To gain more insights into hantavirus distribution in China, Microtus fortis were caught in Jilin province and M. maximowiczii in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Hantavirus specific RNA was detected by RT-PCR in 3 out of 26 M. fortis and 5 out of 64 M. maximowiczii. Two hantaviruses (Fusong-Mf-682 and Yakeshi-Mm-59) were isolated successfully in cell culture and their S and M segment nucleotide sequences were determined. Phylogenetic analysis of the S and M segment sequences revealed that the Mf-originated strains from Fusong were closely related to Vladivostok hantavirus (VLAV) with 99% nucleotide identity, but differed from the Yakeshi-Mm strains, with an amino acid divergence of more than 8.8% for the N protein and 11.8% for the GnGc proteins. Yakeshi-Mm strains were closely related to the Khabarovsk hantavirus (KHAV) isolated earlier from M. fortis in Khabarovsk, with an amino acid sequence identity of more than 98.4% for the S segment and 95.6% for the M segment. On phylogenetic trees, Yakeshi-Mm strains clustered together with KHAV and Topografov virus (TOPV) carried by Lemmus sibiricus. The results suggest that the hantavirus carried by M. fortis in China belongs to VLAV type and should be considered as a distinct hantavirus species. They also suggest that M. fortis is the natural host of VLAV (including Fusong-Mf strains), whereas M. maximowiczii is the natural host of KHAV including Yakeshi-Mm strains. Thus, in addition to Hantaan, Seoul, Dabieshan and Puumala-like Hokkaido viruses, at least two other hantaviruses, namely KHAV and VLAV, are circulating in China.

To provide a better understanding of hantavirus epidemiology in China, Korean field mice (Apodemus peninsulae) and striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius) were captured in Jilin province, China, where haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is endemic. Hantavirus antigens were detected in eight of the 130 A. peninsulae individuals and in four of the 193 A. agrarius individuals by using an immunofluorescence assay. Partial S and M segments were amplified from all of the antigen-positive samples. Furthermore, two hantaviruses (CJAp89 and CJAp93) were isolated successfully in cell culture and the entire S and M segments were amplified from one of them (CJAp93). Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences (partial or complete) showed that hantaviruses carried by A. peninsulae and A. agrarius form two distinct lineages, although viruses carried by A. peninsulae are similar to those isolated previously from A. agrarius in China and from HFRS patients in Russia. However, the viruses detected in A. peninsulae in China are genetically different from those detected in A. peninsulae in other countries. These data suggest that A. peninsulae is also a natural host for HTNV in north-eastern China.Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an important human disease and 60 000-100 000 hospitalized patients are reported annually worldwide, with the bulk of these cases occurring in China (Johnson, 1999). During the past 10 years, 25 000-60 000 HFRS cases were reported in China annually (Zhang et al., 2004). HFRS is caused by hantavirus, a member of the genus Hantavirus in the family Bunyaviridae. Currently, at least 20 serotypes and genotypes [such as Hantaan virus (HTNV), Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV), Seoul virus (SEOV), Puumala virus (PUUV), Sin Nombre virus (SNV), etc.] of hantavirus have been identified worldwide (Khaiboullina et al., 2005), and each serotype and/or genotype of hantavirus appears to be associated primarily with one (or a few closely related) specific rodent host(s) (Plyusnin & Morzunov, 2001). Several rodent species, such as Apodemus agrarius and Rattus norvegicus, have been identified as hantavirus reservoirs in China (Chen et al., 1986(Chen et al., , 1999Song et al., 1983 Song et al., , 1984Wang et al., 2000).Apodemus peninsulae has been identified as a hantavirus reservoir, and the hantavirus carried by A. peninsulae has been associated with HFRS in the far-east region of Russia (Lokugamage et al., 2002;Yashina et al., 2000). Hantaviruses have also been isolated from A. peninsulae in South Korea (Baek et al., 2006). Characterization of these viruses indicated that hantaviruses carried by A. peninsulae in the far east of Russia and in South Korea are antigenically and genetically distinct from HTNV, which is usually carried by A. agrarius. This led to the suggestion that hantaviruses carried by A. peninsulae could be classified as a novel hantavirus serotype (Baek et al., 2006;Lokugamage et al., 2004). A. peninsulae is distributed widely in China, and is one of the predominant rodent species in f...

In order to investigate whether Puumala virus (PUUV) or PUUV-like virus is present in China, Clethrionomys rufocanus and C. rutilus were captured in the Jilin province during the spring and autumn of 2002-2003 for detection of PUUV viral RNA by RT-PCR and confirmation of PUUV-positive antigens by an immunofluorescence assay. PUUV-positive RNA was identified in six out of 121 C. rufocanus but not in any of the 41 C. rutilus. Complete S and partial M sequences (nt 1,316-1,598 and 2,687-3,089) were amplified by RT-PCR directly from some of the antigen positive lung tissues and subjected to nucleic acid sequencing. It was found that the Chinese PUUV-like viruses were related most closely with the PUUV strains with 77.7-81.7% identity at the nucleotide level and 91.7-97% identity at the amino acid level for S segment, and with 77-78.8% identity at the nucleotide level and 91.5-92.6% identity at the amino acid level for the partial M segment (nt 1,316-1,598). Genetic analysis indicated that the Chinese PUUV-like viruses shared the highest level of identity with the viruses which circulate in C. rufocanus in the Far East region of Russia with 85.1-87.4% identity at the nucleotide level and 95.9% identity at the amino acid level for the partial M segment (nt 2,687-3,089), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Chinese PUUV-like viruses are distinct from those identified from Japan, South Korea, Europe or Russia. These results indicate that PUUV-like virus is present in China in addition to Hantaan, Seoul and Dabieshan viruses.

What is already known about this topic? COVID-19 has a high transmissibility calculated by mathematical model. The dynamics of the disease and the effectiveness of intervention to control the transmission remain unclear in Jilin Province, China. What is added by this report? This is the first study to report the dynamic characteristics and to quantify the effectiveness of interventions implemented in the second outbreak of COVID-19 in Jilin Province, China. The effective reproduction number of the disease before and after May 10 was 4.00 and p <0.01, respectively. The combined interventions reduced the transmissibility of COVID-19 by 99% and the number of cases by 98.36%. What are the implications for public health practice? The findings of this study would add data on the transmission of COVID-19 and provide evidence to prepare the second outbreak transmission of the disease in other areas of China even in many other countries.

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