Tuesday, January 7, 2014

#H7N9 Guangdong Shenzhen Possible Cluster of 3

[There is a reported suspected cluster involving the latest confirmed case, today, of a 31 year old man out of Luohu District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong, China.
It appears that he had a close contact of a 37 year old woman and her 4 year old daughter, who lived in Hong Kong.  The 4 year old is asymptomatic and the mother (37) developed a fever late last night.  The fact that they (CHP Press Release below) used the term "asymptomatic" is cause for concern.  Testing is underway, while they are both hospitalized.]


From the Hong Kong CHP Update:
The patient, who lives in Shenzhen, had onset of symptoms on December 30, 2013 and was admitted to a local hospital on January 3. His specimen tested positive for avian influenza A(H7N9) virus by the relevant health authority of Guangdong Province today. He had no recent history of contact with poultry and is currently in stable condition. His thirty-five close contacts in Shenzhen have been put under medical surveillance with their specimens all tested negative for avian influenza A(H7N9) virus by the relevant health authority of Guangdong Province.

     Investigation by Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province also revealed that the patient had another close contact who is a four-year-old girl living in Hong Kong. The girl and her 37-year-old mother travelled to Shenzhen between December 26, 2013 and January 6, 2014. The girl had close contact with that patient on December 30, 2013.

     Upon receipt of the notification from Guangdong HFPC, the CHP commenced contact tracing immediately and located the duo today. Preliminary investigation by the CHP showed that the girl has been asymptomatic all along while her mother developed sore throat last night (January 6).

     The pair has been admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital for isolation and their respiratory specimens will be taken for preliminary laboratory testing by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the CHP.

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