HK enters seasonal flu peak season

19:42, March 18, 2010

Hong Kong has entered the traditional peak period for seasonal influenza, with flu detections rising from 177 in the week ending March 6, to 268 in the week ending March 13, the Center for Health Protection said on Thursday.

Influenza virus isolation in the Public Health Laboratory Center of Hong Kong showed a steady rise. Virus isolates are mainly either influenza A/H1N1, 49 percent, or influenza B, 50 percent.

The consultation rate for influenza-like-illness among sentinel private doctors increased in recently. During the week ending March 13, the consultation rate for influenza-like-illness at private clinics was 51 per 1,000 consultations.

The center will closely monitor the situation and has sent letters to doctors, schools and institutions alerting them to the upcoming flu season and providing advice on prevention and control.
Source: Xinhua


HK primary school closed for flu outbreak
18:01, March 18, 2010

A primary school in Hong Kong started to suspend classes for seven days from Wednesday, following an outbreak of A/H1N1 influenza and influenza B in the school.

The Department of Health of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government advised Raimondi College Primary Section in Wan Chai to close for a week.

A total of 35 boys and 5 girls, aged 6 to 11, have developed with flu-like symptoms since Feb. 26. One student, who tested positive for influenza B, was hospitalized and been discharged. Another student tested positive for A/H1N1 influenza.

All the affected students are in stable condition.
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90880/6924002.html

Thailand: Govt bans import of fowl from birdflu affected nations

The authorities have banned the import of fowl, fowl carcasses as well as eggs meant for breeding purposes from countries hit by avian influenza.

Bird flu has recently been detected in India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Israel, Cambodia, Burma, Nepal and Bhutan.

The World Organisation for Animal Health also announced that 18 people had come down with bird flu in Indonesia, Egypt and Vietnam this year. Of the 18, five have succumbed to the disease.

"We are closely monitoring vehicles and people at border checkpoints," Apai Suttisang said Thursday in his capacity as head of the Bureau of Disease Control and Veterinary Services.

The Nation

Asia-Pacific nations must ramp up cooperation in health sector – UN official

from UN News Service...

18 March 2010 – Countries in the Asia-Pacific region must step up their cooperation to tackle the threat of highly infectious diseases – including H1N1 – crossing borders, a senior United Nations official said today.
“No matter how strong and effective the health system of one country, there is no guarantee that it would provide protection from pandemics [such as SARS and avian influenza] if your neighbours are exposed,” said Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).



“It is no longer possible to safeguard your health without helping your neighbours do the same,” she said in her address to a conference taking place in Singapore on the theme, “Strengthening Health and Non-Health Response Systems in Asia.”


Ms. Heyzer urged nations to increase investment in addressing structural issues in public health infrastructures and to broaden their provision of medical supplies, including vaccines.



It is also vital, she said, to attend to problems that make people sick and in need of medical care in the first place.



Foreign policy can greatly impact health, she pointed out. For example, trade policies can alter a nation’s ability to produce affordable drugs or influence the flow of health workers from one country to another.
“Countries which have stronger health systems will need to work closely with the weaker countries to ensure that levels of investment in health increase, the number and quality of health workers improve and that the overall capacity of health systems to deal with infectious diseases is of the same level,” the official said.

Vietnam: Bird flu back and more powerful virus H5N1 evolution?

Recently, scientists have discovered is the exchange and integration between the influenza A/H5N1 virus circulating in Vietnam, creating too fast evolution of this virus and are of highly pathogenic strains.
Number of H5N1 infections in three months by the year 2009

According to latest report of the Department of Preventive Health and Environment (Ministry of Health), from early 2010 until now, the country recorded five cases positive for influenza A/H5N1 in humans, two cases of death.

Looking back at the 2009, Vietnam recorded five ca influenza A/H5N1 infection and this is ca 5 mortality, mortality was 100%, higher than double the previous year.

So only 3 months in early 2010, the number of people infected with both influenza A/H5N1 was in 2009, the number of deaths is approximately ½ in 2009.

Dr Le Quynh Mai - Virus Dean, Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology PRIVATE said that recently, scientists have discovered is the exchange and integration between the influenza A/H5N1 virus circulating in Vietnam, creating a too fast evolution of this virus and are of highly pathogenic strains. Experts have discovered a number of changes of antigen reduces the sensitivity of influenza treatment.

