Saturday, January 30, 2010

Egypt: The case of swine flu death of a woman in Giza

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

The Ministry of Health today, Saturday, on the status of the death of new HIV "H 1 - to 1" strain of swine flu, bringing the total deaths in Egypt so far to 257 cases.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Health that the situation of 257 women from Giza at the age of 29 years.

Egypt: To the People - Mountain make a statement on avian and swine influenza Monday

Saturday, January 30th, 2010 - 19:24

Dr. Hatem receive the Minister of Health issued a statement before the meeting of the health and environmental affairs, the People's Assembly on Monday, dealing with the actions taken by the government in the face of patients with avian and swine influenza.

The statement by the mountain in response to a number of requests for the briefing by the House of Representatives in this regard.

On the other hand, discussed by the Foreign Relations Committee, the People's Assembly at its meeting on next Tuesday's issue of not knowing the cause of death of an Egyptian family consisting of husband, wife and three children in Kuwait so far, as well as the subject of de-mining of the Second World War in the western desert and load states planted by the costs of removal.

Israel: 43,000 Pullets Destroyed Because of Avian Flu

Jan/28/10

(IsraelNN.com) Agriculture Minister inspectors on Thursday destroyed 43,000 pullets at Kibbutz Ein-Shemer, about halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa, which were infected by the avian flu. Burial of the corpses and their food was expected by the end of the day.

The chicken coops will be disinfected and take new fowl in about a month. The owners will be compensated. Medical samples on other birds in a ten-mile radius have been negative.

Singapore: 1m doses of bird flu vaccine

Jan 29, 2010


THE Health Ministry will be buying about one million doses of H5N1 avian flu pre-pandemic vaccine soon.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan revealed yesterday that his ministry is evaluating a tender to stock up on the vaccine.

'It's one of those insurance policies that we have to buy and we will stock it up and hope never to have to use it,' he said.

'The virus is still out there and it may flare up, so we cannot afford not to do anything.'

The World Health Organisation's director-general, Dr Margaret Chan, had recently said that countries remain ill-prepared for mass outbreaks of the bird flu virus, which affects humans in contact with sick birds.

It has a mortality rate of more than 60 per cent, leading to fears that a pandemic with this strain of virus could prove lethal. Scientists also fear that it could achieve efficient human-to-human transmission at any time and trigger a pandemic.



Indonesia: Bird flu outbreak kills fowl in Lampung regency

Fri, 01/29/2010 10:04 AM | National

The local husbandry agency in East Lampung regency, Lampung, reported Friday that a bird flu outbreak has killed hundreds of fowl in three districts during the first month of the year.

Dewanto, a top official at the agency, told Antara state news agency that at least 1,176 fowl had died of the deadly flu in seven villages in the Sukadana, Purbolinggo and Marga Tiga districts during January.

The number was bigger than the total number of fowl killed by bird flu throughout last year, which was 708.

Dewanto said the cold temperatures during the wet season had put fowl in more a vulnerable condition, leading to a decrease in immunity.

Bird flu alert in Balasore

[Balasore (also known as Baleswar and Baleshwar) is a strategically located city in the state of Orissa in eastern India.]

30 Jan 2010
BALASORE: The outbreak of bird flu in Murshidabad district of neighbouring West Bengal has spread panic among the poultry farmers in Balasore district.

While the border villages in Balasore and Mayurbhanj have been put on alert, Chief District Veterinary Officers (CDVOs) of both the districts have been asked to inspect chicken farms and hatcheries.Alert has been sounded in 120 villages in both the districts and local elected representatives have been asked to inform the veterinary officials in case of death of birds due to any disease.

Even as officials claim no incidence of bird flu has been reported in the State so far, the Animal Husbandry Department has started inspecting farms in both the districts.

The firm owners have been asked to vaccinate the birds and the veterinary officials have started vaccination in some areas.

Altogether 20 teams have been formed for the purpose.‘’We have collected 125 blood samples and 80 swab samples of chickens.

In the first phase no virus has been found in about 40 test reports. Still we are on alert and a control room has been opened round the clock to create awareness among people and farm owners about the disease,’’ CDVO of Balasore, Dolagobinda Nayak said.

‘’So far we have vaccinated nearly 6,000 birds in Balasore district.

The inspecting teams have been asked to complete the vaccination within a week. If they suspect flu virus in birds, the owners will be instructed to kill the whole lot in the hatchery,’’ he added.

Veterinary department sources said bird flu spreads through air and the government cannot take any risk.‘’Both organised and unorganised sectors will be checked during the drive.However, more stress will be given to farms situated in the bordering villages.

The areas put on alert include Kuliana, Rasagobindapur, Sarasakana, Morada in Mayurbhanj and Jaleswar and Bhogarai in Balasore,’’ said RK Dutta, a veterinary expert.

Reports said, Balasore district has 332 poultry farms (small and big). But no case of bird flu has yet been reported from the district, which is the third largest producer of poultry products in the State. Berhampur and Sundargarh are two other producers of poultry products.


CIDRAP: Egypt reports four new H5N1 infections

Jan 28, 2010 (CIDRAP News) – Egypt's health ministry has confirmed four new H5N1 avian influenza cases, which aren't related although all had contact with sick and dead poultry and are recovering in stable condition, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today.

News of the four cases comes the same day researchers detailed the epidemiologic patterns of Egypt's H5N1 cases in Eurosurveillance. The report suggests that children have been disproportionately affected as well as women, a group that is more likely to die from H5N1 infection. The new report also shows a connection between early treatment and recovery.

The new cases include:

  • A 20-year-old woman from Beni Suef governorate who got sick on Jan 6 and was hospitalized and started on oseltamivir (Tamiflu) on Jan 11; this case appears to be the same one reported on Jan 13 by Strengthening Avian Influenza Detection and Response (SAIDR), an Egypt-based project funded by the US Agency for International Development
  • A 1-year-old boy from Dakahalya governorate who got sick on Jan 7 and was hospitalized and treated with oseltamivir on Jan 12
  • A 3-year-old boy from Assuit governorate who became ill on Jan 19 and was hospitalized and treated on Jan 12
  • A 45-year-old man from Sharkia governorate who started experiencing symptoms on Jan 12 and was hospitalized and treated on Jan 19

The four H5N1 cases bring Egypt's total to 94, of which 27 have been fatal. They are the first cases to be reported in 2010. Last year Egypt reported 39 avian flu cases, up dramatically from 8 in 2008. However, the number of deaths for both years was the same, at 4. The new cases raise the world's H5N1 count to 471 cases, including 282 deaths.

New reports of human infections appear to mirror a recent spike in poultry infections in Egypt. On Jan 19 animal health authorities announced that they had recently detected 17 household outbreaks across 8 governorates as the result of increased passive surveillance in veterinary clinics.

In today's Eurosurveillance report, researchers from the National Veterinary Research Institute in Nigeria analyzed the first 3 years of H5N1 infections in Egypt, from March 2006 through August 2009, which includes 85 cases and 27 deaths.

In 2009 the disease seemed to take a growing toll on children. At the same time, Egypt's H5N1 patients seemed increasingly more likely to survive their infections. Officials have suspected that earlier medical treatment has led to the drop in case-fatality rates, but some public health officials have wondered if other factors such as genetic changes in the virus have contributed to the different clinical outcomes in Egypt, where the virus is endemic in poultry.

Females were more likely to be infected than males, though infected children were more likely to be male. Women aged 20 to 39 were more likely to die of their infections, and researchers speculated that they may have had more exposure to the virus, because Egyptian women do the bulk of culling, slaughtering, and defeathering.

The investigators linked early hospitalization to an increased chance of recovery, and they noted that Egyptian children are hospitalized more quickly than adults, which could contribute to the lower deaths rates in children.

Rising numbers of H5N1 infections in Egypt, plus continuing human infections in Vietnam and China despite intensive H5N1 control efforts in poultry, serve as a reminder of the virus's pandemic potential, the researchers noted. They also said that cocirculation of H5N1 and pandemic H1N1 viruses in Egypt, where novel flu infections recently peaked, raises the possibility of coinfections and emergence of reassortant viruses.

They noted that studies are needed to document levels of viral exposure in Egyptians who frequently handle poultry and explore levels of asymptomatic and unreported infections in African populations.

Researchers also echoed concerns of global health experts that more efforts are needed in Egypt to change agricultural practices and people's perceptions. They point out that studies in other African countries show farmers believe they are at little risk from poultry-handling activities such as slaughtering.

Egyptians frequently keep poultry on rooftops and near living quarters, and the government doesn't compensate for culled birds, making it less likely that bird owners will report outbreaks, the authors noted.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Egypt: H1N1 Deaths List

This case list will be located on the right side-bar, and updated as needed.

