NFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (23): (CHINA AND TAIWAN), CO-CIRCULATING H3N2

Date: Fri 31 Jul 2009
Source: RTI (Radio Taiwan International) [edited]
<http://english.rti.org.tw/Content/GetSingleNews.aspx?ContentID=83697>


H3N2 brings new influenza threat
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Taiwan announced 2 more cases of influenza virus on Friday [31 Jul
2009]. One is down with the H1N1 swine flu [influenza pandemic (H1N1)
2009] virus, and the other is infected as influenza A virus subtype
H3N2. As of Friday [31 Jul 2009], Taiwan has 6 cases of H1N1 and 2
H3N2 cases. The [Taiwan] Center for Disease Control said that Taiwan
is faced with threats of 2 flu types. The center said among the 6
H1N1 cases, one has died. In addition, the center said that in the
month of July [2009] alone, there had been 10 cases of H1N1 cluster
infections. There are at least 58 confirmed cases of H1N1.

The deputy director-general of the center, Lin Ting, said that since
most of the infected are men in their 30s, these men are being
considered possibly for receiving the vaccines as well. Head of the
physical education department of the education ministry Wang
Jun-chuan said on Friday [31 Jul 2009] that schools have the right to
decide whether to stop classes if cases were to appear in schools.

"We have been in touch with the [Taiwan] Centers of Disease Control.
If a school were to have one infected case, we have agreed that the
school can discuss with the county government and the health
department about whether to stop classes for up to 7 days. But if the
situation is serious, this can extended to 10 days. Secondly, if the
county happens to have more than 2 cases in a school or a case of
cluster infection, then the health department can decide for all
schools in the district or nearby region to be shut down," said Wang.

Head of Taiwan's Health Department Yeh Jin-chuan will be traveling to
Hong Kong in August to discuss the pandemic with Hong Kong officials.