Before this situation, again, the question about the possibility of a mixture of two types of influenza A/H1N1 and influenza A/H5N1 virus became hot issues.

In the past month, the monitoring system of key influenza, cases of influenza A/H1N1 syndrome has decreased, only about 18% of samples tested positive for H1N1 in the previous figure would be 80 -- 100%.

However, Masters Nguyen Hong Ha, Deputy Director of the Hospital for Tropical Investment has estimated that the H5N1 virus from a few years now has always existed in the environment, even the poultry do not die but can still carry the virus. H1N1 virus was reduced but still exists, so, when H5N1 becomes strong, the risk is still recombinant. "Influenza Virus no stability genetically. It has the ability of recombinant, sort and suddenly very high.

Virus H1N1 short-lived but spread quickly from person to person. Virus H5N1 gay high mortality but low ability to spread. If the combination, most likely will create a new virus more dangerous, just a quick spread of H1N1 from person to person, just high risk of death by H5N1.


Translate only discovered when someone infected?
H5N1 virus in poultry exist then spread to humans.
Review 5 ca influenza A/H5N1 infection in Vietnam since early this year, see:

After investigating the residence of patients in Soc Son (Hanoi), dinner 15 thirds, Sub-Department of Animal Health, Hanoi said, there are 60 test serum samples and throat service virtually negative for bird flu virus A/H5N1, still have not found the source of infection of patients.

Patients with H5N1 infection in Binh Dinh (now died), the new functional bodies of local spread the disease to determine the source.

Now patients in Khanh Hoa, patients have no family who are ill, not sick poultry / death. But nearly a month before starting disease patients, ostrich farm (the patient's home near 1 km) with ostrich phenomenon unexplained death.

Families of patients in Tuyen Quang, the chickens are sick phenomenon / death but without a cause.

Patients die in Tien Giang is a slaughtering and processing aquatic birds before the disease but the area also has been warned there is disease.

So, clearly, the collaboration between the Medical and Veterinary not close, most cases of influenza detected in humans before then epidemiological investigation and detection of influenza in poultry.

Can he talk with Van Binh, Deputy Director Chi Chi Department of Animal Health, Hanoi, he concedes prevention poultry weak. The cause is due out depends very much on the raising awareness: People do not bring birds to vaccination, we also bear!
In addition, sub-department staff are difficult to control the number of all poultry consumed each day in Hanoi as the number of restrictions, lack of synchronization between local authorities and the market management.

Bad influenza A/H5N1 back also occurs in many countries around the world, not separate Vietnam. Recently, WHO also for the Ministry of Health in Egypt has recorded five cases of influenza A/H5N1, which has a severe case, there is no death. [this is not true...See Egypt Fact Box, right side-bar]

Thus, from the beginning of the year, Vietnam is the only national recognition of deaths due to this virus. This trend, along with Indonesia, Vietnam is one of the two countries with many cases of death due to H5N1 virus one.

Vietnam: Binh Duong: strict control areas with a patient death from influenza A/H5N1 infection

17:06 | March 18, 2010
According to The Sunday Tan, Head of the Department of Health Profession Pacific, after NTKM grandchildren, 3 years old (at the motel workers Binh Duc Hamlet II, Hoa Binh Thuan An, Binh Duong) mortality in Children's Hospital II (Ho Chi Minh City) on 17 thirds of influenza A/H5N1 infection, Provincial Health Department has directed the concerned units to coordinate with City Hospital Pasteur organizing measures against the spread in the community.

Sub-Department of Animal Health, Center for Preventive Health and Health Center Thuan An has made pasteurized, sterilizing area patients stay; get 14 samples tested in poultry and 9 samples for schools of people have direct contact with patients to get direction processed promptly. According to the function, near the family of patients in a facility to kill poultry. Base has been forced to suspend operations and destruction of all poultry. Samples of poultry facilities were tested

Known before the illness, I have NTKM the parents of home workers in the Western Pacific and then back. On 7/3 grandchildren cough and fever, the family treatment in private clinics but not to give support and admission to the two Children's Hospital on 10 / 3 with symptoms of high fever, occasional cough. Through examination of the hospital and the Pasteur Institute for a positive result for influenza A/H5N1. Although doctors have the right treatment regimen the patients but the situation is still bad evolutions, severe pneumonia, respiratory failure, multi-agency failure and death. /.

