No need to panic

"Although we do not know the source of infection, at this time there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission," said Dr. Michael O'Leary, a World Health Organization (WHO) representative in China, at a news conference held by the NHFPC on April 8.

In some of the H7N9 cases, infected people were found to have had contact with animals, he said, citing the appearance of the virus in pigeons in a Shanghai marketplace.

Though he admitted that these cases indicate that the virus may have crossed from animals to humans, O'Leary said that the WHO does not deem the introduction of screening measures at ports of entry, or the adoption of restrictive tourism or trade measures necessary at this time. He added that the public should maintain good hygiene and only eat meat that has been properly cooked.

China has started research to develop vaccines for the H7N9 virus, said Liang Wannian, Director of the H7N9 Influenza Prevention and Control Office under the NHFPC, at the press conference on April 8. However, complications in the development and manufacturing process mean it may take about six to eight months before vaccines can be distributed to the public.

Liang said the decision to put the vaccines into production will depend on whether the virus can mutate to make human-to-human transmission an issue.

In its first edition of a H7N9 diagnosis and treatment guide, released on April 3, the NHFPC recommended treating patients with antiviral drugs, including neuraminidase inhibitors, as well as some traditional Chinese medicine.

The CAS announced on April 9 that it has started researching how humans can avoid contracting the H7N9 virus. The project is a joint effort of nine CAS institutes, and focuses on H7N9's origin, mutation, pathogenesis and interaction with hosts, among other aspects.

More transparency

Liang said that China is more prepared to handle public health emergencies than a decade ago, when it fought severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), as the country's disease control network and related legislation have greatly improved.

During the early stage of the SARS outbreak in 2003, which left more than 5,000 people in China infected, disease control efforts were greatly dampened by the lack of timely quarantine measures and cover-ups orchestrated by some medical institutions and local governments.

Liang said that government institutions at all levels have been urged to be more transparent in releasing information on H7N9 bird flu cases.

He added that China reported the first case of H7N9 to the WHO soon after the case was confirmed, and the country will accept site inspections, communicate with foreign experts and provide strains of H7N9 avian influenza to the WHO in accordance with International Health Regulations.

"China has learned a lesson from the past in dealing with public health emergencies," said Professor Wang Yukai at the Chinese Academy of Governance. "The government's response to the disease is completely different from 10 years ago, when information disclosure systems had not yet been established," Wang said.