4-year-old boy's case suggests virus immunity(2)

Village in shock

The discovery of an H7N9 case has shocked Naidong village, as authorities stepped up disinfections and checks for poultry products.

A village official named Zhang estimated that more than 2,000 migrant workers are living in rented houses in the village, in addition to the 400 households.

At the village's entrance, security guards were inspecting all vehicles and pedestrians in and out of the village on Monday afternoon for poultry products. Inside the gatehouse were dozens of bags of refrigerated chicken that had been confiscated from villagers.

The Zhu family's house was a focal point for disinfection crews on Monday afternoon, with workers loading all possible infected items, including the chicken coops, into a garbage truck to take them to be treated.

Zhai Shude, one of the cleaning workers, said they work eight hours a day nonstop to spray disinfectant along the streets.

The village committee broadcast over loudspeakers that villagers should report to authorities any cases of fever. Poultry products, including pickled and pot-stewed duck and chicken, have been banned from the market.

Zhu's father, who is from Henanprovince, has been selling fresh chicken and fish in the village for more than 10 years and has a good reputation, said Wu Xuqing, a 36-year-old housewife who lives only 50 meters from the family.

Wu said she was shocked to hear the boy has been infected as he was still playing on the streets on Sunday afternoon, hours before he was taken away by doctors from the health bureau.

Despite the case of infection, the normal life of villagers remained undisturbed.

"It would be too much of a burden to keep thinking of the virus. I may avoid walking near the area where they live and may clean the house more often. That's it," said Xie Ming, a 62-year-old in the village.

Special report: H7N9 avian influenza