Mainland, Taiwan join efforts in battling H7N9

BEIJING - The Chinese mainland is providing an H7N9 avian influenza virus strain to Taiwan as part of joint efforts to prevent and control the disease, according to a spokeswoman with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.

The two sides across the Taiwan Straits are exchanging information on the latest development of the bird flu, Fan Liqing said, adding that the mainland provided the H7N9 testing method to the island.  

Two Taiwanese medical experts, on April 6, visited designated hospitals for treating H7N9 in Shanghai, learning about the condition of patients, testing data, referral procedures, tracing  of patients' close contacts, treatment practices and information on vaccine research.    

She said the mainland will continue to implement the cross-Straits medical cooperation agreement signed in December 2010, and offer whatever support and assistance possible according to the island's demands for disease prevention and control.    

Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou on Tuesday called for cross-Straits cooperation in the development of a vaccine to prevent the spread of H7N9.  

The island's disease control authority said Tuesday that three of 10 suspected cases of H7N9 bird flu infections in people reported over the preceding 24 hours are negative. The remaining seven cases are still being tested.    

So far, the Chinese mainland has reported a total of 28 H7N9 cases, nine of which have ended in fatalities.