12/5: _____26
12/17:_____74
12/19:_____84
12/20:_____89
12/21:_____93
12/23:_____101
12/26:_____106
12/27:_____109
12/28:_____115
12/29:_____120
12/31:_____133
1/1:_______141
1/5:_______162
1/7:_______172
1/9:_______181
1/9:_______187
1/10:______195
1/11:______201
1/18:______228
1/19:______232
1/20:______238
1/23:______244
1/29:______256
2/1:_______258
2/3:_______262
2/9:_______265
2/11:______267
3/6:_______272
3/24: ______274
4/20:______277

Egypt: H1N1 3 More Deaths - total 256

The death of 3 cases of bird Alkhanazertrf Total of 256
Friday, January 29th, 2010 - 19:3

The Ministry of Health for three deaths were newly infected with "er HP 1 The 1" strain of swine flu, bringing the total deaths in Egypt since the emergence of the disease and so far 256 cases.

The ministry of health, said in a statement today, Friday, No. 254, the situation of a woman from Giza Governorate old (53 years), Case No. 255 for the old lady (43 years) from the province of the lake, and case No. 256 of a woman from the province of Giza age (26 years).

WHO: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 85 - Weekly virological surveillance update

29 January 2010


Pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 virus activity continued to decline in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere.

The pandemic A(H1N1) continues to be the predominant circulating influenza virus in nearly all countries where influenza is reported.

The most recent available data showed that pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 accounted for 100% of influenza A virus subtype detections in sentinel specimens in WHO EUR (1) and more than 98% in WHO AMR (2) .

China on the other hand reported outbreaks due to influenza B (48.8% of all influenza positive specimens).

Sporadic detections of seasonal A(H1N1), A(H3N2) and influenza B viruses were reported from a few countries such as Iran, Japan, the Russian Federation and Tunisia.

A total of 25 countries reported to FluNet during the period 10th January 2010 to 16th January 2010.

Based on FluNet reporting, the total number of specimens reportedly positive for influenza viruses by NIC laboratories was 3,044. Of these, 1,961 (64.4%) were typed as influenza A and 1,083 (35.6%) as influenza B.

Of all sub-typed influenza A viruses, 95% (1,637/1,724) were pandemic (H1N1) 2009.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in 19 April 2009 to 23th January,2010, cumulatively 153 countries shared a total of 23743 specimens (18368 clinical samples and 5375 virus isolates) with WHO CCs for further analysis.

All pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 influenza viruses analysed to date appear to be antigenically and genetically closely related to the vaccine virus A/California/7/2009.

The pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 viruses with D222G substitution have also been seen antigenically indistinguishable to the A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) vaccine virus.

The WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN) including WHOCCs conducts systematic surveillance for antiviral susceptibility. So far, antiviral susceptibility testing conducted by WHO CCs and other GISN laboratories on pandemic A (H1N1) specimens and isolates from at least 88 countries indicates that oseltamivir resistant pandemic H1N1 viruses are sporadic detections with rare onward transmission.

So far, 220 cases of oseltamivir resistance have been reported by GISN and other partners.

All of these viruses showed the H275Y substitution and all remain sensitive to zanamivir.

WHO, through the GISN, continues monitoring the evolution and global circulation of influenza viruses, including pandemic, seasonal and other influenza viruses infecting, or with the potential to infect humans.

*Some NICs report data to FluNet retrospectively and updates of previous data with new results are frequent.

Virology data update

Download update (.pdf)

For more information

National Influenza Centres
(1) EuroFlu Weekly Electronic Bulletin
(2) PAHO Weekly Regional Update
FluNet web site
hat-tip Ironorehopper

Hong Kong: Cluster of Human Swine Influenza cases in Princess Margaret Hospital

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

A spokesperson of Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) issued the following announcement today (January 29):

Since January 22, two female patients (aged 76 and 77) and one female staff member of a Medicine and Geriatrics Ward in PMH have presented with flu symptoms.Viral tests were arranged for them and all were subsequently confirmed with Human Swine Influenza.

The two patients are being treated under isolation and prescribed with Tamiflu.

Both are in stable condition.

The staff member is in stable condition after treatment and on sick leave. Admissions to the ward has been suspended and infection control measures have already been stepped up. Patients' relatives have been informed about the situation.

All other patients and the staff in the ward are under close monitoring.

The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for follow up.

hat-tip Ironorehopper

Vietnam: Concerns the combination of H5N1 and H1N1 virus

29/1/2010, 8:26(GMT+7)

From 18 / 1 to present, in Ha Tinh, avian influenza has occurred in the area three communes. Ha Tinh Animal Health Department took samples and test results positive for influenza A/H5N1.

In Ca Mau, also occurs with many avian influenza outbreak. 25 / 1, the test center has seven sample results forums ducks infected nearly 500 children, died positive for influenza A/H5N1 virus.

Thus, through nearly 20 days in outbreaks, avian influenza has appeared in nine households of the hamlet with a total of nine infected dead birds and destroyed nearly 2,000 children. There are still translated influenza A/H1N1 has complicated development experts to fear that if the H5N1 avian influenza outbreak will be more evolutions bad.

Dr. Nguyen Hong Ha, the Institute for infectious diseases and Tropical National said that the virus does not have stability in terms of genetics, it is capable of recombinant, sort and suddenly very high. Influenza A/H1N1 virus has spread rapidly fatal but not much. While the H5N1 virus caused high mortality, the ability to spread low. Thus, if these two recombinant strains, creating a new virus has spread quickly feature Left has caused high mortality due to pathogenic large, the situation will become extremely dangerous and complicated.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

China: "Anti-Cruelty to Animals Act," the drafting of Experts: Ban to eat cats and dogs are not uniform

January 27, 2010 Source: Guangzhou Daily

"Anti-Cruelty to Animals Act," drafted illegal to eat cats and dogs or a fine of 5000 arrest for 15 days

我国酝酿出台《反虐待动物法》,专家建议稿正在向公众征求意见,4月份将向相关部门提交。 China's brewing promulgated the "Anti-Cruelty to Animals Act", the experts recommended to the public comments are being issued, the relevant departments will be submitted in April. 其中,违法食用或销售猫狗肉者最高可被罚款五千元并被拘留15天的提法在社会上引发巨大反响。 Among them, consumption or sale of illegal dog a cat a maximum fine of 5000 yuan and detained for 15 days, the formulation caused a huge reaction in the community.

据了解,《反虐待动物法(专家建议稿)》分为9章,大致包括反虐待动物的主要制度,野生动物、经济动物、宠物等多类动物的反虐待措施,动物医疗、动物运输、动物屠宰的反虐待措施,法律责任以及附则。 It is understood that "anti-animal abuse law (experts recommend draft)" is divided into nine chapters, roughly including the main system of anti-cruelty to animals, wildlife, economic animals, pets and other types of animals, the anti-abuse measures, animal health, animal transport, Animal slaughtering anti-abuse measures, and legal responsibilities, and Supplementary Provisions. 其中最引人注目的一条是“违法食用犬、猫或者销售犬、猫肉,将对个人处5000元以下罚款并处15日以下拘留,并责令具结悔过;对单位和组织处1万元以上50万元以下罚款。” One of the most striking one is the "illegal consumption of dogs, cats, or selling dogs, Maorou will be fined from 5,000 to individuals and impose detention for 15, and ordered a statement of repentance; pairs of units and organizations of Branch 1 million yuan a fine of 500,000 yuan. "

本版文字:记者任珊珊、徐靖、林霞虹、刘旦、文远竹、周祚、王飞

hat-tip sharonsanders

Mainland China week, 1074 cases of confirmed cases and 21 deaths a stream

2010年01月28日09:58 来源:中国新闻网
At 09:58 on January 28, 2010 Source: China News Net [left]发表评论
Comment
中新网1月28日电国家卫生部网站最新通报,上周(2010年1月18日-1月24日),中国境内31个省份报告甲型H1N1流感确诊病例1074例,住院治疗255例,死亡21人 。



BEIJING, January 28 Xinhua latest report of the Ministry of Health Web site, last week (January 18, 2010 -1 24), China's 31 provinces in the report of Influenza A H1N1 Influenza 1074 cases of confirmed cases, 255 cases of hospitalization , death 21.
流感哨点监测结果显示,上周境内流感病例占流感样病例的比例为30.3%,与前一周(29.5%)相比基本 持平;甲型H1N1流感病例占流感病例的比例为26.8%,与前一周(39.1%)相比明显下 降。



Influenza sentinel surveillance results show that in influenza cases last week, accounted for the proportion of influenza-like illness was 30.3%, with the previous week (29.5%) compared to flat; Influenza A H1N1 influenza cases in the proportion of influenza cases are accounted for 26.8%, with the former week (39.1%) compared with significantly decreased.

