THE MACAU METRO MONITOR, AUGUST 7, 2013

H7N9 BIRD FLU IN LIKELY CHINA SPREAD BETWEEN PEOPLE, RESEARCHERS FIND NBC NEWS

According to research published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), it was very likely that the H7N9 flu virus that emerged in eastern China this year was transmitted directly from human-to-human.  "To our best knowledge, this is the first report of probable transmissibility of the novel virus person-to-person with detailed epidemiological, clinical and virological data," the scientists wrote.

Experts commenting on the research said while it did not necessarily mean H7N9 is any closer to becoming the next flu pandemic, "it does provide a timely reminder of the need to remain extremely vigilant."  The scientists who led the study stressed, however, that the virus has not yet gained the ability to transmit from person to person efficiently - meaning the risk is very low that it could cause a human pandemic in its current form. 

The new bird flu virus, which was unknown in humans until February, has so far infected at least 133 people in China and Taiwan, killing 43 of them, according to the World Health Organization.

 

GOV'T PLANNING TO REVISE SMOKING CONTROL LAW Macau Daily Times

Lei Chin Ion, director of the Health Services, said, “We are now collecting opinions and our work is progressing well, so we will conduct a first revision of the law in 2015.”  Lei Chin Ion said that, following an assessment period, the government will reveal what kind of measures will be applied to casinos that do not meet air quality standards.  He said that the administrative regime predicts the reduction or removal of smoking areas for casinos that do not comply with the Health Bureau standards. 

This month it was revealed that 28 casinos failed the first air quality test conducted by the Health Services Bureau.  Those casinos had to undergo a second test and the Bureau is currently analyzing the results and looking to decrease the size of some smoking areas.