Pregnant women infected with pneumonia "strange" not to find out the root cause

(AP) - In the past week, three pregnant women have been transferred to hospital from heat illness in severe lung inflammation. Suspected lung damage caused by viruses, doctors conducted tests of influenza A/H5N1 virus, H1N1, H3N2, but the results were negative.

A severe pneumonia patients are being treated in isolation room pressure center, a tropical disease hospital INVESTMENT

A critical illness of unknown cause

Nguyen Thi My Linh patients (22 years old, native of Duc Hoa, Soc Son, Hanoi) is 34 weeks pregnant a sudden high fever suddenly, two days after the fever began breathing difficulties should be taken directly to family illness central institute of tropical diseases. When hospitalized, the patient was in coma, doctors had to open the windpipe and mechanical ventilation for patients. At the same time, samples of patients Spirit also conducted the test, find the cause but were negative for the virus and the doctor could not find a root cause patients with severe pneumonia.

The patient has been treated positively moderate pneumonia calculated to keep the pregnancy. After nearly a week of treatment, lung inflammation was supported, patients do not have ventilation Spirit and can discharge in a few days. Son of the patients also were born at 35 weeks, weighing 1.7 kg and is still being raised in the glass cage at Children's Hospital INVESTMENT.
However, until now treating doctors still can not find the root cause of this patient's severe pneumonia.
Two other cases, patients D.TX, 19 (Hai Phong) is now 24 weeks pregnant and patients LMT also being treated at the Emergency Department - Treatment of active tropical disease hospital INVESTMENT, also due to pneumonia of unknown causes. Heart attack patients have been critical, has been removed pending recovery ventilator patients Xoan gold are still in serious condition, should continue ventilation.

Dr Intermediate, Deputy Head of Emergency - active treatment, Hospitals PRIVATE Tropical Diseases, said this when all three patients were hospitalized with severe breathing problems manifested after 2-3 days of high fever and associated X-ray results showed that very severe pneumonia and mechanical ventilation are required. "Patients who show symptoms of severe pneumonia due to respiratory failure and we are progressing patients with suspected viral pneumonia, should have taken samples to test with some influenza viruses are circulating, as influenza virus A/H5N1, A/H1N1, A/H3N2 flu but results were negative for. To date, two patients have been critical, a situation improved, but still can not find the root cause of all three of these patients, "said BS level.

Not a "strange disease"

While not finding out the root cause of pneumonia caused severe for pregnant women, but that BS level, it is not a "strange disease". As explained BS level, although the test results with three types of influenza viruses are circulating for the negative, but the logic of all three patients have shown this case is an inflammation of the lungs caused by viruses.

Furthermore, treatment experience, doctors have also seen many cases of severe pneumonia but not finding the root cause. "Not all cases of severe pneumonia after any test samples to find out the root cause as well. However, we are still saving samples of three patients in the closet deep sound, conditions will continue to test, find out the root cause of pneumonia caused heavy. In addition, three samples of these patients were also sent to the Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology FROM test ", said BS level.

Can not find the root causes disease, the doctors could proceed as a treatment of pneumonia cases usually based on the patient is pregnant. However, because the virus can not determine the cause, so patients are treated in special isolation room treatment negative pressure isolation to prevent the risk of infection.

BS alert level also, pregnant women often have weak immune systems than other subjects, so when there is fever, difficulty breathing need to be examined immediately to hospital, diagnosed in time, as three patients avoid people on, all were hospitalized in a state of very severe pneumonia, doctors have struggled new treatment saved the life of the patient from death.

Appear strange pneumonia in pregnant women

last week at the Central Hospital for Tropical has received three patients with unusual symptoms of pneumonia. Essentially, all three patients are pregnant. So far, after one week of treatment, many times that the test can not find the root causes of benh.Khong

Dr Intermediate, Deputy Head of the Emergency Treatment-positive, the Central Hospital for Tropical, these patients were hospitalized in critical condition to life: respiratory failure, two white lung, blood low pressure. All patients were placed windpipe and breathing machine immediately. Blood gas test showed that patients who lacked blood oxygenation. These are symptoms of pneumonia severe acute respiratory failure progression (ARDS).



Dong Thi Xoan pregnant women, 19 (Hai Duong) suffered pneumonia ventilator're strange (Photo: VK).

Through many times test cases are negative for influenza. Doctors can not discover the origin of this pathology. As the world's medical literature, patients with symptoms of ARDS have high mortality rate to 30-60%.

According to Dr. Grant, BV has been treating patients with severe pneumonia but knows the origin, this is the first treatment of severe pneumonia that can not find the root cause. Based on experience with treating cases of unusual pneumonia, the doctor-style "enclosure." In particular, patients with pregnancy, the doctor has treated, medium to maintain the pregnancy.

Just strange treatment of pneumonia has delivered

That was the case patients, Nguyen Thi My Linh, 22, 34 weeks pregnant (home Duc Hoa, Soc Son, Hanoi) strange ARDS pneumonia infection, was hospitalized in a coma, have ventilation. The doctors prognosis was difficult pregnancy while keeping all the conditions right for her first save. Risk of pregnancy and prone to miscarriage.

After treatment for pneumonia was a strange week, Spirit patients out of danger. But this time, the pregnancy was not able to keep the pregnancy and out. Before the emergency, Intermediate BS, leader role ... childbirth.

