Saturday, August 1, 2009

Our View: Swine flu is Obama's big test


If the CDC predictions about a swine flu pandemic are not to be ignored - up to 40 percent of Americans infected and several hundred thousand deaths - than the Obama administration has had the country's first national health care crisis dumped in its lap.

The CDC has said this past week that this is not a drill. They are predicting a swine flu breakout this fall and winter in much larger numbers than seasonal flu. So far, swine flu's blow has been glancing, killing about 500 Americans. But the victims proportionately are higher among young adults, a troublesome trend. One group, pregnant women, has accounted for 6 percent of swine flu deaths in this country, through as a group they represent about 1 percent of the population.

All indications are Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius are gearing up to do battle with this unpredictable virus. They've pledged to spend about $8.5 billion on prevention programs, the bulk to be spent on buying and distributing vaccines to all 50 states for free.

While a healthy supply is needed if the most at-risk Americans are to be vaccinated, the concern - not unlike many questions about this administration - is whether the solution can reach the American people in time to have an effect.

Too often, Obama has presented solutions, such as the $819 billion economic stimulus package, that have had a lukewarm effect on a cold economy - in short, not doing enough trickling down to Main Street.

This is an administration that has had trouble making a difference where it wants (i.e. the economy) and making an impact where it doesn't (inflaming race relations after Obama's ill-worded remarks about the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Gates by the Cambridge Police Department).

This time, with a potentially potent public health threat lurking, it is crucial that Obama's message make it out of the Washington beltway. A successful vaccine will do no good if it sits on laboratory shelves.

That will mean Obama's people connecting with lower levels of government: from state offices of emergency services, to county public health agencies and school districts. Frankly, we haven't seen evidence of these kinds of connections from the still young White House, at least not in our region. And not from the milquetoast California delegation in Congress.

If a swine flu vaccine is to roll out in say, October or November, then hospitals, clinics, doctors and HMOs must be part of the roll out team - the same stakeholders that Obama promised would be part of health care reform.

We need to see boots on the ground.

So, yes, in a sense, this will be more of a "test" for the president's ability to affect immediate health care reform than the various health care reform bills bouncing from committee to committee on Capitol Hill. Because people will need the vaccine as a first line defense against contracting and ultimately, spreading this flu virus.

Again, if this works well, this will be a boost to Obama and the Democrats, showing that big government - in cooperation with lower levels and the private sector - can move quickly to solve problems. If not, this has the potential of being what Hurricane Katrina was to his predecessor, George W. Bush.

And we aren't ready to say "good job, Katie" just yet.


Swine flu's potency revealed in report

AAP August 2, 2009, 12:01 pm

The six were admitted to the intensive care wards of three hospitals across northwestern Melbourne just as the influenza A(H1N1) virus was becoming established in the country.

The list includes an 18-year-old pregnant woman who went into premature labour after vomiting for four days and then, after successfully giving birth, she required emergency respiratory treatment.

Also on the list are two men who otherwise had "no identifiable risk factors" - such as asthma, smoking or obesity - which could explain the severity of their swine flu reaction.

"Here, we present the first six cases of H1N1 influenza ... in which patients required admission to intensive care in Australia," a group of doctors write in the Medical Journal of Australia.

"These cases highlight the small but significant risk of life-threatening respiratory failure associated with H1N1 influenza.

"All patients experienced a rapid (but reversible) decline in respiratory function, with most requiring complex respiratory support."

The patients are not identified but the report details their symptoms in the days before admission, and the extensive treatment they required during their hospital stay.

All were treated with Tamiflu, an anti-viral drug which stops the virus from spreading to new cells in the body, and all but the young mother spent more than 10 days attached to a mechanical ventilator.

The woman went to hospital after four days of cough, fever and vomiting though she initially went home after being rehydrated using an intravenous drip.

Doctors had discussed with her the possibility of a swine flu infection.

"She returned several hours later in premature labour," the doctors write.

"Twenty-four hours after delivering a 26-week live infant, she developed hypoxic respiratory failure ... (and) required a high level of inspired oxygen therapy by face mask."

Tests showed the mother, but not her baby, had the swine flu.

Those also in the list were:

- A 28 year-old woman who was overweight. She arrived at a hospital's emergency department after five days of a sore throat and lethargy, followed by two days of shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain.

- A "previously well" 24-year-old man who also had abdominal pain and vomiting, and who needed ventilation for 15 days.

- Another otherwise healthy man, aged 41, who suffered through a week of coughing and back pain before going to hospital with a fever.

- A 60-year-old man who went to the hospital suffering from an exacerbation of his lung disease where it was found he had the swine flu.

- And 26-year-old overweight man with a history of mild asthma who was on the ventilator for 10 days.

The doctors note the swine flu was a "benign disease" but that it could lead to severe respiratory complications.

"In our series, prompt diagnosis and intensive therapy was associated with favourable outcomes," they also write.

H1N1 victim's lungs to aid virus research




Published: 2/08/2009 at 12:00 AM


Doctors will study lung samples of a 26-year-old mother who died from H1N1 flu to learn more about the virus, which poses a greater risk to pregnant women.


Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodee yesterday said the victim's husband had allowed the ministry to use parts of the woman's lungs for further study which would help experts come up with better treatment for flu patients.


The woman died of lung failure on Friday - a week after she gave birth to a baby girl in Ratchaburi province. The baby was confirmed as the country's first case of pre-natal H1N1 infection.


The baby has fully recovered from influenza but is still hospitalised in Ratchaburi due to premature delivery, Mr Manit said, adding that the ministry would set up a fund to help the family take care of the girl.


Details about the case were earlier sent to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for further study on mother-to-child transmission of the virus.


The WHO has warned that pregnant women are "at heightened risk" of the virus and recommended pregnant women and clinic staff be alert to symptoms of influenza-like illness.


An increased risk in pregnant women, particularly during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, has been reported in several countries.


"An increased risk of foetal death or spontaneous abortions in infected women has also been reported," the WHO said in its latest briefing released on Friday.


Health authorities and clinic staff will meet today to detail procedures and regulations regarding the prescription of the drug used to treat H1N1, oseltamivir.


The ministry will start distributing the drug free to clinics tomorrow.


The Disease Control Department will distribute the drug to clinics through provincial public health offices and district hospitals.



Swine flu piggery: Could virus jump species?



Posted 5 hours 4 minutes ago
Updated 4 hours 13 minutes ago
There are fears the virus could spread or jump species and cause more hardship in Dunedoo. (AFP: Raul Arboleda )


A farmer near the nation's first suspected outbreak of swine flu in livestock is urging authorities to swiftly contain the disease.
A decision is yet to be made on whether the pigs in central-west New South Wales will be destroyed.
Health authorities believe the pigs caught the virus from workers at the Danabar Piggery at Dunedoo, a community which has already been affected by the drought.
The piggery was placed in quarantine yesterday after some of the 2,000 pigs there were found to have swine flu.
Later this week test results are expected to confirm suspicions that pigs at the property contracted swine flu from five infected workers there.
A farmer in the region, Jim Ewin, says locals still battling drought conditions and fear the virus could spread or jump species.
"It must be pretty horrendous if it really gets a toehold," he said.
"Who knows where it's going to end up?"
Mr Ewin says he hopes the outbreak is stopped as soon as possible.
"I suppose the Government and all the medical places are doing as much as they can to pull it up," he said.
"But I just hope they get on top of it as quick as they can."
The National Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease is expected to meet again tomorrow to decide on whether the animals should be destroyed.
Strict biosecurity measures are in place and the property is under quarantine.

Plague, pneumonic - China: (QH), RFI

01-AUG-2009
SubjectPRO/AH/EDR> Plague, pneumonic - China: (QH), RFI
PLAGUE, PNEUMONIC - CHINA: (QINGHAI), REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
Date: Sat 1 Aug 2009
Source: XinHuaNet [edited]
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/02/content_11811126.htm>

One dies of pneumonic plague in NW China
-----------------------------------------One person has died of pneumonic plague which infected 11 others in
the Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai
Province,
said the province's health bureau. The 11 infected
patients, hospitalized in quarantined wards, are in stable
conditions. Most of them are relatives of the dead person, a
32-year-old herdsman
, said a press release from Health Bureau of
Qinghai Province.

