At the beginning of the new year, Shanghai announced a ban on live poultry trading for three years. According to the report from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), China has seen 23 cases of avian influenza infection in humans, involving 5 subtypes. The CDC also stated that the current epidemic on the mainland is mainly due to H1N1 influenza, but did not mention the severity or mortality rate.
The public document numbered “Shanghai Business Regulations [2024] No.20” posted on the website of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce stated that starting from January 1st, 2025, Shanghai will implement regulations banning live poultry trading. The document was signed on December 20, 2024, and published on the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce’s website on December 23rd.
The document specified that in response to public health risks, all live poultry trading within the city will be temporarily suspended from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027 (special circumstances will be announced separately). Besides being transported to local poultry slaughterhouses for centralized slaughter, live poultry from other provinces and cities are not allowed to enter the city for trading directly. Relevant departments are required to strengthen supervision over live poultry trading according to their respective responsibilities and encourage the public to report any violations.
The document concluded by stating that the ban will be effective for three years starting from January 1, 2025.
Currently, there is a severe outbreak of viruses nationwide in mainland China. The decision to ban live poultry trading in Shanghai for three years is made against this backdrop of the widespread health concerns.
As per the assessment of “China’s Sudden Public Health Event Risk to be Monitored in December 2024” released by the Chinese CDC, in November 2024, two cases of H9N2 avian influenza infection in humans were detected in China, originating from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guizhou Province, both involving children with suspected exposure to live poultry before falling ill. By November 30th last year, there were a total of 23 reported cases of human infection with avian influenza involving 5 subtypes, including 17 cases of H9N2 avian influenza, 3 cases of H5N6 avian influenza, 1 case of H10N3 avian influenza, and 1 case of H10N5 avian influenza combined with seasonal H3N2 influenza, along with 1 imported case of H5N1 avian influenza from Vietnam (detected in Guangxi).
According to public information from the affiliated hospital of China Medical University, avian influenza is a disease caused by the influenza A virus, primarily affecting birds, but some subtypes such as H5N1 and H9N2 can infect humans. Human transmission usually occurs through contact with live poultry carrying the avian influenza virus, and direct contact with infected individuals can also lead to transmission.
In the United States, there is also a rising trend in cases of H5N1 avian influenza. On January 6th, health authorities in Louisiana confirmed the death of a patient infected with H5N1 avian influenza after being hospitalized, marking the first reported case of avian influenza-related death in the US this year. The US reported its first human case of avian influenza in April 2024, and as of January 3rd this year, a total of 66 people have been infected with avian influenza, with the majority being farm workers.
Regarding the current outbreak in mainland China, the Chinese CDC stated that over 99% of cases were due to H1N1 influenza. Dr. Wang Chengdong, a pediatrician at Shanghai Xinhua Hospital, revealed in a video on January 5th that “five children have been admitted to the intensive care unit due to H1N1 influenza, some are on ventilators, some did not survive despite rescue efforts, and some developed severe encephalitis, which is critical and they are still being treated.”
Historically, H1N1 influenza has caused several deadly pandemics. In 1918, a global outbreak infected 500 million people, resulting in at least 50 million deaths. The most recent pandemic was in 2009, causing over 600,000 deaths globally, with over 80% of the fatalities occurring in individuals under the age of 65.
People in mainland China are also paying close attention to the epidemic online. Feedback from the public in cities like Beijing and Shanghai indicates confusion over the current wave of unknown virus infections, not fitting the profiles of H1N1, H2N1, or COVID-19, with individuals only aware of being infected by a viral agent.
Although official figures on severe cases and deaths related to the current epidemic in China have not been disclosed by the authorities, there are numerous online posts mourning deceased children and sharing experiences of critical illness. Information online suggests that many children have succumbed during this outbreak, with a significant number of cases resulting in fatalities from encephalitis and high fever complications.
(Extended Reading:
Rampant Virus Outbreak in Mainland China Claims Lives of Several Children, Doctors Recommend Wearing Masks)