Nepal: Morang High Alert for #birdflu #H5N1

BIRATNAGAR, March 16: A high alert has been adopted in Morang against bird flu hazard, owing to an outbreak of avian influenza (H5N1) in Indian border district, Purniya of Bihar.

According to the regional livestock quarantine office Biratnagar, import of poultry and poultry products, feeds and vaccine from India has been banned in the district, bearing in mind the possibility of bird flu outbreak. The bird flu virus was detected in chickens at a Madhuwani-based poultry farm at Lankatole few days back.

Security bodies in Morang and Sunsari, local administrations, customs offices, traders and livestock quarantine offices have been alerted on the possibility of bird flu outbreak in the districts. Surveillance at border areas has been increased to check the illegal import of fowls and fowl-related products, office chief Dr Ram Sharan Saha

http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=51649

U.S. researchers find way to defeat antibiotic-resistant bacteria

2013-03-16

HOUSTON, March 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. researchers have "cured" a strain of bacteria of its ability to resist an antibiotic, in a development that has promising implications for a long-standing public health threat, a medical newspaper reported Friday.

Researchers from Rice University in Houston managed to prevent the Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria from resisting the antibiotic medication tetracycline by limiting the bacteria's access to food and oxygen, according to the online edition of Texas Medical Center News.

Pedro Alvarez, chair of the civil and environmental engineering department at Rice University, observed the starving bacteria across 120 generations, and found that in every case the starving bacteria chose to conserve energy rather than use its energy to pass on plasmid -- the small genetic element responsible for drug resistance.
-snip-
Continued:  http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-03/16/c_132237976.htm

China: Authorities dismiss swine epidemic, more dead pigs surface

2013-03-16


HANGZHOU, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Shanghai and east China's Zhejiang Province reassured the public on Friday that no swine epidemic has been detected after more dead pigs were fished out of local rivers.
The municipal government of Jiaxing said another 3,601 dead pigs have been retrieved from rivers and roadsides around the city.
-snip-
Continued:  http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-03/16/c_132238115.htm

Kuwait: «Education» team of social workers to rehabilitate colleagues deceased student Nora psychologically ..

03/17/2013
Informed sources revealed the Ministry of Education for "today's world" that the ministry has given instructions to the Farwaniya educational formation dedicated team of social workers to do rehabilitation and psychological follow-up colleagues requesting "Nora" deceased to see تاثرهن incident that occurred and also control their level and attainment of scientific and attendance attendance daily.

 In a related context The sources revealed the determination of the ministry develop management of crises educational specializes in dealing with emergencies that occur in school as they arise, such as disabling the study because of the spread of disease swine flu or bird or any other disasters may occur, such as receiving school for any hoax and a bomb or fire which requires Exit students or students outside the walls of the school or the like and also solve the problem of lack of students repeated before and after the holidays and public holidays for state and others. On the other hand sources revealed that the ministry is currently studying the possibility of launching name requesting deceased "Nora" on one of the nation's schools to perpetuate her name because she died within a school classes the ministry and its fulfillment.

http://www.alamalyawm.com/ArticleDetail.aspx?artid=252953

Jordan: Girl Died, Older Sister & Brother in ICU, Undiagnosed

 03/16/2013

Translation from Arabic

Special ... Soualev girl died "agents. p" town Algosfah in Irbid Governorate result of being struck with a sudden rise in temperature on Thursday night where the child introduced to Yarmouk Hospital and then transferred to Princess Rahma Hospital in Irbid, but it soon died As introduced her older sister and younger brother to intensive care for diagnosed with the same symptoms as not identify the cause of death and injury is suspected to be the reason the bird flu that family kept birds in her home in the town of Algosfah Tmakhz blood samples from deceased and injured were sent samples to Amman for examination and even moment did not get the test result people in the town fear of sending their children tomorrow to school for fear of transmission to their children In a telephone conversation with Dr. Ahmed Mikdadi Director of Education built Kenana told us that education will take the necessary precautions tomorrow at school and will be present in the queue morning to inquire and conduct necessary medical survey in collaboration with the District Health Directorate Bani Kinana and light it will take appropriate action with the results of the tests P. P

http://www.sawaleif.com/mob/Details.aspx?DetailsId=59833

Coronavirus victim's widow tells of grief as scientists scramble for treatment

March 15, 2013
Mark Smith and Ian Sample

The widow of the first person to die of a deadly new Sars-like virus in the UK has told the Guardian of the tragic circumstances of his death.