Correction: Cambodia H5N1 Outbreak

Thanks to a reader, I am correcting the title to this post. This article came out of China, and it is most likely a translation error. The body of the article clearly says " tens of thousands ". It is not 1.6 Million, it is 16,000. Thanks for the heads-up.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Cambodia, about 1.6 million ducks died of bird flu

Author: PHNOM PENH, Release Date: (2010-03-17)

http://pandemicinformationnews.blogspot.com/2010/03/cambodia-about-16-million-ducks-died-of.html

Vietnam: Thu Content influenza A/H5N1 and H1N1 patients in 3-point

07:19, 17 March 2010 (GMT +7)
First appeared at risk of influenza A/H1N1 and services with highly pathogenic influenza A/H5N1, the Health Ministry has warned the local promptly conduct close monitoring of suspected infection manifested two types of flu in order to isolation, not to break out strong in the community.

By PGS-TS Nguyen Huy Nga, Director of Department of Preventive Health and Environment (Ministry of Health) said, in 2009, the country recorded five cases of influenza A/H5N1 and all deaths. Entering 2010, only three months early, but nationwide four people were infected with influenza A/H5N1, including one case of patient death in the province of Tien Giang.

On the afternoon of 16-3, presented with PV Report Danang, doctor Nguyen Ut, deputy director of the city Health Department said, the city health sector have deployed units in conducting surveillance measures close cases. In cases of infected people, the health sector will receive treatment at the Medical Center of Son Tra, Thanh Khe and Tropical Medicine Faculty Hospital of Da Nang.

Yao Ming

Vietnam: 25 yo Hanoi - No food, slaughtering infected birds flu has infected

March 17, 2010 Updated: 7:57 AM, March 17, 2010
(Labor) - no direct contact with infected poultry, not directly eat meat or poultry sick die, but her T (25 years old, in Soc Son) influenza A/H5N1 has infected. The experts, the virus can be dispersed in the environment and her T to infections.

T when she discovered influenza A/H5N1 infection, the fence next to the neighbor has a dead chicken, feathers still leaves King vãi around that area. T brought her husband to bury chickens. However, a week later, she began appearing T symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, headache and began to show signs of difficulty breathing.

Only treatment at home with medications and regular communication should translate her illness worse, on Tuesday will be taken to BV North Thang Long, Hanoi. Here, the patient was diagnosed suspected viral pneumonia and treated with antiviral drugs, antibiotics help.

Three days later, the patient's health is deteriorating, the patient was transferred to T resuscitation science positive, BV Bach Mai and Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology Surgeons confirmed positive test result for influenza A / H5N1.

On March 15, the BS BV Bach Mai said: When BV was moved on Thursday of the disease, so health has been declining seriously, white blood cells, platelets decreased to 51.000/1ml blood, while in the to reach normal levels in blood 150.000/1ml.

Patients have impaired viscera (4 / 5 organs, including: Tibetan circulatory, respiratory organs, organs and organ blood digestion). Ms. T and the Left have been born three months should be more serious than health. We still have patients appear more ventilation and air filled lung membranes.

From early March until now, the area around the house with her T birds sick or dead scattered. According to the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology Surgeons, not exclude cases A/H5N1 virus dispersal in the environment around your home can be a source of infection for patients with this disease.

Vietnam: Mortality rate of H5N1 avian influenza is 58%

March 17, 2010, 16:26

Giadinh.net-is recommended by the HCM City Department of Health as soon as the information age three girls live in Pacific dying from H5N1 infected, 17 / 3.

BS. Phan Van Nghiem, Head of Profession of Medicine, HCMC Health Department certification, examination of your baby NTKM (residing in Thuan An - Binh Duong) have been processed in accordance with the process of sterilizing the Ministry of Health. Family has returned home for burial in An Giang. Parents of children was also given medication to prevent.

Same day, HCMC Pasteur Institute sent health workers to rent family baby is in Thuan An, Binh Duong. Institute collaborated with the Binh Duong Department of Health to investigate the source initially epidemiology, localized and environmental remediation. Also, epidemiological experts came to An Giang to conduct monitoring, epidemiological investigations, sterilizing here for previous baby has the home in An Giang.

