A top Chinese virologist has predicted a sporadic rise and fall of infections of the H7N9 avian flu virus in China, and emphasized that there is a very small chance of an outbreak.
Chinese Academy of Engineering academician Hou Yunde made the comments on Tuesday as reports of latest cases of human infection in Shandong Province emerged.
The H7N9 strain of the avian flu virus, which was discovered in March 2013, had already infected 12 residents of the province of Guangdong and 15 in Fujian.
In total, about 500 people had been infected by the flu virus in the country, whereas 39 percent had succumbed to death, raising worry among the citizens of China.
The latest victim, a 60-year-old farmer in Linyi, was reportedly infected with the avian flu virus while he was working in Shandong's neighboring province of Jiangsu.
On Jan. 7, the patient was admitted to a hospital in the locality but died 10 days later.
According to Hou, the determination of which birds are infected with the virus had become difficult after experts found out that the creatures show no signs or symptoms even when confirmed to have contracted the H7N9 avian flu.
This fact makes it much more challenging for health workers to provide intervention to prevent the birds from infecting humans.
However, Hou emphasized that the local government can enhance their coordination and exchange of information to stem the virus before it spreads.
"The coordination and information exchange must be strengthened when it comes to prevention of human infections. Management of the live poultry market should not only consider economic factors but also epidemic control," he stated, adding that live poultry trade across the country can remain open provided that surveillance be heightened.
Early this year, China has already imposed controlled importation of poultry products, particularly from the U.S. where processed products have been banned to enter the Asian country all-in-all.
Reports revealed, however, that the H7N9 avian flu has been limited within the Chinese territory only.