths.Most of the cases have been in the Middle and Far Eastern countries. There have been no cases reported in the US or other Western Nations so far.
Witch birds is the bird flu virus killing?
The bird flu virus primarily affects domestic and wild birds, particularly species such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese. Wild waterfowl are often asymptomatic carriers, while domestic birds can suffer severe illness and high mortality rates. The H5N1 and H7N9 strains are particularly notorious for their impact on poultry populations. In some cases, the virus can also infect other species, including mammals, but birds remain the primary hosts.
What are some governmental measures taken to deal with the potential pandemic of bird flu?
For the previously known subtype of bird flu that infected humans (H5N1), there is a vaccine developed and stockpiled by the US in case a pandemic begins. All cases of avian flu in humans are reported to the CDC and WHO (World Health Organization) and the cases are closely monitored. So far there are no known human to human transmissions except under extremely rare circumstances of this rare avian flu.There is also a new strain of the subtype of avian (bird) flu known as H7N9 which was just discovered in China and announced March 31, 2013. It was not known to have infected humans before. There have been several related deaths and WHO, Chinese authorities, WHO member nations, the US CDC and counterparts in other countries are currently investigating to try to find the source. Preliminary data indicate that it may contain signs of having been mutated and transmitted from a mammal and not from birds in this case.The CDC is working to isolate a strain of H7N9 that is a candidate for use to develop a vaccine, but this is obviously at very early stages since it is a matter of days from the first discovery. Monitoring and awareness for reporting are heightened world wide. All cases are restricted to local outbreaks in Shanghai and other Chinese cities.The families and close contacts of those known to have been infected are being monitored for signs of the transmission of the disease-causing virus. No indications of human to human transfer have been found to date.All activity and response is in the very early stages and only 16 cases have been identified as of April 5, 2013, with six deaths.
What is the medical term meaning bird flu?
Avian Influenza, H5N1 or Avian Influenza, H7N9.
What does prioritized diseases mean?
Prioritized diseases is a legal/government term that describes certain pathological conditions (diseases) that are more important to be assessed, addressed and contained (prioritized). Often these are diseases with significant pandemic potentials (such as H5N1 or H7N9 influenza), bioterrorism potential (anthrax, small pox) or the potential to cause widespread morbidity and mortality (MDR-TB, antiviral resistent HIV).