By BS. Test, influenza A/H5N1 is a very dangerous disease, with mortality rates higher than 58% should be aware of people using poultry, aquatic birds must be very careful. Special purchase floating unknown origin; made food cooked, boiled drinking, washing hands frequently to prevent disease spread.

Department of Health has also directed the hospital to strengthen surveillance to detect early and treat promptly rescue cases, siege, putting services in time. Also also coordinate with the Department to strengthen veterinary inspection facilities slaughtering poultry.

BS. Tests for other kinds of poultry, although not dead but the rate of serum positive for influenza A/H5N1 remain high.

"No evidence of disease spread from person to person but to prevent, make a list of track in contact with patients and parents the medicine room. The treatment is completely free of H5N1, the labor is eligible for examination BV Children 1 Children 2 BV, and BV HCMC Pasteur Institute for Tropical. "- BS. Nghiem said.

Vietnam: 3 yo Ho Chi Minh City Dies

Deaths due to bird flu in the first year in the South

Wednesday, March 17, 2010, 15:40
(Saigon Times Online) - Children's Hospital has confirmed two girls aged three influenza A/H5N1 infected in the first City area died in two hours this morning, 17-3 at the hospital after patients with respiratory failure interesting serious. Thus, this is the case of death Monday by bird flu since early this year.

Information from the City Health Department for patients NTKM (3 years old, live Thuan An, Binh Duong) Children's Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and two tests positive for influenza A/H5N1 day 10-3.

According to epidemiological investigation, patients M. hospitalized with symptoms of high fever, occasional cough. Baby grandson was five consecutive days of fever, suspected infected dengue but test is not dengue, taking pictures showed pneumonia, respiratory insufficiency. Doctors conducted tests PCR (molecular biology) for the results baby M. positive for influenza A/H5N1.

Investigation and family medical history, family descendants that baby home rental in Thuan An, Binh Duong and around the seller has many chickens live. After nearly a week in hospital, patients remained in a state of respiratory distress, mechanical ventilation and treated with Tamiflu died song by respiratory failure.

Today, 17-3, Pasteur Institute Ho Chi Minh City will appoint a medical delegation to resident baby M. to conduct localized, translated immediately put to fight spread rapidly outside the community.

According to Department of Preventive Health and Environment (Ministry of Health), from the beginning of the year has recorded five cases infected bird flu, including two deaths. Currently, both countries six provinces of Nghe An, Khanh Hoa, Tuyen Quang, Bac Ninh, Ben Tre and Quang Ninh have avian influenza has 21 days.

Today 15-3, a new outbreak occurred in 3000 the son of a chicken Forums households in Mai Dong, Yen Hung district. Number of birds died of the 1420. Poultry not vaccinated on bird flu vaccine. Sub-Department of Animal Health and local authorities have destroyed all poultry in and implementation of preventive measures in accordance with progress.

Cambodia, about 16,000 ducks died of bird flu [title corrected]

Author: PHNOM PENH, Release Date: (2010-03-17)

Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has confirmed that, Takeo province, Gean De County, a farm about 1.6 million [incorrect translation] ducks recently died of H5N1 strain of bird flu.
Cambodia's Secretary for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry of Livestock high-Pago told the press that in the past week, the capital, about 90 kilometers south of Phnom Penh, Takeo Province, Ge Ande County a total of tens of thousands of ducks infected farm, which has killed about 16000 . Relevant institutions sampling test proved that all of these ducks infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu.It has not yet found someone infected.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry has asked the relevant authorities culled all poultry in the infected area and ordered the suspension of infected area within 5 km radius of the poultry trade and transport, in order to control the spread of bird flu. The statement also called attention to the environmental and personal hygiene of poultry breeding areas, once the phenomenon was found dead infected poultry, immediately report to the parties concerned.

"We have once killed chickens for nothing!" S back flu in Danube Delta

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 - 22:58 21 hits





Eugenia Crinschi no longer afraid of surgeons, because it already happened in the 2006 flu
Roxana Glavan, Cristian Dogaru

In Letea, broke the world one village in the Danube Delta, there are few households buried in the sand. In the center of town, locals gathered to advise what to do with birds in the yard. The European Commission announced that influenza and is near Sulina!

