H7N9 update: 8 dead, 28 infected! Competition to make a new vaccine threatens co-operation!

09 April 2013 (14:20 UTC-07 Tango)/28 Jumada l-Ula 1434/20 Farvardin 1391/29 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

An 83 years old man in Jiangsu Province died.  Two people in Shanghai and two in Zhejiang province confirmed to have H7N9 infection.  This brings the cases to 28 in the past couple of weeks.

Citing time constraints, Taiwan’s Deputy Health Minister, Lin Tzou-yien, says his country will not co-operate with mainland China in developing a vaccine.  Could this be a capitalist maneuver because of concerns over patent rights?

Here’s how China responded: China’s State Food and Drug Administration is warning medical personnel and local health departments to inspect protective apparel, respirators, anesthesia machines and diagnostic reagents, among other equipment. Chinese officials want to make sure those products have officially-approved labels and manuals.   Also, the Chinese FDA is warning that prosecutions could take place for those who do not follow proper product registration laws in regards to H7N9 research.

The UN World health Organization says that , so far, H7N9 is not showing up in pigs.