As the H7N9 avian influenza outbreak in China seems to show signs of slowing down and the first confirmed patient in Taiwan is recovering, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a Level 1 (“Watch”) travel notice for 14 Middle Eastern countries, as seven novel coronavirus infections have been recently reported in the area.
On the developments surrounding the H7N9 virus, CDC deputy director Chou Jih-haw (周志浩) told a press conference yesterday that he agrees with the comment made by an expert earlier this week saying that the activity of H7N9 virus might be contained in the summer due to high temperatures, as occured with many other avian influenza viruses.
“Also, China has closed down a lot of live poultry markets. This probably also helped to contain the spread a great deal,” Chou said.
However, he said that the research work on the vaccine development will continue as scheduled.
The patient with the first imported case of H7N9 flu is said to be recovering.
National Taiwan University Hospital deputy superintendent Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) said earlier yesterday that the patient infected with the H7N9 bird flu virus “is getting better,” adding that the ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) support system has been removed from the patient.
Meanwhile, the CDC reported that it had been notified by the WHO that Saudi Arabia’s health ministry has reported seven confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection, five of which were fatal and two in critical condition.
The new cases raise the global count of novel coronavirus infections to 24, with 16 deaths.
In the wake of the outbreak, the CDC issued a Level 1 travel notice, which advises travelers to follow usual precautions, for 14 countries in the Middle East — Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.
EVA Air is prohibiting the use of portable chargers on board all flights starting from Saturday, while China Airlines is advising passengers not to use them, following the lead of South Korean airlines. Current regulations prohibit portable chargers and lithium batteries from check-in luggage and require them to be properly packed in carry-on baggage, EVA Air said. To improve onboard safety, portable chargers and spare lithium batteries would be prohibited from use on all fights starting on Saturday, it said. Passengers are advised to fully charge electronic devices before boarding and use the AC and USB charging outlets at their seat, it said. South
Hong Kong-based American singer-songwriter Khalil Fong (方大同) has passed away at the age of 41, Fong’s record label confirmed yesterday. “With unwavering optimism in the face of a relentless illness for five years, Khalil Fong gently and gracefully bid farewell to this world on the morning of February 21, 2025, stepping into the next realm of existence to carry forward his purpose and dreams,” Fu Music wrote on the company’s official Facebook page. “The music and graphic novels he gifted to the world remain an eternal testament to his luminous spirit, a timeless treasure for generations to come,” it said. Although Fong’s
WAR SIMULATION: The developers of the board game ‘2045’ consulted experts and analysts, and made maps based on real-life Chinese People’s Liberation Army exercises To stop invading Chinese forces seizing Taiwan, board gamer Ruth Zhong chooses the nuclear option: Dropping an atomic bomb on Taipei to secure the nation’s freedom and her victory. The Taiwanese board game 2045 is a zero-sum contest of military strategy and individual self-interest that puts players on the front lines of a simulated Chinese attack. Their battlefield game tactics would determine the theoretical future of Taiwan, which in the real world faces the constant threat of a Chinese invasion. “The most interesting part of this game is that you have to make continuous decisions based on the evolving situation,
China’s military buildup in the southern portion of the first island chain poses a serious threat to Taiwan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, a defense analyst warned. Writing in a bulletin on the National Defense and Security Research’s Web site on Thursday, Huang Tsung-ting (黃宗鼎) said that China might choke off Taiwan’s energy supply without it. Beginning last year, China entrenched its position in the southern region of the first island chain, often with Russia’s active support, he said. In May of the same year, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) force consisting of a Type 054A destroyer, Type 055 destroyer,
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