The province sent a team of experts to the area and had the plague
under control, said the release. The local government quarantined the
source of the plague, Ziketan town, and its vicinity. The area has
sufficient supplies and the quarantine has not disrupted the basic
needs of the locals,
according to the release.
The health bureau demanded those who have fever and cough and have
been to Ziketan town and its vicinity after 16 Jul 2009 to go to
hospital. Ziketan town, in Xinghai county of Hainan Tibetan
Autonomous Prefecture, covers 3000 square kilometers and has a
population of 10 000.


--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Primary pneumonic plague (one percent of natural plague
presentations) arises as a result of inhalation of plague bacilli in
infectious aerosols, such as would be produced when there are
secondary pneumonic complications in bubonic/septicemic plague.
Primary plague pneumonia has a short incubation period of 1-3 days,
after which there is sudden onset of flu-like symptoms including
fever, chills, headache, generalized body pains, weakness, and chest
discomfort. A cough develops with sputum production, which may be
bloody, and increasing chest pain and difficulty in breathing. As the
disease progresses, hypoxia (low oxygen concentration in the blood)
and hemoptysis (coughing up blood) are prominent. The disease is
invariably fatal unless antimicrobial therapy commences within 24
hours of exposure.
Patients with primary pneumonic plague generate large quantities of
infectious aerosols that pose a significant risk to close contacts.
CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines
identify contacts within 2 meters (6.5 ft) as being at greatest risk
and do not consider the organism likely to be carried through air
ducts or vents
. Persons who have been in contact with pneumonic
plague patients or handling potentially infectious body fluids or
tissues without appropriate protection should receive preventive
antimicrobial therapy. The preferred antimicrobial agents for
prophylaxis are tetracyclines, quinolones, or chloramphenicol.
The area involved is an autonomous prefecture of Qinghai province in
China. The prefecture's capital is Gonghe county. The placename
literally means "south of the Qinghai Lake
." It can be found on a map
at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Tibetan_Autonomous_Prefecture>.
- Mod.LL]

Vietnam has 868 of the positive influenza A/H1N1

01/08/2009

As of today (1 / 8), Vietnam had 868 cases positive for influenza A/H1N1, an increase of 18 compared with yesterday, and no case of death.

Dr Nguyen Huy Nga, Director Department of Department of Health and Environment at the same time as spoken by the Ministry of Health, said the 454 people from disease and discharge; 414 remaining cases are being isolation, treatment at hospitals, treatment facilities, monitoring community health status is stable, without serious complication.

. According to the Ministry of Health, the flu A/H1N1 continue complicated place. To restrict spread in the community, people protect themselves and the community by regularly washing hands with soap or content and germicide; environmental hygiene at places in which to work, cleaning surface, product, materials activities in the chemical germicide generally, cover your mouth when coughing, not expectorate clutter.

Especially, people should not buy from Italy and use anti-virus (Tamiflu) until a specified officer of health to avoid complication due to not using medications correctly.

. Meanwhile, the notification by the Center and disease control Europe (ECDC), to 1 / 8, the world has recorded 183,326 cases positive for influenza A/H1N1 in 145 countries and territories, including 1148 cases of death.

According to information from students about epidemiology Robert Koch (Germany), every day in this country have 400 to 600 of influenza A/H1N1 new infection. However, German government policy has not suspend the operation of public focus on people or recommend people not to travel, mainly recommend the regular practice of keeping personal hygiene.

In Southeast Asia, the disease continues to place complex, the number of new cases increased rapidly, many countries have recorded deaths. /.

Egypt: Suspected ‮ ‬ ‮ ‬ 11cases of bird flu in ‮ ‬ Dakahliya

01/Aug/09

Azza Fahmy, Egypt ‮: ‬ detained by the Directorate of Health Badakkhlip ‮ ‬ 11 ‮ ‬ ‮ ‬ national hospital was in Mansoura on suspicion ‮ ‬ infected with avian influenza, ‮ ‬ samples were taken from the injured and sent to the laboratory ‮ ‬ central Ministry of Health to make sure to have the disease ‮. ‬ The symptoms of the disease has appeared on ‮ ‬ injured, including ‮ ‬ 7 ‮ ‬ of the same family because of Mkhaltthm birds

hat-tip Helblindi

Nine new swine flu cases in India, total at 534

New Delhi, Aug 1 : Nine new cases of influenza A H1N1, including eight from Pune, were reported Saturday, taking to 534 the number of people infected in the country by the swine flu virus.






According to the health ministry, all the cases in Pune were of children below the age of 15 and four of them were girls. One of the infected boys was a three-year-old. None of them had done all travelling recently.

The ninth case, reported from Cochin, was a 24-year-old man who is a contact of a previously reported positive case.

"Of the 534 positive cases, 422 have been discharged. The rest of them remain admitted to the identified health facilities," a health ministry statement said.

As many as 2,395 people have been tested so far, of whom 534 were found positive. Of the total cases, 540 were identified through entry screening, 504 through contact tracing and the rest were self reported, the statement added.

KUALA LUMPUR-Influenza A(H1N1): 19 new cases reported

2009/08/01

KUALA LUMPUR: Nineteen new Influenza A(H1N1) cases were reported Saturday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 1,390.

All the new cases involved Malaysians.

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said of the total new cases, 14 were from three new clusters and five from two existing clusters.

He also said that of the total H1N1 cases reported in the country so far, 574 (41 per cent) were imported cases and 816 of them were local transmissions.


"Of the total cases, 1,362 or 98 per cent have recovered, only 17 still receiving anti-viral treatment in hospitals. Eight of them are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) while 11 people given anti-viral treatment at home," he said in a statement here today.

Globally, 182,886 Influenza A(H1N1) cases with 1,206 deaths were reported in 165 countries until today.

Dr Mohd Ismail said there was no new confirmed Influenza A(H1N1) admitted to the ICU today and that one of the nine cases admitted to the ICU yesterday had been transferred to an isolation ward.

The remaining eight cases in the ICU included two obese persons, a pregnant woman and one with low immunity, he added.

In a related development, he advised institutions of higher learning in the country to immediately report to the Health Ministry if there were cluster cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) among their students.

He said students having ILI when they went to register should be asked to go home and told to return when they had recovered.

Influenza A(H1N1) screening would be conducted if there were moderate and serious infections, complications or risks, like obese and asthmatic, and they would have to be referred to hospital, he added.

He was clarifying on a statement for the ministry's matriculation students to go for the Influenza A(H1N1) screening, if they have symptoms of flu, before going to the colleges to register.

Meanwhile in PENANG, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said hospitals would source for more Tamiflu and Relenza, the two main anti-viral drugs used in treating Influenza A(H1N1), following a steady rise of daily reported cases.

"The current stockpile of ten percent is not enough looking at the fast spread rate of the contagious disease. We need to order the drugs from the World Health Organisation (WHO) now to ensure there is enough supply at all times," he told reporters after attending the Penang MCA convention today.

He said Ministry would order for 200,000 doses of anti-A(H1N1) flu vaccine and expected to get them by the end of the year.

He also said that an inter-ministerial meeting on H1N1 would be held on Tuesday.

"The meeting will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and all state governments are expected to attend the meeting," he added.

Egypt: The elderly and sick leave to perform Umrah without a medical examination

Saturday, August 1, 2009 - 13:24
The quarantine authorities in Cairo International Airport at the start of the travel of pilgrims from Terminal 1 on Saturday without any medical tests or health certificates are free from the stresses of chronic heart disease, diabetes and stress.

The authorities have indicated that they had not received so far, no decisions of the Minister of Health Dr. Hatem el-Gabali on the actions to be taken to the pilgrims and therefore do not have any authority to prevent the sick or the elderly to travel as they are most vulnerable to infection by swine flu.

On the other hand, examined the quarantine authorities on Friday from 18 thousand passengers on 131 flights from countries afflicted by the virus and found all of their safety, was also recorded their statements and their places of residence to keep tabs on health through their presence in Egypt.