A boy weighing 1.7 kg was born in rare circumstances. There are baby feeding glass cage at the Central Pediatrics Hospital, in good health. According to Dr. Grant, Spirit has recovered patients and health can be discharged in few days.

Also at the Central Hospital for Tropical, a patient is pregnant is another syndrome to ARDS ventilation and treatment in isolation rooms. The Town That Xoan patients, 19 (country Hai Duong) is now 24 weeks pregnant. According to Dr. Grant, the disease is in remission but still need help breathing because of pregnancy. In addition, patients should begin drug Xoan also support keeping pregnant

3 children die as potent virus makes early arrival

English.news.cn 2010-05-19 08:11:39

BEIJING, May 19 -- Three children in Shanghai have died of hand, foot and mouth disease so far this year in an alarming trend.

The peak season of the malady had arrived early and the 2010 strain of the virus was particularly powerful, the Shanghai Health Bureau said Tuesday.

The suburban children who died were generally unsupervised and had migrant parents, according to education authorities. They did not attend city kindergartens and lived in conditions where hygiene was poor or non-existent, officials said.

The peak season for the virus arrived in Shanghai last month. By mid April, Shanghai reported 6,898 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease.

This was more than twice the number of cases for the same period of last year.

Among the cases, 2,475 were local children and 4,423 were migrants.

The bureau has intensified control and prevention efforts to combat the disease.

It has set up a special task force led by 18 medical experts who are on rotating duty 24 hours a day.

An enhanced monitoring system has been adopted that covers all city schools and kindergartens.

These schools must report any incidents to health authorities and face immediate temporary closures if a death or serious cases occur.

Red alerts are issued when two more cases are discovered in a class within a week or 10 more around campus during the same period.

Some city medical personnel have accepted further training to handle the disease as hospitals prepare extra beds to provide patients with instant and effective treatment.

The Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Xinhua Hospital, affiliated to Jiaotong University's School of Medicine, have been designated for serious cases. Two other city hospitals are on standby in case of an epidemic.

Last year, three children died of hand, foot and mouth disease, which usually peaks between May and July.

Health authorities were quick to say that members of the public should not panic about the disease, which can be prevented and controlled.

Spread by saliva, blood and direct contact with infected people's belongings, the disease typically affects infants and children up to six.

Children under four, however, are at greatest risk.

Although occasionally fatal, the disease in most cases is mild, with children recovering quickly.

Nationwide, 260 children had died of the disease by May 4, according to Ministry of Health figures.

Nearly 430,000 cases were reported around the country during the same period, a rise of more than 40 percent from the same period of last year.

Japan May Expand Livestock Slaughter on Outbreak, Asahi Says

By Kazuyo Sawa

May 19 (Bloomberg) -- Japan may slaughter all livestock within a 20-kilometer radius of the site of an outbreak of foot- and-mouth disease in the southern prefecture of Miyazaki, the Asahi newspaper reported, without citing anyone.

The expansion could mean the slaughter of an additional 120,000 pigs and 40,000 cows, the newspaper said. The number of livestock so far ordered for destruction is about 118,000, the report said. Japan may also vaccinate animals to prevent the spread of the disease, the Asahi said

Iraqi economic: the decision to ban import of poultry "premature"

05/18/2010 17:13


Baghdad, May 18 (Akaniwz) - The Economist Iraq, Tuesday, that the cabinet's recent decision to prevent the import of birds and eggs into the country, "premature" and called at the same time that the import mechanism Organization and not the prevention of random.

The economist said the LG KE Kurdistan News Agency (Akaniwz) that "the process of preventing the importation of birds of various kinds where the risk of many private and it will cause damage and clear wholesale poultry and Iraq will cost too much money."

The Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Iraq, launched today, to prevent the import of live birds and raptors and decorations and table eggs from 18 countries for the prevention of pandemic avian influenza.

He explained, "it is necessary to give the Secretariat a clear solution to this problem is to develop the local breeding birds, particularly poultry, which is a major part of food in the country."

He added that LG Ke "This case will contribute to the confusion of the Iraqi market they were not the organization commensurate with its importance," stressing the "need to be preceded by measures to prevent import a number of moves to revitalize the role of the local market in the consumption of poultry."

The Council of Minister of Iraq, a list of countries banned imports of birds and eggs, namely: Bangladesh, Benin, Cambodia, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, and the cups, Poland, Togo, Thailand, Ukraine, Britain, Vietnam, Nigeria, South Korea , Egypt, and Japan.

[contact me for link]

Vietnam-Appearance of severe pneumonia cases of unknown cause

Youth Online - 04:05 (17/05/2010)

Doctor Nguyen Hong Ha, deputy director of the Hospital Central Tropical Diseases, said in some cases of severe pneumonia admitted to hospital has treated some cases appear not determine the exact cause.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Liem, director of Children's Hospital said, in this hospital had patients die from severe pneumonia, while the test samples of patients not identify virus strains / bacteria. Not finding the exact root cause will make the treatment more difficult.

At some hospitals, some people with respiratory diseases constitute a large proportion, with time up to 50-70% of people visit daily.

Pigs died of Streptococcus

7:18 AM, 17/05/2010

(Labor) - Veterinary Medicine Department of Quang Nam province on 14/05 said: great cause mass death-like symptoms with blue ear disease occurs in Binh Dao, Thang Binh district was infected by Streptococcus.
Regional Animal Health Center 4 (in Da Nang city) through several test samples dead pigs, for the final results positive for Streptococcus.

