Saturday, April 18, 2009

HHS

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

...The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans..

..The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans..

.The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans..


JUST THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEE THAT IN PRINT... IN CASE YOU FORGOT WHAT YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION IS.

John E. Lange

Special Representative
Avian and Pandemic Influenza
Term of Appointment: 05/03/2006 to present
http://tinyurl.com/c862vz

Hi John. I saw you at a pandemic meeting one time... your participation was very "interesting."
So looky here, John, since you read my news everyday, I suppose I should be getting a check for my work. Seeing as I produce and have informed more people about avian influenza than you have... I figure I should be gettin a CUT OF YOUR CHECK. Before long your name will be at the top of the list of people that failed to prepare or properly warn the American public about the coming pandemic... YOU KNOW.. THE ONE THAT WILL MOST LIKELY BE HERE BY FALL?
Going by the situation in Egypt and Indonesia..That I read Everyday..you must be very busy.. even too busy to tell the rest of the public about the current situation.
For shame, John, for shame.. remind your kids and family that you fail in your duties everyday.

For the CDC

If the lack of responsible information regarding the avian influenza situation in Egypt could not be any worse..
you pass yourselves off as a credible source of online information.
Please send back all the money you steal from the American public.
You will have to come clean on Bird Flu sooner or later..at least pretend that you can be trusted.




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Outbreaks:
New! Yellow Fever in Brazil
Updated: April 17, 2009
New! Pertussis in Australia
Released: April 17, 2009

Shaheen: Shaaban Abdel Rahim singing of bird flu was intended

Saturday, April 18, 2009 - 16:10
- Camera Essam El Shami


The dawn of the 65 confirmed case of bird flu, a series of questions, especially as it was confirmed after the case of 64 a few hours, are we to a new outbreak of the disease at the end of the winter season? Or to the crisis in the ministry's plan to combat the disease? "Is Tamiflu is still effective in the treatment of infected cases? Or is it just a housing crisis erupted Pthor Verosha avian flu and its transmission among humans?.

Warned the Minister of Health. The woman in a clear message, from the negligence or inaction in dealing with avian influenza, mutate, and because the probability of transmission among humans in Egypt, a large, if there was any kind of complacency in dealing with the flu.

D students. Hatem mountain groups of the Egyptian society, especially groups that deal directly with live birds, the need for caution when dealing with the flu, saying: "We are not calling to prevent the breeding of domestic birds, because it is a source of income for the family, particularly in the areas rural, but following the instructions call for sound health in dealing with the flu. Although a tribute to all the international organizations in Egypt in the face of bird flu control, but that does not mean that we have eliminated the disease, the disease is still in its strength and fear it could mutate and spread from human to human person, and here occur delinquent that take the lives of millions of people and cause economic losses estimated Baltreionat of dollars.

D said. Amr Qandil head of infectious diseases, the Ministry of Health and a member of the National Committee to combat bird flu, said that there are a total of 3 million doses stocks, Ministry of Health strategic drug Tamiflu, the drug only to the processor after the emergence of avian flu symptoms to humans in the early stages, but if the patient's income in a stage of the second degree or late, thus this drug is ineffective, calling on all citizens to go to the nearest health unit or hospital to take the property even in cases of suspicion, which has a positive impact on the recovery situation in the event of confirmed infected with HIV, saying that the ministry is ready to viral mutations in the first stage, even if it turned into an epidemic transmissible between humans.

D said. Abdel-Rahman Shahin, official spokesman of the Ministry of Health and Population, the Ministry launched a national campaign by anti-virus bird flu prevention campaign, pointing out that this information campaign is a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of the disease include the press, radio and television Vgina "Shaaban Abdel-Rahim," avian influenza not just a "bang" as they are to educate citizens in order to reach all groups, especially the most vulnerable to the disease.

This is in addition to the epidemiological surveillance of the disease by isolating the case until
6337 on suspicion of being infected with the disease, but it was all negative, province of Egypt

came first in the rankings in terms of the number of suspected cases, which amounted to 843 cases, followed by the province of
the West 802 the case, then Al-b 519 case Monoufia 512 and 486, Giza, Damietta and Alexandria, 449 and 403 and 353 Qaliubiya Dakahliya 322 and 294, Menya, Sohag and Qena, 284 and 215 Fayyoum 187 suspected and Beni Suef 172 and 152 lake and 129 East, then 82 and Aswan Asyut 40 case 30 case of Ismailia Luxor 17 and 13, Port Said, Suez and the valley 7 new Helwan, South Sinai, 6 and 4, the Red Sea, North Sinai and 3 cases is one case, the province on October 6, had not been recorded any cases of suspected bird flu, bringing the total positive cases, 65 cases so far.


hattip Sally
The losses are compensated by the import ..
Avian flu found on 45% of the poultry السبت، 18 أبريل 2009 - 11:22 Saturday, April 18, 2009 - 11:22



5 million were imported chick


Dr. Saber Abdel Aziz, Director of the Department of Veterinary Epidemiology Services Authority, Egypt is suffering from a severe deficit in the production of poultry is estimated at about 45%, while 5 million were imported chick so far, to compensate for losses, and destroyed after the bird flu, the poultry industry, according to Abdul Aziz.

The Director of the Department of Veterinary Epidemiology Services Authority in a special statement on the seventh day, that despite the deficit in the production of sending into exile, but there is abundant food in the production of eggs, because of the large number of force-feeding mothers who had not been affected by coral disease, avian influenza.

http://74.125.91.132/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=ar%7Cen&u=http://www.alyoum7.com/News.asp%3FNewsID%3D90266%26SecID%3D65%26IssueID%3D54&prev=/translate_s%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3D%2Bbird%2Bflu%2B%2Bapril%2B6%2B2009%26tq%3D%25D8%25A7%25D9%2586%25D9%2581%25D9%2584%25D9%2588%25D9%2586%25D8%25B2%25D8%25A7%2B%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25B7%25D9%258A%25D9%2588%25D8%25B1%2B6%2B%25D8%25A3%25D8%25A8%25D8%25B1%25D9%258A%25D9%2584%2B2009%26sl%3Den%26tl%3Dar%26start%3D40&usg=ALkJrhhrgv8cUaILIcPjFqaNk7ynct9zUw

8 cases of detention of Damanhour admitted to hospital on suspicion of bird flu patients

18/04/2009
18/04/2009

كتب - طارق عبدالعزيز ومحمد عيسوي:
Books - Tareq Aziz, Mohammad Eissawi:




Detained hospital fevers Damanhour 8 cases of suspected bird flu patients who are: Kawther Abdul Raouf «50 years of age - housewife» Fawzia Mohamed «51 years of age - housewife» Ramadan full faith and «38 years» and Ihab Abdul-Muttalib, son 8 years, Sarah Khalil «7 years »Amr Abdel Nasser« 3 years »and meet the warrior rather than« 33 years housewife »Mbrokp Ghazi Bader and« 42 years housewife », after the emergence of symptoms of the disease are similar to high temperature, sore throat and difficulty in breathing, where blood samples were taken from the injured and sent to central laboratories for testing.