Recalled that the Cairo Airport Company has decided to transfer the Hajj and Umrah flights from Terminal 3 to the No. 1 building to facilitate travel and access.

KUALA LUMPUR-Pregnant woman and eight others very ill

2009/07/31

KUALA LUMPUR: Nine victims of influenza A (H1N1) are fighting for their lives.

Among them are two youths who are obese, a pregnant woman and one with low immunity.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said doctors were doing their best to save these victims who were admitted to the intensive care units of designated H1N1 hospitals with complications.

"Malaysians who are in the high- risk category such as suffering from diabetes, upper respiratory tract infection, cancer, obesity and pregnant women must see a doctor on the very onset of flu-like symptoms," he said.

Dr Ismail said it was sad that many Malaysians chose to go to hospitals only when their conditions worsened.


Urging Malaysians not to take the pandemic lightly, he said if they did not fall under the high-risk category, did not have contact with a H1N1 victim or had not travelled overseas, they could take paracetamol and adequate rest at home or see a doctor and get appropriate medication.

"If the fever does not subside and if you develop other symptoms, go immediately to the nearest hospital."

Dr Ismail, however, called on Malaysians not to panic unnecessarily and to insist on throat swabs.

He also called on doctors to pay more attention to and take throat swabs of those with flu-like symptoms, those in the vulnerable and high-risk groups, having pneumonia and complications.

As for the latest update, Dr Ismail said 69 new cases were reported, including that of a student from China.

The death of 4 cases of swine flu in Saudi Arabia

Saturday, August 1, 2009 - 15:47

The Ministry of Health Saudi Arabia on Saturday, the high death toll caused by the flu "A (H 1 to 1)" in the UK to four following the death of two citizens during the past 24 hours, as quoted by the official news agency (SPA).

The Ministry pointed out that the situation is for the nurse in the age of 32, died Friday in hospital in the Qassim region (Central), while the second case registered in the Asir region Namaas (south) of the youths in the age of 25 admitted to hospital following a bout of my mouth, and pain in the chest and died on Friday too.

The Indonesian and Saudi Arabian people living with HIV who died this week in the UK, while in Saudi Arabia so far the injury of more than 300 people pig flu, while not declared in any of the other Gulf States and the registration of deaths caused by this virus.

The expected arrival of some two million pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia this year to perform Hajj in November 2009.

The spread of the virus, "A (H 1 to 1)" in Saudi Arabia and the influx of pilgrims from all countries of the world worries about the vastness of the spread of the disease.

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia last week that the Saudi authorities will prevent the most likely young children and the elderly to perform the Hajj this year because of the swine flu epidemic, saying that this would not affect the quota of pilgrims from each country and specific thousand pilgrims per million people.

The Ministry pointed out that the UK is likely to follow recommendations of the meeting of Arab Health Ministers in Cairo on July 22 that called for not allowing a pilgrimage for persons over the age of 65 years and children under the age of 12 years.

Egypt: Health announces 9 new cases of swine flu

Saturday, August 1, 2009 - 21:35

Ministry of Health announced today the discovery of 9 new cases infected with AH1N1 known universally as the swine flu, bringing the total cases in Egypt since the discovery of the disease so far, 274 cases.


وقال وكيل وزارة الصحة للشئون الوقائية الدكتور عمرو قنديل - فى تصريح له اليوم السبت - إنه من بين هذه الحالات 8 حالات لمصريين من بينهم 5 حالات قادمة من السعودية وحالتان مخالطتان لحالات إيجابية تم اكتشافها من قبل، وحالة غير مرتبطة ايجابيا بأية حالات سابقة.

"The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Preventive Affairs, Dr. Amr Kandil - said in a statement on Saturday - it's one of those cases, 8 cases of Egyptians, including 5 cases from Saudi Arabia, and two cases of positive Mkhalttan been discovered before, and the case not linked to any cases of a positive precedent.


وأضاف أنه من بين هذه الحالات حالة سعودية الجنسية قادمة من المملكة العربية السعودية، حيث تم حجز جميع الحالات المصابة فى المستشفيات لتلقى العلاج المناسب من عقار "التاميفلو" وحالتهم جميعا مستقرة.

He added that among these was the case of Saudi nationality coming from Saudi Arabia, where he was booking all the cases in hospitals for proper treatment of the drug "Tamiflu", and all of their stable.


وأوضح الدكتور عمرو قنديل بأن إجمالى الحالات التى شفيت من المرض بلغ حتى الآن 187 حالة وحالة وفاة واحدة، وباقى الحالات وعددها 86 حالة ما زالوا يتلقون العلاج بالمستشفيات وحالتهم الصحية جميعا مستقرة.

He explained that Dr. Amr Kandil Total cases recovered from the disease so far hit 187 and the status of the case and one death, and the rest of the 86 cases and the case is still receiving treatment in hospitals and state of health of all stable.

Manipur-Swine flu alert in state

Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 31 2009: Manipur govern-ment on Friday sounded swine flu alert with the confirmation of a girl infected by the disease.

The director of the state health service, W Motilal said today briefing the media persons in Imphal said that blood sample taken from a girl who was among the four girl fencers recently returned from Singapore after participating in an international event has been confirmed of infecting by the disease.

The blood sample taken from the girl who has been treating at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, Porompat, Imphal with complaint of throat swap was sent to National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD), New Delhi on July 29 and declared confirm of infection by the disease yesterday.

The blood sample was taken on July 27 following the report of two of her colleagues tested positive with the disease along with one coach from the state at New Delhi on their return to the country.

The girl is currently keeping at an isolated ward at JN Hospital and five members of the family are also under close obser-vation at the hospital, the director said.

Manipur has intensified surveillance of Swine Flu with Rapid Response Team (RRT) comprising of five to six doctors at the district level put into work and opening control rooms at the district level since the report of outbreak of the disease in Assam.

Since then RRT are put on duty by appointing additional director of state health department, Dr Thounaojam Bubhonchandra as state Swine Flu nodal officer.

People coming from outside in the state are conducting checking at various entry points like the Imphal airport and on the national highways.

A team of well trained doctors in the field from Imphal west district chief medical officer are stationing at Imphal Tulihal Airport for the same.

Another team of experts is also stationing at Moreh to check people coming from Myanmar under the supervision of the chief medical officer of Chandel district.

Considering that airport is one of the important points where people coming from different places affected by Swine Flu entered, the authorities taken up works of general surveillance in the area too.

Rapid Response Team (RRT) comprising of five to six doctors with expertise in the field in all the districts have been put into service from 9 am till 6 pm everyday.

A control room has also been opened at the state health directorate, the director added.

Another person tests positive for Swine Flu in Burma

Thursday, 30 July 2009 11:10

Chiang Mai (mizzima): One additional person has tested positive for the A (H1N1) virus, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the whole country to 10, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Health.

State-run newspaper, Myanmar Ahlin, today reported that a 57-year-old man, who had returned from Singapore by flight MI-512 on July 20, has tested positive.

Thirteen family members, 74 passengers on the same flight and 130 of Rangoon’s Mingaladon Airport staff are being monitored by Health Department officials, the paper revealed.

According to official statements issued so far, the people, who have tested positive, had all returned from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and India.

The health officials checked over 1.9 million people, who crossed the border gates, according to an official announcement.

However, many people doubt the actual figures and statistics of virus-positive people in the whole country because several hundreds daily cross the porous borders to Burma’s neighboring countries Thailand, China, Bangladesh and India.

Dr. Voravit Suwanvanichkij, Research Associate at the Center for Public Health & Human Rights of John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said there exists an alarming situation in Burma, as most people do not cross the borders into neighbouring countries through official check-points.

Thailand, where the virus is widespread, shares a border line of over 2,000 kilometres, with Burma. With people going in and out of the border area and avoiding the official check-points, along with the lack of public health system, the situation is very alarming, the doctor said.

With an almost non-functional public health system, most infections are likely to thrive without being diagnosed or even noticed,” he added.

In Thailand, 9000 persons have tested positive and 65 were killed by the A (H1N1) virus. The disease has spread to 170 countries globally and over 130,000 people have tested positive.