Department of Animal Health Institute has more urgent for many pumps Thang Binh district and more than 1,200 liter engine Benkocid to chemical disinfection, disinfection on a large scale, curb the spread of disease.

Proactive prevention of influenza A (H5N1) epidemic and the summer

On 19-05-2010 03:38
ND - Statistics of the Central Hygiene and Epidemiology Institute show that from the beginning of this year the country recorded seven cases of influenza A (H5N1) in Bac, Binh Duong, Khanh Hoa, Tien Giang, Hanoi and Tuyen Quang, including two cases of death. According to epidemiological survey, the majority of cases are in contact with sick birds, dead. Therefore, in a month, though not record more people with influenza A (H5N1), but the National Steering Committee for prevention and pandemic alert remains on the ability flu A (H5N1) coming back any at any time if the people and the professional bodies are not really aware.

Especially when there are still some local records on bird flu. Therefore, all people need to make good recommendations by the Ministry of Health discovered that when birds sick or dead slaughter is not absolute and that use must immediately notify the local government handled promptly. Air transport, trade in poultry of unknown origin. Ensuring cooked food, drink, boiling, washing hands with soap before eating-room, and after using the toilet. When symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath related to avian influenza should immediately nearest medical facility to be examined and treated promptly. The medical unit from the central to local needs proactive in preventing and combating epidemics. Strengthen surveillance activities in the community, especially in the monitoring of national hospitals for early detection, timely treatment and monitoring outbreaks of genetically modified, drug-resistant virus to put measures in prevention and treatment.
In addition, specialized units as well as all people should be active in prevention of epidemic diseases in summer as dangerous acute diarrhea caused by cholera, dengue, hand-foot-mouth ... This year, the dangerous epidemic of acute diarrhea caused by cholera is rather complex evolution. In the southern provinces, mainly translated elements from foreign intrusion, so patients are concentrated in the border provinces of Cambodia share. Meanwhile, in the northern provinces, not a massive epidemic, "according to law" made many people at the same time as in previous years, but sporadic, stroll out in many places, the cases were not related . Notably, in the northern provinces have not identified the source of infection of cases. Therefore, the Ministry of Health stressed that the hot weather, the risk of outbreaks is huge, especially in crowded areas, the environmental conditions of poor hygiene, food safety not guaranteed food. The health of local services need radical measures to handle the outbreak, better management of people at risk ... Even in provinces not have cases also require immediate plans for prevention, including early detection of cases is very important to prevent disease spread.

Dengue fever and hand - foot - mouth is also complicated in the southern provinces. Each month, recorded hundreds of children with hand - foot - mouth and thousands of cases of dengue fever. Therefore, the local health sector should guide the direction of the unit leading to more drastic in the implementation of epidemic prevention measures, especially when the disease has not yet entered a period of high points. Absolutely not new to the disease spreading "in the" that make good environmental sanitation measures, hygienic room service, which priorities for children and schools to prevent the spread of arms - legs - oral or implement measures to kill mosquitoes, diluted to not throw for dengue fever is spreading conditions.
Along with the efforts of specialized agencies, to raise awareness and cooperation of people in developing measures to deal with the disease. Thus limiting the possibility of new disease outbreaks, protecting public health.

Swine streptococcus bacteria cause dangerous complications

19/05/2010 1:12


As Tropical Disease Hospital countries, from the beginning of the year, the hospital received 22 cases of streptococcus bacteria, which have some cases of encephalitis, severe sepsis.
Hospitals are treating patients Duy Van T. (46 years old, in Hanoi) complications necrosis two feet and hands, may have to foot amputation. Caused by swine streptococcus bacteria causing septicemia, switches blood vessels, necrosis of the genus. Doctor Nguyen Hong Ha - Deputy Director of Tropical Disease Hospital countries, said most patients have direct contact with sick pigs, dead or eat dead meat, blood pudding. For prevention, people with wounds in the legs, arms not participate in slaughtering pigs, if exposed, it is necessary to wear gloves, do not eat undercooked pork ...

Spread of FMD in southern Japan

According to official data, have detected signs of the disease in at least 126 farms of cattle and pigs in Miyazaki, where more than 114,000 animals have been culled.

EFE .- Japan's Miyazaki province (southern Sweden) said today in an emergency situation by the unstoppable spread of an outbreak of FMD among cattle in the area, Kyodo news agency reported today.
We are in a situation that is impossible to stop the spread, "said the governor of Miyazaki, Hideo Higashikokubaru, before warning that the risk of infection spreading to the rest of the country" is undeniable. "
According to official data, have detected signs of the disease in at least 126 farms of cattle and pigs in Miyazaki, where more than 114,000 animals have been culled.
Furthermore, the Government admitted today Japan's mistakes in tackling the outbreak, after news that local authorities ignored the infection during the inspection of a farm at the end of March.
Niponas Veterinary authorities in early April confirmed an outbreak of type O virus of foot and mouth disease, currently the most common in Asia, where the disease is endemic.
Officials who conducted the inspection, however, have been charged too slowly when carrying out tests in animals with symptoms of the disease, which would have facilitated the spread of the virus.
"If they had taken action in March, the infection may not have spread this far," he said Yoshitaka Goto, professor at the University of Miyazaki.
The Koizumi, Yukio Hatoyama, admitted today that they have been able to produce "some problems" but said the government would "work together to prevent further spread of infection."
FMD is a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals like cows, sheep, goats and pigs.
It causes high fever and characteristic lesions in the mouth and feet of animals and does not affect humans.

