In response to the ongoing H7N9 influenza outbreaks, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) for H7N9 influenza held the 7th meeting on April 30, 2013 to discuss the response measures and strategies implemented by each department. CECC announced that starting May 1, 2013, the competent authority will cover the healthcare costs associated with H7N9 influenza, including isolation ward charges, viral test fees, medicine costs and meals, for foreign nationals who are not covered by National Health Insurance and found to have contracted the disease by health authority. All other medical costs are the patient’s own responsibility.

To prevent the transmission of H7N9 influenza, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) has designed “Travel Health Notice for Avian Influenza A (H7N9)” for distribution to passengers taking cross-strait direct flights between China and Taiwan to remind travelers to prepare personal protection products, take heed of signs and symptoms of illness, and provide travelers with ways to seek health consultations locally in order to facilitate close monitoring of suspected H7N9 cases and activation of relevant prevention measures. The Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications has requested tour guides of tour groups from China, travel agencies and accommodation providers to prepare clinical thermometers and masks for tour group members as well as assist any tour group member with fever to seek medical attention and report the case through the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922. In addition, the Tourism Bureau has also notified travel agencies planning and arranging self-guided tours for customers in China to help distribute “Travel Health Notice: H7N9 Influenza for Individual Traveler” to remind travelers visiting Taiwan to manage their own health accordingly.

At the time of writing, officials from the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) have confirmed a total of 126 cases of human infections with the avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including 25 deaths, have occurred in Shanghai (33, including 13 deaths), Jiangsu Province(27, including 5 deaths), Zhejiang Province (46, including 6 deaths), Anhui Province (4, including 1 death), Beijing (1), Henan Province (4), Shandong Province (2), Jiangxi Province (5), Fujian Province (3), and Hunan Province (1).

Between 8am on April 29 and 8am on April 30, 2013, Taiwan CDC received reports of 27 suspected cases from the healthcare provider.  As of now, the test results for 16 cases are still pending and the possibility of H7N9 infection in the remaining classes has been ruled out (3 were tested positive for H1N1 and the rest were negative for influenza viruses).

For more 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.