Bangladesh-All but four swine flu patients completely cured: Govt spokesman

All but four swine flu patients completely cured: Govt spokesman


Twenty-six out of a total of thirty patients affected by swine flu in Bangladesh have been cured completely, the government spokesman on swine flu said Thursday.

Talking to UNB, Dr. Mahmudur Rahman, Director, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) said only four of the patients now remain under treatment, while the other 26 patients have been cured.

Replying to a question, Dr. Rahman said it usually takes five days for treatment of swine flu affected patients, but he and his team have kept patients under observation for an extra five days, against the worldwide total of seven days.

The Oseltamavir capsule is prescribed for treatment of Influenza A (H1N1), commonly known as swine flu.

Replying to another question, government spokesman Dr. Rahman said that so far, they have tested over 120 samples of suspected cases of swine flu, of which 30 have tested positive.

The first case of swine flu in Bangladesh was reported on the 19th of June, when a student came back from the USA.

H1N1 Swine Flu Increases Business of Manufacturing Body Bags

By Andrew Moran.

Many companies are coming to a crashing halt due to the economic collapse however, one type of company is growing; body bag manufacturers.
As the H1N1 Swine Flu pandemic that could emerge to be dangerous this coming autumn, which is the general global concern, governments around the world are preparing emergency supplies such as masks, gloves, anti-viral medications and body bags.
Demand for the body bags are increasing, according to President of Trevor Owen Limited, Pierre Barcik, and inquiries are coming from all corners of the world, including Sultanate of Oman on the Arabian Peninsula.
Currently, the company is bidding on a contract with the Ohioan government to supply the state with 12,500 white woven polyethylene pandemic bags, “Some seniors' residences are starting to buy five, 10 or 15 at a time. There are states and provincial governments that are starting to stockpile pandemic body bags ... It's a bad pun, but (the business) is growing.”
Trevor Owen Ltd. is not the only company whose business is on the uprising in North America, ToDieFor.biz, owned by Richard Miller and is based in the United States is doubling its business since the H1N1 scare began in April.
Companies that sell a product like a body bag have a specific niche because hospitals and morgues use generic plastic bags to throw out deceased bodies. The pandemic body bag is thicker and prevents leaks from happening.
President of Trevor Owen told the Toronto Star, “It basically lets you handle bigger bodies with less care. I don't suggest we should handle the dead with anything but the utmost care, but if you've got a couple of volunteers moving people around in a pandemic centre, it's a lot different than a morgue situation.”
On Friday, the World Health Organization said that the H1N1 Swine Flu has infected 160 countries and could possibly kill two billion people. A senior WHO official, Keiji Fukuda, has stated that the flu is in its early stages but it will spread for a long period of time.
Mr. Fukuda told the Associated Press, “Even if we have hundreds of thousands of cases or a few millions of cases, we're relatively early in the pandemic. One of the things that is relatively clear is that we will continue to see spread of the virus; even though we are now three to four months into the pandemic, this is still pretty early into the overall period.”
When asked regarding the safety of the vaccines, Mr. Fukuda replied, “There is always a balance in this sort of situation. You of course want to get out vaccine and as much vaccine as possible, as quickly as possible. On the other hand there are certain things which cannot be compromised.”
hat-tip Shiloh

Health Min. urges calm over swine flu; 1,719 Israelis infected

The Health Ministry is trying to calm public fears over the continuing spread of swine flu. According to Israel Center for Disease Control estimates, more than 10,000 Israelis have contracted swine flu, and there are 700 new cases a week. The vast majority of such cases are mild.

Since the first case was diagnosed in April, when Moshav Geulim resident Tomer Vajim was confirmed to have the illness, 1,719 Israelis have actually been verified through laboratory testing as having swine flu.

Twenty-two serious cases of swine flu have been recorded here, including 11 patients who are in serious condition in intensive care hospital units.

A 44-year-old Tel Aviv man who had been hospitalized with swine flu at Ichilov Hospital and then recovered, died Friday night of complications from a bacterial inflection. The hospital stressed that the patient had not died of swine flu. The Health Ministry characterized the case as one in which the patient "recovered from the flu" but was known to social welfare authorities and suffered from risk factors predating his hospital visit.

He was admitted to the intensive care unit at Ichilov after developing complications from pneumonia. Two and a half weeks ago he was formally diagnosed with swine flu. After a week and a half, and after he was weaned off a respirator, his condition improved and he was found to have recovered from his illness. Six days ago, however, his condition again deteriorated as he had contracted a bacterial infection during his hospitalization and he was again admitted to intensive care, where he died over the weekend.

Last week the first swine flu death in Israel was recorded when Shimon Azran, 35, of Eilat died at the city's Yoseftal Medical Center.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry will continue to pursue contacts this week with pharmaceutical companies to buy swine flu vaccine for the entire Israeli population, following a decision to that effect last week by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Over the weekend, after a U.S. study showed that pregnant women were at increased risk of complications from swine flu, the World Health Organization instructed health authorities around the world to administer the flu medication Tamiflu to pregnant women with respiratory problems within 48 hours of flu symptoms - without waiting for laboratory test results.

As the virus spreads in the Middle East, authorities reported two swine flu deaths, bringing the total in the region to eight, with half of the deaths being in Saudi Arabia. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported yesterday that a man suffering from advanced lymph gland cancer, which likely weakened his immune system, succumbed to swine flu. Local media reported he actually died Thursday, and subsequent tests revealed swine flu was the cause.

The Gulf emirate of Qatar also reported is first swine flu death when an obese 36-year-old died after being admitted to the hospital with acute pneumonia, according to a report in the state news agency. The man had just traveled from Dubai, where he had visited two other hospitals.

BMA to hand out oseltamivir on Monday

Writer: BangkokPost.com
Published: 1/08/2009 at 03:57 PM

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is now surveying clinics in the capital city and will distribute osdeltamivir antiviral medicine to them from Monday, Bangkok governor Sukhumbhan Baripatra said on Saturday afternoon. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is now surveying clinics in the capital city and will distribute osdeltamivir antiviral medicine to them from Monday, Bangkok governor Sukhumbhan Baripatra said on Saturday afternoon. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is now surveying clinics in the capital city and will distribute osdeltamivir antiviral medicine to them from Monday, Bangkok governor Sukhumbhan Baripatra said on Saturday afternoon.

The distribution of the antiviral drugs is aimed at curbing the outbreak of the A (H1N1) flu virus.

After three weeks of the handout, BMA will evaluation whether the medicine can help reduce the number of the deadly virus infection and fatality as planned.

Laos-Infection rate of A (H1N1) is on rise

(KPL) 14 Savannakhet residents tested positive for new influenza A (H1N1), according to Monday report from the Public Health Service in Savannakhet province.
This brings a total number of flu patients to 113, across the country
.
Head of Health Service in Savannakhet province, Dr Panom Fongmany said eight people infected with new flu after came back from the casino entertainment site and six flu patients are workers who experienced working in Thailand.
The flu victims are being received medical treatment at their home under closely monitoring of doctors.
Daily infection rate averages 2.6 cases in Laos however there was only one death.A (H1N1) virus spreads to eight provinces including Vientiane capital, Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Khammouan, Borikhamsay, Savannakhet, Champassak and Saravan.
Dr Panom said Vientiane Capital was the highest number of infection cases followed by Borikhamsay, Champassak and Savannakhet province in
respectively.
“People who fell ill and flu should stay at home”, he advised. “Wash hands in regularly and wear surface masks when you are going to a crowd”.

back

Swine flu in a piggery

4:00AM Sunday Aug 02, 2009
Photo / AP

Photo / AP

SYDNEY: Australia's first case of swine flu among pigs has been confirmed at a New South Wales piggery at Dunedeoo.

Quarantine measures have been implemented at the piggery.

"Samples taken from pigs were tested at ... laboratories and influenza A H1 has been confirmed," NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said.

"We believe it was most likely introduced by people working with the animals."

Veterinarians and disease response specialists are at the piggery tracing the movements of people, animals and equipment on and off the property.

"We know that no pigs have been introduced to the property in the last two years, and no pigs have moved off the property in more than a week," Macdonald said.