Azima Hussain, 33, giving her first interview, spoke of the devastation inflicted on her family by the coronavirus that killed her husband, Khalid, last month.

She said her father-in-law, Abid – who was the unwitting bearer of the disease – is still unconscious in hospital and unaware of the death of his son. He fell ill from the virus after a trip to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to pray for the health of Khalid, who had brain cancer.


Continued:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/mar/15/coronavirus-victim-widow-scientists-treatment

Coronavirus: is this the next pandemic?

Friday 15 March 2013 16.06 EDT

Last September a doctor in a Saudi hospital was fired for reporting a new, deadly strain of the coronavirus. Now, with half of all confirmed cases ending in death, the World Health Organisation has issued a global alert and scientists are preparing for the worst.

Continued: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/mar/15/coronavirus-next-global-pandemic

CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases: Full-Genome Deep Sequencing and Phylogenetic Analysis of Novel Human Betacoronavirus

Volume 19, Number 5—May 2013 

 

Matthew Cotten, Tommy T. Lam, Simon J. Watson, Anne L. Palser, Velislava Petrova, Paul Grant, Oliver G. Pybus, Andrew Rambaut, Yi Guan, Deenan Pillay, Paul KellamComments to Author , and Eleni Author affiliations: Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK (M. Cotten, S.J. Watson, A.L. Palser, V. Petrova, P. Kellam); University of Oxford, Oxford, UK (T.T. Lam, O.G. Pybus); University College London, London, UK (D. Pillay, P. Kellam); University College London Hospitals,; London (P.Grant, E. Nastouli); University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK (A. Rambaut); Fogarty International Center–National Institutes for Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA (A. Rambaut); The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (Y. Guan)

Abstract

A novel betacoronavirus associated with lethal respiratory and renal complications was recently identified in patients from several countries in the Middle East. We report the deep genome sequencing of the virus directly from a patient’s sputum sample. Our high-throughput sequencing yielded a substantial depth of genome sequence assembly and showed the minority viral variants in the specimen. Detailed phylogenetic analysis of the virus genome (England/Qatar/2012) revealed its close relationship to European bat coronaviruses circulating among the bat species of the Vespertilionidae family. Molecular clock analysis showed that the 2 human infections of this betacoronavirus in June 2012 (EMC/2012) and September 2012 (England/Qatar/2012) share a common virus ancestor most likely considerably before early 2012, suggesting the human diversity is the result of multiple zoonotic events.

Continued...

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/19/5/13-0057_article.htm 

Predicting hotspots for future flu outbreaks

Public release date: 14-Mar-2013
This year's unusually long and rocky flu season would be nothing compared to the pandemic that could occur if bird flu became highly contagious among humans, which is why UCLA researchers and their colleagues are creating new ways to predict where an outbreak could emerge.

"Using surveillance of influenza cases in humans and birds, we've come up with a technique to predict sites where these viruses could mix and generate a future pandemic," said lead author Trevon Fuller, a UCLA postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability's Center for Tropical Research.

The researchers' models revealed that coastal and central China and Egypt's Nile Delta are danger zones where bird flu could combine with human flu to create a virulent kind of super-flu. Governments can prioritize these zones — and use the researchers' models to identify other hotspots — for increased monitoring of flu in humans, livestock, poultry and wild birds. That could help detect a novel flu virus before it spreads worldwide, the researchers said.
The research paper, "Predicting Hotspots for Influenza Virus Reassortment," was published March 13 in the peer-reviewed public health journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Continued:  http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/uoc--phf031413.php

Infectious diseases kill 864 in China in Feb.

 [I think there is some "funny math" going on here.....so how many were Class A Infectious diseases?..of which H5N1 is one.]
BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- A total of 360,240 cases of infectious diseases were reported on the Chinese mainland last month, resulting in 864 deaths, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement on Wednesday.
Of the total, 240,374 cases were identified as Class B infectious diseases by the MOH, 853 of which were fatal, the ministry said.
Class B infectious diseases include AIDS, tuberculosis and dysentery.
Hepatitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, dysentery and gonorrhea were the top five deadliest diseases in the Class B category, contributing to 95 percent of deaths.

