Seasonal Flu: Illinois 23 Deaths In One Week

I previously posted on Illinois back on January 9th, here:

January 8, 2013

...In Illinois alone, 147 people have been admitted to intensive care units at hospitals, six of whom have died, Illinois Public Health Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck told CBS Chicago. 

 3 days later, on January 11th, the State Health Dept. posted this:

... The number of flu-related intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalizations so far this year is 368, with 27 flu-related ICU deaths.

On January 18th, the media, has this.  From CBS:

...Illinois Department of Public Health spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said Friday that 476 people have been admitted to hospital intensive care units with the flu this season and 50 have died.

FluView: 2012-2013 Influenza Season Week 2 ending January 12, 2013

[Last weeks statistics will be in brackets in green, for comparison purposes.  This report can be found under Worldwide Update on Influenza Activity, located on the right side-bar of the blog "CDC:  Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report FluView".  ]

 

Synopsis:

During week 2 (January 6-12), influenza activity remained elevated in the United States, but decreased in some areas.

• Viral Surveillance: Of 12,360 [ 12,876 ] specimens tested and reported by collaborating laboratories, 3,638 (29.4%) [ 4,222 (32.8%) ] were positive for influenza.
• Pneumonia and Influenza Mortality: The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was above [ slightly above ]  the epidemic threshold.
• Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths: Nine [ Two ] influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported.
• Influenza-Associated Hospitalizations: A cumulative rate for the season of 18.8 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations per 100,000 population was reported. Among all cases, 49.6% were in adults 65 years and older.
• Outpatient Illness Surveillance: The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) was 4.6% [ 4.3% ]; this is above the national baseline of 2.2%. All 10 regions reported ILI above region-specific baseline levels. Thirty states [ Twenty-four ] and New York City experienced high ILI activity; 10 states experienced moderate activity; 7 states experienced low activity; 3 states experienced minimal activity, and the District of Columbia had insufficient data.

Full Report:  http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

Effectiveness of this season’s influenza vaccine

Virology Blog:
January 18, 2013
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released early estimates of the effectiveness of this season’s influenza vaccine in preventing influenza infection.
Influenza vaccine effectiveness is assessed each year by the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network. Patients with acute respiratory infection (ARI) are enrolled in the study; respiratory samples are taken and the presence of influenza virus is determined by polymerase chain reaction.

Data from 1,155 children and adults with ARI during December 3, 2012–January 2, 2013 were collected at five study sites and used to determine that the estimated vaccine effectiveness is 62% (95% confidence intervals = 51%–71%). This number represents the overall effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine for preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infection associated with acute respiratory infection.

Continued:  http://www.virology.ws/

Flu season worsens, 29 children die

By Maggie Fox Senior Writer, NBC News

updated 13 minutes ago

An already bad flu season is getting worse across the United States, federal health officials said Friday, and it’s hitting the elderly hardest. But 29 children have also died from influenza, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. 

Continued:  http://www.today.com/id/50506640/ns/health-cold_and_flu/#.UPlqlLblX_s

Seasonal Flu: 33 Died in Minnesota Last Week

January 17, 2013
The Minnesota Department of Health released new case numbers Thursday showing that 33 people died from flu-related complications during the week of Jan. 6-12. That brings the state's influenza death toll to 60 so far this flu season. Hospitalizations also remained high with 476 people admitted for influenza care.
 -snip-
With 1,842 people hospitalized for flu so far this season, hospitalizations have already surpassed the total number of flu admissions that occurred during the H1N1 flu pandemic season in 2009.
And there are no signs yet that the flu outbreak is peaking.
-snip-
"The majority of deaths are occurring in individuals who are 80 years of age and older. And the majority, meaning 60 percent or greater, of our hospitalizations are in persons 65 and older," said Ehresmann. "That breakdown really reflects what we would expect to see with typical seasonal influenza." 
-snip-
Full article:  http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/01/17/health/more-deaths-in-minnesota-flu-outbreak

Vietnam: #H5N1 in 7 Households in 5 Communes in Khanh Hoa

17-1, Department of Agriculture Van Ninh district, Khanh Hoa said that the H5N1 avian influenza has appeared on the flock of seven households in five communes in the province. Test results of Khanh Hoa provincial Department of Animal Health said many ducks of disease models households positive for H5N1. Van Ninh District Agriculture Department is currently focused destroyed nearly 15,000 children infected poultry; spraying to prevent the spread of disease, outbreaks. The district also has support for households with poultry destroyed.

http://tinyurl.com/a4h3zq5

Indonesian bird flu outbreak “has only infected ducks”

January 17, 2013
Excerpt:

The Health Ministry’s Aditama said many countries had reported the presence of clade 2.3 and there had been eight known bird flu cases in humans caused by the strain - three in Bangladesh and five in China.

