City stresses precautions against H7N9 bird flu
- Details
- Category: Ningbo News
- Published: Tuesday, 21 January 2014 13:55
Health authorities in Ningbo reported on Monday a fourth human infection of the H7N9 strain of bird flu in the city.
Local authorities have attach great importance to the epidemic. A conference on H7N9 bird flu prevention and control measures has been held on Monday. The two vice mayors, Zhang Minghua and Lin Jingguo, attended the conference. Relevant departments are urged to spare every effort in the treatment and prevention of the H7N9 epidemic.
The municipal government issued an urgent statement on Tuesday, calling for strict prevention and control work against human infection with H7N9 bird flu. The statement listed five specific control measures: First, the city shall step up surveillance over human infection with H7N9 avian influenza. Cases of influenza and pneumonia of unknown causes shall be reported. Patient infected with H7N9 avian influenza shall be
treated with full effort. Hospitals and health departments shall prepare for the possibility of increasing numbers of bird flu patients. Medical departments are required to ensure the safety of medical staff. Second, all live poultry markets shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected in order to reduce the risk of the human infection. Once tested positive for H7N9 avian influenza, a market should be closed for disinfection and cleaning immediately. Those markets tested safe should strictly enforce disinfection and other epidemic prevention measures. Third, agricultural watchdogs should step up the supervision, investigation and comprehensive prevention against H7N9 to prevent the virus spreading to poultry farming areas. Fourth, the city shall strengthen the supervision over the circulation of live poultry and temporarily stop transporting live poultry from outside the city in an effort to reduce the risk of bringing virus into the city. Fifth, the city calls for a scientific treatment over the epidemic. More positive measures shall be taken to lower the impact of the epidemic and maintain law and order.
Experts of the municipal Center for Disease Control (CDC) urged the public not to panic over the influenza situation. People should avoid direct contact with live poultry and practice good personal hygiene. People should wash their hands immediately if they touch live poultry. People should not buy live or frozen poultry without quarantine certificates or slaughter live poultry on their own. Any raw poultry, meat and eggs must be thoroughly cooked before serving. People should wash hands after handling raw meat, poultry and eggs. The public are also suggested to pay attention to food hygiene and separate raw and cooked when cooking. The experts also call for maintaining healthy lifestyle and taking more physical exercises. Patients with fever and respiratory symptoms should wear masks and seek help in medical institutions.
