A Taiwanese businessman, whose name has been witheld, has been infected with the H7N9 avian influenza virus while living in China, Taiwan's Center for Disease Control confirmed.

Officials at Taiwan's CDC also announced that they have contacted Chinese Health authorities to confirm the case.

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Taiwan CDC reportedly became aware of the case after the son of the patient contacted them to report a possible infection after he visited his father earlier this month.

On January 5, 2016, the son was contacted by the Chinese health department regarding the state of his father's health. Even after going to China, he was unable to see his father, who had already been put in the intensive care unit.

It was then that the son took the initiative to report the case to the Taiwanese Center for Disease Control.

On January 8th, the son arrived back in Taiwan and was tested for signs of infection, his temperature was normal and he showed no signs and symptoms of having the H7N9 virus. Quarantine officials have decided that the risk of the 26-year old son being infected by the virus is rather low, so he was released from quarantine. However, he was given health advice and asked to conduct health management in the comforts of his own home. 

The rest of the family have also been tested and no one showed any signs of carrying the virus.

There have been 23 confirmed H7N9 cases in China since autumn 2015 with 14 of those cases coming from the Zhejiang province. 

TagsTaiwanese Businessman, H7N9 Update, Taiwan Businessman H7N9 virus China