“So far Indonesia has not seen infection from ducks to humans or bird flu cases in humans caused by clade 2.3, but I expect that generally the medium of infection is similar to that of clade 2.1,” he said.

Health officials have advised that control activities in humans had not changed with the new clade, he said.

“Data on antiviral sensitivity is limited from the human cases, but there is no reason to expect a change.”

http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97268/Indonesian-bird-flu-outbreak-has-only-infected-ducks

Egypt: #H5N1 in Poultry Farm in Luxor

January 17, 2013
The Directorate of Veterinary Medicine Governorate Luxor state of emergency after the appearance of the bird flu virus "H5N1" farm Salah Hashem small district describing center Esna Governorate Luxor, which told the Department of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine of death of 2000 birds at once from his ranch's 5,000 bird in 14 January.

Officials of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine notified Supervisor General Development Sector livestock and poultry, and veterinary medicine that preview and debate that took place at the farm infested sinful, which has the participation of agriculture Esna, and Veterinary Medicine, and the Department of Agriculture, and Environmental Affairs, and police bodies, and lab Regional Veterinary province Luxor, The regional lab proved that the sample is positive for H. Fyfe said that "bird flu.

Said Engineer Mahmoud Zoghby agent cultivation Luxor that the committee has to execute all fowl and's 5,000 bird, and buried landfills health, and work precautionary measures even not taken transmission to other farms, or to humans, stressing that the virus does not go to anyone, did not extend to areas other.

For his part, Alhaji Saad al-Jaafari, said the emergence of the virus status and extermination of these birds after the death of 2000 birds at one caused horror births public place for fear of transmission of the virus to their homes or to other farms, or injury one of the sons center of bird flu, adding the committee has shut down farm to complete the cleansing procedures, which are currently in the village vaccinate around the well, which was hit, and the closure of the farm for the completion of cleansing.

http://tinyurl.com/azdorz5

FDA approves new seasonal influenza vaccine made using novel technology

For Immediate Release: Jan. 16, 2013
Media Inquiries: Rita Chappelle, 301-796-4672, rita.chappelle@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA, OCOD@fda.hhs.gov

FDA approves new seasonal influenza vaccine made using novel technology

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it has approved Flublok, the first trivalent influenza vaccine made using an insect virus (baculovirus) expression system and recombinant DNA technology. Flublok is approved for the prevention of seasonal influenza in people 18 through 49 years of age.
Unlike current flu vaccines, Flublok does not use the influenza virus or eggs in its production. Flublok’s novel manufacturing technology allows for production of large quantities of the influenza virus protein, hemagglutinin (HA) – the active ingredient in all inactivated influenza vaccines that is essential for entry of the virus into cells in the body. The majority of antibodies that prevent influenza virus infection are directed against HA. While the technology is new to flu vaccine production, it is used to make vaccines that have been approved by the FDA to prevent other infectious diseases.
“This approval represents a technological advance in the manufacturing of an influenza vaccine,” said Karen Midthun, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “The new technology offers the potential for faster start-up of the vaccine manufacturing process in the event of a pandemic, because it is not dependent on an egg supply or on availability of the influenza virus.”
Each year, the FDA, World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health experts collaborate on the review of influenza disease surveillance and laboratory data collected from around the world in an effort to identify strains that may cause the most illness in the upcoming season. Based on that information and on the recommendations of the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, the FDA selects the different influenza strains each year that manufacturers should include in their vaccines for the U.S. population for the upcoming influenza season. The closer the match between the circulating strains causing disease and the strains in the vaccine, the better the protection against influenza.
Flublok contains three, full-length, recombinant HA proteins to help protect against two influenza virus A strains, H1N1 and H3N2, and one influenza virus B strain.
As it does with all influenza vaccines, the FDA will evaluate Flublok annually prior to use by the public each flu season. The recombinant HA proteins produced in the baculovirus expression system and included in Flublok will be assessed by the FDA.
The effectiveness of Flublok was evaluated in a study conducted at various sites in the United States that compared the use of Flublok in about 2,300 people to a placebo that was given to a control group of similar size. Flublok was about 44.6 percent effective against all circulating influenza strains, not just the strains that matched the strains included in the vaccine.
Flublok’s safety evaluation was conducted in a study of about 2,500 people who were vaccinated with Flublok. The most commonly reported adverse events included pain at the site of injection, headache, fatigue and muscle aches, events also typical for conventional egg-based, inactivated influenza vaccines.
Flublok has a shelf life of 16 weeks from the date of manufacture. Health care providers should check the expiration date before administering Flublok.
Flublok is manufactured by Protein Sciences Corp, of Meriden, Conn.
For more information:

• Flu.gov: consumer site for flu information
• FDA: Influenza Vaccine Safety & Availability
• CDC: Seasonal Influenza – Who should get vaccinated against influenza (Flu)
• Flu Vaccine Finder: http://flushot.healthmap.org

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm335891.htm

Seasonal Flu: Pennsylvania - Flu cases rise with 40 confirmed deaths in State

January 15, 2013

Laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza increased by more than 5,000 in Pennsylvania and an additional 18 people died of flu-related complications in the past week, the state Department of Health reported Tuesday.
The updated reports, for the week that ended Saturday, bring the totals to 40 deaths and 16,511 confirmed flu cases for the season.
-snip-
"For many flu victims, staying at home, drinking fluids and taking acetaminophen is all that they need," said Ralph J. Riviello, president of the emergency physicians group. "But there will be exceptions, and those people should seek immediate assistance."
Those exceptions include people who experience signs of pneumonia, low oxygen levels or severe dehydration.
"An adult with difficulty breathing, chest or abdomen pain, dizziness, confusion or severe vomiting needs to head to the emergency room," Riviello said in the statement.
In addition, children should be taken to a doctor if they have those symptoms, or develop bluish skin, a rash with a fever or if they are not waking up or interacting, the groups said. Also, if flu symptoms appear to be improving, but then return with a fever and a cough worse than before, a person should seek treatment at an emergency department, they said.
-snip-
Full article:  http://articles.mcall.com/2013-01-15/health/mc-pennsylvania-flu-outbreak-20130115_1_flu-cases-flu-deaths-influenza

Seasonal Flu: New Hampshire flu death toll rises to 16

January 15, 2013 10:16 AM
CONCORD — The number of flu-related deaths in New Hampshire has risen to 16 adults, a state health official said Tuesday.
-snip- 

The state saw a total of 19 deaths reported in 2012.

So far this season there have been 40 institutional outbreaks; the majority occurring at nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The N.H. Public Health Laboratories has so far tested 408 specimens and 238 were positive for influenza
-snip-

Individuals younger than 12 will now be restricted from all areas of the hospital, unless they are being treated as a patient, according to Notis. The only exception are healthy siblings of newborns in the maternal child health unit.

Anyone with respiratory or flu-like illness is also asked to refrain from visiting patients at the hospital, she said.

-snip-

Full article:  http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20130115-NEWS-130119842

 

NanoViricides moves ahead with anti-flu drug program shown to be superior to Tamiflu

[NanoViricides, Inc. is a nano-biopharmaceutical company whose business goals are to discover, develop and commercialize therapeutics (nanoviricides™) to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening viral infections.]

January 17, 2013

NanoViricides (OTCBB:NNVC) provided Tuesday an update to its flu program, and said that both its oral anti-flu and related injectable drug have now shown "significantly superior" results to Tamiflu against an H1N1 strain of the flu that is the same type as the 2009 epidemic virus.

The previously reported animal study results were reiterated as the company also announced that a "highly optimized" floor plan for its cGMP production facility for its nanoviricide drugs has now been completed by its design team. The company’s cGMP (current good manufacturing practice) facility is being designed to produce sufficient quantities of the drugs needed for human clinical trials that will test various nanoviricide drug candidates as they advance into the FDA process further.

Continued: http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/38336/nanoviricides-moves-ahead-with-anti-flu-drug-program-shown-to-be-superior-to-tamiflu-38336.html

Nepal: Bird flu confirmed in four poultry farms in Kaski

POKHARA, Jan 16: The government has confirmed bird flu in four poultry farms in Kaski that had recently reported sudden chicken deaths.

Dr Bansi Sharma, chief of Regional Livestock Service Directorate, Pokhara told Republica that lab tests of sample conducted in Pokhara, Kathmandu and the United Kingdom confirmed that the chicken had died of avian influenza.

