Taiwan announces the world's first human death from H10N5 infection in Anhui

Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

The world's first human death from H10N5 infection occurred in China. Taiwan CDC calls on locals to strengthen protection

  

Reporter : Lin Huiqin / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/breakingnews/4569230 /  Image :  The Department of Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that the current travel epidemic recommendations for Anhui and Zhejiang are maintained at the second level "Alert". (File photo)

The Department of Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health and Welfare of the Republic of China (Taiwan CDC) states on 1 February 2024 that the first case of human infection with H10N5 was reported in the city of Xuancheng, Anhui Province, CCP China, and it was also a rare fatal case of mixed infection with seasonal influenza and new type A influenza. Taiwan continues to wait for the World Health Organization to officially assess the risk of H10N5 transmission and the severity of the disease, and reminds the public to take enhanced protection when traveling to the local area. The current travel epidemic recommendation for Anhui and Zhejiang is maintained at the second level "Alert", and mainland China will continue to be monitored under relevant epidemic information.

Luo Yijun, deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pointed out that according to data released by the Chinese Communist health department on 30 January 2024, there was a new human infection case of new type A influenza H10N5 in Xuancheng Anhui Province, China. She was a woman in her 60s with a history of chronic disease. Infected with seasonal influenza H3N2, she became ill on 30 November 2023. Her condition worsened and she was admitted to the hospital for treatment on 2 December 2024. She was transferred to a medical institution in Zhejiang Province on the 7th and died on 16 January 2024 due to her serious condition. Her body was collected on 22 January 2024. Seasonal influenza H3N2 and avian H10N5 influenza viruses were isolated and confirmed by re-examination by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) on 26 January 2024.

Luo Yijun pointed out that the case's close contacts in Anhui and Zhejiang were not sick and tested negative. No other suspicious cases were found after retrospective monitoring. China CDC has assessed that the H10N5 virus is of avian origin and the risk of infecting humans is low. .

According to data from the Taiwan CDC, new type A influenza refers to other animal influenza viruses that occasionally infect humans in addition to seasonal influenza H1N1 and H3N2 that circulate periodically among humans every year. These viruses mainly infect chickens and other poultry or birds. Pigs and other mammals belong to type A influenza viruses. Once they infect humans, they are collectively referred to as "new type A influenza" cases.

According to a literature review, influenza viruses that have caused new influenza A cases around the world include H1N1v, H1N2v, H3N2v, H3N8, H5N1, H5N6, H5N8, H6N1, H7N2, H7N3, H7N4, H7N7, H7N9, H9N2, H10N3, H10N7, H10N8 and other subtypes; each subtype has different disease severity in humans, with H5N1, H5N6, H7N7, H7N9, H10N3, and H10N8 having high disease severity; others have low disease severity. In addition to being the first reported case of human infection with H10N5, this death case is also a rare fatal case of mixed infection with seasonal influenza and new type A influenza. The follow-up is yet to be formally assessed by the World Health Organization on the risk of H10N5 transmission and the severity of the disease.

The Taiwan CDC explained that in response to the discovery of H5N6, H10N3, H9N2, H3N8 and other human cases in China in recent years, the CDC has previously raised the travel advisory level for new type A influenza to the first level of "caution" in a total of 18 administrative regions in China. (Watch), including Shanxi, Hubei, Qinghai, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Hainan, Shandong, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Hebei Province, Ningxia Hui, Tibet, Xinjiang Uyghur and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, reminding the public to go to the local comply with general preventive measures; in addition, 13 administrative regions that have reported local epidemics in the past two years have been upgraded to the second level "Alert", including: Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Gansu, Henan Province, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chongqing  reminded the public to go to the local areas to take enhanced protection.

In response to this incident, the Taiwan CDC stated that it still maintains the travel epidemic recommendations for Anhui and Zhejiang as "Alert" and continues to monitor relevant epidemic information in China. In addition, the "fixed-point monitoring and encouraged testing" implemented at four international airports since 26 November 2023 last year has screened 445 people as of 28 January 2024, and no new type A influenza has been found in any symptomatic travelers arriving from China, Hong Kong and Macau.

The Taiwan CDC appeals that this case should be an occasional case and the risk of large-scale transmission is low. It calls on the public to still implement the "5 dos and 6 don'ts" principle in daily life. The "5 dos" include cooked meat and eggs , wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. If you have symptoms, wear a mask and seek medical advice immediately and inform your occupation and contact history. People who have long-term contact with poultry and livestock should be vaccinated against influenza, eat a balanced diet and exercise appropriately; "6 no" means not eating raw poultry and birds including eggs or products, do not smuggle or buy meat from unknown sources, do not touch or feed poultry, do not let poultry roam wild or discard poultry at will, do not mix raised poultry with other poultry, and do not go where the air is not circulated or where there are crowds of people.

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