For his part, Major General Mohammad Sha'rawi governor lake several resolutions to combat bird flu to prohibit the transfer or trading of all kinds Taioralehip without permission from the Directorate of Veterinary Medicine Lake In the case of controlling the movement of the car in which the bird is a fine driver, up to 500 pounds, with the execution of all the birds after sampling in the absence of proven integrity and provides resolutions to ban the transfer of conservative Sblp «remnants of birds» of farms that have been shown to act without authorization from the Directorate of veterinary medicine in return for collecting the amount of twenty pounds on the declaration in the case-control cars loaded Balsplp be executed without a permit means Sblp health and environmental sound, under the auspices of the Committee concerned with the collection of a fine set at 500 pounds seized from the vehicle with the ban on domestic poultry breeding in cities with the removal of all special education, which nest there in the balconies of the houses with a fine of 200 pounds on the contrary, and prohibits the sale of birds in the shops and the imposition of a fine 300 pounds or 15-day closure for the assignee violation.






For its part, the health ministry said that the total 64 cases that have been positive so far, since the disease appeared in Egypt in February 2006, 61 of them had been wounded because of the birds coming home with two of them was a result of their poultry farms, while only one case was of a girl was the result of a work stores that sell live birds, the ministry's statistics point out that 2007 was the fiercest in terms of numbers of bird flu infection, with the 25 people in 2006, followed by 18 cases in 2009 and then being injured 13 b while the 2008 is the last least in terms of numbers of cases where the affected recorded 8 cases only.


hattip Fla1

Pasien Suspect Flu Burung Still Treated Intensive

17/04/2009


One of the patients that suspected was affected by bird flu some previous time was treated intensive di isolation space of Irna C Petri Penyakit Dalam RS Dr M. Jamil Padang. At this time one the patient from Kabupaten Sijunjuang middle dirawat diruangan the isolation. [the Photograph: the Posmetro Document}

The condition for the patient suspect bird flu M. Jamil (16) till today still was treated intensive in isolation space of Irna C Petri Penyakit Dalam RS Dr M. Jamil Padang. On Friday (17/4), the fever and breathless the patient from Sungailansek Kabupaten Sijunjung this descended compared with the first day entered, on Wednesday night (15/3). However, the team of the control doctor of the bird flu illness did not yet allow the patient to come home. "Results rapid his test was negative." However, we were still being waiting for results of the inspection of Balitbangkes in Jakarta. That was caused, because the patient had the story of contact with the poultry that died, the Medical headword of the Service Field of RSUD Dr M. Djamil Padang, Dr Irayanti SpM, this afternoon.
-snip-

Producer Criticises Disease Cost-Sharing Proposal

[....."China, Vietnam, Egypt, India, Indonesia. No one really wants to talk about it, for various political, economical and social reasons..." http://pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/crisis-prevention-how-to-do-it-how-to.html]

Friday, April 17, 2009
John Bowler has slammed DEFRA's cost-sharing proposals as a tax on professional poultry producers.

John Bowler, managing director of independently owned free-range egg company John Bowler's Eggs, has criticised DEFRA's cost-sharing proposals for dealing with exotic livestock diseases, labelling it "another tax on poultry producers".

Poultry producers are being asked to pay a livestock levy of £0.04 per bird place towards the cost of surveillance and preparation for outbreaks of exotic diseases. But any producer with less than 397 birds will be exempt under current proposals.

"The proposed system does not differentiate between larger commercial producers, who already invest in sound health and bio-security measures as a matter of course, and those higher risk flocks, predominantly smaller, who don't," John Bowler says.

"The larger producers subject to the levy would therefore be paying twice, and it concerns me that the small-scale and backyard flocks would be exempt given that they could be the ones to aggravate the situation if avian influenza, for example, was found.

"Every one of Bowler's producers, including my own farms, already carry out thorough vaccination programmes, farm health planning, and have top notch biosecurity measures in place, which is indeed the case for the vast majority of larger-scale UK producers who, between them, supply most of the country's eggs."

Mr Bowler continued, "DEFRA has suggested that future payments could be based on an assessment of each farm's specific risks, but why not do the risk assessments before introducing this scheme? And will they assess 'risk' according to history of disease in each industry or according to perceived risk?

"For instance, in the time I have been in the industry, avian influenza has only occurred in this country in housed birds, yet the perceived risk is that wild migrating birds bring it onto the range and infect free-range birds. Would we be penalised for this in the long term as they are re-assessing every year?"

He urges government to consider alternatives to the proposals. "The hatcheries could collect the levy so no one misses out on supporting the cause," he suggests.

"They could be paid for doing so and save administrative costs in the process. Or perhaps agricultural grants and subsidies should be stopped or lowered to pay for this. Why give it with one hand and take it back with the other?"

Mr Bowler concludes that the proposals as they stand will mean more administration and more regulatory bodies to deal with, with no visible gain to producers or consumers.

China Files WTO Complaints Over US Poultry Ban

[....."China, Vietnam, Egypt, India, Indonesia. No one really wants to talk about it, for various political, economical and social reasons..." http://pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/crisis-prevention-how-to-do-it-how-to.html]

Friday, April 17, 2009
SWITZERLAND - China filed complaints to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Friday about a US law effectively banning imports of Chinese poultry products, saying the law may violate WTO regulations.

Pursuant to Section 727 of the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009, which was already signed into law, the United States effectively prohibits the establishment or implementation of any measures that would allow poultry products to be imported from China, the Chinese WTO mission said.

China is concerned that Section 727 places restrictions on the import from China of poultry products that are inconsistent with the United States' WTO obligations, it added.

The Chinese mission said it had sent a note to the US mission requesting WTO consultations with the restrictive law. Related documents have also been sent to the WTO.

"China reserves its right to raise further factual and legal issues and arguments during the course of the consultations, and in any future request for the establishment of a panel," the mission said.

According to WTO's dispute settlement procedures, once complaints are filed, the two concerned parties usually have some 60 days to try to resolve their dispute through consultations.

If that fails, China can request the establishment of a WTO expert panel to investigate and rule on the legality of the US measures.