The last house standing Eugenia Crisnchi (67 years). He found that influenza is special unearthed after two dead birds last Saturday and were sprinkled throughout the village.

"I heard the slum that they started to die laying in the yard, the farm we have here. We are accustomed to our spring birds die when it happens, bury them here, in the sand ", shows the hand instead.

The yard has 13 chicken fat and beautiful they want to cut them before I take vets. "I'm not afraid to eat them after that died of influenza in the refrigerator," added the locals.

"There was a time we killed influenza and fowl in the cage for nothing", and says Lucian, a native. Antonel Pocora, mayor of CA Rosetti, which belongs Letea, disproves the existence of an outbreak of avian influenza.

"I have no formal act of sickness in the village, is a suspect. They took samples from two farms where they were mortality and veterinarians have already killed 50 chickens, "said the mayor. Tulcea prefect Vasile Gudu, noted that doctors were already installed in the Rosetti - Periprava and Letea will disinfect the village.
"It is excluded combination with the swine flu virus»

Ministry of Health decided that the approximately 350 people living in the area where the emergence of avian influenza was reported to be supervised at all times.
In case of respiratory physicians will virozelor samples. Minister of Health adviser, Prof. Dr. Geza Molnar said that "no one can talk about a combination of flu virus that of swine influenza in the area of Tulcea Letea because this area was not registered any case of infection AH1N1 ".

"There is no danger to the public»

Marian Zlotea, ANSVSA president, says there is no danger to the public after the emergence of this new outbreak of bird flu and has not appeared in one other case Letea of March 13.

"Since March 14, when I finished to apply legal measures has not occurred or a clinical case," said Zlotea. He noted that veterinary measures have been taken in a single household and the authorities will continue to monitor the for 30 days.

"And never one to be footage of tourist here»

"Romanians have learned about the circus, even surprised the approaching tourist season in the Delta and quiet. And never one to be footage of tourist here. He made peace with avian and swine influenza CAP. So finished vaccine and should be done next, "says Virgil Munteanu, president of Delta Tourism Association.

Outbreak of avian influenza occurred in two households, according to the prefect of Tulcea

Last hour

H5N1 avian influenza outbreak occurred in two households in the commune Letea, where he arrived Tuesday morning teams Sanitary Veterinary Directorate and the Directorate of Public Health, said the prefect of Tulcea, Vasile Gudu for reality TV.
"This is about two households with a total of 47 birds were also killed. He did a check across the health of the seven members of two families. They have a good health. It monitors the state these individuals, households are isolated, they carried out the disinfection, "said Basil Gudu.

Frederic Vincent, spokesman for the European Commission, told Realitatea TV that he found a case of avian influenza during the weekend and that veterinary authorities were notified and took the test. "The Romanian authorities must inform the European Commission, which did. Then we take a decision today at 17, to get some measure of security in the region and that's all," explained Vincent

City: Detecting patients suspected influenza A/H5N1 infection

16/03/2010 20:26

(TNO) this afternoon (March 16), City Health Department has confirmed the suspected ca influenza A/H5N1 infection have been detected at Children's Hospital 2 (HCMC).

Female patients, 3 years old, name N.T.K.M. (in Thuan An, Binh Duong Province) Children's Hospital admitted two on March 10 with symptoms of high fever, occasional cough. Test Children's Hospital for two positive results for influenza A/H5N1.

Doctor Phan Van Nghiem, Chief Medical Profession, City Health Department said in tomorrow (17.3), Pasteur Institute and Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City will be the Children's Hospital doctor 2 Assembly standards and test samples of patients NTKM again to assess patients.

In parallel, the Pasteur Institute also sent medical staff to the residence of the patients in the Pacific to determine the source of disease and implement measures to eliminate bacteria, isolated power spread, prevent spread of disease.

There are patients in a state of respiratory distress, mechanical ventilation must be isolated and treated at Children's Hospital Faculty infections 2.
So, along with Hanoi has detected patients infected with influenza A/H5N1 on March 12, then there are currently two major cities of Vietnam is Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have the flu this infection. Up to now, the country has had four patients with influenza A/H5N1. In which a patient died.

To prevent influenza A/H5N1, Department of Preventive Health and Environment advised people to discover the birds sick or dead absolutely not slaughter and use that to immediately notify local authorities handle time; no shipping purchase poultry unknown origin, especially in areas where the bird flu outbreak, ensuring cooked food, drink boiling; wash hands with soap before eating and after going to defend students; have symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath related to avian influenza should immediately nearest medical facility for examination and treatment in time.