The pigs started coughing late last week. The NSW Food Authority confirmed that pork is safe to eat and that no sick animals have entered the food chain.

Under authority guidelines, sick animals are not permitted to be slaughtered.

Australia:



The piggery in central-western NSW has been placed in quarantine after some of the 2,000 pigs there were found to have swine flu.

It is the first time ever that Australian pigs have been infected by the virus.

Doctor Andrew Jeremijenko, an epidemiologist, says the there is a risk the virus will now gain strength and mutate.


"The alarmist bells that concern me most is that in pigs, the disease that can transmit between humans and pigs, in the pig population it could mutate a little bit and come back slightly different to humans," he said.

"One of the concerns is that the virus could mutate, so that the medicines that we have don't work against it. Another concern is that it could mix with another virus like the bird flu virus.

"I did most of my research in influenza in Indonesia; we were watching pigs there because the pigs can have the bird virus and the human virus and it can mix up and come out as a stronger virus.

Dr Jeremijenko says it is crucial that work is done now to form teams of doctors and agriculture vets.

He says their brief should be to keep a close eye on the virus in pig and abattoir workers.

Andrew Spencer from industry body Australian Pork Limited admits the public image of the pork industry could suffer.

"What I want to make sure of however is that consumers have no fear... you can't get the disease through consuming pork," he said.

"This is the first time that any type of swine flu has occurred in Australia. So from that point of view it's not a great thing for the industry," Mr Spencer said.

The pigs caught the virus from humans working at the farm, but the disease is unlikely to be fatal for the animals.

The Australian pork industry is worth $2.5 billion a year and employs 33,000 people.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries has not said where the piggery is located.
hattip Pixie

Australia-Swine flu shuts hospital as pigs get virus

Mark O'Brien
August 2, 2009

SWINE flu forced a NSW hospital to close its doors to new patients yesterday as Premier Nathan Rees moved to reassure the public after an outbreak of the flu at a piggery.

An outbreak of H1N1 at Bellingen Hospital on the mid-north coast forced it to refuse new patients this weekend. Margaret Bennett, from the Health Department’s Coffs-Clarence Network, said seven staff had fallen ill with flu symptoms since a patient tested positive on July 24.

‘‘The hospital is operating normally in terms of people reporting to the emergency department and our care for current in-patients,’’ she said.

‘‘This weekend we’re diverting new patients to either Coffs Harbour or Macksville.’’

Mr Rees said there was no danger of catching swine flu from eating pork products despite a Dunedoo piggery being quarantined. The outbreak is the first human-to-pig transmission of flu in Australia.

Tests confirmed the pigs had influenza A H1, which is different to the human swine flu virus.

By Friday 21,668 people were known to have contracted swine flu, of whom 61 had died. On Friday, a 70-year-old woman, who had other health problems, became the 22nd person in NSW to die from it.

Tulungagung, East Java::: suspect bird flu

Tulungagung, East Java - A 23-year-old man, Basuki, resident of Kedungjalin Hamlet, Village Junjung, Kecamaan Sumbergempol, rushed off to Iskak regional hospital as he was suggested to have bird flu infection.


Patient has fever for four days with temperature reaches 38.2 ℃ with sore throat after some chickens found dead of bird flu virus around his neighborhood. Patient has a fever for four days with the temperature reaching 38.2 ℃ with a sore throat after several chickens found dead from bird flu virus in the environment around it.

Health worker in Public Health Center, Junjung Sutoiman Arjo, said that they still could not confirm whether the patient had been infected by bird flu virus or not. "We have sent the patient's throat swab samples for examination," said Sutoiman. "We have been patient throat swab samples for examination," said Sutoiman.

Previously, hundreds of chickens in the village Kedungjalin died suddenly last Monday (27 / 7). Previously, hundreds of chickens in the village Kedungjalin suddenly died last Monday (27 / 7).

Subsequent to the incident, three locals, Basuki (23), Suminto (45) and Laga (6 months), developed fever. Those locals are known as neighbors, and Basuki's house is located close to the first bird flu case in Kedungjalin location. From the village midwife, Sumiati, said that he had observed three patients, and found Basuki still have a fever. "Laga Suminto and have been recovered. "Laga Suminto and has been restored. We have given tamiflu treatment to Basuki" Sumiati said. We have been given tamiflu treatment for Basuki said Sumiati. Sumiati Basuki also mentioned that refused to take medicine and be hospitalized before.

Suminto Meanwhile, the patient, described that he had high fever, weakness, headache and cough. While Suminto, patient, explained that he had high fever, weakness, headache and cough. He received tamiflu from public health center, but he stopped taking the drug because it did not give any improvement. Instead, he is taking medicine antipyretic and coughs. Instead, he took antipyretic and cough medicine.
HATTIP BFC

Bird flu suspected in southeastern Nepal

www.chinaview.cn 2009-08-01 19:54:11 Print

KATHMANDU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Bird flu has been suspected after40 chickens simultaneously died in a farmer's house in southeastern Nepal on Friday, Nepali national news agency RSS reported on Saturday.

The chickens belong to Kumari Neupaney of Tarahara Bazaar of Hansposa in Sunsari district, some 220 km southeast of Nepali capital Kathmandu.

Technicians of the District Livestock Services Office went to the place and acquired information after the chickens died, according to the report.

Some areas around East-West Highway in Sunsari district, including Itahari, Hansposa, Pakali, Inaruwa, Paschim Kushaha, Madhuban, Prakashpur, Haripur and Sripur, have been defined as bird flu high-risk areas.

Veterinary doctor of the office, Ram Kumar Mandal, said technicians have been monitoring the cause of the death of the chickens.

Vietnam: Total Cases-850

The hospital to promote effective

With reports about 31-7 am, Dr. Nguyen Van Chau, Director of the HCM City Department of Health, informed the flu A/H1N1 chùm arising in the province TP was prevented in time. >>> Hanoi: Flu A/H1N1 appeared in schools.
In private secondary schools Ngo The Times, where new influenza A/H1N1 chùm first with nearly 100 children were, deployed to the hospital was discovered to have new songs from the last 3 days.

Am 31 / 7, the entire area as well as school classrooms were germicide return to a clean environment for the preparation of new teaching year.


People equipped to medical sites prevent influenza A/H1N1

According to Dr. Chau, students are isolation treatment is stable health, only 4 students continue to be monitored in the hospital districts. Thus, the hospital to prevent influenza A/H1N1 was first developed as effective planning of the number had not increased much, do not spread to areas around the community.

The hospital in the private secondary schools Nguyen Khuyen (Tan Binh) have more than 10 students are isolation. According to Dr. Tran Quang Minh, Deputy Director of Health Center for Tan Binh District, in 2 days no more have new songs. Health situation of student isolation is still stable, good psychological. If no more of the infected, 3-4 days hospital for Nguyen Khuyen also released to school overall hygiene standards for the teaching.

Pm 31 / 7, General Director of RMIT University Vietnam, Prof. Merilyn Liddell, also available for opening and running the University RMIT Saigon South (District 7) after 1 week temporarily closed to prevent spread flu A/H1N1. At the school has conducted a total sanitation facilities and to strengthen measures to prevent influenza A/H1N1 community for students and staff RMIT Vietnam to open doors again on 3-8.

A ca influenza A/H1N1 appeared in a number of schools, locations, according to Dr. Nguyen Van Chau has been closely monitored and conduct quarantine measures and less timely recognition of infection spreading.


Some schools in District 8 paste notice temporarily closed within a half months.

31-7 pm, be present at District 8, we see most pre-schools, primary schools have summer school students regularly informed temporarily closed from 14-8 to 3 days or longer is to the 16 -- 8.

Ms. Pham Kim Tuyen, management Preschools private Anh Linh said, before the influenza A/H1N1 are "attack" on schools, on 29-7, Office of Education District 8 has official request pre-schools, primary schools in the province temporarily closed, students will stay temporarily for 2 weeks, 3 days from the end on 16-8. Immediately after receiving the notice, the school notifies parents of students of the school. "If nothing happens, the school will reopen, but if safety is not the ability to continue to close ...".