Sukabumi: 8 Subdistricts Positive Bird Flu


Hundreds of officers divaksin Field

Previously posted: Friday, April 17, 2009, 17:26:00

SUKABUMI, (PRLM),-As many as 170 employees dilingkungan Health Office (Dinkes) Kab. Sukabumi has given vaksinisasi. Step was to anticipate the attack of bird flu at the human research. Giving Vaxigrip Inactivated Influenza Vaccine is not only given to field staff. However, the vaccine is given also to his wife and their son.

"We did not want to take the risk of contracting officers in the bird flu. Moreover, transmission is very vulnerable when they carry out the duties. And, the death of chickens suspected to carry the AI virus continues merebak force of their emptiness," said the head field (Kabid) Penanggulangan zymotic Penyehatan and Environment (P2MPL) Public Health (Dinkes) Kab. Sukabumi Dadang Sucipta to PRLM, Friday (17 / 4).



8 Subdistricts Positive Bird Flu
Friday 17 April 2009, Jam: 18:42:00

Sukabumi (Pos Kota) - Eight subdistricts were in the Sukabumi Regency stated positive bird flu, namely the Cidahu Subdistrict, Bojong Genteng, Pelabuhan Ratu, Parung Kuda, Lengkong, Cibadak, Cisolok, Cidahu, and Jampang Tengah.

"Beforehand, the number of subdistricts that was stated positive bird flu only was two, namely Cidahu and Jampang Tengah," said Suhendar, Koordinator Surveilence Health Service, Kabupaten Sukabumi.

Named by Suhendar, as far as this is concerned did not yet have the resident of the Sukabumi Regency infected the deadly illness.

Nevertheless, his side continued to carry out the monitoring, especially the resident who had the story of contact with the poultry that died suddenly.

Suhendar appealed to the resident that suffered was sick the high fever that was accompanied breathlessly and the cough cough, so that immediately get examined at the closest community health centre.

Officially Peternakan stated, the endemic area of bird flu experienced the decline in this year compared to the year beforehand.

"The year 15 subdistricts as the endemic area of bird flu, whereas the year beforehand 26 subdistricts," said Asep Kurnadi, Section Head the Eradication of the Contagious Illness of Animal Livestock Service Kabupaten Sukabumi.
hat-tip dbg

Singaporean Flu, The Airport & The Port Was In Jakarta Supervised


Friday, 17 April 2009 - 16:56 wib

Jakarta - The Service of Health Special Capital District [DKI] Jakarta will carry out various efforts so that Singaporean flu does not enter Jakarta. Some that were carried out were by carrying out the supervision of the Jakarta entrance like the Port and the Airport.

Section Head Health (Dinkes) DKI Jakarta Dien Emawati said, these entrances namely the Airport Soekarno Hatta, Tangerang and the Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta. However the prevention executive and the inspection not was on the Provincial Government hands but in the government of the centre namely the Department of the Health (the Department of Health).

Eventually, the early detection system prevented the Singaporean flu with the pattern of the temperature monitor of the body so as to be detected by the resident's body heat that just came home from overseas, especially from Singapore. If results of the detection of the beginning indicated had the sign of flu then will be given by the further handling. "The pattern of this anticipation resembled the prevention of the SARS illness that previously was available," he said, on Friday (17/4/2009).

The visitors who were stated suspect then will be run off with to the closest hospital. "Like in the port, will have RS Pelabuhan could detect earlier of this Singaporean flu," he stressed.

However, continued Dien, this prevention regulation was was handed by the Department of Health. The DKI Provincial Government in this case will not make the command post to the two Jakarta entrances.

Dien explained, the prevention that was carried out the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government was with the observation system of the spreading of the illness that was renewed for 24 hours and based web. "So be opened web we at once had the development of cases of the illness that always in update," obviously him.

Further, the community health centre (Puskesmas) immediately must descend to the field to follow up that the spreading of the illness could be minimised. "Surveilance that will be tightened by us," he stressed.
hat-tip dbg

Recombinomics: H5N1 Cairo Cases Cause Concern

Commentary

H5N1 Cairo Cases Cause Concern
Recombinomics Commentary 08:45
April 18, 2009

A 25-year-old Egyptian woman has contracted the highly pathogenic bird flu virus after coming into contact with infected birds, the latest case in a growing spate of infections in Egypt, state media said on Friday.

The woman, from El-Marg on Cairo's outskirts, was in a critical condition on a ventilator after falling ill with a fever on April 11.

The above comments describe the latest confirmed H5N1 case in Egypt. Earlier cases had been predominantly (10/11) toddlers (age 1 ½ to 2 ½) with mild H5N1 (only one of the 10 had been characterized as “critical”) and all have recovered, as did the first adult (38F).

Recently however, the cases have been critical (6M, 33F, 25F) and these cases have had a larger gap between disease onset day and the start of oseltamivir treatment. The delay in the first such case (6F) was due in part to a denial if contact with dead or dying poultry. In Egypt, patients with bird flu symptoms and stated contact with dead or dying poultry leads to the immediate start of osletamivir treatment, which is generally prior to test result.

The above comments that the patient had contact with infected birds suggest that the birds have been H5N1 confirmed, but there has been no confirmed birds reported in the area of the most recent case (see updated map). The closest H5N1 confirmation was the 6M case, raising concerns of a more efficiently transmitted H5N1.

There is concern that the mild toddler cases is linked to a 3 BP deletion that was in the H5N1 in a Qena cluster in 2007, when there was another series of mild cases (16/17 survived, and 16/17 were children between ages of 3-10). However, some of the older cases infected with H5N1 with the deletion died or survived after being in critical condition.

Therefore, the release of sequences from the 2009 sequences would be useful. The first two sequences were included in a WHO phylogenetic tree, which suggested that those two mild toddler cases had the deletion.

Identification of the “infected birds” in northeastern Cairo would also be useful.

Media Links

Friday, April 17, 2009

In two cases of suspected bird flu Btnta

السبت، 18 أبريل 2009 - 15:31
Saturday, April 18, 2009 - 15:31





The high incidence of bird flu due to a lack of awareness of the vulnerability or treatment?




Detained yesterday hospitals Tanta fevers, two cases of suspected bird Jdetyn bird flu, the first woman, aged (23 years) and the amount of Ngeltha a year and a half after the sense of shortness of breath, redness of the face, and very high temperature.



Cases has been reserved within the site for such cases, blood samples were taken and the melancholy hours of Bushra Ahmed Moussa (23 years) and Ngeltha Salma Mohammed and a half years and sent to labs central Ministry of Health to show how they got sick or not and give them the drug Tamiflu, and put under constant observation.