Japan’s Miyazaki Declares Emergency on Foot-and-Mouth (Update2)

May 18, 2010, 6:11 AM EDT

By Aya Takada and Takashi Hirokawa

May 18 (Bloomberg) -- Japan ordered more than 1 percent of its swine herd to be slaughtered after Miyazaki prefecture, the nation’s second-biggest growing region, declared a “state of emergency” as an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease spreads.

A total of 105,519 pigs and 8,612 beef cattle and dairy cows will be killed in the prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu, said Takehisa Yamamoto, an official at the animal health division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. That’s a 42 percent increase in the past four days.

Foot-and-mouth is one of the most contagious livestock diseases and can have high mortality rates in young animals, according to the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health, or OIE. The cull is more than 100 times larger than during Japan’s last outbreak in 2000. Miyazaki Governor Hideo Higashikokubaru declared an emergency today as they have failed to stop the disease from spreading.

“We would like to ask residents living in the affected areas to stay home” unless they have urgent reasons to go out, Higashikokubaru was quoted by spokesman Tomofumi Yagoshi as telling reporters today. The request is aimed at containment as the possibility the disease may spread “across Kyushu island, or nationwide,” cannot be ruled out, he said.

Affected Communities

Suspected cases of foot-and-mouth were found yesterday in cows in Shintomi town, raising the number of affected communities in the prefecture to five from four, Yamamoto at the agriculture ministry said. Shintomi is located about 10 kilometers south of Kawaminami town, where most cases of the disease were discovered.

Japan’s previous foot-and-mouth outbreak occurred in 2000, when 740 animals were killed in Miyazaki and on the northern island of Hokkaido.

“It is difficult to determine how the disease is being transmitted,” Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told reporters today. “The most important thing is that the government will take all possible measures to prevent the disease from spreading further.”...

The Agricultural Ministry’s Animal Diseases Experts committee recommended today that the government vaccinate animals against the disease to prevent it spreading further.

Japan has enough reserves of the vaccine to inoculate 700,000 animals, Nobuyuki Terakado, deputy chairman of the committee, said at a briefing today.

The government may spend as much as 20 billion yen ($216 million) on measures to prevent the spread of the disease and to help affected farmers rebuild their businesses, the Nikkei newspaper reported today, citing an unidentified person in the Ministry of Finance.

To contain the disease, Japan has restricted animal movements and is killing all stock at farms with suspected cases and disinfecting the properties. The first case was reported on April 20.

Miyazaki is Japan’s second-largest pig-farming region, accounting for about 9.2 percent of the nation’s herd, which was estimated by the agriculture ministry at 9.9 million as of Feb. 1, 2009. The prefecture is also the third-biggest beef cattle grower, accounting for 10 percent of the country’s total herd of 2.9 million.

The foot-and-mouth virus found in Miyazaki is similar to the type discovered in South Korea, according to the ministry.

In South Korea, the farm ministry said April 22 that two cases were found at a pig farm in Chungju, south of Seoul, indicating the virus had spread inland. A new outbreak was discovered on April 9 on Ganghwa island, less than a month after the nation declared itself free of the disease.

China in March reported an outbreak of the disease in pigs.

Address to Sixty-third World Health Assembly

Excerpt:
Geneva, Switzerland
17 May 2010

Time to get back on track to meet the Millennium Development Goals
Dr Margaret Chan
Director-General of the World Health Organization

Mister President, honourable ministers, excellencies, distinguished delegates, Dr Mahler, ladies and gentlemen,

Public health must never cease to learn from its successes, and its failures.

-snip-

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good news for public health usually arises from factors like political commitment, sufficient resources, strong interventions and implementation capacity, equitable delivery, and alignment with national priorities and capacities. Sometimes, though, we are just plain lucky.

This has been the case with the H1N1 influenza pandemic. The virus did not mutate to a more lethal form. Cases of resistance to oseltamivir remained few and isolated. The vaccine closely matched circulating viruses and showed an excellent safety record.

Emergency wards and intensive care units were often strained, but few health systems were overwhelmed and the effects were usually short-lived. Schools closed, but borders remained open, and disruptions to travel and trade were far less severe than feared.

Had things gone wrong in any of these areas, we would have a very different agenda before us today.

This has been the most closely watched and carefully scrutinized pandemic in history. It is normal that every decision and action, especially on the part of WHO, will likewise be closely scrutinized and critically assessed. We welcome this process.

The pandemic has also been the first major test of the functioning of the revised International Health Regulations, which entered into force in 2007.

During the January session of the Executive Board, I proposed that a previously scheduled review of the functioning of the Regulations could also be used to assess the international response to the influenza pandemic. The Board agreed to this proposal. A report of the Review Committee’s first meeting is before you.

When I opened that meeting, I stressed the need for a frank and critical assessment of performance, including WHO’s performance, in a process that is independent, credible, and transparent. We want to know what worked well. We want to know what went wrong and, ideally, why. We want to know what can be done better and, ideally, how.

We are seeking lessons, about how the International Health Regulations have functioned, about how WHO and the international community responded to the pandemic, that can aid the management of future public health emergencies of international concern. And I can assure you: there will be more.

