Saturday, August 17, 2013

Vietnam: #H7N9 flu warning from China

Translation [this article speaks of both H7N9 and H5N1]
8/17/13

TP - Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat has an urgent public, asking the provinces to strengthen inspection, to prevent spread of bird flu across the border, especially with China, Cambodia.

Accordingly, the fierce local needs, prevent infection with avian influenza viruses, particularly prohibits transport, trade, slaughter and consumption of poultry and poultry products smuggled across the border, including the form of donation of border residents. At the same time, discovered struggle, not abet the sale of such products in Vietnam.
According to MARD, health authorities in China have confirmed the deaths 45th out of 134 people infected with H7N9 from this year, including cases of disease in Guangdong Province, near the northern border of our country . In Cambodia discovered 2 new cases of H5N1 flu virus, to date 11/16 cases were fatal disease.

Bird flu emergency declared in Nepal's capital

17, Aug 2013 

KATHMANDU :An avian flu emergency was declared in parts of Nepal's capital after fresh cases emerged in different areas of the Kathmandu valley, authorities said Saturday.

The Animal Health Directorate said the decision meant that trading of birds was completely banned and culling ordered in the areas declared emergency zones.

More than 50 cases of the H5N1 strain has been reported in the capital in past month in more than 200 poultry farms. Culling of birds has been stepped up in different parts of the country.

The first case of the avian flu in Nepal was reported in January 2009. No human deaths due to the virus have been reported in the country so far.

Continued:  http://www.ann7.com/article/1949-1708201317082013bird-flu-emergency-declared-in-nepals-capital.html#.Ug_Su2TXiDM

MERS Coronavirus Deputy Ministry of Public Health Saudi Arabia Dr Ziad Meemish Live Webcast

Please join us for a live webcast
August 21, 2013, at 10AM EDT

Dr. Ziad Memish, Deputy Minister of Health for Public Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
will discuss Saudi Arabia’s effort to control and respond to the MERS-CoV outbreak.


The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Tom Inglesby,
Director, UPMC Center for Health Security
Date: August 21, 2013
Time: 10AM to 12 PM EDT
Access: The webcast will be accessible through this webpage. 

 

Cambodia reports new human cases of #H5N1 avian flu

Vaccine News provides quite a few more details to our last 2 cases.  I have changed their title above to "H5N1" rather than the "H1N1" as it is evident it is a typo.

August 16, 2013

The Kingdom of Cambodia’s Ministry of Health reported two new human cases of H5N1 avian influenza, the 15th and 16th cases of 2013, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.
Continued:  http://vaccinenewsdaily.com/medical_countermeasures/326725-cambodia-reports-new-human-cases-of-h1n1-avian-flu/

#Coronavirus #MERS Saudi Arabia - 16 Days Without a Report of Infection

Translation (excerpt)
August 17, 2013
Did not declare the Saudi Ministry of Health registration of any new cases or deaths virus, "SK" 16 days ago, in a sign of what seems to start to control the virus in Saudi Arabia with the approach of the Umrah pilgrimage season.
Since the announcement of the Ministry of Health Saudi Arabia in the first of Aug. recording three new cases of HIV in Riyadh and Asir, there have been no cases of infection or new deaths until this morning, in what was the longest pass without recording cases of injury or mortality with the virus for nearly 3 months.

ProMED: AVIAN INFLUENZA (83): ITALY (FERRARA) POULTRY, HPAI, H7, OIE

Archive Number: 20130816.1884707
*******************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Thu 15 Aug 2013
Source: OIE, WAHID (World Animal Health Information Database), weekly disease information 2013; 26(33) [summ., edited]
http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=13920


Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Italy
----------------------------------------
Information received on (and dated) 15 Aug 2013 from Prof Dr Romano Marabelli, chief veterinary officer, Department for Veterinary Public Health, Food Safety and Collegial Bodies for Health Protection, Ministry of Health, Rome, Italy