According to information from pre-schools 19-5 TP (total 500 HS), since the flu A/H1N1 average daily detection of 1-3 you have signs of illness, but until now there has not children do have flu. Similarly, in pre-schools Anh Linh (District 8), about 150 children, beginning this month to 7 days each refinement also average about 1 child has marks infected and schools have had the process similar pre-schools TP 19-5. According to the teachers in this field, the cause of children with the disease manifestation is due to the loss more often, children easily infected.

However, there are many opinions unrest, closing the school's pre-school is the best solution?

Hanoi: Flu A/H1N1 appeared in schools

31-7 pm, Ministry of Health for the day, Vietnam recorded 56 more cases positive for influenza A/H1N1 (south of 45, north of 6, 4 of the Central and Tay Nguyen of 1) , raising the total to about 850 cases positive for influenza A/H1N1 in 23 provinces and cities nationwide. Currently has 452 patients from hospital, 398 cases remaining in isolation, treated at hospitals, treatment facilities, monitoring community health status is stable, without serious complication.

According to the Ministry of Health in Hanoi has also recorded cases influenza A/H1N1 in the first school. Patients are children Ngo oceans, 12B grade students in high schools of Lomonoxop (urban 2 My Dinh, Tu Liem, Hanoi) positive for influenza A/H1N1 virus after traveling Thailand.

Duong children are currently treated at the Institute for infectious diseases and tropical countries. The same khử School Lomonoxop was deployed. It also stopped all activities to date 3-8.

Flu also continue to spread in the office in Hanoi. In the building of the Technical Ministry of Public Security, No. 280 Lac Long Quan, Tay Ho district, also detected 1 case of influenza A/H1N1 infection of the unit, was transferred to the treatment hospital.

Vietnam: A student of Nguyen Khuyen positive for H1N1 after treatment

(Dân trí) - After treatment for 7 days by fully exposed that a student is in isolation hospital battlefield Nguyen Khuyen still positive with the virus H1N1sau re-test on 30 / 7.

BS NTTrang representative BV Tan Binh District, said students are testing times 1 on 23 / 7, with results positive for H1N1 virus. After isolation, treated in hospital for up at school, 30/7 review of the results still positive.

Day 31 / 7, students have been conducting tests 3 times in hospital Tropical and will be transferred to hospital for Tropical Diseases treated by all exposed if the result is like 2 times.

Dr. Tran Quang Minh, Deputy Director TTYTDP Q. Tan Binh, for up to 31/7 has 37 students of Nguyen Khuyen A/H1N1 virus infection, of which 17 cases and the isolation of the current school; the other 20 were discovered after temporarily closed. There are 11 cases are continuing treatment and result in re-testing.

In the Tan Binh still 320 students of Nguyen Khuyen residence accommodation in rooms under 15 in the district. All are supervised, to present health is normal.
"If no more of any new positive expected hospital Nguyen Khuyen battlefield clearance will be on 4 / 8, Dr. Phan Van Nghiệm said.

Influenza A/H1N1, quarantine lifted for the passengers of the steamer "Voyagers of the Seas".

1 August, 2009

History:
A cruise ship "quarantine" in Marseille due to influenza A.
The huge ship, with five bridges apparent groundhandling in Villefranche-sur-Mer, in the Alpes-Maritimes, had resumed its journey Friday evening to Marseille.
Passengers on the ship in Nassau (Bahamas) cruise "Voyagers of the Seas, expected Saturday in Marseille, had not been allowed to disembark and were waiting for an epidemiological survey on the influenza A H1N1, which was conducted the arrival of the vessel.
"A board, 60 crew members were affected by the virus of influenza A H1N1. Seventy others showed signs of the disease. Medical surveillance carried aboard detected four passengers affected, "says the Prefecture of the Bouches-du-Rhône. The prefect had decided, after contacting the cell of an emergency, the joint Ministry of Interior and Health, to suspend the landing of the crew and cruises at their stopover in Marseilles.
News 1st August 2009:
In a first step, the Prefecture of the Bouches-du-Rhône had ordered the crew to keep the ship from Naples on board with 3600 passengers and 1500 crew members.
Passengers on the cruise ship "Voyagers of the Seas" arrived on Saturday in Marseille, were finally allowed to disembark, following the results of the epidemiological survey conducted on board.
146 people remain "in isolation as a preventive measure" according to a spokesman of the prefecture. These are 66 crew, 60 people who were "in contact" and twenty passengers, five of which have "flu-like symptoms." So far, no deadline has been scheduled for the end of this isolation, the doctors will decide on its duration. The epidemiological investigation revealed that the symptoms presented by persons on board, were probably those of a simple seasonal influenza.
Article Source: http://www.lepoint.fr

Cruise Ship Has 60 Flu Cases, Company Says No H1N1

August 01, 2009 11:12h

People infected with swine flu are being treated and will stay on board of the `Voyager of the Seas` liner

View of cruise ship Voyager of the Seas, carrying dozens of victims of H1N1 virus, is anchored in bay of Villefranche sur Mer

A cruise ship carrying dozens of possible flu victims among its 5,000 passengers and crew docked in France on Friday, amid contradictory reports about whether they had H1N1 or more common flu-like symptoms.

French authorities said in a statement on Friday morning that the ship had arrived in Villefranche in southern France carrying 60 people infected with the H1N1 strain of flu, also known as swine flu.

They said their information was based on what Spanish authorities had told them.

The Spanish Health Ministry in Madrid said one person who had shown flu-like symptoms had been tested, and confirmed positive for H1N1 after the ship left Barcelona on July 26.

But the ship's owner, U.S.-Norwegian company Royal Caribbean , said all tests had been negative.


Royal Caribbean said it had tested 62 crew members and two guests with cold and flu-like symptoms onboard the "Voyager of the Seas" for influenza A, of which H1N1 is a sub-group.

"All of them were negative for influenza A," said Royal Caribbean spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez, speaking by telephone from the United States. "Everyone was tested, all the results were negative."

The French statement said 60 crew members were infected with the H1N1 virus and 70 more showed symptoms of the disease.

MEDITERRANEAN TOUR

The ship was continuing from Villefranche to Marseille on Friday night as part of a 7-day Mediterranean tour.

"The reality is that there are cases, it's not severe, it's under control, but there really are cases, otherwise they wouldn't have given Tamiflu to the people," said Francois Xavier Lorre, director at France's DDASS public health authority.

Royal Caribbean's Martinez said every person with flu-like symptoms had been given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu as a precaution, regardless of test results, and added that no passenger had asked for the cruise to be interrupted.

She said Royal Caribbean had provided health declarations for their ship at every port, mentioning the "flu-like symptoms" shown by some people. The ship also stopped in Naples, Italy.

Each passenger has also been given general health and hygiene advice in a letter informing them about the situation, Martinez said. Shares in Royal Caribbean fell as much as 7 percent in Oslo trading after the news, but recovered to close 3 percent down. In New York, they were down less than 1 percent.

ISOLATION

The 64 people who experienced flu-like symptoms will remain in isolation until they are free from symptoms, Royal Caribbean said in a statement.

None of those infected was in a grave condition and the ship did not need additional medical assistance or medication, local authority spokeswoman Geraldine Soulier said.

There have been more than 1,000 confirmed cases of swine flu in France, and the World Health Organisation said earlier this month the virus was still spreading quickly and affecting older age groups that had been spared earlier in the outbreak.

On Thursday, French authorities said a 14-year-old girl infected with H1N1 had died, the first recorded death in France of anyone with the virus.

But they said the girl had suffered from a number of other very serious conditions, and it was not clear whether her death had been caused by the flu virus.


The spread of the H1N1 virus has forced travel companies to change itineraries and has dramatically cut demand for trips to Mexico, where the disease is believed to have originated.

Royal Caribbean, the world's second-largest cruise operator, has been hit by the route changes as well as lower demand.

When it released second-quarter results earlier this week, the company said its 2009 earnings per share were likely to be about a third lower than it forecast only a month ago, in part because of the growing impact of H1N1 flu.