This was stated by Dr. Sharif Hammouda Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health meeting Sunday attended.
http://74.125.91.132/translate_c?hl=...S-a8mINxuqyU8g

M. Jamil Still Was Treated Intensive

Friday, 17 April 2009

Padang, Metro - the Condition for the patient Suspect bird flu M. Jamil (16) till yesterday still was treated intensive in isolation space of Irna C Petri Penyakit Dalam RS Dr M. Djamil Padang. Yesterday, the fever and breathless the patient from Sungailansek Kabupaten Sijunjuang this descended compared with the first day entered, on Wednesday night (15/3).

However, the team of the control doctor of the bird flu illness did not yet allow the patient to come home. "Results rapid his test was negative. However, we were still being waiting for results of the inspection of Balitbangkes in Jakarta. That was caused, because the patient had the story of contact with the poultry that died," the Medical headword of the Service Field of RS Dr M. Djamil Padang Dr Irayanti SpM, yesterday.

The patient who experienced the high fever, breathless, flu and this cough, said Irayanti, also were checked swap the throat to know the other deviation that was suffered by the patient suspect. From the family's information, the patient before experiencing the characteristics as the sufferer Suspect, beforehand experienced contact with the poultry around his house. From the official's inspection of the Livestock Service, this poultry positive contracted the virus H5N1.

Met was separated, Section Head Health Sumbar Dr Rosnini Syavitri MKes said, after patient suspect from Sungailansek, all the poultry was around the patient's house destroyed to prevent the spreading of the virus H5N1. "The team from the Livestock Service and the health has destroyed the poultry. Moreover, we also gave counselling to the resident and the public figure to be on the alert and preceptive bird flu," said Rosnini.

From January to this April, has been recorded by 3 patients Suspect bird flu, that is from the Padangpariaman Regency, Dharmasraya and finally from Sungailansek Kabupaten Sijunjuang. Now, from 2005 to 2009, the patient Suspect reached 62 people. Where five patients were stated positive bird flu, one person had finally died and four other people recovered.

The bird flu virus was the very deadly virus. To humankind, the infection of the bird flu virus was marked in a hot manner high was accompanied breathless difficult. When finding signs as this, and beforehand had the story of contact with the poultry, the resident better immediately to the community health centre to get the diagnosis and Tamiflu giving.

Tamiflu was given free in the Community Health Centre. This medicine had a function of preventing the expansion of the bird flu virus in the body. However, this medicine only was effective if being given in two days or 48 hours since the patient contracted the sign of bird flu.

Hundreds of officers divaksin Field

Friday, April 17, 2009, 17:26:00

SUKABUMI, (PRLM),-As many as 170 employees dilingkungan Health Office (Dinkes) Kab. Sukabumi has given vaksinisasi. Step was to anticipate the attack of bird flu at the human research. Giving Vaxigrip Inactivated Influenza Vaccine is not only given to field staff. However, the vaccine is given also to his wife and their son.

"We did not want to take the risk of contracting officers in the bird flu. Moreover, transmission is very vulnerable when they carry out the duties. And, the death of chickens suspected to carry the AI virus continues merebak force of their emptiness," said the head field (Kabid) Penanggulangan zymotic Penyehatan and Environment (P2MPL) Public Health (Dinkes) Kab. Sukabumi Dadang Sucipta to PRLM, Friday (17 / 4).

6 injured in suspected cases of bird flu lake

Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 16:31
Lake - Fathy Shaaban
The hospital admitted Damanhour detain 6 suspected cases in the disease of bird flu virus after the emergence of symptoms of the disease are similar to them, with a high temperature, sore throat and difficulty in breathing, and suspected cases are: Kawther Abdul Raouf (50 years - housewife ), and Fawzia Mohammed (51 years - a housewife), and the faith of the whole of Ramadan (38 years) and her son, Ihab Abdul-Muttalib, Sarah Khalil (7 years), and Amr Abdel-Nasser (3 years).

The formation of a committee to examine the injured and the houses surrounding the houses and cleared, and was taking blood samples from the injured and sent to central laboratories for testing.

For his part, the governor, Major General Mohammed Sharawi the lake, the need for concerted efforts of all governmental and grass-roots and community, to address and combat bird flu, adding to the importance of educating citizens, the dangers of this disease and how to deal with it through the media, culture, mosques and houses of worship, associations and other civil society institutions Civil.

Sharawi has issued several resolutions, including: the Prohibition of the transfer or trading of live birds of all kinds, and the prohibition of the transfer of "Sblp" from the farm, which proved to act without authorization from the Directorate of Veterinary Medicine, and the need for campaigns to vendors for a surprise bird flu vaccines in the province, and took samples for analysis to ensure of integrity, in an ongoing basis, and the prohibition of the sale of birds in the shop, and the imposition of a fine of up to 1000 pounds, the 15-day closure of shops violation.
hat-tip Andy

Egypt announces human infection of bird flu, No. 65

Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:21 pm GMT

CAIRO (Reuters) -

The Egyptian Health Ministry said on Friday that a woman in one of Cairo's hit by bird flu to be the fifth disease in Egypt this month.

Quoted by the official MENA news agency as an account of the ministry as saying that the gift Salah Ragab (25 years) from the district Lawn Demerdash transferred to a hospital in Cairo on 11 April where she was suffering from very high temperature and cough.

The agency added that it was put on a ventilator and that her state of health "is unstable and critical."

This brings the number of infection cases were confirmed to have H5N1 that the bird flu to 65 in the case of Egypt, which has become the countries most affected by the disease outside of Asia.

Since the 2003 virus, "said the 5 H 1," at least 412 people in 15 countries and caused the deaths of 254 of them. It also led to the deaths or culling of more than 300 million birds in 61 countries in Asia and the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

He died about 23 Egyptians, most of the virus after contact with infected domestic birds in a country which depends on the family of five million poultry in the home as an important source of food and income.

Rarely infects HIV 1 to 5 human, but experts fear it could mutate into a form that could pass easily between humans, a pandemic that could kill millions of people.

The World Health Organization said this month it was worried that some Egyptians may have the virus that causes bird flu without showing any symptoms, which may increase the chance the virus will mutate into a strain easily spread among humans.
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[ARABIC]

مصر تعلن عن الاصابة البشرية رقم 65 بانفلونزا الطيور
Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:21pm GMT

اطبع هذا الموضوع
[-] نص [+]

القاهرة (رويترز) - قالت وزارة الصحة المصرية يوم الجمعة ان سيدة بأحد احياء القاهرة اصيبت بمرض انفلونزا الطيور لتكون خامس اصابة بالمرض في مصر هذا الشهر.