目前,中国大部分地区甲型H1N1流感病毒仍然在社区层面传播。


At present, most parts of Influenza A H1N1 influenza virus continues to spread at the community level.
春运已经开始,各地人流、物流显著增加,返乡学生和务工人员、回家探亲人员应科学做好旅途中的 个人防护。



Spring Festival travel season has started, local people, materials increased significantly, returning students and workers staff, home visits staff should do a good job of scientific journey of personal protection.
卫生部提醒,符合甲型H1N1流感疫苗接种条件的人群,特别是孕妇、婴幼儿等较易发展成为重症的高危人群, 要按照当地卫生部门的安排,积极接种疫苗。



The Ministry of Health warned in line with conditions of Influenza A H1N1 influenza vaccination of people, especially pregnant women, infants and young children and other more easily develop into a severe high-risk groups, according to the arrangements for local health departments, and actively vaccination.
社会公众要注意生产、生活环境空气流通;勤洗手,不随地吐痰,咳嗽或打喷嚏时用纸巾、毛巾等遮 住口鼻。



The public should pay attention to production and living environment, ventilation; washing hands frequently, do not spit with tissue paper when coughing or sneezing, towels, etc. cover the nose and mouth.
慢性病患者、肥胖者、孕妇、婴幼儿和老人等较易发展成为重症的高危人群应避免不必要的外出,一旦出现呼吸道 症状,应立即就医。


The chronically ill, obese, pregnant women, infants and young children and the elderly more easily develop into a severe high-risk groups should avoid unnecessary to go out as soon as respiratory symptoms should immediately seek medical treatment.
有发热等流感样症状者应尽量减少外出或在做好戴口罩等个人防护的前提下外出。



Fever and other flu-like symptoms should be minimized or in the good to go out wearing masks and other personal protection under the premise of going out.
急性起病的有呼吸道感染症状者尤其是出现高烧持续不退或病情反复者,应立即就医。



Acute onset of respiratory tract infection symptoms, especially persistent high fever or illness occurs repeatedly shall seek medical care immediately.
卫生部最后强调,近期,季节性流感活动频繁,又正值人感染高致病性禽流感高发季节,有发热、咳嗽等流感样症 状者,特别是有禽类接触史的流感样症状者,要及时就医,并主动告知医生禽类接触情况。



The Ministry of Health finally stressed that the recent seasonal influenza are frequent, but also a time when people are infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza of high season, there is fever, cough and other flu-like symptoms,

especially those with a history of exposure to poultry flu-like symptoms, should promptly seek medical treatment, and take the initiative to inform the doctor of poultry exposure.

hat-tip sharonsanders

West Bengal: At least 409 People Involved in Culling Put on Preventive Medication

Avian influenza in West Bengal, India
28/01/2010-03: 18:00 PM
(Agroviet-28/1/2010): At least 409 people are tracked in the medical area of avian influenza occurred in West Bengal, India.
In recent years, India has not ever happened infections bird flu in humans but the possibility that people infected in the target groups at high risk still exists.

A top Indian health officials said a total of 409 poultry, the culled poultry and vets involved in the work of destruction being preventive medication.

However, the Health Ministry said the country is not necessary to give the alarm for the current situation and India are still enough medicine reserves and medical equipment needed.

Avian influenza is recorded occurred in Murshidabad district, West Bengal on January 14. The officials said that so far, this flu has spread to service some areas in the district.

The destruction of poultry was carried out. So far, 116,824 poultry have been destroyed and 11,409 eggs also canceled.

Egypt: H1N1 Total Deaths 253

The death of two cases of swine flu
Thursday, January 28th, 2010 - 18:45

The Ministry of Health said in a statement on Thursday, the death of two cases of swine influenza virus, bringing the number of deaths the disease in Egypt to 253 cases so far.

The statement said that one of the cases to Egyptian woman, aged "42 years" from Menia Governorate, and the situation of other Egyptian woman, aged "21 years" from the province of Assiut.

Avian influenza - situation in Egypt - update 27

As was reported here, Confirmed #91, has passed away. Therefore, the WHO update is incorrect.

Egypt: BF Confirmed #91 Died Despite Given Tamiflu for 10 Days

The death of a woman from bird flu despite being treated with Tamiflu
Thursday, January 21st, 2010 - 19:24
http://pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com/2010/01/egypt-bf-confirmed-91-died-despite.html



Avian influenza - situation in Egypt - update 27

28 January 2010


The Ministry of Health of of Egypt has announced four new cases of human H5N1 avian influenza infection.

The cases are not linked epidemiologically.

The first case is a 20-year-old female from Baniswief governorate. She developed symptoms on 6 January and was hospitalized on 11 January, where she received oseltamivir treatment.

The second case is a 1-year-old male from Dakahalya governorate. He developed symptoms on 7 January , and was hospitalized on 12 January where he received oseltamivir treatment.

The third case is a 3-year-old male from Assuit governorate. He developed symptoms on 19 January, and was hospitalized on 21 January where he received oseltamivir treatment.

The fourth case is a 45-year-old male from Shargea governorate. He developed symptoms on 12 January and was hospitalized on 19 January where he received oseltamivir treatment.

All four are currently in a stable condition in hospital.

Investigations into the source of infection indicated that all four cases had exposure to sick and dead poultry.

The case was confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratories, a National Influenza Center of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN).

Of the 94 laboratory confirmed cases of Avian influenza A(H5N1) reported in Egypt, 27 have been fatal.

hat-tip ironorehopper

Vietnam: Many places outbreaks of avian influenza

TP - Mr. Phan Ngoc Long - Deputy Chief Sub-Department of Animal Health Department of Ha Tinh said, by the way 26-1 in the province of Ha Tinh, avian influenza has arisen, recurrence in three wards and communes in Ha Static and Cam Xuyen.

Nearly 1175 birds sick, dead, destroyed nearly 2. 500 birds, including chickens, duck.

On May 19, 23-1, in many households in two communes in Cam Binh, Cam Thach, Cam Xuyen discovered near one. 000 ducks, chickens are sick or dead. Through examination of sick birds died at the point of all positive for H5N1 virus. Through investigation, the birds were not translated vaccine prevention.
According to Mr. Long, cause outbreaks of avian influenza in the province of Ha Tinh is not implemented the regulations on preventing and combating disease. The virus circulating in poultry regularly plus weather changes, hygiene cages, breeding environment ... to create conditions for virus spread.

Current Sub-Department of Animal Health has been allocated to each province town in the province to 30 liter Belkocid target toxic chemical disinfection, quarantine establishment of key animal 24/24, in the service area to prevent traffic and transport family birds, poultry products, the access to the service ...

In Ca Mau, the test center has seven positive results for H5N1 sample Forum 500 dead ducks in pineapples 5, Tran Van Thoi town (Ca Mau).

Thus, the last 2 days 0 re outbreak, bird flu has appeared in nine hamlets colonization of 6 communes in 2 districts of Tran Van Thoi and Thoi Binh, the birds killed and destroyed nearly 2. 000 children.

Risk of disease outbreaks re on a large scale is very large due to the dead infected birds are being thrown down, canals.

Minh Thuy - Khanh Hung


Vietnam: Soc Trang Province H5N1 Poultry Outbreak

Information on the situation of avian flu, blue ear pig LMLM and services on January 27, 2010
Written Epidemiology Department
Department of Animal yxin notice the situation of avian influenza, foot and mouth disease progress and cattle dichlon blue ear as follows:
I. TINHHINH SERVICES

1. Avian

Dien Bien: Ngay14/01/2010, avian influenza has occurred in flocks of 04 households taicac Thanh Hung Yen and Thanh Dien Bien district. Total birds infected, killed and destroyed a 1405 children (1340 ducks and 65 chickens). Sub-Department of Animal Health vachinh local authorities are taking measures prevention services as prescribed.

Soc Trang: Ngay18/01/2010, avian influenza has occurred on the 2001 Forum ducks households in apPhu Church, Thanh Quoi commune, Phu Xuyen district. Total ducks infected 500 children trongtong Forum 500. Forum ducks have not been vaccinated bird flu vaccine. Currently, Sub-Department of Animal Health and local authorities have carried out destruction of the whole country camtren forums and take measures to prevention services as prescribed.

Hiennay, both countries 04 provinces of Ca Mau, Ha Tinh, Dien Bien and Soc Trang cumgia situation has not translated over 21 days.

Bird flu re-appears in Soc Trang, Dien Bien

3 hours ago 9 views

Afternoon 27/1, Department of Animal Health (MARD) has confirmed two more of Dien Bien province and Soc Trang appearance of avian influenza, bringing the number of local avian influenza throughout the country to four provinces
.

Indonesia: Cirebon, West Java; Rembang, Central Java: H5N1 outbreak in birds

January 28, 2010

Outbreak report from Cirebon, West Java. H5N1 seems to surge in Cirebon. Officials linked this incident with two suspected human cases, a 41-year-old and deceased 22-year-old.

