Taiwan has issued a level-2 travel alert for Jiangsu province in China. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)’s announcement on Monday came after the eastern coastal province reported a new human infection of the H7N9 avian flu.
The 58-year-old female fell ill after she bought and slaughtered a chicken in a traditional market more than two weeks ago. The patient is now in critical condition.
The level-2 travel alert means visitors to the area should maintain a high degree of caution and take strong protective measures. Early-stage H7N9 flu symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, fatigue, a sore throat and cough. In some cases, patients will develop more serious symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting. The CDC cautioned people traveling to China to avoid direct contact with birds or poultry, avoid eating uncooked meat and eggs and feeding wild birds. It also advised people to wash their hands frequently and see a doctor immediately if they develop a fever and cough.
The CDC said H7N9 avian flu is mainly passed from birds to humans, but limited human-to-human transmission is possible.