H7N9 rumored to have hit Beijing as warnings censored

[kiatisak]

H7N9 rumored to have hit Beijing as warnings censored

Staff Reporter 2013-04-09 12:33 (GMT+8)


The deadly new strain of avian influenza is rumored to have spread to Beijing after a local hospital worker issued a cryptic warning to friends on his microblog account, reports citizen journalism website Boxun.

A new subtype of the bird flu, known as H7N9, has so far infected 24 people in eastern China and led to seven deaths, according to official figures. The victims have so far been geographically limited to the east of the country, with all reported cases coming from Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui.

Internet rumors are circulating which suggest a government cover-up, with many microblog users believing that the virus has already spread to other major cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou, though hospital staff have been forced to remain silent.

An alleged Beijing hospital worker recently posted a thinly veiled warning about the presence of the virus in the city on their Sina Weibo microblog account.

"I cannot say anything. I can only hint that my friends in Beijing need to be careful. Hope you understand what I mean," said the post, reportedly uploaded by a stem cell researcher from one of the city's top hospitals. The warning was quickly deleted along with the microblog account that posted it.

Beijing's health authorities have released a notice on preventing the spread of the flu, requiring all hospitals and medical centers to complete related training by Wednesday. City hospitals with patients suspected to have contracted the virus must also report directly to central health authorities within two hours.

The notice also imposes strict restrictions on live poultry trading at markets and the transportation of birds into the city, including on public trains or buses. Food and health regulators will also increase supervision of the slaughter, processing, transportation and storage of poultry for human consumption.