On April 16, 2013, amid concerns over the spread of the avian influenza A (H7N9) virus in China, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) activated for supporting the response to the ongoing influenza A (H7N9) outbreak in China called the fourth meeting. To ensure the health and wellbeing of people in Taiwan as well as to scale up prevention efforts in light of the increasing number of H7N9 flu cases reported in China, the fourth meeting held by CECC passed a ban on the slaughtering of live poultry at traditional wet markets to be implemented by the Council of Agriculture since there are enough certified poultry slaughterhouses to meet the local market demand. In addition, the ban might be implemented earlier under certain circumstances: when bird migration takes place earlier, when the agriculture authority detects the H7N9 virus in live migratory birds or poultry locally, or when the first human infection with the H7N9 virus occurs in Taiwan.


At the time of writing, officials from the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) confirmed human infections with the avian influenza A(H7N9) virus have occurred in Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Beijing and Henan.


Between 8am on April 15 and 8am on April 16, 2013, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control received reports of 7 suspected cases. Of the cases, two were reported by the quarantine office at the airport and five were reported by the healthcare provider. As of now, H7N9 infection has been eliminated in four of them.


In terms of intensified surveillance for the H7N9 virus in animals, the Council of Agriculture has increased the sample size and frequency of farm inspections, covering live poultry, pet birds, pigs and wild-bird droppings. Thus far, no influenza A (H7N9) antibody or virus has been detected in any of the specimens.


According to a recently conducted telephone survey, 71% of the people interviewed worry the spread of the H7N9 virus to Taiwan, 60% said they are willing to receive the H7N9 vaccine when it is available in the future, more than 60% said they still eat poultry and eggs, more than 30% have reduced consumption of poultry and eggs, 71% are pleased with the current government response to the outbreak, and 75% are confident in government’s actions towards disease prevention in the future. (Taiwan CDC asked Trendgo Market Research & Consulting Co. Ltd to conduct this survey. The survey was conducted during April 12 and 14, 2013. The survey respondents are people who aged above 18 and reside in Taiwan. 1,293 valid responses were obtained with a margin of error of +/-2.9% based on a 95% confidence level.

For any questions or further information, please call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922, or 0800-001922 if calling from a cell phone, or visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw.