A new strain of bird flu has already claimed three lives in and around Shanghai. Some of these cases are being reported weeks after the first infection was detected, raising fears of a repeat of the SARS fiasco. CDT has selected the following deleted Weibo posts from FreeWeibo:

@作家草军书: China once again achieves a global first. The world’s first case of human H7N9 virus was discovered in Shanghai. The patient died on March 4, but his condition was not announced until March 31. They waited a month to tell the masses about such a frightening infectious disease. Obviously officials did this for stability maintenance; they had to wait for the Two Sessions [National People's Congress] to end before they said anything. Any official explanation is a lie. I believe the authorities knew early on that this is a terrible disease. The patient’s family may have been secretly quarantined. How revolting.

中国又领先了世界一回。全球首次发现人类感染H7N9病毒事发上海。患者3月4日死亡，3月31日才公布疫情。这么可怕的传染病拖了一个月才向民众公开，显然是官方的维稳需要，必须等两会开完了才能公布。官方的任何解释都是撒谎。我相信，官方早就知道这是极厉害的传染病，患者家人可能早就被悄悄隔离，龌龊

Click to view larger image.

April 1, 2013 at 8:24 a.m.

@葛红兵: RT @williamontheway: Mainland media place no importance on the news that three people in Shanghai and Anhui contracted human H7N9 avian flu, and that two have died. But it’s headline news in just about every Hong Kong paper. http://t.cn/zTASCAx

上海安徽三人感染H7N9禽流感，兩人死亡的新聞，內地傳媒並不重視。但此則新聞幾乎佔據全港報章的頭條。

(@williamontheway via Instagram)

April 2, 2013 at 11:54 p.m.

@香港在線: H7N9 flu is scary. What’s even scarier is hiding information on the disease. The case of atypical pneumonia [SARS] 10 years ago offers a bitter lesson. The Ministry of Health at the time hid the truth. As soon as Doctor Jiang Yanyong of PLA No. 301 Hospital realized the gravity of the problem, he emailed two mainland state media groups. But tragically, no one paid any attention to him. Finally, two American news outlets revealed the story to the world, saving countless lives. This is a profound lesson: when China is at an impasse, it cannot always ask for help from the U.S.

H7N9流感可怕，更可怕的是隐瞒疫情，10年前非典就是惨痛的教训。当时卫生部官员隐瞒真相，解放军301医院蒋彦永医生意识到问题的可怕性，马上电邮内地两家官媒，但悲催的是并没有人理会。最终通过美国两家媒体向全世界披露了非典实情，挽救了无数生命。教训深刻，中国人不能总是在走投无路时求助美国。

April 2, 2013 at 10:05 p.m.

Via CDT Chinese.

© Anne.Henochowicz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: bird flu, censorship, epidemics, H7N9, Internet censorship, Ministry of Truth, public health, River Crab Archive, weibo
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From January to October, 16,131 new cases of HIV infections among citizens over 50 were reported, marking a year-on-year increase of 20.2 percent. There were also 9,514 new cases of HIV reported among young people aged 15 to 24, up 12.8 percent year on year, according to figures from the Ministry of Health (MOH).

The MOH said the HIV/AIDS epidemic is rampant in some locations and among certain groups of people.

In total, China reported 492,191 cases of HIV/AIDS by the end of October, and 68,802 of these were new cases reported this year, according to the MOH.

Incoming Premier Li Keqiang presided over a meeting of the State Council commission on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment on Monday, according to Xinhua News, and said that the government should spend more on anti-AIDS efforts. Reuters reports that he also met with non-governmental HIV/AIDS groups and promised to let them play a bigger role in fighting the epidemic:

“You have a greater understanding of what sufferers want … the government will continue to offer support and pay even greater attention to and listen more closely to the voices of civil society groups and you will be given greater space to play your role,” state television cited him as saying.

It also showed pictures of Li shaking hands with sufferers, in a country where discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS is rampant, even in the health-care community.

The South China Morning Post also pointed out the sensitive link between the issue of HIV/AIDS and Li’s career:

The issue was also behind one of the biggest black marks on Li’s career: efforts to cover up a massive HIV outbreak in Henan province in the late 1990s when Li was governor.

Tens of thousands of farmers contracted HIV from tainted blood acquired through government blood-donation schemes in the early and mid-1990s. Although Li was not involved in the programme, his muzzling of the media and crackdowns on protests were controversial.

“Now that he’ll be the next premier, he’s apparently aware of such a blemish in his résumé which subjects him to scrutiny,” said Liu Yige, a legal specialist with the Aids activist group Love, Knowledge and Action. “He’s also aware of the high expectation for him to become a reform-minded premier, so he needs to work on something to prove that to the world.”

© Scott Greene for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: epidemics, healthcare, HIV, HIV/AIDS, Li Keqiang, Ministry of Health, NGO
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The translations are by Rogier Creemers of China Copyright and Media.

30 September 2005

On 1 October, the main media in Guangdong Province will publish a news article on “The Earlier Motion to Dismiss the Village Committee Chair in Taishi Village Has Become Invalid, Safeguarding the Lawful Rights and Interests of the Villagers of Taishi According to the Law,” all websites are requested to not transmit this news article, forum trackers are also not to post this article.

30 September 2005

(1) It is not permitted to publish “Zhuhai Municipal People’s Congress Launches Appraisal and Judgment Activities, Designs Dismissal Rules” and other reports, existing reports must be promptly removed. Do not disseminate or discuss the viewpoint that “major matters must go through the National People’s Congress.”

2005-9-30

(2) The Yannan Community has already been closed, no website may discuss this topic!

29 September 2005

(1) Concerning the “Wang Binyu Case” and the “Panyu Taishi Village Incident,” only use Xinhua copy, it is strictly prohibited to use copy from any other source. Concerning the Wang Binyu case, only positive guiding posts can be issued, and these may only been posted after the Foreign Propaganda Office appoints a special person to examine and verify the “keeping the gate,” other posts must be completely cleaned up. Concerning the incident of recalling village officials in Taishi Village, Panyu, all posts already on forums are to be completely deleted without exception.

(2) Concerning matters of “civil servant salary system reform,” the following requirements are reiterated: websites are only to reprint Xinhua copy, without permission, they may not reprint information from any other source. Articles concerning this matter are not to be dealt with prominently, do not set up news trackers, do not set up special subject pages, forums are not to discuss this.

(3) Concerning the matter of “the Suicide of the Major of Korla City, Xinjiang,” without permissions, websites may not report this without exception. They must strengthen management, and timely block and delete relevant information.

28 September 2005

Do not report or play up the “Minister of Communications Zhang Chunxian Welcomes Information on Honest and Clean Government Supervision,” corresponding reports and commentaries must be immediately deleted.

28 September 2005

This week, focus on inspection and control of: online information aimed at the Beijing “Aircom” company withholding donations from netizens to the plaintiff in the Harbin “Japanese Army Gas Shell Case.”

This week, focus on inspection and control of: domestic and online information concerning incidents on the strike of workers of Special Steel in Chongqing, the incident of the rally of Anshan Steel workers in Liaoning, the incident of student protest of Sichuan Science and Engineering Institute students, and on the cholera epidemic in Fuzhou.

Matters concerning the Anshan Steel worker rallies may not be reported online without exception, timely block and delete corresponding information.

26 September 2005

(1) It is prohibited to explore the 17th Party Congress (The 17th National People’s Congress); note: regardless of whether netizens themselves start discussion or news media reports are reprinted, it is to be deleted without exception.

(2) Content related to foreign reports on any epidemic happening in our country is to be deleted without exception. Note; regardless of whether it is foreign or domestic, all media reports concerning disease epidemics (past ones that the masses know about are not included, such as SARS, etc.), are to be deleted first, afterwards, obey Notices.

25 September 2005

Matters related to the construction of a luxurious schoolhouse in Linhai, Zhejiang are not to be reported without exception!

22 September 2005

On 25 September, Xinhua will issue the “Copy concerning Website Clean-up and Rectification,” this may not be transmitted and may not be discussed. Content related to this is to be deleted without exception once discovered.

20 September 2005

The recent matter of a Henan person hijacking a taxi in Wangfujing, killing the driver and hitting some people, is not to be reported without exception.

10 September 2005

(1) Do not report on the event concerning the walkout of Peking University student Liu Jianfeng anymore. Existing content is to be deleted, forums are not to discuss it.

(2) Xinhua foreign-oriented copy concerning the Chinese Catholic leader responding to journalists’ questions may not be reprinted.

