Brussels, 08/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is not yet planning any protection measures further to the epidemic of bird flu in China. The situation is not judged to be of concern. However, the member states are continuing to receive updates on developments in the situation from the ECDC, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control based in Stockholm, and the European Commission is continuing to monitor WHO statements closely. But “at this stage, there is no transmission from human being to human being, and therefore there is no emergency situation at European Union level” said Frédéric Vincent, the spokesperson to European Commissioner for Health Tonio Borg, on 8 April.
Over the last few days, at least 24 people in China have been contaminated by the H7N9 virus. The epidemic is no cause for panic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated this Monday 8 April. It ruled out the risk of a pandemic as there is no transmission between human beings, unlike with the previous virus, H5N1. In the meantime, the Chinese authorities have taken drastic steps to contain the epidemic, arranging for tens of thousands of birds to be destroyed and for the close monitoring of hundreds of people living close to the infected individuals. (IL/transl.fl)