ونقلت وكالة انباء الشرق الاوسط الرسمية عن بيان للوزارة قوله ان هدية صلاح رجب (25 عاما) من حي المرج نقلت الى مستشفى الدمرداش بالقاهرة يوم 11 ابريل نيسان حيث كانت تعاني من ارتفاع شديد في درجة الحرارة وسعال.

واضافت الوكالة انها وضعت على جهاز التنفس الصناعي وان حالتها الصحية "غير مستقرة وحرجة".

وبهذه الاصابة يرتفع عدد الحالات التي تأكد اصابتها بفيروس اتش5 ان1 المسبب لمرض انفلونزا الطيور الى 65 حالة في مصر التي اصبحت أكثر الدول تضررا بهذا المرض خارج اسيا.

ومنذ عام 2003 اصاب فيروس "اتش5 ان1" 412 شخصا على الاقل في 15 دولة وتسبب في وفاة 254 منهم. كما ادى الى نفوق أو اعدام أكثر من 300 مليون طائر في 61 دولة في اسيا والشرق الاوسط وافريقيا واوروبا.

وتوفى نحو 23 مصريا بعد الاصابة بالفيروس معظمهم خالطوا طيورا منزلية مصابة في بلد تعتمد فيه خمسة ملايين اسرة على تربية الدواجن في المنازل كمصدر مهم للغذاء والدخل.

ونادرا ما يصيب فيروس اتش5 ان1 الانسان لكن الخبراء يخشون من انه قد يتحور الى شكل يمكن ان ينتقل بسهولة بين البشر ويصبح وباء قد يقتل ملايين الاشخاص.

وقالت منظمة الصحة العالمية هذا الشهر انها تشعر بالقلق من ان بعض المصريين ربما يحملون الفيروس المسبب للاصابة بانفلونزا الطيور دون ان تظهر عليهم الاعراض وهو ما قد يزيد من فرصة تحور الفيروس الى سلالة تنتشر بسهولة بين البشر.
hat-tip Ironorehopper

Cairo International Airport because of the crisis 30 sparrows

sparrows rarely raised were seized Friday along with passengers coming from Saudi Arabia in the crisis between the Cairo International Airport, the customs authorities and the veterinary quarantine and the airline carrier, where the latter refused to co-disposal of the birds, either to return or destroy.The Egyptian customs officials seized 30 sparrows rarely platoons of "A" and "Zebra" in the wooden box, accompanied by central battery passengers to return to Egyptian Egypt Air flight from Jeddah.

For his part, Hesham Saleh, director of the customs to inform the doctor of veterinary quarantine, as recommended not to enter to protect the country from bird flu, with the return to Saudi Arabia or destroy. Was reported to the airline for the birds, but they refused because the Saudi authorities to impose a heavy fine on the airline in such cases, as the authorities did not take the veterinary quarantine procedures for execution, and birds still in the customs hall.


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Identified the prevention of avian influenza

Friday, 17 / 4 / 2009, 17: 17 (GMT +7)

Scientists are concerned the risk of H5N1 virus variants dangerous form of infection from person to person, a pandemic could cause millions of deaths.

In the research posted on the magazine Chemical study, the scientists in the U.S. and Hong Kong tested approximately 230 thousand in the list of lists of Cancer Institute National American (NCI) and found about 20 of the can against the spread of H5N1 virus. One of the qualities that called NSC89853, the results promised.

In the experiment, the scientists have been injected into some cells of the body types of the virus H5N1 and seasonal influenza virus and the notice of NSC89853 prevent effective regeneration of both types of this virus.

Egypt top the world in the incidence of bird flu this year 13 cases in less than 4 months

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17/04/2009 17/04/2009
كتب - طارق عبدالعزيز وأحمد عشري ويوسف المصري: Books - Tariq Aziz, Ahmed Yusuf al-Masri decimal:

. Ministry of Health announced late yesterday evening on the first confirmed human case No. 64 of bird flu, a woman claims Saadia Ahmed Abdul Latif Hamid «33 years» from the city of Kulain province of Kafr el-Sheikh, said Dr. Abdel Rahman Shahin, the ministry adviser to the onset of symptoms was affected by the situation on the seventh of this month, and entered on their impact on Wednesday admitted to hospital in Kafr El-Sheikh and is experiencing a rise in temperature and respiratory failure following exposure to dead birds suspected of being infected with the disease.
. He added: the drug was given «Tamiflu» However, the critical health condition necessitating placed on a ventilator. With World Health Organization statistics show exports to Egypt the world list of countries infected with bird flu in 2009 a total of 13 cases in less than four months at a time which still ranks third in the world, the cumulative number of HIV since the emergence of the disease in February 2006 a total of 64 cases died, including 23 cases.For his part, Dr. Adel Al Khattab - Advisor to the Minister of Health to combat avian influenza - the virus has not mutated yet, or become heavy evidence that Egypt did not witness any of the 13 deaths among the disease this year, pointing out that the problem lies in the low awareness among citizens of the seriousness of the disease, He pointed out that due to the Ministry of Health carried out a propaganda campaign to make children aware of the dangers of the disease.

The deteriorating health situation «No. 64» of infected b «avian flu» in the «fevers Kafr El-Sheikh» ..

And 3 new wells in Aswan and Beni Suef. Dr Susan Oboualabasy, director of the hospital admitted Kafr El-Sheikh, said that Saadia Ahmed Abdul Latif Hamid, «33 years» from the city of Kulain, Case No. 64, announced the Ministry of Health of her disease, bird flu before she came to the hospital at 10 days, resulting in delayed their health.

The patient arrived to the hospital after nine in the morning, the day before yesterday, and the samples were taken immediately and the result arrived at 5.30 pm the same day, after her family offered more than a doctor and failed to describe the disease, and she is now double pneumonia and was placed on a respirator and being given a strong anti-solvents in addition to Tamiflu, which is under the personal care of the seriousness of her condition, and said her husband, Ahmed Abdel Salam Abutaleb: We have 3 children, were sentenced to 10 years of the fifth grade of primary and second primary grade Khalid, Ibrahim 4 years, explaining that his wife Tzbhaa bought the duck and put it with the straw in the 20 pullet-rearing birds, including 13 Vnfq chickens.

And after his wife was in the high temperature and severe bone pain I went to the doctors in the group and Desouk Kulain and Professor of Alexandria and the Chief confirmed that they all «non-infected» avian flu, and recommended the removal of one lung Vchin, after the intensification of the disease went to the hospital Kulain central and ran after they have been checked for allocation to the «fevers» Kafr El-Sheikh.