Category C infectious diseases claimed 11 lives and accounted for the remaining cases, with infectious diarrhea, foot-and-mouth disease and mumps reported the most frequently, according to the statement.

The ministry noted that a 21-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man in southwest China's Guizhou Province died from avian influenza H5N1.
The two cases were not epidemiologically connected, according to the statement.
The human-transmissible form of avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is an acute infectious disease in the respiratory system, mainly caused by the deadly H5N1 virus subtype. Major symptoms include high fever and pneumonia.
Human cases of bird flu are usually caused by transmission from poultry to humans.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-03/13/c_132230946.htm

Jordan confirms 4th fatality of H1N1 influenza this year

[I previously posted an article on this, translated from arabic, here.  This verifies my assumption]


AMMAN, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Jordanian health authorities announced Thursday the death of a 27-year-old pregnant woman suffering from H1N1 influenza, which increased the death toll of the disease in the country to four since the beginning of this year, the state-run Petra news agency reported.
The fourth fatality was reported in Princess Basma Hospital in Irbid, the hospital's director, Akram Khasawneh said.

Continued:  http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2013-03/15/c_132234569.htm

China: Vigilance grows as dead pigs in river reach 7,545

3/15/13
THE number of dead pigs retrieved from the Huangpu River in Shanghai increased to 7,545 after another 944 carcasses were retrieved by 3pm yesterday, officials said.
Spokesman Xu Wei said the city government is stepping up monitoring of water quality.
The government also is strictly supervising the biological treatment of the dead pigs and monitoring pork quality at local markets.

Continued:  http://english.eastday.com/e/130315/u1a7259302.html

Nanning Railway Bureau strict precautions against the novel #coronavirus was introduced to China from abroad

March 15, 2013
Translation
[Summary]   international a novel coronavirus epidemic, Nanning Railway Bureau to strengthen health security checks to prevent offshore novel coronavirus route through the railway was introduced to China more international passenger train and Pingxiang railway crossings station. According to AQSIQ, as of November 30, 2012, the global total of confirmed human cases of novel coronavirus infection in 9 cases, 5 deaths, the fatality rate was 55.6%, grim ports novel coronavirus epidemic prevention and control work.

Full article:  http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hqgj/jryw/2013-03-15/content_8511160.html

WHO: March H5N1 Update

from Mike Coston and Avian Flu Diary:

http://afludiary.blogspot.com/2013/03/who-march-h5n1-update.html

Qatar: Testing for coronavirus now available at HMC

March 13, 2013
Excerpt:
By Noimot Olayiwola/Staff Reporter

The Hamad Medical Corporation’s Virology Laboratory is now fully equipped to test for novel coronavirus and any other suspected cases related to acute respiratory distress syndrome, two senior officials at the Supreme Council of Health yesterday said.
-snip-
“Unfortunately, more new cases might need to appear for us to be able to understand the virus…in the meantime, we have provided all needed kits to healthcare facilities here and a guideline they should follow unless there is a new regulation from the WHO,” Dr al-Hajri stated.

He explained that an interim surveillance recommendations for human infection with novel coronavirus include a person with acute respiratory infection, who may also have fever (above 38 degrees C) and cough as well as pneumonia, or has travelled from the Arabia Peninsula and or neighbouring countries within last 10 days.

Countries considered in the Arabian Peninsula and neighbourhood include Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
The official added that any case that fits into the patient under investigation definition should be managed with respiratory precautions and immediately notified to the SCH’s HP and CDC section on hotline numbers 66740948 or 66740951 or fax – 44070812.

http://www.gulf-times.com/qatar/178/details/345437/testing-for-coronavirus-now-available-at-hmc

India: Ranchi 'Hospitals ready to tackle bird flu cases'

By Ammi Kumari, TNN | Mar 15, 2013, 03.08 AM IST


RANCHI: The city hospitals said there was no bird flu scare and asked people not to panic after reports of birds dying mysteriously in Khunti district surfaced recently.

While allaying fears, hospital authorities said they were well prepared to handle an emergency situation.

Tulsi Mahto, director, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), appealed to people not to react to rumours of bird flu in the city. "People will be provided treatment (if there is an outbreak) and we are making all arrangements here at RIMS. We have an isolation ward for such patients here as those suffering from bird flu need to be isolated from others and have to be treated separately with proper care. Even those who suspect should come to the hospital and get themselves checked," said Mahto.