Girl aged three critical facilities contaminated by bird flu

Prolonged fever, cough and weight transfer to the state of coma and respiratory failure, patients live in Binh Duong province has been the Children's Hospital doctor 2, HCM diagnosis may have been infected with H5N1.

> Patients first H5N1 deaths in the Hanoi 2010/Mot chicken flu critical
Little observed the computer screen in the Emergency Room of the Department infections. Photo: The Emperor.

"Need to wait PCR test results from the Pasteur Institute on the morning of tomorrow can make sure you confirm, however based on clinical symptoms and test results rapidly, more than 80% chance that your baby was infected with bird flu" , doctor Phan Van Nghiem, Head of Profession of Medicine, HCMC Health Department said.

According to doctors scientific infections, Children's Hospital 2, where direct treatment for patients, the health of your baby is very weak, with your baby to breathe by lung inflammation resulting in severe respiratory distress.

Family or, after several days the treatment of fever, cough hospital in Binh Duong province, but illness is not relieved. 10 / 3, the baby has signs of pneumonia should be transferred to Children's Hospital 2.

Am 16 thirds, calls for diagnostic cases was held in Ho Chi Minh City Health Department with the participation of the HCMC Pasteur Institute, Department of Health Profession's Department of Health, Preventive Medical Center of the city, disease Hospital Hospital for Tropical Hospital Emergency Trung Vuong Hospital Pham Ngoc Thach and Children's Hospital 2.
Nguyen Van Chau, director of the Department of Health requires health authorities in addition to treating health research, should also investigate where the baby lived epidemiology to handle against the spread.

H1N1 virus shows genetic mutation, 'but not a worry'

Mar 16, 2010, 07.32am IST

Tags:Pune|H1N1 virus

PUNE: The swine flu virus isolated from the throat swab samples of three H1N1-infected patients at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) has shown a small genetic mutation in the polymerase 2 (PB2) gene, NIV director A C Mishra told TOI on Monday.

However, Mishra said there was no cause for worry as the virus was still not resistant to oseltamivir, which is an active ingredient in Tamiflu.

It may be noted that a small genetic mutation was earlier detected in the haemagglutinin (HA) region of the virus as well while testing the throat swab samples of two patients who eventually succumbed to the H1N1 infection.

The PB2 mutation has previously been associated with increased efficiency of replication and possible virulence changes in other influenza A viruses. “However, we did not find such increased efficiency of replication or increased virulence in the isolates of the swine flu virus in which we have noticed mutation of the PB2 gene. The mutation is not very significant in that sense,” said Mishra.

Consulting microbiologist and immunologist Siddharth Dalvi said, “The PB gene makes a protein that is responsible for viral replication. Since this enzymic protein is not directly involved in the immune responses, point mutations in this gene may not be of immediate clinical impact. However, it may, in theory, change the way the virus replicates.”

Most RNA viruses (including influenza virus) replicate their genome by using the viral enzyme to make copies from the parent RNA. “This enzyme has a weak proof-reading activity, that is, checking if the right nucleotides have been incorporated in the genome. Hence, over time, point mutations are bound to happen in the genome of these viruses. In fact, we would be surprised if they don’t. The majority of these mutations may not have any significance, either for the virus, or for the host,” said Dalvi.

New suspected case of A/H5N1 in Ho Chi Minh City

Updated : 6:36 PM, 03/16/2010

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health announced a suspected case of bird flu virus on March 16.

The patient, a 3-year-old child from Thuan An district, Binh Duong province, was hospitalised with symptoms of petechial fever, but she then tested positive for the A/H5N1 virus and is now under quarantine for treatment at Nhi Dong hospital, Ho Chi Minh City.

“There are many poultry breeders around the patient’s house,” said her family.

The Hospital for Tropical Diseases and Pasteur Institute have sent medical experts to Nhi Dong hospital for consultation and samples have been taken for medical tests. The final result will be announced on March 17.

The Pasteur Institute will send officials to the patient’s living quarters for inspection and put those who have contact with her in quarantine.

