27.02.2017

On 18 February 2017, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPC) reported to WHO the results of genetic sequencing on virus isolates from two previously reported cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus from Guangdong province. Changes at the cleavage site of the HA gene suggestive of being highly pathogenic to poultry was confirmed by the Chinese National Influenza Centre of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC).
The two cases were reported through International Health Regulations (IHR) notification on 19 January 2017.
A 43-year-old female with symptom onset on 29 December 2016. The case recovered. She had poultry exposure but also cared for her sister who was hospitalized with avian influenza A(H7N9). This was reported as a family cluster.
A 57-year-old male with symptom onset on 5 January 2017. The case is still hospitalized and in critical condition as of 22 February 2017. He was reported to have had poultry exposure.
This is the first report of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, since its emergence in 2013, having genetic sequences that are suggestive of evolving from a low pathogenic into a highly pathogenic avian virus.
Similar changes at the cleavage site of the HA gene were also found in genetic sequence data uploaded in Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) of a virus from a recent human case reported by Taiwan.