Thursday, February 23, 2017

Korean CDC Cautions Travelers To China Over H7N9













 
#12,257


Between their close proximity to, and cultural ties with Mainland China, it comes as little surprise that tens of thousands of travelers enter South Korea daily from China. 

A little more than a month ago - in advance of the Lunar New Year's travel surge - we saw the Korean CDC Warn Travellers To China Over H7N9 During Seollal.  

At that time, China was reporting 140 H7N9 cases in this 5th winter epidemic, a number that has roughly tripled (to 430) over the past 30 days.

Today Korea's CDC has issued a new warning, and outlines stiff penalties for travelers who fail to   submit a health-status checklist to the quarantine station when entering or returning to Korea.  You can read an English language media report in the JoongAng Daily (see Koreans warned about lethal bird flu in China), and I've posted the (translated) statement below: 

Chinese AI (H7N9) surge case

◇ Poultry contact caution when traveling in China dangerous area
◇ Submit a health status questionnaire when entering China, within 10 days after contact with poultry. If fever and respiratory symptoms occur, contact the Public Health Center or ☏1339 (Disease Control Headquarters Call Center)
◇ Medical institutions should report suspicious patients thoroughly

□ The cases of H7N9 * AI (avian influenza) human infections in China are rapidly increasing in China, so the Chinese travelers have been urged to avoid contact with poultry during their travels and to protect themselves from handwashing .

* H7N9 AI is different from H5N6 and H5N8, which are currently prevalent in domestic birds. There were no poultry epidemics or human cases in Korea
The number of human cases of AI (H7N9) in China has soared in recent years, with a total of 429 people * since Oct. 16, and has already exceeded three times the number of patients (121) in the past season.

* There were 1,227 deaths (426 (tentative) deaths) in the world from December 13 to February 18, 2005, with a mortality rate of 34.7%

○ China has seasonal epidemic of AI (H7N9) human infection every year from October to April after the first case of human infection in 2013.

The AI ​​(H7N9) virus is infected through contact with infected poultry or wild birds in the live poultry market. It is known that the inter-human transmission is limited to family members, medical staff, etc., Although it is likely to enter, it is estimated that the spread possibility is low.

  • ∙ AI (H7N9) Human infections are expected to continue through live poultry market and infected poultry
  • ∙ There is a report of incidence in medical staff, but the possibility of continuous transmission among people is low.
  • ∙ It is possible to spread between countries through travelers, but the possibility of spreading in the community is low

□ The Disease Control Headquarters is in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue SMS text messages for prevention and notification of AI human infection during departure to Chinese travelers *


* Daily average entry from China ('16): 25,956 (aircraft), 7,110 (ship)

○ Polluted areas in China are designated on a regular basis according to the status of AI human infection, and information on contaminated areas is posted on the homepage of the Disease Control Headquarters.

* As of February, 17th, polluted area (14 areas): Zhejiang Province, Guangdong Province, Jiangsu Province, Fujian Province, Shanghai City, Hunan Province, Anhui Province, Shandong Province, Beijing City, Hebei Province, Hubei Province, Jiangxi Province, Guizhou Province,
** Polluted areas are designated according to the expansion of the area.

○ According to the revised quarantine law, when the immigration officer does not report the health status questionnaire to the quarantine officer after visiting the contaminated area, he / she paid special attention because the fine of 7 million won is applied.

○ In addition, the people traveling to China can get guidance on infection prevention areas and infection prevention areas in China at the 'International Travel Disease Information Center' on the 3rd floor of Incheon International Airport. .
□ The Disease Control Headquarters confirms the infectious disease information of the travel destination through the homepage of the Disease Control Headquarters (http://www.cdc.go.kr, mobile http://m.cdc.go.kr) before overseas travel,

○ When entering the country, check whether you are visiting a contaminated area, fill out a health status questionnaire, submit it to the quarantine officer,

○ After entry, if you have fever and respiratory symptoms within 10 days of contact with poultry in a contaminated area, you should also contact the Public Health Center or ☏1339 (Disease Control Headquarters Call Center).
□ Disease Control Headquarters can actively report to the Korean Medical Association, the Korean Hospital Association, and related professional medical organizations so that patients can come in from overseas or come to Korea at any time, so that AI (H7N9) The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said that the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Environment (MOEHRC) will prepare the diagnosis and diagnosis within 24 hours.

1. Chinese AI (H7N9) Human Infection Status
2. Chinese traveler AI human infection prevention
3. Q & A about AI Human Infection
4. Number of beds available at the country's designated sound pressure bed