Summary
Report type: immediate notification
Date of start of the event: 10 Aug 2013
Date of pre-confirmation of the event: 14 Aug 2013
Reason for notification: reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence: February 2006
Manifestation of disease: clinical disease
Causal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype: H7
Nature of diagnosis: clinical, laboratory (basic)
This event pertains to a defined zone within the country

New outbreaks (1)
Outbreak 1 (HPAI_ER_2013_1) Ostellato, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna
Date of start of the outbreak: 10 Aug 2013
Outbreak status: continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit: farm
Affected animals
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Destroyed / Slaughtered
Birds / 128 000 / 105 000 / 4000 / 0 / 0
Affected population: commercial layer hens with clinical signs - PCR positive for H7

Outbreak statistics
Species / Apparent morbidity rate / Apparent mortality rate / Apparent case fatality rate / Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Birds / 82 per cent / 3.1 per cent / 3.8 per cent [see comment] / 3.1 per cent
*Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction, and /or slaughter

Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection: unknown or inconclusive
Epidemiological comments: timely notification from the farmer of suspect clinical signs allowed the detection of the disease affecting a commercial farm of layer hens. A protection zone of 3 km [1.8 mi] and a surveillance zone of 10 km [6.2 mi] have been established around the farm, which is under restriction. Tracing is underway and depopulation has commenced. Further diagnostic examination, also to determine the N type, and the epidemiological investigation, are ongoing.

Control measures
Measures applied: quarantine, movement control inside the country, vaccination prohibited, no treatment of affected animals.
Measures to be applied: stamping out, screening, disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)

Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute (IZSVe), Padua (national laboratory)
Species / Test / Test date / Result
Birds / polymerase chain reaction (PCR) / 14 Aug 2013 / Positive

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Italy can be accessed at http://healthmap.org/r/7*2O. The location of the outbreak can be seen on the map included in the OIE report at the source URL above.

The case fatality rate of 3.8 per cent, which seems rather low for a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus strain, may be explained by the fortunate early detection of the outbreak. Mortality in such outbreaks is generally known to increase on a daily basis. It may be assumed that, by now, stamping out has already been applied.

The determination of the N type is anticipated with interest.

A major HPAI outbreak by an H7 virus strain (H7N7) was recorded in the Netherlands in 2003, affecting domestic poultry and causing human infections, including one fatal case. It led to the culling of 31 million birds in 255 infected farms and 1094 surrounding poultry farms. A limited HPAI H7N7 outbreak was reported in the UK in 2008. - Mod.AS]

Study finds overlap of H7N9, H5N1 hot spots

CIDRAP
August 16, 2013
Excerpt:
An area of China that borders Anhui and Zhejiang provinces, both in the eastern part of the country, appears to carry a high-risk for human infections with H7N9 and H5N1 viruses, researchers reported yesterday in a letter to Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Continued:  http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2013/08/news-scan-aug-16-2013

Friday, August 16, 2013

China: Fecal #H7N9 bird flu virus is no evidence

Translation
Excerpt
August 16, 2013

The first case of H7N9 bird flu in Guangdong of transmission remains uncertain, the 15th Hong Kong media reports, the Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man pointed out, H7N9 avian influenza virus, or spread through the feces. In this regard Guangdong CDC chief expert Jianfeng believe that this can not exclude the possibility of transmission, but currently there is no clear evidence yet academia.
According to Hong Kong radio news, Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man, said he noticed Zhejiang University of Hong Kong and infectious disease specialist research shows, H7N9 bird flu virus could spread through the feces. He stressed that the virus in the earlier risk assessment and prevention and control of the process, the Hong Kong government has made this into account.
Jianfeng said that in studies on birds, a conclusion already clear that the bird flu virus can be excreted through the feces, and has reminded the public avoid contact with bird droppings; currently in the H7N9 avian influenza has also been shown in patients with secretory things there will be a virus, "Even the ordinary seasonal flu, the patient will have the virus in faeces, but the performance is far below the droplets spread other ways."
Jianfeng said the bird flu virus is transmitted through the varied, manure is also one way. But as a flu virus, the avian flu virus is spread primarily through the upper respiratory tract or pathway; regards the spread of gastrointestinal route performance, and viral shedding time, after detoxification, the amount of viral load and so on. "The present study only shows that there is this phenomenon and the situation, but some infections are so specific and how infections, but also a fuller investigation, research and demonstration."