Continued:  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Hospitals-ready-to-tackle-bird-flu-cases/articleshow/18980122.cms 

China: Sick, dead pigs go to market: 46 jailed

2013-3-15

 A court in East China's Zhejiang Province Wednesday sentenced 46 people for processing and selling some 1,000 sick or dead pigs in a separate controversy swirling around China's porcine industry after more than 7,500 swine carcasses were pulled from Shanghai's Huangpu River over the last week.
-snip-
Both Zhang and Chen were convicted of producing and selling unsafe food. The pork they sold was found to contain proteus mirabilis, a virus that can cause severe food poisoning.
-snip-
The verdict coincides with the thousands of dead pigs found in Shanghai's Huangpu River, which shocked the city's residents and raised fears of contaminated water supplies which officials said have not been affected. Another 944 dead pigs were recovered on Thursday, according to Xinmin Evening News.

Full article:  http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/768307.shtml#.UUIMBxnlX_s

China: Huangpu River - Government Does Not Regulate The Pig Industry Well

3/14/13
In this post, by Reuters, a farmer in Jiaxing has said that 30% of his pigs have died since January 2013.  Also, the articles says that dumping pigs in the river is not unheard of.

Link:  http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Dead_pigs_in_China_river_spotlight_heedless_industry.html?cid=35228148

Jiaxing pig farm dumped carcasses into Huangpu River

3/14/13
Excerpt:

A pig farm in Zhejiang's Jiaxing City yesterday confessed to dumping dead pigs into the Huangpu River, Xinhua news agency reported without naming the farm or giving any specific number of dead pigs it had dumped into the water.
The admission came after a preliminary investigation traced the birthplace of some of the dead pigs found floating in a section of the Huangpu River between Shanghai and Jiaxing, the Jiaxing government said.
Shanghai has provided 14 ear tags collected from the dead pigs, and Jiaxing is still investigating 13 of these tags, Xinhua said.
According to the Jiaxing government, a total of 70,000 pigs died due to crude raising techniques and extreme weather at the beginning of the year. All the collected corpses were disposed of safely, and no mass swine epidemic had broken out in the region so far.

2nd Article:
3/14/13
Officers from the Shanghai business administration check pork samples at a wet market in Jinshan District yesterday as part of efforts to ensure food quality after thousands of dead pigs were found floating on the Huangpu River. A pig farm in Jiaxing, a city in Shanghai's neighboring province of Zhejiang, admitted dumping dead pigs into the river after Jiaxing authorities checked one of the 14 ear marks found on the carcasses retrieved in Shanghai. Authorities in central China's Hubei Province are also investigating after 50 dead pigs washed up in a tributary of the Yangtze River.

Jordan: death of a woman and her unborn child from bird flu in Irbid

[most likely H1N1]
March 14, 2013

Irbid - Petra - The director of Princess Basma Hospital in Irbid, Dr. Akram Khasawneh and the death of a woman and her unborn child because of bird flu.
Khasawneh said in a statement to Jordan News Agency (Petra) said Thursday that Ms. (27 years) has introduced intensive care after being transferred from the Women's Hospital exquisite difficult condition and on a respirator, adding that he was isolating the patient and provide the necessary care.
He denied the existence of any case of the disease in the hospital, calling get sick to see a doctor and receive treatment required by deepening and the difficulty of escaping from it.
It is said that Princess Basma Hospital witnessed three months before the case of the death of a young bird flu.

Original:
اربد - بترا - أكد مدير مستشفى الاميرة بسمة في اربد الدكتور أكرم خصاونة وفاة سيدة وجنينها بسب مرض انفلونزا الطيور.
وقال خصاونة في تصريح لوكالة الانباء الاردنية (بترا) اليوم الخميس ان السيدة (27 عاما) ادخلت للعناية الحثيثة بعد نقلها من مستشفى بديعة النسائي بحالة صعبة وعلى جهاز التنفس، مشيرا الى انه تم عزل المريضة وتقديم العناية اللازمة .
ونفى وجود اي حالة بهذا المرض في المستشفى، داعيا من يصاب بالمرض الى مراجعة الطبيب وتلقي العلاج المطلوب قبل استفحاله وصعوبة نجاته منه .
يشار الى ان مستشفى الاميرة بسمة شهد قبل ثلاثة شهور حالة وفاة لشاب بمرض انفلونزا الطيور .

http://www.alrai.com/article/573851.html