April 25th, 2013
No. 31
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated that the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) today (April 25th, 2013) issued a Level-2 epidemic travel advisory for the five provinces and two cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Henan, and Shandong) with confirmed cases of H7N9 avian influenza in the mainland China. At the CECC's suggestion, the MAC simultaneously issued yellow travel alert for these Mainland areas and asked citizens to pay special attention to travel safety and reconsider their travel plans. The MAC also again reminded citizens to strengthen self-care if travel to these areas cannot be avoided.
After the CECC confirmed Taiwan's first case of H7N9 bird flu imported from Suzhou of the Mainland yesterday evening (April 24th), it promptly convened its sixth meeting session this morning to discuss "assessments on exchanges and travel alert in response to the H7N9 flu outbreak."
CECC's assessments today on the Mainland flu resulted in the resolution of adopting U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards in setting levels for flu travel alert. The Center also issued a Level-2 Alert, the “enhanced precautions” alert, for the aforementioned five provinces and two cities with confirmed H7N9 cases in the Mainland. The meeting further resolved for the MAC to issue a yellow travel alert for the above-mentioned areas.
The MAC stressed that, based on the CECC’s professional assessments, neither the virus’ source of exposure nor route of transmission showed evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission. The MAC further stated that the government has taken exhaustive precautions for flu prevention and control; citizens should remain vigilant in self-care but there was no need to panic.