“Our technicians culled 2,000 chickens and destroyed feed kept at the four farms to prevent the disease from spreading. They also sprayed chemicals in the affected farms,” he added.

The directorate had deployed six teams of technicians in the affected areas.

http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=48392

Canada, U.S. agree on animal-disease measures to protect trade

01/16/2013
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Canada and the United States have agreed to maintain livestock and meat trade during animal disease outbreaks using a new system that targets trade bans more precisely by region, Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said on Wednesday.
In 2003, the United States and many other countries halted beef imports from Canada after the discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, on a Western Canada farm. The trade bans caused prices for Canadian cattle to collapse, resulting in severe financial losses for ranchers.
Under the new system, which won't take effect until after consultation with industry groups and details are worked out, each country would only restrict trade within designated disease-control zones where the animal disease breaks out. If it had been in place in 2003, the U.S. would likely only have restricted imports of beef from Western Canada, not the entire country, Ritz said at a press conference in Winnipeg.
"The new agreement will help prevent or limit the introduction of highly contagious foreign animal diseases from one country to the other," he said. "At the same time, this agreement will help avoid unnecessary trade disruptions.

Continued:  http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/Canada-US-agree-on-animal-disease-measures-to-protect-trade-187136241.html

AVIAN INFLUENZA (04): USA (NEW YORK) H5 LPAI, POULTRY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR N-TYPE

ProMED-mail:
Published Date: 2013-01-15 12:42:37
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (04): USA (NY) H5 LPAI, poultry, RFI for N-type
Archive Number: 20130115.1498109

I received additional information that may be of interest to your readers after sending the diagnostic information. The text below incorporates the diagnostic information sent in a previous e-mail.

On behalf of Veterinary Services, APHIS, US Department of Agriculture, I'd like to provide the following additional information on the 12 Jan 2013 posting "Avian influenza (03): USA (NY), H5N1 LPAI, poultry, RFI":

A Muscovy duck from a Brooklyn, NY, Live Bird Market tested positive by rRT-PCR specific for the hemagglutinin H5 gene and negative for the neuraminidase N1 gene of avian influenza virus.

Virus isolation is pending and we do not have an N-type at this time.
The amino acid sequencing at the hemagglutinin protein cleavage site is compatible with North American low pathogenic avian influenza.

The market underwent an immediate sell down, closure, and cleaning and disinfection (C&D). The C&D was completed on 11 Jan 2013.

Tracing and testing of the source flocks is underway.
--
Randall L Levings, DVM PhD
Scientific Advisor
Emergency Management and Diagnostics
VS, APHIS, USDA
USA

<Randall.L.Levings@aphis.usda.gov>

[We appreciate Dr Levings sharing with us a larger and more accurate accounting of the situation in the New York live bird market. We will be anxiously waiting for the N-type.

New York may be found on the interactive HealthMap/ProMED-mail map at http://healthmap.org/r/1nEs. - Mod.TG]

http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20130115.1498109

Habib Nabiel: Completion of Avian Influenza in Indonesia Not Optimal

Jakarta (15/1), handling cases of bird flu in Indonesia seems to have not met the expected results, which the WHO puts Indonesia as the country with the highest bird flu death toll in the world, but the government looks not working optimally.

The government through the minister of health has to work extra in dealing with these problems, "says Hb. Nabiel Al-Musawa, Member Working Committee (Panja) Bill Livestock & Animal Health Commission IV PKS, in Jakarta, Tuesday (01/15/2013).

Based on data from the Central Veterinary until the end of 2012 cases of bird flu have occurred in 10 provinces. Beginning in January 2013 this new variant of bird flu virus has been found in three regencies in Bali, so entirely into 11 provinces. Total from October 2012 to January 6, 2013, had caused the death of 160,904 ducks.

Challenges ahead in controlling bird flu (avian influenza) are increasingly complex and difficult because not only secure the national duck population totaled 46,969,522 tail by livestock statistics 2012, but also trying to keep the virus does not mutate to a human attack.

We urge the government is more serious, the government should be more coordinated measures across sectors, both central and local'' he said. Hb. Nabiel confirmed, it is very questioned the seriousness of the central and local governments cope with bird flu. Though this epidemic has become a serious threat as more and more victims of both human and avian.

In addition to the nine-step program which was launched in tackling the spread of bird flu virus, which include: biosecurity, depopulation and vaccination, the Government should also standardize the procedures for checking against any poultry and citizens who enter the territory of Indonesia with adequate quarantine facilities.

