Sudden increase in human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in China, September-December 2016

Authors

  • Lei Zhou Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Ruiqi Ren Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Lei Yang Chengdu Prefecture Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Sichuan, China
  • Changjun Bao Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu, China
  • Jiabing Wu Anhui Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Anhui, China
  • Dayan Wang Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Chao Li Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Nijuan Xiang Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Yali Wang Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Dan Li Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Haitian Sui Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Yuelong Shu Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Zijian Feng Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Qun Li Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • Daxin Ni Public Health Emergency Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2017.8.1.001

Abstract

Since the first outbreak of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in humans was identified in 2013, there have been five seasonal epidemics observed in China. An earlier start and a steep increase in the number of humans infected with H7N9 virus was observed between September and December 2016, raising great public concern in domestic and international societies. The epidemiological characteristics of the recently reported confirmed H7N9 cases were analysed. The results suggested that although more cases were reported recently, most cases in the fifth epidemic were still highly sporadically distributed without any epidemiology links; the main characteristics remained unchanged and the genetic characteristics of virus strains that were isolated in this epidemic remained similar to earlier epidemics. Interventions included live poultry market closures in several cities that reported more H7N9 cases recently.

References

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Published

03-04-2017

How to Cite

1.
Zhou L, Ren R, Yang L, Bao C, Wu J, Wang D, Li C, Xiang N, Wang Y, Li D, Sui H, Shu Y, Feng Z, Li Q, Ni D. Sudden increase in human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in China, September-December 2016. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2017 Apr. 3 [cited 2026 Apr. 3];8(1). Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/521

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2017): January – March

Section

Surveillance Report

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