It's Airborne: Human Transmission of Deadly H7N9 Virus Now Confirmed

It's Airborne: Human Transmission of Deadly H7N9 Virus Now Confirmed


Mac Slavo
Activist Post

In April of this year researchers studying the H7N9 bird flu virus in China advised global governments to get prepared for the worst-case scenario. According to the World Health Organization, H7N9 is one the most lethal influenza strains ever
identified because it mutates eight times faster than a normal flu
virus, and, according to official records, has a death-to-infection
ratio of about 25%.

It was initially believed that the virus could only be transmitted to
humans who have had direct contact with poultry. After 36 H7N9 deaths
and 131 of infections officially reported since the virus was first
identified, the worst-case scenario that many feared may now be on the
horizon.

The Sun China Morning Post is reporting
that researchers have confirmed that, not only can the virus be
transmitted from one human to another, but it has gone airborne.
<blockquote class="tr_bq">The H7N9 bird flu virus can
be transmitted not only through close contact but by airborne exposure,
a team at the University of Hong Kong found after extensive laboratory
experiments. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Though the virus
appears to have been brought under control recently, the researchers
urged the Hong Kong authorities to maintain strict surveillance, which
should include not only poultry but humans and pigs. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">In the study, to be published today in the journal Science,
ferrets were used to evaluate the infectivity of H7N9. It was found the
virus could spread through the air, from one cage to another, albeit
less efficiently. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Inoculated
ferrets were infected before the appearance of most clinical symptoms.
This means there may be more cases than have been detected or reported. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">“People may be transmitting the virus before they even know that they’ve got it,” Zhu said. SCMP via Zero Hedge</blockquote>
It’s important to note that the Chinese government has never been very
straightforward about statistics, especially if they involve negative
perceptions of their country, so in all likelihood the H7N9 virus has
infected countless others.

Though it’s been called one of the most lethal flu viruses in history by
WHO, Chinese scientists have downplayed the threat by claiming the
effects are “mild,” and the U.S. government has up until now made no
decision on whether to move forward with a vaccine for this particular
strain. Earlier reports indicate that the virus is resistant to Tamiflu, a drug commonly used to treat most flu symptoms.

H7N9 is reportedly now under control in China, but we know for a fact that the virus jumped to Taiwan
in April, and it may have spread elsewhere. Given that research shows
the virus can spread through the air before symptoms appear, it’s
certainly possibly that an outbreak is in its preliminary phase right
now.

Curiously, the United Nations reports that the virus has already cost
the global economy some $6.5 billion in losses. Those are massive
numbers given that only 131 official cases have been reported.

We’ll know soon enough if the Chinese government has controlled the
outbreak among its one billion population, and if it’s taken hold in
other countries. If it’s airborne, the contagion will spread like any
common cold or flu.

Pandemics have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of millions
of people throughout history, and once they start they are very hard to
control. With H7N9 having a mutation rate that is eight times faster
than other flu viruses, it could very well become even deadlier than it
is now. Moreover, it could become even more contagious over time.

The only thing we can do at this point is to wait for news as it becomes available and take preemptive steps to prepare for the possibility of a widespread outbreak.

source:-
http://www.activistpost.com/2013/05/its-airborne-human-transmission-of.html