Taiwan planning to raise bird flu quarantine alert

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Taipei, April 2 (CNA) Taiwan must raise its alert against a rare strain of avian influenza that has crossed over to humans in China, Health Minister Chiu Wen-ta said Tuesday. Chiu said President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Jiang Yi-huah are both concerned about a possible outbreak of H7N9 flu, since three cases have been confirmed in China. All air and marine ports around Taiwan have strengthened their quarantine measures since China confirmed Sunday that two people had died of H7N9 infection and one was in critical condition, he said. They were the first reported cases of H7N9 human infection in the world. “The quarantine level (in Taiwan) must be raised as the situation will become increasingly tense,” Chiu told reporters. He said that if necessary, the Department of Health will convene an inter-ministerial meeting to discuss whether to set up a center for quarantine management. He reminded people who are planning to visit China soon to refrain from touching birds or eating foods that contain improperly cooked eggs. Meanwhile, a Chinese news website on Tuesday said there is most likely a new case of H7N9 infection in China — in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. The patient has been quarantined and is being treated, the news report on longhoo.net said, citing a post on a microblog site by “phoenix”from Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital’s administrative division. The post said there is no need to be panic, but advised against eating poultry products and improperly cooked meats. As of the press time, the news site said, there had been no official confirmation of the case. (By Chen Ching-fang and Elizabeth Hsu)

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