-snip-

Scientist: Oil may be entering Gulf Loop current

---

Last Updated: 7:47 PM GMT on May 17, 2010 —

Oil enters the Loop Current and is headed to the Florida Keys Posted by: JeffMasters, 7:38 PM GMT on May 17, 2010 Satellite imagery today from NASA's MODIS instrument confirms that a substantial tongue of oil has moved southeast from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and entered the Gulf of Mexico's Loop Current. The Loop Current is an ocean current that transports warm Caribbean water through the Yucatan Channel between Cuba and Mexico. The current flows northward into the Gulf of Mexico, then loops southeastward just south of the Florida Keys (where it is called the Florida Current), and then along the west side of the western Bahamas. Here, the waters of the Loop Current flow northward along the U.S. coast and become the Gulf Stream. Once oil gets into the Loop Current, the 1 - 2 mph speed of the current should allow the oil to travel the 500 miles to the Florida Keys in 10 - 20 days. Portions of the Loop Current flow at speed up to 4 mph, so the transport could be just 4 - 5 days. It now appears likely that the first Florida beaches to see oil from the spill will be in the Lower Florida Keys, not in the Panhandle. Figure 1. Satellite image of the oil spill taken at 12:40 EDT Monday May 17, 2010. The location of the Loop Current is superimposed. Image credit: University of Wisconsin and NASA. Why is oil getting into the Loop Current? The winds over the oil spill location are offshore out of the northwest today, and offshore winds will continue intermittently through Wednesday, which should allow a substantial amount of oil to enter the Loop Current. The major reason oil is moving southwards is because of the instability of the currents in the Gulf of Mexico. The Loop Current is not a stable feature, and tends to surge northwards and southwards in a chaotic fashion, and in response to changes in the prevailing winds. Over the past week, chaotic behavior of the Loop Current and a clockwise-rotating eddy just to its north, just south of the oil spill location, have combined to bring a current of southward-moving surface water to the oil spill location. As strong on-shore winds from the southeast slackened this past weekend, oil has been drawn southward into the Loop Current. The latest NOAA trajectory forecasts failed to anticipate the movement of the oil into the Loop Current. The latest surface current forecasts from NOAA's HYCOM model show that oil could continue pouring into the Loop Current for most of the rest of the week. It is highly uncertain how diluted the oil might get on its voyage to northwestern Cuba and the Florida Keys this week, but the possibility for a major ecological disaster in the fragile Keys ecosystem cannot be ruled out. Southeast to east winds of 10 - 15 knots are expected to develop late this week and extend into early next week, which may be strong enough to impose a surface current that will shut off the flow of oil into the Loop Current by Friday or Saturday. Figure 2. Forecast made at 8pm EDT Sunday May 16, 2010, of the Gulf of Mexico currents by NOAA's HYCOM model. A persistent southward flowing surface current is predicted to occur this week between the oil spill location (red dot) and the Loop Current. Image credit: NOAA. Likely areas of impact Based on a study of 194 floating probes released into the Northeast Gulf of Mexico during a 1-year study in the 1990s (Figure 3), the west coast of Florida from Tampa Bay southwards to the Everglades is at minimal risk of receiving oil from surface currents. There is a "forbidden zone" off the southwest Florida coast where the shape of the coast, bottom configuration, and prevailing winds all act to create upwelling and surface currents that tend to take water away from the coast. This study implies that the greatest risk of land impacts by surface oil caught in the Loop Current is along the ocean side of the Florida Keys, and along the coast of Southeast Florida from Miami to West Palm Beach. Eddies breaking away from the Gulf Stream would also likely bring oil to northwest Cuba, the western Bahamas, and the U.S. East Coast as far north as Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, though at lesser concentrations. Southwest Florida cannot rest entirely, though--the "forbidden zone" is only true for surface waters, and there is onshore flow below the surface. Since recent ship measurements have detected substantial plumes of oil beneath the surface, southwest Florida might be at risk if one of these plumes gets entrained into the Loop Current. These subsurface plumes were also detected by current probes launched into the oil spill on May 8 by one of NOAA's hurricane hunter aircraft, according to one scientist I spoke to at last week's AMS hurricane conference. There are plans for the Hurricane Hunters to go out again tomorrow and drop more probes into the spill to attempt to get a better handle on where the oil is and where the currents are taking it.

.../Full text at:

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/show.html

hattip Pathfinder

UPDATE 1-US Coast Guard prepares for oil in south Florida

Mon May 17, 2010 5:24pm EDT

Related News

* Oil getting closer to "Loop Current"

* Authorities preparing for impact on southern Florida

* Offshore drilling chief to step down (Adds details, quotes)

By Tom Doggett and Ayesha Rascoe

WASHINGTON, May 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard is preparing for the possibility that tar balls from the massive Gulf Coast oil spill might be swept up in a current and reach the southern Florida coast, a top official said on Monday.

Rear Admiral Peter Neffenger, deputy national incident commander with the Coast Guard, said in testimony before a Senate committee that the government was closely watching whether the oil would be swept up into the "loop current" that moves around Florida.

"Currently it shows to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-50 miles (65-80 km) from the southern edge of the spill," Neffenger said of the current that could sweep the oil down to the Florida Keys and even up the U.S. East Coast.

"We are watching that carefully and as a result of that we are preparing for potential impact on the southern Florida coast and impacts around the southern Florida coast," he told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at a hearing on the oil spill.

He said the oil would likely be in the form of tar balls that are a "little easier to manage" when they come ashore.

"This is not to say this is a good thing," he said. "I think it will be a more manageable piece than what we're currently looking at in the Gulf."

