Life of Guangzhou - Source of Latest Domestic Flu Case Remains Mystery

The city has reported its first domestic A/H1N1 patient who was infected by an unknown source, according to the city’s center for disease control and prevention (CDC) Thursday.

The 27-year-old Chinese man, whose name was not released, suffered from light symptoms and was in stable condition at Shenzhen No. 3 People’s Hospital, the CDC said.

The man, who started feeling ill Monday, was transferred to that hospital Tuesday. The CDC confirmed that he had the flu Thursday.

The source of his infection was still unknown. He had not been out of Shenzhen and knew of no close contact with A/H1N1 patients during the past 10 days, the CDC said.

“It might be that he had contact with an asymptomatic A/H1N1 carrier as he worked in very crowded public places,” said Jiang Lijuan, an official with the CDC.

Eight people in close contact with him have been isolated, and the CDC is tracking down others.

The new domestic case showed that the risk of a broader A/H1N1 outbreak has increased in Shenzhen, but the CDC had not tightened prevention measures yet because it wanted to wait several days to see if this was an anomaly.

However, hospitals and community health centers were ordered to tighten their examinations on fever patients, and medical staff were receiving additional training to help prevent an outbreak, the CDC said.

Another 12 new A/H1N1 patients were reported in Shenzhen on Thursday, three of whom were infected by relatives or friends who were confirmed A/H1N1 patients, lifting the city’s total to 78, the CDC said.

[More Guangdong and Pan PRD News]