Other report mentioned H5N1 in Kabupaten Rembang, also in birds.-adm-

Paliaman – Animal Health Center in Kaliwedi, Kabupaten Cirebon found bird flu H5N1 had been spreading to four villages in three sub-districts, Desa Ciawi, Kecamatan Paliaman, Desa Danawinangun and Desa Pekantingan, Kecamatan Klangenan and Desa Kedungsana, Kecamatan Plumbon.

Head of Animal Health Center Kaliwedi, Suharto said the virus currently transmitted among animals. Until now, no positive case in human found from those three sub-districts.

Meanwhile, Head of Health Service, Rinny R. Sechan confirmed that a resident of Keluarahan Tukmudal, Kecamatan Sumber, named Duramham Suherman (DS) had been treated in isolation unit of Gunung Jati regional hospital because of suspected of contracting bird flu (H5N1) infection.

DS had fever after contact with suddenly dead chickens before been admitted to hospital. Until now officials are still waiting blood test result for bird flu confirmation of DS.

Source: Indonesia local newspaper, Radar Cirebon. http://www.radarcirebon.com/metropolis/kabupaten-cirebon/2520-virus-flu-burung-serang-4-desa-.html

hat-tip Bird Flu Information Corner

Karanganyar, Central Java: Officials collect bird samples from deceased bird flu suspect’s neighborhood

Previously reported here:
http://pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com/2010/01/karanganyar-central-java-patient.html
January 28, 2010

Karanganyar – Livestock and Fishery Service of Kabupaten Karanganyar conducted investigation to chicken samples such as cloacal and throat swab of birds in Desa Wonorejo, Jatiyoso, regarding to the death of bird flu suspect patient named WD, 22 years old.

Head of Animal Health Division, Saptawan Hadiputra mentioned officials had collected about 25 chicken samples to be subjected for laboratory test, since they did not find any bird flu evidence by field investigation.

Victim is a meatball seller (meatball is bakso in Bahasa Indonesia. Typically, sellers are circulating with their cart to get costumers. -adm-), and suggested to have caught infection around his place in Cirebon. For this evidence, Livestock and Fishery Service of Kabupaten Karanganyar, Central Java, had contacted its counterpart in Kabupaten Cirebon, West Java for more investigation.

Wd, resident of Desa Wonorejo, Jatiyoso, possibly died of bird flu infection on Wednesday (20/1). Patient finally died after refused to be transferred from Wonogiri regional hospital to Dr Moewardi regional hospital to get medical treatment.

Source: Indonesia local newspaper, Solo Pos. http://www.solopos.com/2010/karanganyar/suspect-ai-di-jatiyoso-pemkab-ambil-sampel-unggas-13224

hat-tip Bird Flu Information Corner

Vietnam: Ha Tinh Province -Dozens of people hospitalized for suspected influenza A/H5N1 infection

28/01/2010 08:17

(VTC News) - There were dozens of people exposed to sick poultry in Ha Tinh province were hospitalized with symptoms typical of influenza A/H5N1.
Many patients have been isolated track.

Avian influenza outbreak is in the Thach Quy - hesitance Tinh, Cam Binh, Cam Thach Cam Xuyen. The process of exposure to bird flu, many people in the provinces was hospitalized.

Specific to this time, the whole Cam Binh has 1450 people exposed to birds as food for poultry, slaughtering; including 859 who had direct contact with poultry were H5N1.

Worrying thing is just less than a week but the outbreak in the commune had 38 cases with suspected symptoms of influenza A/H5N1 infection. These patients after exposure to poultry high fever, headaches. Some people have expressed serious was isolated tracking station in the treatment room and isolated from communities for monitoring and treatment at home.

Doctor Nguyen Van Dinh-station chief clinics Cam Binh, Cam Xuyen said, this time the number of people in treatment or health monitoring yey for more than 30% increase compared to normal.

Meanwhile in hesitance Tinh, he Trinh Van Thuan, the owner of the Ward Forum duck sick You also have to Thach hospital treatment for symptoms typical of influenza A/H5N1.

At the same time infectious Sciences - General Hospital province has also conducted treating a patient in isolation Song Loc commune Can Loc district for suspected influenza A/H5N1 infection.


hat-tip Dutchy

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

UK Partial Sequences from July 2009 Show Early Start on 225G, 225E and cross-linkage marker syn413K

From: Pandemic Influenza H1N1 2009 Blog:
2010-01-27

The UK added 50 HA sequences today to GISAID. Exactly zero NA segments were included. The geographically dispersed samples are dated July 2009 and demonstrate a pattern emerging in ΣPF11 at that stage that is only now being partially documented for Europe and the United States due to a continual withholding of key sequence data.

One 225G is found, outcome unknown.

42% of the UK deposit (21 of 50) carries the Receptor Binding Domain change of 225E also found in Almaty, Kazakhstan during that timeframe. At that time, only 13 206T/225E combinations had been cited in this pandemic. Reporting of these UK sequences in a timely manner would have more than doubled the case counts with the RBD polymorphism and raised flags for investigative focus.

An RBD revision emerging at this rate and being withheld from public scientific discussion is as intellectually shortsighted as the partial reporting from the US on the Duke TamiFlu Resistant cluster in October that we are only learning today also transmitted 225G? TamiFlu Resistance leading to fatalities and 1918 Second Wave RBD revisions that are transmitting . . . no report? A doubling of 225E cases with 21 instances in a major European international travel hub and no report?

These "Science for Hire" stealthy corporate practices now being employed in the public arena leave the average citizen without the information needed to make proper health decisions. All "science" may soon come to us via PR-driven press releases. Fabrications and crafty wording as we've seen with this pandemic may become so very honed that even sheer disinformation will be applauded as fact by the misled public.

22% of the UK deposit (11 of 50) carries the HA syn413K from the cross-linked background. The UK count for the cross segment linking marker, NA syn407V, cannot be presented today because no Neuraminidase segments were published.

Evidence is suggestive that as the number of sequences identified on the cross-segment linkages grows, academic honesty may be trending steeply downward. A pattern of withholding one or the other segment (HA/NA) or, more oddly, withholding only the required portion of the pairing segment is evident in more than 100 recent samples that are essential for study. We find an 80% to 100% blanketing of one marker in some locations and a mysterious missing block of segments or, at times, the portion of the segments for the second marker?

May we please review the HA 1281 and NA 1221 for recently published sequences?

If 225G was confirmed transmitting as early as October, is correlated to fatal outcomes (50%-80%), is now documented across the globe previously and presently, was part of the Second Wave in 1918, is linked to a vaccine escape event and is correlated to the cross-segment linked background, do we need further evidence to increase surveillance and improve data transparency to the science community and the paying public?

At the end of the day, late data is demonstrating that the UK was trending ahead of many European countries in RBD revisions and in sequences on the cross-linked background as early as July 2009.

Egypt: Total H1N1 Deaths 251

Governorates of Assiut and Beni Suef ..
The bird Vaphalten Alkhanazererf Total for 251
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 - 19:23

The Ministry of Health reported two new deaths of swine influenza virus, bringing the total deaths in Egypt since the emergence of the disease and so far 251 cases.

The ministry of health said in a statement on Wednesday that the situation is No. 250 of the Lady of Assiut at the age of 35 years, and the situation of 251 women from the province of Beni Suef, a woman aged 25 years.

Vietnam: Medical mask: with money as well ... do not buy

Situation before services are spreading influenza A/H1N1 pm on 29-7, the HCMC People have flocked to buy medical mask. However, because purchasing power has suddenly risen while the number of enterprises (companies) to produce and supply is limited, this item immediately fell into a serious scarcity. Noteworthy, price was pushed up than 3-4 times.
-snip-
"Red Eye" search mask
According to Ms. Vo Thi Bich Lien, Chief Administrative personnel a company in District 2, as soon as information services continue to spread flu in Ho Chi Minh, leader of the company requested administrative rooms equipped with medical mask entire staff, and buy fruit to come bồ based company to prevent progress.
-snip-
Similarly, the director manages a large hostel in Ho Chi Minh City has spent an afternoon, urging run run to buy original mask, and must return with a .... bottled water for antiseptic hand washing! He is "for research" to a few acquaintances in the health sector to introduce to buy a mask for themselves, striving to equip 1,600 students in boarding hostels.
-snip-
Scarce mask, dagger found
Food service by influenza A/H1N1, many pharmacies, shops selling medical equipment arbitrarily raised prices to mask 5-10, even 50%. Many places that were all anti-flu mask, but the find of Tien Phong, the facilities were found to wait pin flu outbreak.
City: Gam found
29-7 am, survey of journalists in Tien Phong shops selling medical equipment on Tran Hung Dao Cong Quynh, District 1, District 10 pharmaceutical markets, and Ly Thai To Street, District 10, HCMC. City ..., sales people are shaking their heads for a mask medical mask from normal to prevent flu have been to the N95.
Meanwhile, in the store medical equipment Ngoc B. on Tran Hung Dao, a variety of medical mask bulk price increases is due in two weeks scarce.