CURRENT PROTECTED LIKE COASTLINE

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano also said the government was monitoring the loop current very closely and were treating it as if it were a coastline.

"In other words ... if we were to see that the oil really was beginning to move toward the loop current we would begin doing some things in the way of dispersant and booming .. as if the loop current itself were a piece of the coast," she said.

The two U.S. officials were testifying in the latest Congressional hearing on the April 20 oil rig explosion that killed 11 and left a ruptured well owned by BP Plc (BP.L) spewing oil into the Gulf.

At the hearing, committee chair Senator Joseph Lieberman, said the government should not allow any new deep water wells to get permits or be drilled until the industry could prove it can prevent another failure of drilling equipment in deep waters or contain oil spills more effectively.

"I say that with regret because I know how important offshore American oil is to our nation's energy independence," Lieberman said. "But the U.S. government has a responsibility to the public safety that is more important, and that responsibility, I fear was not fulfilled in this case."

The U.S. Interior Department has placed a moratorium on any new offshore drilling permits until at least May 28 when a safety review is due to be completed. Any significant extension of this moratorium could have a major impact on offshore drilling companies and lower projected Gulf oil production. [ID:nN14152222]

Chris Oynes, the top Minerals Management Service official who oversees U.S. offshore drilling, will step down on May 31, The Washington Post, reported on Monday.

Top officials at MMS officials have come under fire for being too close to the industry and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has announced plans to reform the department.

A spokeswoman for the Department of the Interior, however, said she could not comment on the resignation.

Palestine: H5N1 in Poultry

Excerpt:

Health conditions and veterinary
The Council heard a report from the Agriculture Minister on the
outcome of the meeting of the Supreme National Committee to
combat avian flu after suspect severe symptoms of the virus in a
poultry farm and imported from Israel, in the town of Bala
Governorate of Tulkarem. The Minister of Agriculture that the results
of laboratory tests carried out by the Veterinary Services
Laboratory has ruled out the cases of the disease among poultry
farm, and there are doubts about the results of laboratory-Israel,
and it formed a joint committee from the Ministries of Health and
Agriculture held a meeting with the Israeli side in this regard and will
continue veterinary medical services to intensify their efforts to
monitor and follow up any infection with this disease. He assured the
Minister of Agriculture of citizens and invited them to follow up
statements of information and instructions issued by the Supreme
National Committee as the only authority in this matter and after
making sure once again testing laboratory managers.

[contact me for link]

Bird flu in Balaa between truth and Ahaiapnscher today

(Updated) 05/17/2010 at 21:45
Tulkarem - Report together - surprised the people of the town of Bala east of Tulkarem on Thursday evening, the thirteenth of this month, a large force of Palestinian security personnel enter the town and surrounded by all axes, and stands at the crossroads of roads and entrances, and inspect any vehicle you graduated and accurately declaring a state of emergency, amid a state of anxiety accompanied by terror and fear.

The reason behind this, according to an official at the Ministry of Agriculture, said the Israeli side informed the ministry that the test results taken earlier from some poultry farms in the town affirm the poultry Bala bird flu, and the results that came from the laboratories Beit Dagan was dispatched on the twenty-ninth of last month, and the results were announced on the thirteenth of this month, a difference of nearly two weeks.

The following day, Friday the fourteenth of this month, to witness the influx of officials from the ministries of health and agriculture, the first of whom Dr. Jamil Makhamra Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture in charge of the management of veterinary services in the northern governorates, the Under-Secretary Azzam Tubeileh, which held an emergency meeting in the town hall in the town, attended by representatives of Veterinary Medicine, Agriculture, and Director General of Health Dr Said Tulkarm affectionate, and the mayor and a number of farmers.

He Makhamra to attend events in town, saying: "that on 29 of the last month, they took some samples from" chicks mothers chicken broiler "from a farm in Bala, after suspected bird flu disease is, converted to laboratories Israel in the Beit Dagan, pointing out that the age of chick at that moment was (8) days, as informed by the laboratory that the Israeli sample infected with bird flu, which forced us to declare a state of emergency in Bala, and imposed a quarantine on the entire region, and to take preventive measures for fear of transmission of the disease to areas other, while making sure unequivocally the presence of the disease. "

Minister of Health, Dr. Fathi Abu boiled came over, and confirmed through a special statement by the Palestinian news agency, the existence of bird flu in the town, and that the ministry with the concerned authorities will take a series of steps to prevent its spread widely and rectify the matter, this means that the 750 000 birds threatened with death, and thus a great loss incurred by the owners of farms, and other consequences on the ground.

And the back of the police, veterinary, health, and officials in the town, dressed in jackets and protective clothing, as well as bulldozers and the mechanisms by which the processing of drilling in preparation for the execution, among hundreds of farmers terrified Perplexed not believe what they hear and see what is happening in the town.

Came Friday evening, carrying with him the presence of Minister of Agriculture Dr. Ismail Deiq, asked for a meeting with farmers, and spoke to them for details of the lengthy discussions on the fate of the farms the town, pointing out infected poultry in many diseases, and that the problem is not the bird flu, but there are many diseases, including (Salmonella, Coxidia, any DVD), stressing the crowd and the loud, sharp tone: "execution-based and irreversible, and implementation on Saturday at 12 noon after the lifting of recommendations to the Supreme National Committee to combat bird flu.