Outbreak of avian influenza discovered in Tulcea

16/03/2010 (Updated 14:01)
An outbreak of avian influenza type H5N1 was discovered on a poultry farm in the village Letea, Tulcea County. This was confirmed by representatives of the European Commission. Outbreak was located in the Danube delta, near the border with Ukraine.



The European Commission will adopt today a decision confirming the risk areas set by Romanian authorities after the outbreak of the outbreak.

Immediately after confirmation of the outbreak, Romanian authorities started to implement the necessary control measures laid down in EU legislation. These include the slaughter of all infected poultry farm, establishing a protection zone within a radius of 3 kilometers and setting up an area of 10 kilometers around the farm, which also was established strong measures to control the movement.

49 dead birds in two farms
Minister of Health adviser, Geza Molnar said reporting on an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a poultry farm in the village Letea that veterinarians have found 49 dead birds in two households and that they made for supervision close to the area.
"So far, nobody in the world has shown that avian influenza is transmitted from person to person," said Geza Molnar, quoted by Mediafax. He added that authorities have recommended people "not to approach the dead birds, wild birds in the area, to not allow the birds in the courtyard to enter the house and children not to play with carrions.

The adviser said that the living area of approximately 300 to 400 people, this being an isolated location. Molnar added that each case of respiratory virus in humans will be investigated and that will be harvested samples for analysis. Public Health Department sent a doctor to ensure permanence in the area

A/H1N1 epidemic on humans likely to recur, says Health Ministry

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huy Nga, head of the Health Ministry's Environment and Preventative Medicine Department has warned that the A/H1N1 epidemic on humans is at high risk of recurence due to the public’s poor awareness of the fatal disease.
Since the beginning of this year, four people have contracted A/H5N1 virus, causing one death. Over the weekend, the Environment and Preventative Medicine Department confirmed 2010’s first A/H5N1 patient in Hanoi.
Vietnam has so far declared 116 A/H1N1 cases in 38 provinces and cities nationwide with 58 deaths since the country detected its first case on December 25, 2003.
Dr Nguyen Huy Nga said that in remote areas, local people still slaughtered and ate meat from sick chickens. “This may cause the further spread of the disease,” he added.
The Environment and Preventative Medicine Department has asked people to strictly observe the measures to prevent another outbreak of the epidemic. The department also stressed the need to tighten control of poultry transport, trading and slaughtering activities. Suspected cases have also been advised to go to the hospital for medical check up and timely treatment.
Speaking at a recent national conference on bird flu prevention and control, Dr. Le Quynh Mai, head of the Virus Department of the National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), raised her concerns of genetic mutation in H1N1 virus. “At least seven antigen groups have appeared in the bird fu virus since it arrived in Vietnam,” she said.
According to experts, the most effective measure to prevent the outbreak of the deadly disease is to promote information dissemination on the disease. However, there is the fact that the public awareness of the epidemic is still relatively low since the first occurrence of the epidemic seven years ago.
Medical experts said that recent research showed rapid changes of A/H5N1 virus that may develop into a new resistant strain, with a higher toxicity level and more resistance to medicine.
Dr. Nguyen Van Kinh, head of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said that Vietnam’s tropical weather condition has created favourable conditions for the two virus trains, A/H1N1 and A/H5N1, to mutate into a new strain.
Pham Gia Lai, Deputy Director of the Thai Binh provincial Heath Department, said some hospitals at district level are unable to correctly diagnose A/h5N1 due to the limited professional skills of doctors and poor medical equipment.
Bui Thi Le Phi, Deputy Director of the Can Tho provincial Heath Department, said that local medical workers also face difficulties in separating A/H1N1 from A/H5N1 patients as they show similar symptoms. “Therefore,” she said, “it is essential to increase capacity for medical workers and consider this as an important measure against the epidemic.”

Avian influenza H5N1 detected in Romania, the first case in the EU in one year

16/03/2010 12:28:00

A poultry farm in Romania has been infected by avian influenza H5N1, the first recorded case in the EU in one year, said Tuesday the European Commission.

The affected farm is located in the town of Letea, near the Ukrainian border.
Preventive measures were taken immediately, as the slaughter of poultry and the establishment of a protection zone with a radius of 3 km around the farm, and a surveillance zone with a radius of 10 km considered "high risk".
The last confirmed case of bird flu had been detected in a wild duck in Germany in March 2009.