Vietnam: H1N1 Outbreak in Hai Phong goes from 72 to 105 students

[QUOTE]From 12 / 1 to 20 / 1, primary school Pha Le, Thuy Nguyen, Hai Phong has 72 students have flu syndrome. In the 16 samples tested H1N1 positive with 10 ca.v
http://pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com/2010/01/vietnam-influenza-h1n1-outbreak-in.html[/QUOTE]

Excerpt:
Thursday, January 28, 2010

On influenza A/H1N1 outbreak in Crystal Elementary School (Thuy Nguyen district, Hai Phong), 27-1 to date has 105 students syndrome influenza A/H1N1.

Vietnam: H1N1 Outbreak in Bac Kan, 144 Students all treated @ home

Influenza A/H1N1 outbreak appears new
Before the appearance of two new outbreak of influenza A/H1N1 recently, the Ministry of Health recommends the exchange between the high increase in the coming Lunar New Year can be a risk of influenza infection more ca
Delivered at the meeting directed the National Commission on prevention of influenza pandemic in humans, this afternoon (27 / 1), in Hanoi, Vu Sinh Nam, Vice Director of Department of Preventive Health and Environment, Ministry of Health said: A new outbreak of influenza A/H1N1 has been detected in schools facilities Dong Xa, district Na Ri, Bac Can.

This outbreak 144 cases of influenza A/H1N1 in the can light. All patients have symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, myalgia and was treated at home with the supervision of local health facilities. Until now, more than half of the cases were from, no case of death.

As reported by the Hai Phong Department of Health, the outbreak at a primary school in Thuy Nguyen was controlled no signs of spreading into the community. Thus, as of today (27 / 1), there are 11,166 cases of influenza A/H1N1, in which 56 deaths. Subcommittee treatment also said that until now, has been integrated medical records of 23 patients died from influenza A/H1N1 infection to study, evaluate, from experience in the process of prevention and treatment influenza A/H1N1.

Previous influenza A/H1N1 situation translated evolutions unpredictable, especially when they appear two new A/H1N1 influenza outbreak, the health sector continue to coordinate with ministries and departments concerned to continue monitoring closely evolutions Service patients in both urban and rural areas far, especially in schools.

Health Ministry warns that the Lunar New Year, the exchanges between the regions would be a high increase the risk of many new ca A/H1N1 influenza infection. People need to keep personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, actively preventing influenza A/H1N1 virus spread.

Dien Bien Disclosure avian influenza H5N1

Today (27 / 1), People's Committee of Dien Bien province announced avian influenza H5N1 in the area two Thanh Hung, Yen Thanh, Dien Bien district. Also, prohibit all activities slaughter, transport, trading poultry and poultry products in the two communes have translated; strict control of the slaughter, trade, movement of poultry, poultry products in the other communes of Dien Bien district and the city of Dien Bien Phu; prohibiting the processing, sale and use of the products of infected poultry; banned throw the sick birds died down canals, rivers, streams , ponds, lakes; no more food processing and poultry farming.

Dien Bien province has set up the temporary quarantine in key social services to be surrounded, control translation; to prevent birds from areas with services for consumption; establishment of animal quarantine team temporarily to mobile discovery service, inspection and control traffic, trafficking, transporting, slaughtering poultry and poultry products in the area.

Avian influenza outbreaks in two communes in Thanh Hung and Thanh Yen from 14/1 and by this time, the number of dead birds have been culled are about 1,500 children. Thus, in the past 11 months, this is the 2nd in Thanh Hung and the 3rd in Yen Thanh re avian outbreak. /.

Original:
Cập nhật lúc : 9:32 PM, 27/01/2010
Xuất hiện ổ dịch cúm A/H1N1 mới
Trước sự xuất hiện của 2 ổ dịch cúm A/H1N1 mới thời gian gần đây, Bộ Y tế khuyến cáo sự giao lưu qua lại giữa các vùng tăng cao trong dịp Tết sắp tới có thể là nguy cơ xuất hiện thêm nhiều ca nhiễm cúm
Tại cuộc họp giao ban Ban chỉ đạo quốc gia phòng chống đại dịch cúm ở người, chiều nay (27/1), tại Hà Nội, ông Vũ Sinh Nam, Phó Cục trưởng Cục Y tế dự phòng và Môi trường, Bộ Y tế cho biết: Một ổ dịch cúm A/H1N1 mới vừa được phát hiện tại trường phổ thông cơ sở xã Đồng Xá, huyện Na Rì, tỉnh Bắc Cạn.

Ổ dịch này có 144 trường hợp nhiễm cúm A/H1N1 ở thể nhẹ. Tất cả bệnh nhân đều có triệu chứng sốt, ho, đau họng, đau cơ và được điều trị tại nhà với sự giám sát của cơ sở y tế địa phương. Đến nay, hơn nửa số ca bệnh đã khỏi, không có trường hợp tử vong.

Theo báo cáo của Sở Y tế Hải Phòng, ổ dịch tại trường tiểu học ở Thủy Nguyên đã được khống chế, chưa có dấu hiệu lây lan ra cộng đồng. Như vậy, tính đến hôm nay (27/1), cả nước có 11.166 trường hợp nhiễm cúm A/H1N1, trong đó, 56 ca tử vong. Tiểu ban điều trị cũng cho biết, đến nay, đã tổng hợp được 23 hồ sơ bệnh án của các bệnh nhân tử vong do nhiễm cúm A/H1N1 để nghiên cứu, đánh giá, rút kinh nghiệm trong quá trình phòng chống và điều trị cúm A/H1N1.

Trước tình hình dịch cúm A/H1N1 diễn biến khó lường, đặc biệt khi xuất hiện 2 ổ dịch cúm A/H1N1 mới, ngành y tế tiếp tục phối hợp với các Bộ, ngành liên quan tiếp tục giám sát chặt chẽ diễn biến dịch bệnh cả ở khu vực thành thị và nông thôn, vùng sâu, vùng xa, nhất là tại trường học.

Bộ Y tế khuyến cáo, trong dịp Tết Nguyên đán, sự giao lưu qua lại giữa các vùng tăng cao cũng có thể là nguy cơ xuất hiện nhiều ca nhiễm cúm A/H1N1 mới. Người dân cần giữ gìn vệ sinh cá nhân, vệ sinh môi trường, chủ động ngăn chặn virus cúm A/H1N1 lây lan.

Điện Biên Công bố dịch cúm gia cầm H5N1

Hôm nay (27/1), Uỷ ban Nhân dân tỉnh Điện Biên công bố dịch cúm gia cầm H5N1 trên địa bàn hai xã Thanh Hưng, Thanh Yên của huyện Điện Biên. Đồng thời, nghiêm cấm mọi hoạt động giết mổ, vận chuyển, buôn bán gia cầm, sản phẩm gia cầm tại hai xã có dịch; kiểm soát chặt chẽ việc giết mổ, buôn bán, vận chuyển gia cầm, sản phẩm gia cầm tại các xã còn lại thuộc huyện Điện Biên và địa bàn thành phố Điện Biên Phủ; nghiêm cấm việc chế biến, bán và sử dụng các sản phẩm của gia cầm mắc bệnh; cấm vứt xác gia cầm ốm chết xuống kênh mương, sông, suối, ao, hồ; không chế biến và ăn tiết canh gia cầm.

Tỉnh Điện Biên đã lập các chốt kiểm dịch tạm thời tại xã có dịch để bao vây, khống chế dịch; ngăn chăn việc đưa gia cầm ra khỏi vùng có dịch để tiêu thụ; thành lập đội kiểm dịch động vật lưu động tạm thời để phát hiện dịch, kiểm tra, kiểm soát việc lưu thông, buôn bán, vận chuyển, giết mổ gia cầm, sản phẩm gia cầm trên địa bàn.

Dịch cúm gia cầm bùng phát tại hai xã Thanh Hưng và Thanh Yên từ ngày 14/1 và đến thời điểm này, số gia cầm bị chết phải tiêu huỷ là khoảng 1.500 con. Như vậy, trong 11 tháng qua, đây là lần thứ 2 ở xã Thanh Hưng và lần thứ 3 ở xã Thanh Yên dịch cúm gia cầm tái bùng phát./.

Vietnam: Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng appreciate the cooperation of WHO

18:47 | January 27, 2010

Exposure to Margaret Chan, Director-General World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, 27 / 1, Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng appreciate the role of the WTO and affirmed that Vietnam Men always focused care and protect people's health.


Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng and the Director-General World Health Organization Margaret Chan

Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng appreciate the role of WHO in coordinating international action for the health of humanity, contributing to a criterion, standard, horizontal participation policy process, providing advice, technical assistance, especially for developing countries, to cope diseases such as pandemic influenza A (H5N1), influenza A (H1N1), SARS, HIV / AIDS ...

Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng stated that Vietnam has achieved many important achievements in the care and protect people's health. Most notably capable of achieving the Millennium goals of reducing mortality in children under 1 year old and under 5 years old in 2010, compared with 5 years earlier objectives. Expanded vaccination is maintained regularly. The rate of infection and death from infectious diseases caused continuous service reduction, meet basic needs emergency disease prevention.

At present, Vietnam actively promoted international cooperation in medical conferences, international forums and regional WHO, the Conference of Health Ministers of ASEAN and ASEAN + 3 on HPAI prevention and Influenza A (H1N1) ...

Efforts and success of Vietnam on bird flu prevention and the international community has been recognized and shown through the Vietnam chosen to host the International Conference held ministerial about bird flu in January 4/2010 in Hanoi.

Like to thank the cooperation of WHO with Vietnam last time, Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng WHO continues to recommend priorities to support Vietnam to develop the health system capacity through strengthening human resources, consolidating policy and technology transfer. Improving technical capacity to cope disease prevention and control research as pandemic influenza A (H1N1 and H5N1) vaccine research production in Vietnam, continued to provide support for all kinds of flu vaccine this assistance program the 600 doctors trained preventive medicine levels 2010-2015. Prevention of infectious diseases, assessment, monitoring the effectiveness of new vaccine developed.

Scotland: Action to safeguard animal health

Review of plan to tackle disease issues

Published: 27/01/2010

SCOTLAND'S main exotic animal disease contingency plan has been updated.

A new version of the document, which consolidates previous versions to cope with recent foot-and-mouth and bird flu outbreaks, was revealed by the Scottish Government as it said it would be reviewing the way in which it tackles any future disease issue. The review is looking at how information is gathered on the way diseases spread and are then monitored.

The government urged pig and poultry farmers to check the new contingency plan as it contains information as to how they can make their own business sites better prepared if diseases strike in future.

Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “Scotland's excellent reputation as a top quality producer boosts sales and profits and is due in no small part to the health of our livestock.

“We have a good track record in animal disease surveillance and prevention – as our success in keeping Scotland bluetongue free demonstrates.

“But we cannot rest on our laurels. Our farmers and rural communities were badly affected by foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 and by the 2007 outbreak in the south of England which had consequences for the Scottish sector.

Reputation

“It is imperative that we continue to examine our processes and make sure that no stone is left unturned in ensuring that we are as prepared as possible when it comes to maintaining our reputation for quality livestock production."

Former NFU Scotland president John Kinnaird is the chairman of the new review. He will be assisted by Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society chairman David Mitchell, Scottish Government staff and representatives from Edinburgh's Moredun Institute.

The group will be calling for information and comments on the existing methods of disease spread. Its report is expected by the end of the year.

NFU Scotland vice-president Nigel Miller said the review was timely as farmers needed reassurances the surveillance system worked, was flexible and fit for purpose.

The exotic diseases also covered by the contingency plan include African and classical swine fever, Newcastle disease and swine vesicular disease. The document can be found at www.sears. scotland.gov.uk/Docu mentView.aspx?id=39

Malaysia: Steps to fight a second wave

2010/01/25

By Annie Freeda Cruez
KUALA LUMPUR: The cabinet has approved RM158 million for the Health Ministry to upgrade intensive care units at government hospitals, staff skills and treatment in preparation for a possible second wave of influenza A (H1N1).

Should the country be hit again, hospitals would be better equipped as there would be more ventilators, personal protective gear, antiviral drugs and vaccines.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said health and medical staff would be updated with the current information on H1N1 to manage cases more effectively.

Malaysia is, in fact, more than prepared to handle the H1N1 pandemic, especially with its National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan and experience in handling outbreaks, such as the Nipah virus, bird flu and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

The country is also commended by World Health Organisation director-general Dr Margaret Chan for its efficient and effective handling of H1N1.

Liow said the ministry was re-stocking its antiviral stockpile. The country now has 1.65 million courses of the antiviral drugs.

The ministry has started a vaccination drive to prevent and control the second wave of the pandemic.

"We received 119,000 doses of the vaccine from the supplier late last year and have distributed it to all the states to vaccinate frontline workers.

"By the end of the month, we will get another 400,000 doses of the vaccine, which will be given to all government hospitals and health centres to vaccinate those in the high-risk groups, such as pregnant mothers, patients with chronic respiratory conditions and those on haemodialysis."

The ministry estimated that some 200,000 people in the high-risk groups would be vaccinated starting next month.

Liow said the ministry's officials would have close contact with WHO and Asean member countries to exchange information and also to get updates on the disease.

The ministry's Inter Ministerial Committee and Technical Committee will be re-activated if there is any indication of a second wave of H1N1.

"We have strengthened our surveillance at the ministerial, state and district levels. The command centre at the ministry is on top of things," said Liow.

"Our sentinel surveillance team in each state also takes samples at random from H1N1 victims to ascertain if there is any mutation."

Although the ministry was on high alert as far as the pandemic was concerned, Liow said the public, government and private hospitals as well as clinics should be on alert as well.


"As far as Malaysia is concerned, the H1N1 situation is very much under control with only one or two confirmed cases reported daily. I must thank the public for their cooperation."

The public should continue to practise hand hygiene, cough etiquette and use of mask if a person has influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms, and cooperate with the government to prevent a second wave of the pandemic.

Between Jan 10 and 16, Liow said, 355 new cases were registered with ILI symptoms, while 355 patients warded earlier were discharged.

On Jan 16, only 341 cases were being treated at 43 hospitals nationwide. Of the number, Liow said, only 25 were confirmed positive for H1N1.

Since May last year, a total of 12,356 people have been confirmed positive for the disease in Malaysia.

Liow said there was an ILI cluster case at the Sungai Selisek Geokosmo National Service Training Centre on Jan 16, but samples taken showed negative for H1N1.

"The trainers and authorities at all NS training camps must take proactive measures to prevent and contain the spread of ILI and H1N1 among the trainees. If someone is found sick, he or she must be treated immediately and advised to practise social distancing."

He said trainees must adhere to personal hygiene and cough and sneeze etiquette if they were ill.

The death toll in Malaysia still stands at 77.

Liow reminded Malaysians that the H1N1 virus was still actively spreading in the community and countries in the Northern Hemisphere.

Pig-cull induced street rubbish: a ‘national scandal’

By IRIN
First Published: January 26, 2010
Photo by Amr Emam/IRIN
Cairo produces 25,000 tons of waste a day.


Photo By Amr Emam/IRIN
Piles of garbage being burned in Cairo's streets put residents in danger of contracting respiratory diseases.

CAIRO: The Egyptian government’s decision to cull all of the country’s 300,000 pigs in May 2009 is increasingly being viewed by experts and officials as a gross mistake as piles of organic waste the pigs once ate accumulate in Cairo’s streets, posing serious health hazards.

The month-long cull was ostensibly to stem the spread of H1N1 influenza, but the government later said it was simply a general health measure.

The cull hit the livelihoods of 70,000 former pig farmers and unofficial rubbish collectors and their families in the Cairo area, according to local NGO Association for the Protection of the Environment.

During a recent stormy session of parliament, Cairo Governor Abdel Azim Wazeer called the decision to cull the pigs a “mistake” and legislator Hamdy El-Sayyed, chairman of the Doctors’ Syndicate, called it a “national scandal.”

“Our streets are overcome by waste. This is catastrophic,” he said.

“The decision to kill the pigs was wrong and hasty,” Fathi Shabana, an Egyptian medical expert, told IRIN. “There could’ve been better alternatives. The pigs could’ve been moved from their farms in the cities to the desert.”

Shabana warned that some of Cairo’s rubbish-filled streets could become breeding grounds for diseases such as typhoid and cholera. Areas of central Cairo, Giza and Daqahleya on the capital’s periphery are the most affected by the pig cull.

Zabaleen lose out

In Cairo, the livelihoods of unofficial rubbish collectors — known as zabaleen to Egyptians — and pig farmers were very much intertwined as the former collected organic waste from the capital’s streets and sold it to farmers to feed their pigs.

With the pigs gone, the zabaleen have lost a major source of income and have no incentive to collect the waste from the streets, they say.

“Rubbish collectors are poor. Organic waste used to bring them money after they sold it to pig farmers. But now, there’s a market for plastic, paper and glass items only,” said Israel Ayad, a rubbish collector-cum-pig farmer who is also an unofficial spokesman for the zabaleen.

Ayad, in his early 70s, used to own around 50,000 pigs which used to “consume thousands of tons of organic waste every day,” he said.

Waste disposal, recycling problems

Cairo, which accounts for 55 percent of the country’s waste, produces 25,000 tons of waste a day, environment ministry officials say.