2 September 2005

During supervision, if the text “Notes from Birth Planning Investigation in Linyi, Shandong” is encountered, it is to be immediately deleted!

2005年9月北京网管办发出的禁令

2005-9-30

10月1日，广东省主要媒体将刊发”太石村原罢免村委会主任动议失效 依法维护太石村民合法权利”新闻稿，请各网站不转发此新闻稿，论坛跟帖也不贴发此稿
2005-9-30

1：不准发“珠海市人大开展述职评议活动、设计罢官规则”等报道，已有的要迅速撤除。不传播讨论“重大事项必须通过全国人大”的观点。

2：燕南社区已被关闭，关于此话题任何网站不准讨论！
2005-9-29

1、关于“王斌余案”和“番禺太石村事件”只使用新华社通稿，严禁使用其他任何来源稿件。关于王斌余案，只能发正面引导的贴文，并由外宣办指定专人审核把关后方可贴发，其余的贴文要全部清理。关于番禺太石村罢免村官事件，对论坛已有贴文一律全部删除。

2、有关“公务员工资制度改革”事，重申要求如下：网站只转发新华社通稿，未经许可，不得转载其他任何来源的消息。关于此事的文章不突出处理，不开新闻跟帖，不设专题，论坛也不讨论。

3、有关“新疆库尔勒市市长自杀”事，未经允许，网站一律不得报道。要加强管理，及时封堵和删除相关信息。
2005-9-28

不要报道和炒作“交通部长张春贤欢迎廉政监督的消息”相关报道和评论要立即删除。
2005-9-28

本周重点监控：网上针对北京“易索得”公司截留网民对齐齐哈尔“日军毒气弹案” 原告团捐款的相关信息。

本周重点监控：境内外网上有关重庆特钢工人罢工事件、辽宁鞍钢工人集会事件、四川理工学院学生抗议事件、福州霍乱疫情的信息。
有关鞍钢工人聚集事网上一律不得报道，及时封堵和删除相关信息。
2005-9-26

1、禁止探讨有关十七大（第十七届全国人民代表大会）；注：不论是网友自发讨论还是转载新闻媒体的报道，一律删除。

2、有关境外报道我国出现任何传染病疫情的内容一律删除。注：不论境外境内，所有媒体关于传染病疫情（以往众所周知得不包含在内，如非典等）的新报道一律先删除，事后听通知。
2005-9-25

有关浙江临海兴建豪华校舍之事一律不报道！
2005-9-22

25日新华社将发布关于“网站清理整顿的通稿”，不要转发，不要议论。有关此内容发现一律删除！
2005-9-20

近日一河南人在王府井劫持出租车杀害司机撞伤几人之事，一律暂不报道。
2005-9-10

1.不再报道关于北大学生柳剑锋出走之事。已有内容撤除，论坛不讨论。

2.新华社对外稿关于中国天主教负责人答记者问一律不得转载。
2005-9-2

监管时如遇《山东临沂计划生育调查手记》一文立即删除！

These translated directives were first posted by Rogier Creemers on China Copyright and Media on November 11, 2012 (here).

© Anne.Henochowicz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 17th Party Congress, Beijing, Beijing Internet Instructions, censorship, Censorship Vault, Chen Guangcheng, Chongqing, Directives from the Ministry of Truth, epidemics, Foreign Propaganda Office, Fuzhou, Guangdong, Harbin, Henan, Internet censorship, Korla, Liaoning, linyi, Liu Jianfeng, Ministry of Truth, National People's Congress, netizens, NPC, Panyu, Peking University, SARS, Shandong, Sichuan, Taishi, Wang Binyu, wangfujing, Xinhua, Xinjiang, Zhang Chunxian, Zhejiang, Zhuhai
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And still worse, most of these resistant cases are being passed from patient to patient. So drug-resistant forms of TB are circulating in the community, they’re not just being created one patient at a time when an individual doesn’t get a full course of the right drugs (although that’s happening too).

“The results of this nationwide survey in China confirm that the country has a serious epidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis,” write study authors, who mostly work at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a government agency.

Writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, the researchers report that a third of new TB cases and half of patients with previously treated TB have drug-resistant forms.

“China has the highest annual number of MDR tuberculosis in the world — a quarter of the cases worldwide,” the Chinese experts note in a forthright statement that bears no trace of muting the problem for the sake of national pride.

