China develops instant diagnostic method for swine flu
May 1st, 2009 - 5:04 pm ICT by ANINew Delhi, May 1 (ANI): In a bid to curb swine flu outbreak, China has developed a diagnostic tool for quick detection.
According to Minister of Health Chen Zhu, the nation has developed an effective method, which features a testing chemical reagent, for instant diagnosis of H1N1 influenza, reports China Daily.
It will be used at the centre for disease control and prevention (CDC) offices at all levels.
The WHO has also raised the official alert level to phase 5, one notch below a full-fledged global pandemic.
In response to the heightened alert, Mexican President Felipe Calderon has asked people to stay home for a five-day partial shutdown of the country, where 176 people have been killed by the epidemic.
Chen also revealed that China has asked the WHO, and some disease-hit countries including the United States, for the virus strain of the variant H1N1, which is crucial in the ongoing research for a vaccine.
Li Dexin, a senior official at China’s CDC, said that the WHO might provide the virus strain by mid-May.
“Once we get the H1N1 virus strain, it’s possible to produce the vaccine in three months,” Li said.
Yang Weizhong, deputy director of China’s CDC, said that although the time to avoid global outbreak has passed the best the government can do is to delay the spread of the virus.
This would provide more time for the research and production of vaccines. (ANI)
- CDC confirms three new swine flu cases in Iowa - Nov 25, 2011
- Swine flu claims 10 victims in Britain - Dec 13, 2010
- Swine flu hits 57 million Americans, kills 17,000 - Feb 13, 2010
- Mexican swine flu outbreak kills 29, infects nearly 1,500 - Jan 28, 2012
- Chicken antibodies may help prevent H5N1 pandemic - Apr 20, 2010
- 1976 swine flu immunization might protect against pandemic H1N1 virus - Apr 24, 2010
- Why H1N1 increased mortality in healthy kids? - Nov 07, 2011
- WHO declares swine flu pandemic over - Aug 11, 2010
- Swine flu threat persists for India: Ministry - Aug 15, 2010
- '2009 swine flu pandemic won't return to Maharashtra' - Apr 04, 2012
- Landmark agreement improves global preparedness for influenza pandemics - Apr 18, 2011
- WHO Declares Swine Flu Pandemic Officially Over - Aug 11, 2010
- Scientists review fate of pandemic H1N1 flu virus - Sep 29, 2010
- H1N1 pandemic flu strain 'key to universal vaccine' - Jan 11, 2011
- Wild birds' role in bird flu outbreak - Mar 25, 2011
Tags: cdc offices, chemical reagent, chen zhu, china daily, dexin, diagnostic method, diagnostic tool, disease control and prevention, flu outbreak, global pandemic, instant diagnosis, mexican president felipe calderon, minister of health, ongoing research, outbreak china, partial shutdown, phase 5, president felipe calderon, swine flu, virus strain
