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Numerous media outlets are reporting that the H5N1 suspect from Guangdong Province – adjacent to Hong Kong – has died from his illness.
Most of these media reports appear to be based on a trio of statements issued by the Health department in Guangdong province (links to Google translations below)
Note: while readable, these machine translations are nonetheless a bit convoluted.
Shenzhen confirmed case of human infection of highly pathogenic avian influenza 2011-12-31 16:51:06
Shenzhen diagnoses an example person to infect the high pathogenic bird flu 2011-12-31 16:51: 06
Shenzhen found a case of human infection of highly pathogenic avian influenza suspected cases 2011-12-30 22:35:08
The highlights are that the patient named Chen, a 39 year-old male bus driver in Shenzhen, developed a fever on December 21st, and was taken to a hospital on December 25th and diagnosed with severe pneumonia.
The patient subsequently tested positive for the H5N1 virus, and it was announced he died of massive organ failure on December 31st.
Based on the title and text of the latest press release local authorities are apparently considering this to be a confirmed case of H5N1.
Authorities state that the man had no contact with poultry, or history of travel outside the city, over the past 30 days. The Health Department is actively monitoring 120 recent contacts of the victim, but none reportedly have shown signs of illness.
With this latest case of H5N1 in China, along with reports of avian flu in poultry in the region, public health officials and epidemiologists across Asia will no doubt be watching carefully for any signs of disease outbreaks.
For January will see the biggest travel holiday on earth; The Lunar New Year.
In Vietnam, it is called Tết Nguyên Đán or Feast of the First Morning. Tết for short.
In Korea it is called Seollal.
In China, it is often called Chunyun, Chinese New Year, or simply, The Spring Festival.
By whatever name, the lunar new year is no doubt the most important holiday in all of Asia. And more than 2.5 billion passenger journeys – mostly by crowded train –will be made in China alone over this six week period.
In many Asian cultures it is a long held tradition that people return home to attend a reunion dinner with their families on the eve of the lunar New Year. They stay a few days, then return to the cities from whence they came.
Duck and chicken are, as you might imagine, popular dishes during these gatherings. And the live markets do tremendous business this time of year.
All of which provides opportunities for avian, swine, or human flu viruses to hitch rides to remote areas of the world where they may not have arrived yet, and for viruses to be carried from rural areas back to the cities.
This year, the lunar New Year will fall on January 23rd.
Due to the potential for disease transmission (including mosquito borne illnesses, food poisoning, flu, etc.) during this very busy holiday period, the CDC posts some travel advice each year to those planning a trip to Asia.
Good Luck. Good Health. Good Cheer. Happy Lunar New Year!
The year of the Dragon begins January 23, 2012, and many travelers will visit Asia to celebrate the Lunar New Year. If you are traveling to Asia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would like to share information and tips that will help you stay healthy and safe during your trip.
Every destination, even in different areas of the same country, has unique health issues that travelers need to be aware of. To find specific information about the areas you plan to visit, see the East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia regional pages on the CDC Travelers’ Health website, or click on the country or countries you will be visiting on the destinations page.
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