In Aswan, said Dr. Mohammed Salah, the deputy health minister, the government, two things that have been found positive for the disease-infected birds were culled 170 chickens in the market Thursday, and the closure of 4 stores to sell live poultry.

In Beni Suef Muheisen Dr. Abd Al-Rahim, Director General of Veterinary Medicine in the county, the emergence of a positive focus for the birds infected with the disease in the house of Mohammed students students, a village of the Center for Dndel Nasser, was the execution of about 443 birds and vaccination of about 4000 birds in the region that has emerged as the focus.

At the level of disease control, said Major General Abdel Salam Mahgoub, Minister of Local Development, Head of Higher Ministerial Committee to combat avian flu, will be holding an emergency meeting next week in the ministry, in the presence of ministers of health, agriculture, environment, local development, to discuss the expansion of decision-making leading to the disease.

The minister «Egyptian today», the meeting will discuss the possibility of financing the compensation fund for those affected by the disease in case of approval of the Commission on its establishment following the completion of the study.


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Child custody on suspicion of being infected with bird flu lake

الجمعة، 17 أبريل 2009 - 18:24 Friday, April 17, 2009 - 18:24

Avian influenza threat to the Egyptians أنفلوانزا الطيور خطر يهدد المصريين Avian influenza threat to the Egyptians

البحيرة ـ شعبان فتحى Lake Sha'baan Fathi

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قام مستشفى حميات دمنهور باحتجاز طفل فى الرابعة من عمره، عقب الاشتباه فى إصابته بأنفلوانزا الطيور، بعد ظهور أعراض تتشابه مع مرض أنفلوانزا الطيور عليه، من ارتفاع فى درجة الحرارة واحتقان فى الحلق، وصعوبة فى التنفس. The hospital admitted the detention of children in Damanhour four-year-old, following a suspected bird flu, after the emergence of the disease with symptoms similar to bird flu, it is high temperature, sore throat, difficulty in breathing.

وتلقى اللواء مجدى أبو قمر مدير أمن البحيرة إخطاراً من مستشفى حميات دمنهور باحتجاز محمود شوقى زيدان (4 سنوات)، حيث تم أخذ عينة دم وإرسالها للمعامل المركزية لفحصها. The General Director Majdi Abu Amar security notification from the lake Damanhour hospital admitted the detention of Mahmoud Shawky Zeidan (4 years), where blood samples were taken and sent to central laboratories for testing. وعلى الفور تم التنسيق بين مديرية الطب البيطرى ومديرية الصحة لتحصين الطيور المنزلية بمنزل الطفل، وأخذ عينات منها لتحليلها معملياً، إلى جانب تطهير المنازل المجاورة والمخالطين له. And immediately was coordination between the Directorate of Veterinary Medicine and the Department of Health to vaccinate domestic poultry house the child, and take samples for laboratory analysis, as well as clearing of nearby houses and contacts to him.

The execution of dozens of birds in the mold Cbrament

Khalid Idris wrote ‮: ‬ bodies uncovered Giza security services in cooperation with the center of the avian influenza Faisal, ‮ ‬ were executed a large number of birds, ‮ ‬ receive Major General Mohsen Hfezi first assistant minister to the security of Giza, ‮ ‬ ‮ ‬ report of veterinary medicine the discovery of a sample positive for bird flu patients in the home of the division of the Oboualemaati Kaabic Faisal ‮. ‬فأمر مدير الأمن بازالة البؤرة والتحفظ علي سكان المنزل للكشف عليهم حرصاً‮ ‬علي سلامتهم،‮ ‬وأعد اللواء علي السبكي مدير الإدارة العامة لمباحث الجيزة‮ ‬حملة ضمت الطب البيطري والزراعة وشرطة المسطحات المائية وقوات من قسم الهرم وتم مسح المنطقة جيداً‮ ‬وجمع الطيور الحية الموجودة بها وهدم العشش الواقعة فوق أسطح العمارات،‮ ‬جمع رجال الحملة‮ »‬100‮« ‬دجاجة و‮»‬50‮« ‬بطة بلدي وتم اعدامها في مقلب شبرامنت الصحي‮.‬ ‬ ordered to remove the director of security and focus on the population of the reservation of the house in order to detect safety ‮ ‬, ‮ ‬ prepared and Major-General Ali السبكي Director General of Investigation, Giza ‮ ‬ campaign included veterinary medicine, agriculture, water bodies and police forces from the pyramid was a good survey of the region and the collection ‮ ‬ birds living in them and the destruction of the nests located on the roofs of buildings, ‮ ‬ men collection campaign ‮ »‬ 100 ‮« ‬ chicken and ‮ »‬ 50 ‮« ‬ my ducks were culled in the mold Cbrament health ‮. ‬


Onyshchenko accused the agents of "quarantine" the train of negligence

The cause of death in Chinese train Blagoveschensk - Moscow has bilateral pneumonia, not SARS or other dangerous infections. The statement was made by the chief state sanitary doctor, Gennady Onishchenko Rospotrebnadzor head. But he noted some

"I argue that a particularly dangerous infectious diseases in China is not a citizen of the deceased and was not. We are dealing with bilateral bacterial pneumonia", - stressed Onyshchenko.

He noted that in the event there is some percentage of fault of the train conductors. According to him, the conductors on the railway are required to "identify temperaturyaschih, report to the brigade trains. "If everything was perfect, then I think, is already at the station of Ulan-Ude, this would have removed the passenger from the train," - he explained.

Recall that a 23-year-old Chinese Cui Tsynyan died April 15, as she sat on the train back to Chita on 12 April. In the Kirov car in which deceased was riding was ottseplen. On the train removed and hospitalized in the isolation hospital for more than 50 guest workers from China. In MHSD today announced that they are all healthy and will soon be discharged.

"All citizens of China who have been in contact with the deceased and in the infectious hospital Kirov at 17 April 2009, in good health, the results of laboratory tests - negative. The decision about early discharge from hospital contact," - said in a press release.

"The paper noted that the study of pathological material from a deceased citizen of China in the presence of avian influenza and atypical pneumonia (SARS) - negative. "Research on paragripp, RS-infection, adenoviral infection and other pathogens of acute respiratory diseases," - the report says.
hat-tip Dutchy

Dead Chinese woman on train to Moscow had no SARS - official



17.04.2009,

MOSCOW, April 17 (Itar-Tass) - The Chinese woman who died on the Blagoveshchensk-Moscow train had no SARS (atypical pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome) or dangerous influenza types, head of the Federal Supervision Agency for Customer Protection and Human Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor), RF Chief Sanitary Doctor Gennady Onishchenko said on Friday.