Local governments should also provide a clear flow of information about the early prevention methods, such as by attaching various announcements in offices, village or stay at home, until the call to come to the nearest medical facility.

The mass media do not just report the latest developments occurrence of cases of bird flu, but also broadcast other government policies and efforts to educate the public against the spread of bird flu virus.

Last to prevent panic, the government should clarify its policy direction and the efforts that have been made, including the call for cooperation in border areas (border control) "closed Hb. Nabiel.

http://www.pkspiyungan.org/2013/01/habib-nabiel-penyelesaian-flu-burung-di.html

Korea warns possible outbreaks of avian influenza in the spring

1/15/13
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Food on Tuesday (15/1) to know, the more likely avian influenza can re broke out in Korea in the spring of this year. According to test migratory birds birds such as chickens, ducks, poultry exposure were found 4 times compared to the same time last year. inspect poultry farms and markets traditional authorities recorded 47 case carriers translated as "exposed" last year, an increase of nearly 12 times higher than in 2011. however, does not detect the avian influenza virus is highly contagious and lethal to 75% faster. Yet However, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Food, warned by the migratory birds visit the country in March and April comes from Indonesia and Australia, where outbreaks of avian influenza infection in October and December 11 last year. To prevent and control the spread of avian flu, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Food announced it will operate the alarm system, enhancing communication and raising awareness of health disinfection for both poultry and humans. Upon the measures to control avian influenza in May 2011, Korea so far has not found any cases.

http://world.kbs.co.kr/vietnamese/news/news_Ec_detail.htm?No=21999 

Russian Defense Ministry: 5 Soldiers Die from Pneumonia in 14 days

[This is an arabic translation]
Minister Sergei Shoigu, Tuesday, sacked head of medical services to the army, after the death of five soldiers due to pneumonia. said the Russian Defense Ministry said Defense Minister relieved Colonel Vyacheslav Novikov, from his post as head of the Department of Military Medicine proxy, because "the slow pace department's work in the whole number of trends, including the development of a system of medical services and maintaining the health of the armed forces. and become known that five soldiers died of viral pneumonia in the period since the end of December 2012, up to 14 January 2013, said a spokesman for the Department Military Medicine Russian Defense Ministry Alexander Klimov today that virus glands may be caused their death. declared the military prosecutor to open a criminal investigation into the death of 4 soldiers due to pneumonia outskirts of Moscow, and If the inquiry that they were victims of neglect and inaction supervisors Health soldiers could face officials a prison sentence of up to 7 years.

http://www.ammonnews.net/article.aspx?articleNO=142223

Egypt: Luxor Declaration of emergency 'health' after the emergence of #Birdflu #H5N1

January 15, 2013

Dr. Ezzat Saad, Governor of Luxor, Tuesday, emergency workers sectors health and veterinary governorate after the emergence of the epicenter of the birds infected with bird flu center Esna.

The governor ordered the formation of a committee headed by Maj. Gen. Alaa Heras, general secretary of the province, to follow up the necessary precautionary measures.

The campaign, headed by Dr. Mahmoud Nubian, Director General of Veterinary Medicine, to pass on poultry farming center Esna, and in the vicinity of the farm, which discovered the epicenter of bird flu, to make sure they are free of the disease.

The veterinary services discovered a hotbed of birds infected with bird flu in a poultry farm in the village of «Osvon» Our punishment south of the province, where thousands of chickens were culled on the farm, and subjecting employees to monitor health, fear of contracting the disease.

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/node/1388786 

Egypt: Execution 7 thousand birds in Luxor after showing bird flu patients amid discreetly officials

15-1-2013

Luxor Governorate Monday evening emergence of new cases among birds sick bird flu, resulting in the execution of 7 thousand birds Esna center south of Luxor after illness amid severe discreetly by officials.  Department of Veterinary Medicine, headed by Dr. Mahmoud Nubian Undersecretary has yesterday evening, accompanied by a team from the Department of Agriculture and the City Council of Esna and the strength of the security to go to the farm birds in the village Asfon Almtaana in Esna South Luxor and owned invited Salah Hashem small after he Baltbulg the existence of cases of bird flu at his ranch, and was immediately sampling birds have been analyzed and the positive samples came were working cordon around the area, and the execution of 7 thousand birds.

http://gate.ahram.org.eg/News/295561.aspx