In the morning of April 29, 2009, Beijing Health Bureau invited five experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Capital Institute of Pediatrics, No. 1 Hospital of Peking University and Peking Union Medical College Hospital to discuss the influenza A(H1N1) epidemic that has broken out in Mexico, America and other regions, and solicit their opinions on the disease control work in Beijing Municipality. The meeting was presided over by Zhao Chunhui, Deputy Director of Beijing Health Bureau, and attended by the Emergency Office and the Disease Control Section of the Bureau. 

According to the experts:  

I. It is not the first time that the influenza A(H1N1) has invaded the humankind. In fact, the disease was reported as early as in 1922, the influenza A(H1N1) virus was first separated in 1933, and the influenza A(H1N1) caused the infection to 500 persons, including one death, in America in 1976. However, no spread of the influenza A(H1N1) between humans has been found earlier. According to the notice distributed by the World Health Organization, the patients during the current epidemic have been infected by a new strain of the H1N1 subtype influenza A(H1N1) virus, which contains the gene segments of the human influenza virus, the North American avian influenza virus and the influenza A(H1N1) viruses of North America, Europe and Asia. The analysis of the epidemiological information available to date shows that the influenza A(H1N1) virus has varied to make the human-to-human spread possible. In addition, the distinct receptor specificity and the connecting peptide of the H1N1 swine virus are the same as the H1N1 virus that prevails among humans, so the virus has stronger biological foundations for the human infection and spread, compared to the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1, meaning it is easier to infect humans than the avian influenza.

Since the antigenicity of the H1N1 influenza A(H1N1) virus greatly differs from that of the H1N1 human influenza virus that prevails among humans, and used to be classified into two different subtypes, it is inferred that the humans are not immune to the influenza A(H1N1) virus that has triggered the current epidemic.

The clinical symptoms and the outcomes of the cases caused by the same virus vary in America and Mexico, while the reasons still remain unknown. So far, the current epidemic has led to deaths in Mexico, while the symptoms of the patients in other countries are relatively mild, which may be related to the local economic and medical levels. 

II. Our disease control and prevention work faces a great challenge, because America and Canada have not announced the strain, primer, probe, serum and antigen of the virus that has given rise to the current epidemic, and China has not established the influenza A(H1N1) nuclear aid detection technology, making it difficult to diagnose and exclude the suspected cases that take place in our country. 

III. The influenza A(H1N1) hitting Mexico, America and other regions is now spreading with the possibility of a pandemic, and the possibility of spreading to China, including Beijing. The experts highly recognize the prevention and control measures Beijing Municipality has taken, and believe the human-infected influenza A(H1N1) is preventable and controllable. The experts also suggest that: 

(I) The prevention and control work in Beijing should be based on the assumption that the imported influenza A(H1N1) may occur;

(II) Clearly convey the message to the public through the media promotion that the human-infected influenza A(H1N1) is preventable and controllable while conducting the universal monitoring. At the same time, the residents should adhere to the sanitary habits, including washing hands often, opening windows for ventilation, and paying attention to balanced nutrition and physical exercise;

(III) Properly reserve the antivirus therapy drugs, and pay special attention to the people that support the urban operation and the special groups;

(IV) Remind relevant departments not import live pigs from America, Mexico and other countries, wherever possible;

(V) Strengthen the personal protection of the medical staff, and reinforce the nosocomial infection control among medical institutions.

(VI) Research the corresponding vaccine, but be prudent with vaccination;

(VII) Make the technical preparation. Maintain close contact with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention to obtain the timely support.

April 29, 2009