Bloomberg has more on the report:

“The situation is already pretty dire,” Daniel Chin, a TB Program officer at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Beijing and a co-author of the study, said in an interview. “We have no reason at all to believe that the situation has gotten any better in the intervening time. Once you go into the country- side, TB is everywhere and is one of the major infectious diseases still afflicting the Chinese population.”

About 44 percent of patients with multi-drug resistant TB who had received previous treatment had not completed their last course, which means more continuity of care is needed, the researchers said.

The survey involved 10 of China’s 31 provinces that have 1.36 billion of the country’s population. Some data in the study had been reported to the World Health Organization and published in its report.

The generic medicines rifampin and isoniazid are used to treat TB, and when drug-resistant bacteria are involved, patients need to take multi-therapy combinations or newer, expensive antibiotics.

© Scott Greene for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: drug resistance, epidemics, healthcare, hospitals, public health, tuberculosis
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Since June 2009, investigators have documented the presence of the virus in 171 patients from six regions in central and northeastern China, and the infection proved fatal in 12% of cases.

A causal relationship between the virus and the illness has yet to be established. However, epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory data strongly implicate the virus in the febrile illness, the researchers reported online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“Our finding that [the bunyavirus] is the probable cause of a previously unknown severe febrile disease is one of the fruits of heightened surveillance of infectious diseases in China,” De-Xin Li, MD, of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing, and co-authors wrote in conclusion ….

Mosquitoes and ticks were found in the homes of most of the patients. The investigators found no viral RNA in any of 5,900 mosquitoes tested but did isolate viral RNA from 10 of 186 (5.4%) ticks of the species Haemaphysalis longicornis found on domestic animals belonging to patients.

There is little apparent chance of a major epidemic, however. From Bloomberg:

There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, the researchers said.

“These are not viruses that are airborne or easily transmitted,” Heinz Feldmann, chief of the Laboratory of Virology for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Hamilton, Montana, said in a telephone interview. “It’s very unlikely it would spread into areas where the virus is not present.

“The risk of a global outbreak or even a larger epidemic is remote,” said Feldmann, who wrote an accompanying editorial in the journal.

© Samuel Wade for China Digital Times (CDT), 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: diseases, epidemics, medicine, rural areas
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After flying to Beijing from my current home in Hong Kong, I headed to Harbin to attend the opening of the Wu Lien-teh Memorial Hospital and the 60th anniversary of another hospital affiliated with Harbin Medical University, one of several medical institutions founded by Wu. Some 700 government officials as well as doctors from China and abroad attended the elaborate, televised event. Walking around the Wu Lien-teh hospital and associated museum, and listening to trained docents shed light on my own family history, I was deeply moved. But I also wondered: Why, after so long, is China honoring my great-grandfather? Read “China’s Medical Boom.”

The answer, on reflection, lies as much with how China has changed since the People’s Republic was founded 60 years ago as with Wu’s vital work. Over the decades China has lurched from serial revolutions to social experiments to, now, the wildly successful pursuit of wealth. In the process, hundreds of millions of lives have been both upended and uplifted. My great-grandfather and his family were buffeted by some of those forces too (though with nowhere near the terrible consequences experienced by countless other Chinese). While his achievements have long been recognized by epidemiologists worldwide, they were largely forgotten in China after the communists took over. In the aftermath of “liberation,” foreign links and laurels, once celebrated, became perilous liabilities. Wu’s relatives, including my father, fled in 1949, in part because they feared that their overseas ties might hurt them in the new China.

Yet as the nation continually transforms itself, so does its idea of what is acceptable and what, indeed, constitutes a hero.

© Sophie Beach for China Digital Times (CDT), 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: epidemics, Harbin, history, public health, Wu Lien-teh
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A mysterious epidemic is killing pigs in southeastern China, but international and Hong Kong authorities said today that the Chinese government is providing little information about it, or about the contaminated wheat gluten that has caused deaths and illnesses in other animals.

The lack of even basic details is reviving longstanding questions about whether China is willing to share information about health and food safety issues with potential global implications.

(...)
Read the rest of Epidemic Is Killing Pigs in Southeastern China – Keith Bradsher (64 words)

© Xiao Qiang for China Digital Times (CDT), 2007. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: epidemics, public health
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