Vietnam: A student infected with H1N1 treatment from 8 days less

01/08/2009

While patients from influenza A/H1N1 within 7 days of treatment, a secondary school student Nguyen Khuyen 8 days still has not out

31 / 7, Department of Health HCMC to check the disease in private secondary schools Nguyen Khuyen. At the hospital the only remaining of the 12 influenza A/H1N1 have been treated. However, one student after 8 days of treatment are still positive with the H1N1 virus while the shift from normal within 7 days. This patient is being tested a third time PCR. Expected, the Nguyen Khuyen will clearance the hospital after 5 days.

Pm the same day, a male in the office building Citilight Tower, 45 Vo Thi Sau Street, District 1, HCMC, the isolation hospital in Tropical Diseases after detected positive with influenza A/H1N1. Patients are exposed to the flu infection in building Petro Vietnam. In addition, 5 cases of close contact with patients is the health sector supervision and monitoring because of clinical symptoms such as fever over 38 degrees C, sore throat.

Medical Center for District 1 and get a list of 40 employees as the company with the patient to monitor, track. Health sector city has khử khuẩn entire court building Citilight Tower, because there are more than 20 companies are leasing office work.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Confirmed today, Friday, new infections of bird flu, bringing the total cases had been detected since the outbreak of the disease and so far 83 cases.

Friday, July 31, 2009 - 22:55

Confirmed today, Friday, new infections of bird flu, bringing the total cases had been detected since the outbreak of the disease and so far 83 cases.

Said Dr. Amr Kandil and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Preventive Affairs, said in a statement, said that the new situation of the child Mohammed Hossam (one year and six months) of Shebin Menofia, adding that the child developed symptoms of fever, cold and running, will be held on July 28 of this and entered the hospital fevers Shebin July 30, was given the appropriate treatment of a drug "Altamvelo", and his health condition is stable.

He pointed out that jellyfish are now taking action to turn the child to the hospital for the completion of the Tamiflu drug treatment.

Bad flu in bad economy creates challenges - CDC

ORLANDO, Fla., July 31 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday began distributing millions of dollars to help cash-strapped states respond to the H1N1 pandemic amid a deep economic recession that has decimated local health budgets.

"For a pandemic to come in this economy is enormously challenging," Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at the National Association of County and City Health Officials annual conference. "If we could have chosen a different time for the H1N1 to come, we would have."

After Frieden's speech, a CDC spokesman said $260 million was on its way to the states, part of a $350 million package of federal grants announced on July 10 to help the country prepare for the worst. The remaining $90 million is earmarked for hospitals.

Frieden acknowledged that budget cuts and layoffs had hit the nation's state and local public health agencies. He encouraged city and county health officials to get busy soliciting volunteers and creating partnerships with local schools, businesses and nursing services to beef up their communities' ability to manage the pandemic and the mass vaccinations planned for this autumn.

"There is no magic answer to this," Frieden said.

Health officials were warned during the three-day conference in Orlando to expect hospitals, emergency rooms and clinics to be overwhelmed by sick patients as the flu season begins in the autumn.

Frieden advised the health workers to prepare for the possibility of full intensive care wards and to try to find ways to expand the normal capacity for respiratory therapy.

Girl hospitalized for suspected case of bird flu

Fri, 07/31/2009 8:14 PM

A 17-year-old girl was admitted Friday to the Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital in Makassar with what is suspected to be an H5N1 infection.

Hospital spokesman Khalid Saleh, said the teenager, identified as Rik, displayed symptoms of avian flu, including fever, cough, nausea and suffocation. She became sick after a number of chickens around her home suddenly died.

“A doctor who treated her said her temperature exceeded 39 degrees Celsius for three days and that she displayed other symptoms of avian flu,” Khalid said.

Rik is now receiving treatment in an isolation room, under the close watch of medical workers.

Head of the husbandry unit at the Makassar agriculture and maritime agency, Yulistiawati, said a government team had been assigned to conduct surveillance in Rik’s neighborhood in the Sudiang subdistrict in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus.

Vietnam: Total Cases: 794; yesterday: 763

HANOI, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Ministry of Health confirmed 31 more cases of A/H1N1 influenza, raising the total number of flu patients in the country to 794, the local newspaper the People's Army reported Friday.

Among the 31 cases, nine patients were detected in the south, 12 in the north, ten in the central highland provinces, said the ministry.

The A/H1N1 virus has been spreading fast in Vietnam nationwide, especially in public buildings including offices and schools.

Two large office buildings in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, and one office building in Ho Chi Minh City, have reported A/H1N1 flu cases, said the ministry.

So far, 450 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. The rest are being quarantined and treated, said the newspaper.

No A/H1N1 related death has been reported in the country since the first case confirmed here.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

2nd Death From Swine Flu Announced In Saudi Arabia

21:56 2009/07/30
Article ID:0060
Riyadh,July 30 (QNA) - The Saudi Health Ministry announced on Thursday the second death from the swine flu virus. The Health Ministry said in a statement that the second death case involved an Indonesian resident, aged 28, who had been put under the virus''s specific treatment in Dammam Central Hospital on Monday, but her health has deteriorated and died on Thursday. The Health Ministry downplyed the Flu danger in the Kingdom, saying that it is an expected issue, owing to other cases worldwide, as death toll is little compared to to the normal influenza''s death tolls

Thirty Five Swine Flu Confirmed in Russia

Thirty Five Swine Flu Confirmed in Russia
16:04 2009/07/30
0
Moscow, July 30 (QNA) - A total of 35 people have been diagnosed with the swine flu virus in Russia, Russian Information Agency (RIA Novosti) reported Thursday. "A total of 35 patients have been registered to date. This has been confirmed by all the tests available in Russia," Gennady Onishchenko said, adding that the number of confirmed infections could rise by this evening. The first batch of a vaccine against the A/H1N1 swine flu virus is expected to be ready in Russia by October 1. Onishchenko said Russia would produce 16 million doses of the swine flu vaccine by the end of the year. The total number of laboratory confirmed A/H1N1 cases stands at 168,895 worldwide, with 1,012 deaths

PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (06): THAILAND, VIET NAM

30-JUL-2009
In this update:
[1] Thailand: 1st case of mother-to-child transmission of flu
[2] Thailand: 8877 confirmed cases and 65 confirmed deaths
[3] Viet Nam: 612 confirmed cases, H5N1 suspected


******[1] Thailand: 1st case of mother-to-child transmission of flu
Date: Mon 27 Jul 2009

Source: Bangkok Post [edited]
<http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/health/150291/mother-to-child-transmission-of-flu-reported-to-who>


Mother-to-child transmission of flu reported to WHO
---------------------------------------------------
The Public Health Ministry reported Thailand's
1st case of a foetus being infected with the
A(H1N1) virus to World Health Organisation [WHO]
on Monday [27 Jul 2009], a day after the case was brought to public attention.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said
the baby was born premature. The 26-year-old
mother had H1N1 flu and gave birth only 7 months
into her term. The prenatal infection was a case
study, because it is the 1st case in Thailand, he said.
It was not clear at this stage how the baby
contracted the virus -- whether from the mother's
amniotic fluid or through the umbilical chord, Dr
Witthaya said. He said the ministry had informed
the WHO but there was still no need for any new
measures. Pregnant women were already listed as a
risk group and would get priority in receiving the flu vaccine.


The woman was airlifted from Ratchaburi Hospital
to Chulalongkorn Hospital where she gave birth by
caesarean section. The mother was in a critical
condition and could not breathe by herself. She
relied on a respiratory support system. The
baby's condition had improved, according to
Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodee.

Dr Witthaya refused to comment on the
distribution of anti-viral oseltamivir tablets
that were sent to clinics in Ratchaburi province,
which has highest recorded death toll from the
virus -- 7 of the 44 confirmed deaths have been
in Ratchaburi. Dr Witthaya said distribution
began only 2 days ago, so an assessment of the
scheme was not possible. About 30 percent of the
flu patients who died had received medication too late to help them, he said.

The director of Ratchaburi hospital, Dr Thanin
Panthutecha, reported that another woman who was
7 months pregnant and was admitted to the
hospital on Sunday [26 Jul 2009] had been
confirmed as having H1N1 flu. The 30-year-old
woman had a high fever and was an asthmatic, but
she was able to breathe on her own. She was given
oseltamivir tablets, and the baby would also
receive the medication through the mother, he said.