The biopsy of the lungs, intestines, and brain of the deceased has shown that no SARS virus, no viruses of the H1, H3 and B flu types, and the highly toxic H5, H7 and H9 strains have been found,” the chief sanitary doctor said on the Vesti news television channel.

According to him, the tests are still being conducted and data from other laboratories will be received supposedly at about 11:00 – 13:00, Moscow time, Friday.

The 24-year-old Chinese citizen suddenly died on Wednesday. By sanitary doctors’ decision, the carriage where she was travelling was cut off from the train at the Zuyevka station on the same day. The train car was sent for disinfection and 51 passengers and 2 conductors of the train’ s car were taken to the local infectious hospital.

The RF chief sanitary doctor also said that the quarantine measures are being applied in full volume to the passengers of the train’s first and third cars that were also detached from the Blagoveshchensk-Moscow train and sent to a sanitary stub track. Passengers of the second carriage of the train that have been hospitalised are under full medical supervision.
hat-tip Dutchy

U.S. airport entry screening in response to pandemic influenza: Modeling and analysis


doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2009.02.006

Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved



John D. Malonea, , , Robert Briganticb, George A. Mullerb, Ashok Gadgilc, Woody Delpc, Benjamin H. McMahond, Russell Leee, Jim Kulesze and F. Matthew Mihelice
aCenter for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799, USA
bPacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA 99352, USA
cLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
dLos Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll Road, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
eOak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA



Received 5 February 2009;
accepted 9 February 2009.
Available online 14 April 2009.

Summary

Background

A stochastic discrete event simulation model was developed to assess the effectiveness of passenger screening for Pandemic Influenza (PI) at U.S. airport foreign entry.
Methods

International passengers arriving at 18 U.S. airports from Asia, Europe, South America, and Canada were assigned to one of three states: not infected, infected with PI, infected with other respiratory illness. Passengers passed through layered screening then exited the model. 80% screening effectiveness was assumed for symptomatic passengers; 6% asymptomatic passengers.
Results

In the first 100 days of a global pandemic, U.S. airport screening would evaluate over 17 M passengers with 800 K secondary screenings. 11,570 PI infected passengers (majority asymptomatic) would enter the U.S. undetected from all 18 airports. Foreign airport departure screening significantly decreased the false negative (infected/undetected) passengers.

U.S. attack rates: no screening (26.9%–30.9%); screening (26.4%–30.6%); however airport screening results in 800 K–1.8 M less U.S. PI cases; 16 K–35 K less deaths (2% fatality rate). Antiviral medications for travel contact prophylaxis (10 contacts/PI passenger) were high – 8.8 M. False positives from all 18 airports: 100–200/day.

Conclusions


Foreign shore exit screening greatly reduces numbers of PI infected passengers. U.S. airport screening identifies 50% infected individuals; efficacy is limited by the asymptomatic PI infected. Screening will not significantly delay arrival of PI via international air transport, but will reduce the rate of new US cases and subsequent deaths.

Keywords: Pandemic influenza; Airport screening; Influenza transmission

Article Outline

Introduction
Materials and methods
Results
Discussion
Conflict of interest
Acknowledgements
References
hat-tip Florida1

Golden rules for the crisis spokesperson

[If a pandemic should ever fall upon us...and you are glued to your TV's, you can count on the fact that every newscaster has already studied up on the rules....Educate yourself now on the H5N1 virus, learn all you can, so you can decide and know for yourself, what is true...and what isn't.]

By Jonathan Hemus

Speaking on behalf of an organization in the white heat of a crisis can be harrowing, even for experienced executives. And the truth is that the performance of the spokesperson will affect how the public views that organization, and not just in the short term.

Training, experience and a natural aptitude for this task can all contribute to a successful performance. But analysis of a host of crises reveals that the best spokespeople usually embrace the following golden rules:

1. Show empathy for people affected by the situation
Your reputation will be in much better shape if you demonstrate concern and empathy for the impact of your situation on people. Ignore this rule and chances are you will be seen as cold, calculating and more interested in profit than people.

2. Never say “no comment”
In the early stages of a crisis, there are many questions you can’t answer – you simply won’t have the facts. But your answer must never be “no comment” - that will be translated as “you’re right, I’m guilty, but for legal reasons, I can’t admit that”.

3. Focus on communicating facts
You need to quickly communicate that you are on top of the crisis, and establish the organization as a prime provider of information about the situation. Volunteering clear and relevant facts addresses these objectives as well as filling the communication vacuum.

4. Emphasise the actions you are taking to control the situation
All organizations are vulnerable to crises. The ones that survive and prosper are those that are seen to manage them professionally and effectively. Communicating the steps you are taking demonstrates you are actively managing the situation, not just reacting to events.

5. Never speculate
Speculation is your enemy – it leads to lurid, frequently inaccurate headlines, and a crisis spiralling out of control. An effective spokesperson rejects speculation and returns to messages focused on the facts and what the organization is doing to manage the situation.

6. Speak clearly and calmly
Communicate control through your tone of voice and delivery. Not only will you embody a professional organization which is handling the situation responsibly, crucially you will also ensure that your messages are received accurately.

7. Avoid using industry jargon or company acronyms
Using jargon or acronyms means that most people watching, reading or listening to your comments will not understand what you mean. Worse, you create an impression of an aloof organization, out of touch with the outside world and more concerned with itself.

8. Rehearse with a colleague before taking to the airwaves
Making time for a fifteen minute rehearsal with a colleague before embarking on an interview gives you a chance to warm up and receive feedback on which messages resonate well – and which ones don’t.

9. Ensure your body language matches your messages
Strong eye contact and an expression of concern – not panic! – are crucial to ensuring your words are received as you intended. Ask a viewer to describe a spokesperson and they will talk about how they “came across”. Very few talk about the specific words that they said.

10. Know and repeatedly emphasise your key messages
A media interview is an opportunity for you to communicate important information. Plan your messages ahead of the interview and seize every opportunity to introduce them into the interview. Avoid being led by the interviewer.

Great spokespeople in a crisis – think Rudy Giuliani on 9/11 – seem to get it right by instinct: they know intuitively the right things to say and do. For the rest of us, following the golden rules can help to keep us on the right track and protect our reputation.

Author
Jonathan Hemus is with Insignia, a company that offers a full range of crisis communications consultancy, from planning and preparation through to crisis handling. Contact jonathanhemus@insigniapr.co.uk or +44 786 832 9102) for more details.