Organic waste makes up almost 70 percent of Cairo’s rubbish, while plastic, paper and glass items make up the remaining 30 percent, according to Ahmed Nasar, deputy chairman of the capital’s cleaning authority.

Compounding the problem are ongoing contractual disputes between the government and the foreign companies it has been commissioning to collect rubbish from the capital’s streets for years, according to Mohamed Abdel Raziq, an official from the cleaning authority.

These companies had stopped working pending the renegotiation of contracts, he said.

Members of the ruling National Democratic Party say Egypt needs an initial LE 2.5 billion ($460 million) to tackle its garbage problem. They say more recycling factories must be built to add to the existing 160, which can only process about a quarter of the nation’s rubbish, according to the environment ministry.

Despite the cull, H1N1 has claimed the lives of 248 Egyptians to date and more than 15,500 people have contracted it, according to the Health Ministry.

According to a Jan. 22 World Health Organization update on H1N1, “Egypt is now reporting a declining trend after increases in respiratory diseases activity throughout December 2009, suggesting a recent peak in activity during early January 2010.” –IRIN

Vietnam: Bird flu heads south

VietNamNet Bridge – Every effort is being implemented to prevent the continuous spread of the A/H5N1 virus in the two provinces of Ca Mau and Ha Tinh's flocks, after thousands of affected birds have been culled.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Diep Kinh Tan yesterday, January 26, said that if they did not put efforts into stopping the avian flu in these two provinces, it would surety spread to other provinces in the Mekong Delta, especially since this was a time of migration.

So far, more than 3,300 birds in Ca Mau Province's Thoi Binh and Tran Van Thoi districts and nearly 700 in Ha Tinh Province's Cam Xuyen District and Ha Tinh City had been incinerated.

Dam Xuan Thanh, deputy head of the ministry's Animal Health Department, said that most of the affected poultry had not received vaccinations.

Tan said that the department should co-operate with local authorities to find the best solutions to stamp out the virus.

Tran Minh Ky, deputy chairman of the Ha Tinh provincial People's Committee, said that the province had set up check-points in the communes to prevent the transportation and slaughtering of poultry flocks in areas with A/H5N1 flu.

Ky said that the province's poultry flocks would continue to be vaccinated. However, it was necessary for the households to co-operate with authorities to inform them about their poultry, including new ones, so that they could get timely vaccinations.

Trinh Van Thuan, in the province's Thach Quy Commune, the owner of the largest A/H5N1-contaminated duck flock, also tested positive for the virus.

Nguyen Van Nuoi, head of Contagious Department at the province's General Hospital, said that just after the break-out of avian flu in the province, health officers had observed the people who had direct contact with the A/H5N1 flu-contaminated birds, so that they could receive testing and treatment.

Indonesia: Boy 10 Years in Garut Suspect Bird Flu

January 26, 2010

GARUT - Isolation Room General Hospital (RSU) Dr. Slamet Garut re-occupied a patient suspected of virus afian influenza (AI) or better known as bird flu virus. Patients who are treated this time was a 10-year-old boy named Iis Tasrliyah, Village residents Gentur, RT 04/04, Desa Padamukti, District Pasirwangi.

Iis treated in isolation space Dr. Slamet Garut General Hospital since Saturday (23 / 1) at approximately 14:15 on Pasirwangi health center physician referral. Iis allegations have been attacked by the bird flu virus than seen from the symptoms he suffered, also because of the history of the many birds that died suddenly not far from where live Iis.

Director RSU Dr. Slamet Garut, Widjajanti Utojo mention, when they arrive at RSU, Iis in a state of high fever that reached 38.8. In addition, pulse resfirasi and also high enough plus he suffered shortness.

In addition, patients from both parents if the previously obtained information, not far from where they live are dozens of dead birds suddenly. Even worse, dozens of dead birds is not burned or buried by the owner, but thrown away in a pond that every day passed by Iis.

"On the report stated that patients susfect AI and decided to put in the insulation space is devoted to treating patients susfect AI," said Widjajanti.

According Widjajanti, to obtain certainty about Iis illness, it had taken samples of blood, saliva and mucus Iis and sent to Research and Development. "We're still waiting for the results. I hope it's negative," he said.

Diterangkannya, three days after the entry in isolation, health Iis now seems already started to improve. Body temperature, respiration and pulse, now began gradually to normal.

Further expresses, according to information from the Department of Health, after thorough examination of several samples of dead birds, were found positive of H5N1 virus. This deserves recognition skeptical.

Both parents of patients, Asep Sulaeman (42), and Saadah (29), said the illness was her son has been felt since last Wednesday, January 20. In addition to high fever and cough, then Iis also suffered from vomiting. At that time her son had taken to the local doctor to be examined. "The doctor said if my child is attacked by dengue fever," he said Asep Sulaeman.

But until a few days later, the illness was not her child heal even tend to worsen. After that, precisely on Saturday (23 / 1), a new doctor to refer Iis immediately taken to the RSU Dr. Slamet Garut.

Asep and Saadah recognized, within the last week, the region's many birds that died suddenly. Poultry carcasses are disposed of by the owner of a pool which are located not so far from their homes.

WHO says influenza outbreak is not over yet

January 27, 2010 10:34:41 Source: Xinhua
PARIS, January 26 (Xinhua Li Xue-mei) World Health Organization Assistant Director-General, influenza Keiji Fukuda, chief adviser on the 26th in Strasbourg, France, said influenza A H1N1 influenza virus is still spreading around the world, and he once again denied the WHO pharmaceutical companies affected by the rumors.
Keiji Fukuda, the European Commission in a hearing will be made the above remarks. He said the validation by experts, Influenza A H1N1 influenza is real, the current spread of the virus is still all over the world, the epidemic is not over yet.

Earlier, the European Commission under the Health Committee Chairman Wolf roots Woda Ge doubt, WHO and some experts exaggerated the influenza epidemic, pharmaceutical companies took the opportunity to expand vaccine production and make huge profits. The Commission has also launched an investigation into this.
Keiji Fukuda at the hearing strongly denied the speculation. He said the WHO did not violate the relevant regulations, pharmaceutical companies have not been around all the experts of the organization have been published before the individual stakeholders.

Last year, in June, the WHO expert group of scientists agreed that the influenza outbreak declared the time was ripe, the epidemic was finally made public the decision. These experts are from the eight most seriously affected by the influenza A selection of countries out of their personal power is very superior.

WHO, 25, issued a statement strongly rejected on the epidemic of influenza were false allegations, saying such a statement as "irresponsible" and stressed that the WHO's pandemic influenza policy and the response has not been the pharmaceutical industry undue influence.

According to WHO's latest news report that since the first time in April 2009 cases of human infection with influenza A has been more than 200 countries and territories reported a total of more than 14,000 cases of influenza deaths.

Beijing: proportion of influenza B last week, has risen to 57.08%,

Eighth Beijing International Forum of Public Health Opens in Beijing
2010-1-27

While the 2010 Beijing People's Congress held two sessions a warm occasion of the Eighth Beijing International Forum of Public Health, also opened in Beijing today.

Beijing and the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention Preventive Medicine will be invited to the World Health Organization, the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries and organizations, public health experts and professionals in Beijing and domestic provinces and cities, the global spread of influenza A H1N1 influenza outbreak the joint assessment of the development trend of the epidemic, prevention and control of the exchange of experience and research results, discuss future strategy to cope with the forum related to the theme of the epidemiological characteristics of influenza A H1N1 influenza prevention and control strategies, experiences and results in evaluation of vaccination, clinical medical medical treatment as well as health education and other aspects.
-snip-
However, the experts also stressed that the worldwide influenza epidemic H1N1 influenza situation is still not optimistic, the Chinese traditional Spring Festival is approaching, a large-scale population movements is bound to increase the risk of disease transmission, and now comes the season of seasonal influenza pandemic , according to Beijing's recent pathogenic influenza viruses, the monitoring results, since the influenza A H1N1 influenza accounted for the proportion of influenza-like cases from December 2009 from more than 80% down to 8.41% last week, and the aggregation of the disease no longer appears shows that Influenza A H1N1 flu is gradually dissipating.

At the same time, the proportion of influenza B last week, has risen to 57.08%, the positive rate of the sample has been much higher than the influenza A H1N1 influenza virus, indicating the current influenza B viruses become more active.
While less variation of influenza B virus, its symptoms similar to flu-like symptoms, in previous years in the city there are many cases, the majority of adults have antibodies, does not cause outbreaks, but experts advise should continue to maintain a high level of influenza virus vigilant and continue to actively implement preventive and control measures, pay attention to personal protection is very important and timely vaccination for seasonal influenza vaccine can also play a protective effect.
-snip-

Flu, again a threat: the H5N1 virus, detected at a farm in Israel

Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Avian influenza virus was detected at a farm in a kibbutz in northern Israel, AFP reported.

