The Department of Health is monitoring recent reports of a new (H7N9) strain of avian influenza or “bird flu” emerging in China.
As of Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the number of cases was increasing. The CDC meanwhile has issued a travel advisory to China where to date 43 cases of H7N9, including 11 deaths, have been reported. There are no reported cases of H7N9 in the United States or anywhere else outside of China, according to a press release issued Monday by the V.I. Department of Health.
Avian influenza is an infection caused by avian influenza A viruses. These types of influenza affect birds including domestic chickens and are capable of infecting humans. There has been no human to human transmission reported, thus far.
Health Commissioner Darice Plaskett said that while there are no reports of bird flu cases in the Virgin Islands, the Health Department, like all state and local health agencies, is on alert. The department, she said, is monitoring reported cases in the event that the new virus could reach the status of a pandemic, which is global by nature.
Locally, the Immunization and Public Health Preparedness programs, which worked with community partners during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, are coordinating planning efforts as appropriate.
“Ongoing collaboration between the Immunization and Preparedness programs is an essential component of effective planning and response to vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks including influenza pandemics,” Plaskett said, adding that the CDC, in various advisories to state and local health agencies, has requested that preparedness programs redouble efforts to coordinate preparedness planning, such as mass vaccinations, with their immunization colleagues.
DOH, through an advisory, has requested that healthcare providers remain alert to suspected cases of influenza like illness (ILI). Symptoms include mild illness including eye irritation, fever and cough to severe illness including pneumonia. The advisory also recommends that patients with suspicious diagnosis of influenza be treated with antiviral medication such as oral Oseltamivir or inhaled Zanamivir as soon as possible.
Suspected infection of influenza A viruses should be reported to DOH via confidential fax at 713-1508.
Updated information on the H7N9 virus can be found by visiting www.healthvi.org and clicking on the CDC link or going to www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/h7n9-virus.htm.