Crisis prevention: how to do it, how to make it work

[I wanted to posted this article. This is why Treyfish and I are here. We see the early warning signs of a pandemic. The arrows are only pointing in ONE direction, and they haven't changed direction, since I've been doing this, now 3 years, and counting. We are out there everyday, combing the Countries for outbreaks. Until one day, an outbreak will not be able to be contained. I suggest you prepare yourself, your companies, and your communities....We are not getting the appropriate notifications from the World Health Organization, the CDC, Indonesia has not submitted anything to the OIE in years. China, Vietnam, Egypt, India, Indonesia. No one really wants to talk about it, for various political, economical and social reasons. So, we are doing it the hard way, picking thru news sites to find any tidbits we can. Because that is all we got.]

By Len Biegel, president, The Biegel Group, Inc.

Crisis prevention costs little or nothing, yet it is one of the most overlooked steps in crisis management. It can pay big dividends.

With the global financial crisis swirling around us, crisis prevention is more urgent than ever. As the new shock waves unfold about the Madoff meltdown; job losses; and Wall Street abuses, they join the parade of earlier crises, including Hurricane Katrina, the Enron collapse and others. And it is clear they all have one thing in common: EARLY WARNINGS IGNORED.

While each case is unique, there were early warnings which simply were ignored. In the Madoff case, for example, what were the auditors doing? And who were they? And why, as one investor reported, did no one question the murky monthly statements? Or why did no one listen to the Enron whistleblowers? Or the report that warned that New Orleans could not survive a major hurricane the force of Katrina? And the global financial crisis? As the analyses unfold, we will find an array of early warnings ignored, not least of which were those clues lost in the halls of the SEC.

“If only we could have prevented the crisis,” is the cry we often hear.

Well, we can, in many instances, prevent crises.

As we enter what is bound to be a new era of accountability and transparency, it is time to begin the urgent task – for the private sector and for government - of learning how to tune in to early warnings and prevent crises. Surely some crises are already prevented as a result of diligent attention to early warnings. We just don’t even hear of those non-events for they are just that: non-events. And that is the best kind crisis – the one that never occurs. We need more of these!

But what will it take?

It will take a fresh commitment throughout government and the private sector to understand that the pain of hearing and responding to an early warning is far better than the pain of response to a full-blown crisis.

Human nature being what it is, we have, among the business and government leaders, many who look for ways to find a quick ways to make or save a dollar; a disdain for bad news; or an attitude that says ‘if I deny it, it will go away...’ Well, we are in a different world, complicated by globalization and the difficulty of watching over far-flung locations in one company or industry. But we also are in a different world in which it is easier to speak up and be heard with early warnings.

Transparency and accountability and strict and well-financed government regulations are surely going to help. But that is not all. If there is a ray of practical hope, it also rests with the boards of directors of companies and with government oversight committees on the national, state and local levels. If those responsible for private and government governance do their jobs the right way, they will recognize that early warnings are part of their responsibilities. They will learn to ask the right questions. And they will assure that the right procedures are in place to give full attention to early warnings. And to take necessary actions.

Some simple steps:

Commit to listening. Listening is central to spotting early warnings – from customers, employees, suppliers, communities. There is a distinction between hearing and listening. Hearing means you have perceived the sounds or words. Listening, the higher skill, means that you have made an effort to understand and absorb what has been said.

Keep the listening systems simple. High-tech methods can work – especially use-friendly, secure websites. But the old-fashioned suggestion box and slips of paper work well too. Whatever the methods – and organizations often can apply several – everyone should feel that they are being encouraged to suggest, criticize or expose problems.

Ask questions. If there is scant information, probe and find out more. Is this a safe risk? Is this a safe investment? If I am using other people’s money, what if I treated it like my own? Would I do it?

Have a structure in place for checking out the early earnings. Not all early warnings will be significant or even accurate. But you cannot ever know unless you have a system for checking them out and discovering the meaningful ones.

Reward, don’t punish. The employee who saves the day with a winning idea could receive a cash reward – but that is not always necessary. Some organizations reward with a VIP parking spot for a specified time; a long weekend; company products or services, etc.

And finally

Commit to at least one full crisis simulation each year. You will be surprised – among other benefits – that you discover the equivalent of an early warning that can avert a crisis.

Author
Len Biegel is an international crisis management expect, based in Washington DC. His experiences include the landmark Tylenol tampering, and work on 9/11 and hurricane Katrina. He is the author of the 2008 book, ‘Never Say Never: The Complete Executive Guide to Crisis Management’. (Brick Tower Press, NY).

Version four of London Flu Pandemic Response Plan published

[This document has been added to the side-bar, under "Preparations", for future reference.]

Date: 17th April 2009

London Resilience has published version four of the London Regional Resilience Flu Pandemic Response Plan. The document details the ‘Special Arrangements for Dealing with Pandemic Influenza in London.’

This new version of the plan ‘follows a national review of multi-agency pandemic planning undertaken by the Cabinet Office in early 2008, and incorporates the recommendations of that review’. It aims to ‘provide the agencies that make up the London Resilience Partnership with a strategic framework to support their integrated preparedness and response to pandemic influenza’.

Download the London Regional Resilience Flu Pandemic Response Plan (PDF)

[Excerpt from the PDF]:

Version 4 of the London Regional Resilience Flu Pandemic Response Plan follows a national review of multi-agency pandemic planning undertaken by the Cabinet Office in early 2008, and incorporates the recommendations of that review. It aims to provide the agencies that make up the London Resilience Partnership with a strategic framework to support their integrated preparedness and response to pandemic influenza. This document will inform and support the development of local and organisational responses that are appropriate to local circumstances and sufficiently
consistent to ensure a robust regional response to pandemic influenza.

The document summarises key plans, guidance and procedures to allow a comprehensive overview of London’s co-ordinated planning and response arrangements for human pandemic influenza. The Plan uses an action chart approach, detailing phase-by-phase actions and outputs for organisations within the London Resilience Partnership, based around the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) six phase model and the UK’s four level alert structure for pandemic
influenza. This framework is a living document and will be revised periodically.
Additionally, at the regional level, an excess deaths task and finish group has been established to develop a strategic, multi-agency London Excess Deaths Plan to be approved in 2009. The Excess Deaths Plan will be a further component of the London Regional Resilience Flu Pandemic Response Plan and provide in-depth guidance on different ways of working with respect to funeral services, burials and cremations, coroners, death registration and mortuary capacity.
Lorraine Shepherd, Head of London Resilience Team

hat-tip Shiloh