WIKIMEDIA, MARTIN PETTITT

From January 19 to February 25, nine Chinese provinces saw 59 new laboratory-confirmed cases of human patients infected with avian influenza A(H7N9), which can cause severe pneumonia, the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission told the World Health Organization (WHO) this week (March 9). Part of the second wave of an outbreak that began in 2013, 49 of the newly reported cases occurred in people who had been exposed to live poultry or markets where live birds are sold. The majority of cases occurred in Guangdong province. Seventeen cases were fatal.

To combat the disease, the Chinese government has announced efforts to strengthen monitoring and treatment as well as other disease-controlling measures such as closing live poultry markets in the areas where outbreaks have occurred, and disinfecting others. The WHO suggests avoiding poultry farms, live bird markets, or areas where fowl are slaughtered, but does not...