And the minister's face Deiq finger to farmers themselves, accusing them of negligence, stressing he saw bags of dead chickens in the streets during previous visits to a relative in the town, adding: "It would be imprisonment for someone who runs one chicken, in addition to downloading responsibility for the transfer of the disease, and he will not have mercy on anyone will be arrested on the spot. "

Eventually .....

On Saturday, the fifteenth of this month, said the Supreme National Committee to combat avian flu, which is chaired by the Minister for Health, Dr. Fathi Abu boiled, it excludes the existence of any cases of bird flu (H5N1) in poultry a farm in Bala, noting that the source of poultry was from Israel.

(Chairman of the Abu boiled was proved the existence of the disease on Friday in a statement to the Palestinian news agency), indicating that he decided to form a joint committee from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture - Veterinary Services to hold a joint meeting with the Israeli side of the debate and clarify the confusion that has occurred.

Began to Palestinian security forces to withdraw from the town of Bala slowly and quietly, leaving behind a big problem requiring a quick solution, related to bear the full responsibility on the part of (the owners of statements opposing), the holders of farms are shocked, puzzled, no one buys them, nor will they be able to market their chickens and even eggs.

Play poorly and blood heavy ... It was attended for defamation ...

The mayor of Bala Ahmed Mansour, that what happened in the town, a (play poorly and blood heavy many), this is very unfortunate and power to bear responsibility before what happened, and the Minister of Health to assume all the result of his remarks, the latest crises in the Bala.

Mansour added together, it came to the town of Bala on Friday came only for defamation and photography in front of the cameras, they follow up on all farms in addition to the farmers.

In response to what was said by the Minister of Agriculture on the dead chickens on the road Mansour said, that it talked about a lot, and it was agreed among us commune, agriculture, remove it, and we hold that, we have worked to remove them again and orientation of an individual without the implementation of the agreement need to be engaged Agriculture.

And ended Mansour added: "What happened blow to farmers Bala, Traders do not deal with them, and even on the national level there is a negative impact," losses exceeded 2 million shekels, and why expect (bird flu), said that 40% of the economy Bala depends on the poultry sector in all its forms, in addition to eggs produced per day, ranging between 4-5 thousand cartons, which means losses are estimated for farmers and their economy.

PRRS outbreaks are still arising new

10:06 PM, 17/05/2010
Now there are 15 provinces of Hai Duong, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Hung Yen, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, Lang Son, Nghe An, Quang Ninh, Bac Giang, Hoa Binh and Cao with a blue ear not over 21 days.
Afternoon 17 / 5, Department of Animal Health (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), said PRRS continues to generate new outbreak in some provinces.

In Hung Yen, on 16 / 5, PRRS has happened in a new Phung Hung commune, Khoai Chau. Total of 50 children infected pigs, in which 10 children are destroyed.

Nghe An Province has added a new Do Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district detecting blue ear pig disease to 44, all infected pigs have been destroyed on 17 / 5.

In Henan province, PRRS has happened in Thanh Thuy Commune, Thanh Liem district as 45 infected pigs, in which 10 children were killed and destroyed. Between the date of 25 / 4 to date, PRRS has occurred in three communes in two districts of Thanh Liem Duy Tien and Ha Nam.

On 17 / 5, Quang Ninh province to declare the epidemic respiratory disorders and fertility in swine (PRRS in swine) in the communes of Thong Nhat, Le Loi commune (Hoanh Bo District), Hai Dong commune, ward Hai Yen (Mong Cai city). So, to this point, Quang Ninh province has 26 communes, wards and towns appear PRRS in pigs include: Contact Location, South Hoa, Hai Yen, Mai Dong, Sweet Song, Ha An, Tan An, Cong Hoa, HCM City with 1,450 sick pigs in 212 pigs, 575 children have been destroyed.

Animal Health Department of Bac Giang province, said the test results of the veterinary diagnostic center for Central 3 serum samples taken from sick pigs in Luc Ngan district recently were positive for PRRS virus in swine . To date, Luc Ngan district, a total of 3357 pigs were sick, I think many of them have blue ear and had to cancel 947 children buried.

According to the Veterinary Department of Bac Giang province, the concern now is in some localities in the province, some farmers have not reported promptly to the veterinary facilities of sick pigs have also translated and selling sick pigs - is one of the main cause for the epidemic.

Veterinary Sub-Nam Dinh province recently announced discovery in U.S. District Truc Ninh commune Online has 79 households with sick pigs, killed by blue ear disease. So far, PRRS has caused the 443 farmers in 60 villages belonging, of the five communes of Truc Ninh District, Nam Dinh province that hold 2726 pigs, 1189 the accused must be destroyed with a total weight of nearly 19 tons . In some areas in the province also occurs sick pigs, death unknown causes.

According to the Department of Animal Health, situation is still complicated, not only appears in the Red River Delta provinces in which some mountainous provinces such as Hoa Binh, Cao Bang ... also appeared PRRS. This suggests that the risk of large-scale epidemic is huge, the localities should implement drastic measures for prevention and prescribed; breeder recommended cleaning cages and disinfect areas prone the same time strict implementation of the vaccine and other serious diseases in pigs. /.