China: Huizhou #H7N9 patient's condition deteriorated close contacts discharged without medical observation

August 15, 2013
China news agency, Huizhou, August 15 (Kang Xiaojuan and Li Yuying) - Huizhou City of Guangdong Propaganda Department on the 15th to inform the media, as at 17:00 on the 15th, Huizhou City, no new human infection H7N9 avian influenza, H7N9 isolated from the patient's son in the hospital observation, indicators of normal, human infection has been ruled out avian influenza H7N9, 15, was discharged; In addition, 36 close contacts were released the day medical observation.
Having understood the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, H7N9 patients Chen generally normal function of various organs, the basic stability of the overall disease progression.
Huizhou recent days continued to increase prevention efforts. The 14th District, Huizhou Zhongkai Chen Jiang, Lilin, Tung Kiu, Tonghu (Total 5 scale poultry farms) and Hui District three bird markets (16 stalls) and the outlet of a backyard poultry farmers to carry H7N9 avian influenza monitoring of serum 300 were assayed H7 poultry throat and cloacal swabs of 320 environmental swabs 30 copies of 650 copies, the test results were negative. In addition, Huizhou City on August 13 CDC collected Hui District water north and Samsung two unearned environmental pollutants farmers market 20 samples were not detected H7 subtypes.
14 to 15, Huizhou three birds wholesale markets and farmers markets have BOLUO Yokogawa resume normal trading.
Reporters on the 15th visited the farmers market BOLUO Yokogawa has learned that the market most of the stall owners have returned to farm operators, the same day, three birds of the market compared with the previous trading stalls decrease in transactions with other stall always the same.
It is reported that affected by H7N9, August 10 to 14 Yokogawa farmer's market is closed. During the organization of the market town conducted a comprehensive disinfection and environmental remediation, demolition of illegal structures and the existence of security risks felling of trees. After renovation, Yokogawa farmers market a new look: the environment clean and tidy, venue planning and reasonable zoning operations to achieve an orderly hawking. Three birds of the market stalls are seven stalls, all local farmers from raising poultry; Yokogawa town of relevant staff have been carried out according to the procedure of animal health supervision and management and market access, and make ledger work.

WHO Director Dr Chan: #H7N9 winter will not rule out a more active person to person

Translation
August 16, 2013
Excerpt:

BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) According to Hong Kong "Ta Kung Pao" report, World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan said that the Guangdong province of H7N9 confirmed cases are expected, difficult to estimate the virus will spread to Hong Kong. She said the H7N9 virus is particularly active during the winter, has estimated the district has a large number of patients stealth, called frontline health care workers to strengthen surveillance. Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man, said earlier arrangements have been considered H7N9 epidemic may spread through bird droppings, has not changed arrangements to.
Dr Margaret Chan, 15, said after attending a conference Beijing, H7N9 virus by the flow of people and animals spread to different parts of the confirmed cases in Guangdong Province is expected, not surprised, but she thinks if the authorities can effectively implement contingency measures, the situation can still be controlled.
As the epidemic will spread to Hong Kong, she admits that there are many viruses currently unclear, difficult to estimate. She thanked the Chinese government to take decisive potent control measures, the policy of transparency and high, so that no further spread of the epidemic to other countries. She believes that the current should remain vigilant, research has shown that the virus is more active during the winter, it may be more cases, emphasizing the WHO will work closely with the Mainland to strengthen monitoring, if found early signs of any problems, we will inform the world countries.
Do not rule out human transmission
Margaret Chan of the Hong Kong in 1997 when the Director of Health, treated H5N1 avian influenza in Hong Kong, then conducted a survey of public and chicken vendors virus antibody response, she suggested that the Government has the ability and resources to do so, they can refer to the year approach. She pointed out that, H7N9 does not cause a large number of chickens died of the virus in poultry epidemic can not warning, there may have been a lot of invisible cell disease who will not rule out human transmission case. She believes that the identification frontline health care workers is the best prevention method, called for medical staff to strengthen the monitoring and investigation.
 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Chinese CDC: #H7N9 avian influenza has been confirmed 135 cases including 45 deaths