The virus was discovered in poultry on a farm in kubbutzul Ein Shemer, near Hadera, south of Haifa, said Moshe Haimowitch, veterinary officer at the Ministry of Health, quoted by Israeli Army radio.

Health authorities in Israel have isolated poultry farm within a radius of three kilometers, and the slaughter of 43,000 birds and carrying out systematic analysis to avoid any risk of disease outbreaks.

The European Union has banned imports of live poultry, poultry meat and eggs from Israel, since March 2006. Nearly 1.4 million birds were slaughtered when in Israel.

Spain: Pandemic Flu One in four patients with influenza admitted to the ICU died of this disease, according SEMICYUC

Note: SEMICYUC registration does not extend to all cases of ICU admission that occurred in Spain, since the data have only been reported by 138 hospitals of total which exist in Spain, but can be very valid to draw conclusions about the severity of the disease and its impact on the health system.

Pandemic Flu
One in four patients with influenza admitted to the ICU died of this disease, according SEMICYUC
The intensivists emphasize that the "coordinated response in Europe" against influenza A has saved the lives of 4,000 young patients
MADRID, Jan. 26 (EUROPA PRESS) --

One in four serious cases of influenza admitted to a Spanish ICU died of the disease, according to the record of serious cases of this disease created from data from 138 hospitals in the country by the experts of the Spanish Society of Medicine Intensive and Critical and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC), where, from June to yesterday, there were 872 patients, of whom 416 completed their development (47.7%)

The figures in this record were presented today in Madrid by the President of SEMICYUC, Cristóbal León, and the head of the department of Intensive Care Medicine Hospital of Tarragona Joan XXIII, coordinator of the European registry of severe cases of the disease, Jordi Rello, for whom the high survival rate in ICU patients achieved by the Spanish, 20 percent higher than that recorded in the countries of lationamerica, was due "to the prompt hospitalization and treatment with antivirals," received 99.5 percent of these people.

According to Dr. Rello, hospitalization of those affected in Spain took place in an average of three days, compared to 6 in Latin America, and administration of antivirals - in Spain were administered to 99.5% of patients admitted to UCI - were made in four days, compared with eight half it took to Latin American countries. In his view, this success was "the anticipation, coordination and good work of its experts and health authorities.

MORE OBESE AND SICK OF COPD

The registration of influenza patients who went through the ICU in Spain reveals that the average age of these persons was 43 years and most (54%) were men. Comorbidity appeared in 69 percent of cases, predominantly as risk factors for obesity (35.9%), COPD (16%) and asthma (12%), followed by diabetes (10%), the heart disease (6.4%), pregnancy (5.8%) or renal disease (4.7%), among others.

Those responsible for SEMICYUC directly rejected assessing the strategy of the World Health Organization (WHO) against the pandemic, which today is evaluated in the Council of Europe over allegations that point to a possible 'exaggeration' of the consencuencias disease benefit the pharmaceutical industry.

For Dr. Rello, preparedness measures against a pandemic such as influenza A "should not cause alarm, but to convey confidence" and the campaign developed in this field enabled an effective response to the problem and save lives, how it feels "satisfied". "Thanks to the coordinated response in Europe, have saved some 4,000 young patients are now doing normal life," he said.

"It was known that the virus was of low virulence"

However, he pointed that since the beginning, it was known that this virus was not very virulent, "although they easily transmitted and that" was different from that seen before, because it particularly affects young people. " Another feature of the virus was found in the registry, where they found that "three out of four of these patients had pneumonia directly by the influenza virus affecting the lung." "That's new," he insisted, saying that during last November, when the epidemic peaked in Spain, "one in four beds was occupied by a patient with influenza.

While acknowledging that it is not known why the pandemic affects more severely obese people, pregnant or chronically ill, says that is already evident that, paradoxically, people infected with HIV almost beat this flu without further problems. In fact, only 2.1 percent of patients with HIV / AIDS.

Bid to maintain active registration of severe cases of influenza A in the coming months to record most of the cases and its possible variations, pending that may occur in autumn or spring, a new outbreak pandemic because, for at present, is immunized less than 50 percent of the population.

Source: europa press
hat-tip estacion

Indonesia: Cirebon, West Java: Forty-year-old extension worker treated as bird flu suspect

Cirebon – A resident of Kelurahan Tukmudal, Keamatan Sumber, Kabupaten Cirebon, with initial Dur (41), had been stated as bird flu suspect since Thursday (21/1). Until Monday (25/1), Dur is still being treated at isolation unit Ruang X of Gunungjati regional hospital.

Patient had high fever and nausea at the time of admission. Patient, who is an agriculture and livestock extension worker for government, was reported to have had contact with numbers of suddenly died chickens.

Vice Director of Medical Service and Treatment of Gunungjati hospital, Lucya Agung, said patient was treated at isolation unit until confirmation test issued by laboratory of Ministry of Health.

“We expect to receive the result on Wednesday. We cannot conclude anything before receiving the result,” said Lucya.

“Patient doesn’t show specific bird flu symptoms, but because he had contact with sick chickens, he should be isolated,” added Lucya.

Source: Indonesia local newspaper, Pikiran Rakyat.

hat-tip Bird Flu Information Corner

http://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/index.php?mib=news.detail&id=123747


Karanganyar, Central Java: Patient presumably dies of bird flu

January 27, 2010

Karanganyar – A resident of RT 03/ RW XVI Dukuh Josari Desa Wonorejo Jatiyoso, Wardi, 22 years old, presumably died of bird flu or avian influenza (AI) infection on Thursday (21/1).



Investigation of local newspaper Espos mentioned victim had high fever and lung infection. Head of Disease Control and Environment Health, Health Service of Kabupaten Karanganyar, Fatkhul Munir, confirmed the information above.

Fatkhul assumed victim had contracted bird flu virus in Cirebon. He had been sick when he returned back to Karanganyar, and finally died after had been admitted to hospital.

“Report mentioned victim had high fever and lung damage. Wardi also had contact history with birds,” said Fatkhul.

Source: Indonesia local newspaper, Solo Pos.


hat-tip Bird Flu Information Corner

Monday, January 25, 2010

Commonground's Vietnam Map H5N1 & H1N1 Outbreaks

If you click on the postmarks, you will get all of the information I have gathered.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116313796443585830729.00047ab92b6235a6f4329&ll=19.621892,105.732422&spn=7.745505,9.063721&z=7
Click on Map

Vietnam: Patients with a suspected influenza A (H5N1)

Monday, January 25, 2010 10:56

Hoang Thi Nhi patients are residing in four hamlets, communes Song Loc (Can Loc - Ha Tinh Province), enter the keyword HSCC Hospital province at 22h on 24-1 in severe respiratory distress situation. Patients were doctors in the medical science has focused HSCC evolutions with trend worse.

According to information from the patient said, before entering science HSCC, patients with symptoms of fever, cough; visit and patients were screened in Hong Linh Hospital and outpatient treatment at 5 days in patients in the region must not be birds died.

25-1 am, Hospital Provincial Assembly was conducted ambulatory patients and decided to obtain the specialist treatment and monitoring pneumonia virus (influenza A/H5N1).

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Vietnam: Suspected H5N1 Case in Ha Tinh

24/01/10 21:09

Nearly ten thousand birds in Cam Xuyen and Ha Tinh were destroyed as translated influenza A H5N1. Ha Tinh province Monday became the country announced the bird flu.


Am today (24 / 1), Sub-Department of Animal Health to coordinate with the provincial People's Committee of Ha Tinh Cam held regularly destroyed more than 8,000 birds in Cam Binh and public services across the district.

Earlier on 19 / 1, in four villages in Cam Cam Xuyen district of Quang Binh Chau, Bac Tien, Vinh Loi, Middle East hundreds of birds died series. Right after that product samples have been sent to Animal Health Agency Region 3 and the positive results of analysis for influenza A H5N1 virus.

Ha Tinh City on 22 / 1, City Veterinary Station also conducted destroyed more than 1,000 birds of 20 farming households in the area.

Earlier on 18 / 1, nearly 500 of his ducks in Thuan Trinh Van Tien Tien Thach street block you rolling fact dead. Test results and product samples positive for influenza A H5N1 area. Thuan himself to the hospital treatment because there are signs that influenza infection.
[Original of paragraph:]
Trước đó vào ngày 18/1, gần 500 con vịt của anh Trịnh Văn Thuận ở khối phố Tiên Tiến phường Thạch Quý lăn đùng ra chết. Kết quả xét nghiệm mẫu bệnh phẩm cũng dương tích với cúm A H5N1. Bản thân anh Thuận phải vào viện điều trị vì có những dấu hiệu cho thấy bị nhiễm cúm.


Thus Ha Tinh province Monday became (after Ca Mau) with avian influenza H5N1.