"The baby is in a normal condition," he said. The
anti-viral medicine would not affect the child's development.

--

Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>

******[2] Thailand: 8877 confirmed cases and 65 confirmed deaths
Date: Wed 29 Jul 2009

Source: Bangkok Post [edited]
<http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/health/150482/flu-death-toll-rises-to-65>


Flu death toll rises to 65
--------------------------
A total of 21 more people have died of the
A(H1N1) flu, bringing the country's death toll to
65, the Public Health Ministry announced on
Wednesday [29 Jul 2009]. Paichit Warachit, deputy
permanent secretary for public health, said the
total number of confirmed infections was 8877, up
from 6776 last Wednesday, 22 Jul [2009], when the death toll was 44.

The Public Health Ministry announces the latest
information on the H1N1 flu virus, including the
death toll and total number of people infected, every Wednesday.

--

Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>

[From the 1st newswire above, this is the 1st
case reported mother to child transmission of
H1N1 virus in Thailand. It underscores an issue
that pregnant women may be high priority group
for pandemic H1N1 vaccine. Since the beginning of
H1N1 outbreak (April ­ May 2009), severe illness
among pregnant women and infants have been
reported, see
<http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5818a3.htm>.
Also, 15 out of 266 (6 percent) of H1N1 death
cases in the US were pregnant women while
pregnant women are account for one percent of the US population, see
<http://www.internationalsos.com/pandemicpreparedness/CatLevel.aspx?li=1&languageID=ENG&catID=1&l=1>.


According to the latest Weekly Epidemiological
Surveillance Report (WESR) of the Bureau of
Epidemiology, Ministry of Public Health,
Thailand, dated 29 Jul 2009, there are 8879
cumulative cases since the beginning of 2009 of
H1N1 confirmed cases and 65 confirmed deaths. The
highest percentage of cases was found in age
group 11-20 (45.7 percent, following by age group
6-10 (15.6 percent) and age group 21-30 (13.9
percent). See <http://203.157.15.4/Flu/situation/y52/flu_200907291523.pdf>.

The latest World Health Organization (WHO)'s
pandemic H1N1 2009 update on 27 Jul 2009 reported
134 503 cases and 816 death cases (see
<http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_07_27/en/index.html>).

For a map of Thailand showing the geographic
regions,
see
<http://thailandforvisitors.com/general/regions.html>.
For the interactive HealthMap/ProMED-mail map
with links to other ProMED-mail and PRO/MBDS
postings in Thailand and neighboring countries,
see <http://healthmap.org/r/00CU> - Mod.SCM]

******
[3] Viet Nam: 612 confirmed cases, H5N1 suspected
Date: Mon 27 Jul 2009

Source: LookAtVietnam, VietNamNet/SGGP (Liberated Saigon) report [edited]
<http://www.lookatvietnam.com/2009/07/ministry-cautions-about-swine-flu-spread-on-public-vehicles.html>

Ministry cautions about swine flu spread on public vehicles
-----------------------------------------------------------
After 3 people with swine flu were found
traveling by train from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi
on 26 Jul 2009, the Ministry of Health has
sounded a warning about the threat of contracting
[influenza pandemic (H1N1) virus infection] by
using public transport. The passengers on the
train were told to isolate themselves in their
homes, monitor their health conditions, and
inform health authorities immediately if they
suffer flu symptoms of fever, cough, and sore throat.

Meanwhile, the disease continues to spread in
Viet Nam, with 45 more new cases reported on 26
Jul 2009, taking the total number so far to 612,
health officials said. The Department of
Preventive Medicine in the southern province of
Binh Duong said an expatriate working for THP
Company tested positive for the virus and he is
also suspected of transmitting it to a colleague.
Health authorities have quarantined them as well
as a 3rd person with flu symptoms who had been in contact with them.
The deputy director of the Department of
Preventive Health in the central province of Ha
Tinh, Nguyen Luong Tam, confirmed on 26 Jul 2009
that a 30-year-old man died of bird flu [?H5N1 -
Mod.MPP] at the General Hospital. The man had
been rushed to hospital the previous day with
pneumonia, high fever, headache, muscular and
joint pain, cough, breathing difficulty, and
vomiting. Doctors diagnosed him as having avian
influenza and isolated him. They found his lung
to be seriously damaged. He died on 26 Jul 2009.
Health workers later found diseased poultry at
the man's house.
He also had contact with a
female relative, a teacher at Ngo Thoi Nhiem
private High School in District 9, where 73
students and 5 teachers have contracted swine flu
[that is, influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection].


--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[This suspected case of avian influenza A (H5N1)
virus infection, if confirmed, will become the
112th case and the 57th death to have occurred in
Viet Nam. The most recent previous case died on
27 Apr 2009 in Thanh Hoa province.

The concern in the current (suspected) case is
that there is a potential epidemiological link
with an outbreak of influenza pandemic (H1N1)
2009 virus infection among teachers and children
at a school in the same province.

Confirmation of the H5N1 diagnosis is awaited as
are more details of the investigation of the
outbreak at Ngo Thoi Nhiem private High School.

A map of the provinces of Viet Nam, showing Ha
Tinh province in the central region, can be accessed at
<http://www.angelfire.com/co/hongnam/vnmap.html>.

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Viet
Nam is available at <http://healthmap.org/r/008c>. - Mod.CP]

INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (20): PERU, 33 PERCENT ASYMPTOMATIC

30-JUL-2009
SubjectPRO/AH/EDR> Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (20): Peru, 33 percent asymptomatic
Date: Thu 30 Jul 2009
Source: El Diario (Peru), Andina (Peruvian News Agency) report [in
Spanish, trans. Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ, edited]
<http://eldiario.pe/el-33-de-personas-con-influenza-ah1n1-no-presentan-sintomas-revelan>

33 percent of cases asymptomatic
---------------------------------The Ministry of Health (MINSA) revealed that 33 percent of people
infected with influenza (H1N1) [influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus]
are asymptomatic, that is, they present no symptoms of the disease.


MINSA's director general of epidemiology, Jose Bolarte, said that of
the cases of infection reported so far, 37 percent show some of the
symptoms related to the common cold, such as nasal congestion, sore
throat, headache, and even body aches. Nevertheless, there is no
fever, or at least not the high fever characteristic of influenza
(H1N1), which is higher than 39 deg C [102.2 deg F] and requires
immediate medical care.

"The patients do not necessarily consult a health center or seek
medical attention because they recover in 3 or 4 days with
conventional medicines, a healthy diet, and plenty of liquids," Bolarte said.

He added that, according to statistics, another 30 percent of people
infected with influenza (H1N1) can show all the symptoms of the
disease. Therefore, prompt and adequate care by health services is
required paying particular attention to the 'risk groups,' such as
children younger than 5 years of age, the elderly, persons with
depressed immune systems -- such as those with tuberculosis or who
are HIV positive --, persons with hypertension, diabetes, Down
syndrome, bronchial asthma, and pregnant women, among others.
Bolarte noted that in Peru less than one percent of the patients with
influenza (H1N1) die and that, furthermore, to date the number of
patients who respond well to treatment and are discharged exceeds 80
percent of the total cases.


He explained that when people contract influenza (H1N1) and recover
with medical treatment, they won't become re-infected because their
body generates the specific defenses against this type [that is, the
homologous strain] of virus and prevents the infection from recurring.

Bolarte emphasized that MINSA has an epidemiological and virological
surveillance system in place, which tracks the behavior of diseases
such as influenza in its seasonal and (H1N1) variants.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[These are valuable statistics. One hopes this survey will be
extended to determine the level of immune responses in both
symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. If the 33 percent
asymptomatic individuals have developed a protective immune response,
about 2/3 of the population might not require vaccination.

According to WHO, as of 22 Jul 2009 there have bee 2671 cases of
influenza pandemic (H1N1) virus infection in Peru, and 12 deaths. - Mod.CP]

[The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Peru is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00Dq>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]