August 16, 2013

China CDC Director Wang Yu on August 15, said that since the end of March China's first H7N9 bird flu virus has been found that, as of the 15th, 134 confirmed cases of the mainland and Taiwan confirmed cases one people, including 45 deaths. The diseases caused by viruses and there are many unknowns, the new avian flu virus causes flu pandemic risk should not be underestimated. According to Xinhua

http://news.ifeng.com/gundong/detail_2013_08/16/28672799_0.shtml

Huizhou no new #H7N9 cases 36 close contacts did not appear to be malfunctioning

August 15, 2013
Huizhou newspaper news (reporter Qin Zhongyang), according to Huizhou Municipal Government yesterday informed that as at 17:00 on August 14, Huizhou city, no new cases of human infection with H7N9 avian flu, close contacts under medical observation, 36 were normal indicators August 16 is expected to be released medical observation.

It is learned that his son had five consecutive days in patients with normal body temperature measurement, other tests showed no abnormalities. After five consecutive days of its acquisition serum and throat swab specimens, influenza and the H7N9 avian influenza were negative, experts recommend to stay in hospital for observation to continuous normal body temperature for 7 days. Remaining close contacts were abnormal.

Huizhou no positive poultry monitoring

To find out more clearly the causes of disease, Huizhou City from August 12 onwards, daily for 7 days on market conduct Hui District three birds poultry H7N9 avian influenza epidemiology, while in seven days time, once again focusing on the city's culture field (households), poultry slaughterhouses and water network region and other key sites once epidemiological investigation

http://news.ifeng.com/mainland/detail_2013_08/15/28634328_0.shtml

ProMed: MERS-COV - EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (54): FELINE RESERVOIR SUSPECTED, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

[Thank you ProMed for crediting the blog with the article I posted.]

Published Date: 2013-08-15
Archive Number: 20130815.1882273
Date: Wed 14 Aug 2013
Source: Pandemic Information News (translation) [summ., edited]
http://pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.co.il/2013/08/coronavirus-mers-saudi-arabia-kills-3.html


MERS-CoV kills 3 cats in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia
-----------------------------------------------------------
A veterinary clinic in the eastern region [of Saudi Arabia] has recorded 3 deaths of cats infected with corona[virus] in 4 months.

According to the newspaper "Middle," the director of the clinic, Dr Khalid Ambassav explained that cats died for their inability to resist the virus. They suddenly stopped eating, had high body temperature above 40 deg C [104 deg F], "increased fluid in the cat's body, bulging stomach, lack of balance and inability to walk, and cirrhosis of the liver, and destroyed kidneys", resulting in the death in a period not exceeding 3 days.

Source in Arabic: Hasanews, 14 Aug 2013 http://www.hasanews.com/c-43924/#.Ugtbg2TXiDM

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[It is not clear on what basis the disease in the 3 cats is ascribed -- at least in the title of the report -- to MERS coronavirus, the causal agent of a fatal human disease. The veterinary authorities involved in the investigation of the cases may help clarifying the matter.

Severe respiratory disease in cats was reported earlier from Jordan, around December 2012. The communicator suggested excluding the possible involvement of coronavirus [MERS-CoV] vector (see ProMED-mail posting 20130519.1723544). The report was accompanied by the following comment by Mod.CP:

"The _Coronaviridae_ is a very diverse group of viruses. A worldwide, well known disease entity caused by a coronavirus in cats is feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). FIP virus is an _Alphacoronavirus_. The novel "Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus" (MERS-CoV), detected in human patients in several Middle Eastern countries, including Jordan, belongs to a different genus, namely _Betacoronavirus_."

