The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (January 7) closely monitoring an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Zhaoqing notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

Image/CDC
Image/CDC

According to the GDHFPC, the male patient, aged 56 with underlying illnesses, was hospitalized for management in critical condition.

Earlier this week, Chinese authorities reported human cases from Dongguan and Shenzhen.

To date, 458 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities, respectively in Zhejiang (141 cases), Guangdong (115 cases), Jiangsu (59 cases), Shanghai (42 cases), Hunan (24 cases), Fujian (23 cases), Anhui (17 cases), Jiangxi (eight cases), Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (eight cases), Beijing (five cases), Shandong (five cases), Henan (four cases), Guangxi (three cases), Jilin (two cases), Guizhou (one case) and Hebei (one case).

This brings the total cases in and outside of China to 474 since Mar. 2013.

Australian virologist, Dr Ian MacKay wrote a blog post over the weekend saying (his opinion) that China is in the early stages of their 3rd H7N9 AI outbreak now–See post HERE