The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) has obtained the list of 94 people who have come into contact with the third imported case of H7N9 influenza who was confirmed on April 22, 2014. The list of contacts includes her husband and daughter, passengers on the same flight, a tour leader, a tour guide, a bus driver, and 32 other members of her tour group who returned to China in the morning of April 24, a hotel security guard who had took the case to the hospital, and health care workers at the clinic and the hospitals where the case sought medical attention. All of the contacts were investigated and followed up. Thus far, 2 of the contacts have developed symptoms, but have been eliminated according to their negative laboratory test results. In addition, a total of 71 close contacts were provided with post-exposure prophylaxis after the clinician’s assessment. All close contacts will be followed up by the public health authority for 10 consecutive days.

Of all the potential casual contacts at the popular tourist attractions, restaurants and hotels the case visited, none have developed upper respiratory tract symptom thus far. The public health authority have conducted thorough health education activities for all contacts, issued them with “Self-Health Management Advice for H7N9 Influenza”, and will be following up with them closely until the period of voluntary contact tracing is lifted. When a contact develops influenza-like illness symptoms such as fever and cough, the public health authority will voluntarily assist the individual in seeking medical attention. As of now, Taiwan CDC has issued a travel notice of Level 2: Alert for avian influenza to Guangdong Province, Jiangsu Province, Hunan Province, Fujian Province, and Anhui Province, and a travel notice of Level 1: Watch for avian influenza to the other provinces and cities in China, excluding Hong Kong and Macau. Travelers visiting China are urged to practice good personal hygiene and avoid contact with poultry and birds. On the other hand, physicians are advised to pay additional attention to patients with pneumonia and inquire about such patient’s travel history.

In addition, Taiwan CDC once again reminds travelers visiting China to take preventive measures such as avoiding direct contact with poultry and birds or their droppings, consuming only thoroughly cooked poultry and eggs and practice good personal hygiene such as washing hands frequently to prevent infection. If symptoms such as fever or influenza-like symptoms develop upon returning to Taiwan, please voluntarily notify the airline crew members and the quarantine officer at the quarantine station in the airport. If the aforementioned symptoms develop after returning to Taiwan, please put on a surgical mask and seek immediate medical attention. Moreover, please inform the physician of the recent exposure and travel history to facilitate diagnosis and treatment. For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).