For a description of FIP, see http://www.healthcommunities.com/feline-infectious-peritonitis/symptoms.shtml.

So far, no animal species has been found as the maintenance host or vector of MERS-CoV. Bats have been mentioned as possible and plausible candidates. Later, camels have been suspected.

Last October [2012], reportedly a team of scientists from the Saudi Ministry of Health, Columbia University, and EcoHealth Alliance began scouring Saudi towns near where cases of MERS had been reported. Samples were taken predominantly from bats. Camels, goats, sheep, and cats, which (at least, theoretically) might act as intermediate hosts, picking up the virus from bats and then infecting people, were sampled as well (see ProMED-mail posting 20130706.1810714). Results of the said investigations are pending.- Mod.AS

http://beta.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20130815.1882273 

#H5N1 India: Bhaktapur Declared Emergency Zone - 3 Months duration

Excerpt - editing is mine
 
Aug. 15 (Xinhua-ANI): Amid new cases of bird flu emerging almost every day for the past one month, Nepal has declared Bhaktapur, one of the three districts of Kathmandu valley, as the emergency zone, said officials on Thursday.
A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting held betweengovernment officials and the poultry farmers on Wednesday evening, to be executed from Thursday onward, according to Narayan Ghimire, the government's spokesperson for bird flu control campaign.
Under an emergency zone situation, all fowls including chicken, duck and pigeon, will be destroyed along with their eggs, feed and excreta and the fowls' farms will be cleaned and disinfected.
The emergency zone situation remains active for at least three months. During this period, fowls cannot be transported and supplied to and from Bhaktapur and no one can keep new fowls. The sales of chicken and other fowl meat will also be banned.

 -snip-

#H7N9 kills 45 in China, vaccine in manufacturing

August 15, 2013
Excerpt:

"In particular, the future development of the new bird flu virus is still unclear," he said.
Wang warned that the risks of pandemic influenza should not be underestimated.
Wang thought highly of the Chinese government's response to the epidemic, noting its enhanced medical capabilities and information transparency.
Preliminary work of the manufacturing of the H7N9 vaccine has finished as scheduled, according to Zou Yong, quality director of the Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd., which is in charge of the H7N9 vaccine development.
Three batches of vaccine fluid have been prepared and are ready for rationing and vaccine formulation, followed by safety appraisal, stability study and clinic test, said Zou.
The vaccine has proven effective in animal tests and its suitability for humans will be further studied.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

#Coronavirus #MERS India - 1st Suspected Human Case - Hospitalized

 Translation - editing is mine - excerpts
Hat-tip @Makato_au_japon
MUMBAI: In the first suspected case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the city, a Vashi resident has been quarantined at Kasturba Hospital in Chinchpokli.
-snip-
The 40-year-old man was admitted to the hospital's ward 30, meant for infectious diseases, on Wednesday afternoon with complaints of fever and a progressing pneumonia (inflammation of lungs). The patient had returned to India on August 12 after spending 35 days in Saudi Arabia.

The Vashi resident had contacted a local physician in Navi Mumbai after his fever did not subside for almost a week.
 
While the Vashi resident had pneumonia in the left lung, he did not show any signs of breathlessness.

After the patient tested negative for H1N1, doctors suspected that he had caught the virus during his stay in Saudi Arabia. His samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.

A civic official said, "The patient has been started on antiviral oseltamivir. He is responding well to medication." The NIV report is expected to arrive by Friday.

Executive health officer Dr Arun Bamne said the patient was doing well. "He is not critical and we have kept him in isolation for observation," he added. The patient does not live with his family, another civic official said.

The civic body assured that a treatment protocol to deal with such cases has already been put in place. "As of now, there is no clarity on the virus, its spread or treatment options. We only have to treat the patients symptomatically," the official said. Last month, the Union health ministry alerted all states about the virus though there are no immediate plans to up the surveillance. It is estimated that around 600 people come to the city from Saudi Arabia everyday
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/40-year-old-man-Mumbais-first-suspected-Gulf-virus-case/articleshow/21834219.cms