After verifying with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Command Center confirmed there were five new confirmed cases of H7N9 infection on April 18 (2 in Zhejiang Province and 1 each in Henan Province, Jiangsu Province and Shanghai City). The cumulative incidence in the mainland China totaled 87 confirmed cases (32 in Shanghai City, 21 in Jiangsu Province, 27 in Zhejiang Province, 3 in Auhui Province, 1 in Beijing City and 3 in Henan Province), including 17 deaths (11 in Shanghai City, 3 in Jiangsu Province, 2 in Zhejiang Province and 1 in Anhui Province). H7N9 affected areas in the mainland China currently include Shanghai City, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province, Anhui Province, Beijing City and Henan Province. 

According to the Center for Disease Control’s surveillance data, a total of 3 suspected cases were reported in Taiwan from 8:00 a.m. yesterday (April 18) to 8:00 a.m. today (April 19), of which 1 specimen was taken after medical evacuation from the airport, and 2 cases were reported by medical care institutions. The possibility of H7N9 infection is denied in all of these cases (all showed negative results). Besides, H7N9 infection is also ruled out for the 4 cases under examination as announced in yesterday’s press conference (1 is H3N2 positive, and 3 are negative). 

In addition, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Department of Health called the first extraordinary meeting of 2013 yesterday (April 18) to discuss the H7N9 vaccination strategies. In the meeting, it was resolved that the pandemic alert level remains at phase 3 now. Taiwan is now capable of making its own vaccines, and the government is recommended to actively assist in improving the domestic vaccine R&D capability, and conducting seroepidemiological and clinical experiments, so as to have an accurate grasp of Taiwan people’s immune response to vaccines. 

Furthermore, a resolution was also made in the meeting regarding the priority of receiving H7N9 vaccination. If the pandemic alert level is raised to phase 4, high risk groups such as the medical, public health and quarantine personnel will be given priority to get vaccination; if it is further raised to phase 5 or above, the priority for the pandemic influenza (H1N1) vaccination in 2009 will be adopted basically, with adjustments according to the epidemiological data at the time. Besides, it is also recommended that reference be made to overseas experience in accepting pre-orders of vaccines to ensure that vaccines can be obtained on a timely basis when there is a pandemic outbreak. 

The latest updates about the epidemic and information about travel-related infectious diseases are available at the “H7N9 Flu” page and “International Travel Info” page of the Center for Disease Control website (http://www.cdc.gov.tw). Alternatively, citizens may also call the toll-free reporting and care hotline 1922, or 0800-001922 disease prevention hotline if short-number calls cannot be made with their phone.