BEIJING, China – The best defence against the spread of influenza A (H1N1) in China is vigilance and public education, said the World Health Organization (WHO) in the wake of a third confirmed case of A (H1N1) on the mainland over the weekend.
To date, China's Ministry of Health has informed WHO of one confirmed case each in Sichuan, Shandong and Beijing. "All three cases were imported. One of them has recovered and been discharged from the hospital. The other two are in stable condition. So far, we have had no reports of any human-to-human transmission within the community," said Dr Hans Troedsson, WHO's Representative in China.
While commending China's proactive response to the global outbreak, he acknowledged the unique challenges facing the world's most populous country. "If a pandemic breaks out, China could face tremendous demands due to the sheer size of the population, the socio-economic diversity across provinces, and the large migrant population."
WHO is not recommending travel restrictions as a way to control the situation. With cases confirmed in nearly 40 countries, imposing travel restrictions will have little to no impact on preventing its spread, and could instead disrupt life in the global community.
According to Dr Troedsson, the focus should now be on local efforts to limit the spread of the virus and to mitigate its impact. "This means continuing the state of heightened surveillance to detect and treat cases early. At the same time, health care services and facilities should be prepared for a surge in demand if a pandemic develops."
He also stressed the importance of public education on precautionary measures. "There needs to be a far-reaching campaign to inform people at all levels of society about A (H1N1) and how they can protect themselves against it," said Dr Troedsson. "The measures are simple. People should cover their cough or sneeze, wash their hands frequently, stay home if they are unwell, delay travel and consult the doctor if they have unusual flu-like symptoms, among other actions."
As of 06:00 hours GMT on 17 May, there were 8480 confirmed cases of influenza A (H1N1) and 72 deaths reported in 39 countries worldwide.