South Korea-Vets helped spread FMD

Vets helped spread FMD Farmers’ meetings, feed transport also blamed May 18, 2010

The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease this year was caused by the import of the virus from neighboring countries, but the spread of disease within Korea was mainly due to veterinarians who visited infected farms, officials said yesterday. The first outbreak of FMD in Pocheon, Gyeonggi in January was likely caused by a foreign worker from a Northeast Asian country, believed to be either China or Mongolia, who entered Korea last October, according to the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service, which conducted an investigation. The immigrant worker was hired by a local farm and received an package containing clothes and shoes, believed to be contaminated with the FMD virus, sent from his homeland in November. “The foot-and-mouth disease outbreak based on virus type A took place widely in Northeast Asia in 2009, and our genetic analysis discovered the January outbreak in Pocheon is 97.64 percent identical with the outbreak in other Northeast Asian areas,” the research agency said in a statement. The virus made its way to five other farms as a local vet who treated animals in the first affected farm visited others. In addition, the virus could have been spread by local farmers holding emergency meetings to discuss the outbreak. After slaughtering nearly 6,000 animals at 55 farms in the Pocheon area, which caused a loss of 42.5 billion won ($36.8 million), the government officially declared the outbreak over in March. A month later, another outbreak occurred in the Gangwha Island area. This outbreak was likely caused by a local farmer returning from a trip, believed to be to China. His livestock farm was the initial site of this outbreak. “The owner of the farm with the initial case traveled to the country from March 8 to 13, returned home and entered the farm with no sanitization procedure, and the country to which the farm owner traveled experienced many outbreaks during those days,” the agency said. The agency’s gene analysis revealed the virus that caused the second outbreak was 99.06 percent identical with the one that caused the recent outbreaks in China. The agency also said the virus is suspected of moving not only to the neighboring city of Gimpo but also the interior areas of Chungju and Cheongyang, North Chungcheong Province, through the transport of animal feed, insemination technicians and local farmers’ meetings. “The foot-and-mouth disease based on the blood type O is spreading in countries like China, Japan, Mongolia and Korea,” said Kim Bong-hwan, the head of the investigative team. “We need to keep sanitizing and quarantining” all related facilities.

Israel to assist with WB bird flu outbreak

17 May 2010 7:06 AM
Washington - In response to last week's avian flu outbreak in a West Bank village chicken population, the Israeli Agricultural Ministry has sent veterinary reinforcements for the culling of the birds and echoed the Palestinian's call for international organizations to help absorb to cost of the outbreak to farmers in the affected village, UN news agency IRIN reported Monday.

In Israel, avian flu cases in animals have been reported three times since 2006 [Photo: Philcampbell - Flickr]
The outbreak occurred in Bal' village near Tulkarem in the West Bank late last week. Bal'a exports up to 5,000 cartons of eggs and hundreds of pounds of meat each day, which is why Israel is on high alert, as well. An Israeli Healthy Ministry spokesman told IRIN, "We are always on the lookout for poultry and eggs smuggled into Israel from the Palestinian Authority [PA] but now we are tightening supervision at the PA-Israel crossings." IRIN said PA security forces surrounded the village during the culling to ensure no poultry was smuggled out for sale.

Reports on the outbreak last week said 750,000 will have to be culled, and today roughly 250,000 have already been put down.

Avian flu is not only restricted to the West Bank. May 7, Israel reported an outbreak in a zoo at Kibbutz Ein Gedi on the Dead Sea. International law obliges any country experiencing an avian flu outbreak to cease export of poultry and poultry products for one month.

No human cases have been reported in the Bal'a outbreak or in Israel

New avian flu outbreak hits Laos

Monday May 17 2010
The first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) for more than a year has been reported in Laos capital, Vientiane.
The veterinary authorities sent an Immediate Notification dated 14 May to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

According to the report, the outbreak started in a layer flock at Xaythany, an area of Vientiane on 27 April. Of the 1004 birds, 44 died and the rest have been destroyed. The presence of the H5N1 sub-type of the virus has been confirmed.

The last HPAI outbreak in the country was in April 2009.

Transport Restrictions for bird flu Deurne

5/17/2010 3:34 p.m.
Due to the outbreak of a mild variant of avian flu at a poultry farm in Deurne as of the date any restrictions on transporting horses. The transport of horses in an area of about three kilometers around the farm when they are banned from or go to companies where poultry.

The equestrian training NHB Deurne decided that the horses of students who are parked on poultry farms with the training currently not allowed. This measure applies to horses from around the country.

The low pathogenic avian influenza found hardly makes birds sick and not dangerous to humans. Poultry on the infected farm is now cleared for security.

Vietnam: An Giang Province Dengue

Edit: Changed Title to "An Giang Province" (from Dong Thap)

Previously posted here

From the beginning of the year, Dong Thap province has more than 600 cases of dengue fever and two cases were fatal, up 1.5 times over the same period last year.

Excerpt:
Dengue fever in An Giang complicated

Situation of dengue fever in An Giang province is very complex evolution, to mid-July 5-2010 province had 858 cases of hospitalized treatment, three people died, up 100% over the same period in 2009, Most Long Xuyen, Cho Moi, Chau Thanh. From Dr. Quoc Tuan - Director of An Giang Department of Health: At present no signs of reduced service, forecast dengue fever is still up in the last months of the year. Risk mentioned above, the Department of Health to direct focus to handle small to avoid spreading outbreak; focus on school districts. Currently the province is implementing phase chemical spray kills mosquitoes, diluted toss in residential areas. Force medical collaborators leaflets and propaganda on the speakers, guiding people to raise awareness of environmental hygiene, cleaning around the house, cleared pool drains, drop guppies in the flood water around killing weak throw, advised people to sleep, including daytime mosquito (People 17 / 5).
[contact me for link]