Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Four people in Jiangsu province are in danger of dying after being infected with the H7N9 avian influenza virus. The news was released after the death of two patients of the same virus in Shanghai and the serious illness of a woman in Anhui.
The Jiangsu Department
of Health confirmed that four new cases developed symptoms between March 19 and
21. The patients are a 45 year old woman in a butcher market in Nanjing, a
woman of 48 years from Suqian, a man of 83 from Suzhou and a woman of 32 from
Wuxi. All four are in critical condition with serious respiratory problems. But
at least 160 people who were in contact with them have not yet developed any
symptoms.
The first news of the death caused by the H7N9 emerged three days ago with the
announcement of the death of a man of 87 and one of 27 in Shanghai, in the same
hospital, which was compounded by the news of the serious illness of a 37
year-old woman in Anhui.
All infections
occurred in the Yangtze River Delta, where in recent weeks there was a
widespread outbreak among swine, whose carcasses - at least 16 thousand - were dumped
into the river. The Department of Agriculture, after having carried out tests, exclude
that the deadly virus is related in some way to the pig slaughter. But the
World Health Organization has stated that, although so far the tests are
negative, a link between the infection and dead pigs cannot be ruled out.
The low level of prevention and health care in the country is adding to
concerns about infection. In addition, the delta of the Yangtze, which includes
Shanghai, is the area with the greatest concentration of international contacts
in China, due to trade. This could lead - as happened in 2003 with the SARS
epidemic - to a pandemic.
The Department of Health of Hong Kong is advising travelers returning from
Shanghai, Guangdong and Anhui who have respiratory symptoms, to wear masks and immediately
see a doctor.