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Not Bird Flu But Close June 3...

by: Bronco Bill

Sun Jun 03, 2007 at 14:11:15 PM EDT


( - promoted by DemFromCT)

Looks like we might be getting into Dengue/Chik season again.  Post your news stories that don't seem to be H5N1 news, but might be notable or possibly related.

Previous Diary here

Things like Chikungunya, Dengue, overcrowded hospitals.  Lot's of other stories that might obscure H5N1 diagnoses, or stories that point out difficulties in dealing with H5N1 could go here too.
Bronco Bill :: Not Bird Flu But Close June 3...
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Not Bird Flu But Close June 3... | 88 comments
Colorado Springs woman killed by TB

I was looking for the story from this weekend where I read that a woman was taken to the hospital Friday morning and was quarantined. She died that afternoon. I found this as the follow up. Certainly could not be related to Andrew Speaker with EDRTB who was brought here to Denver. Colorado Springs is 60 miles south. The disturbing part about this is the speculated term of infectiousness.

Colorado Springs woman killed by TB
By Alan Gathright and Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News
June 11, 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS — Health officials confirmed this afternoon that tuberculosis killed a 19-year-old international student and said she may have been infectious since February.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5580655,00.html

Vaccine in food
This might go under the just plain weird heading but it is food for thought (sorry for the pun).

http://news.yahoo.co...

Rice engineered to carry cholera vaccine By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID, AP Science Writer
Mon Jun 11, 7:15 PM ET

A team of Japanese researchers has developed a type of rice that can carry a vaccine for cholera, a step that could one day ease delivery of vaccines in developing countries.

While it's only the latest of several plants being tested as potential means of producing vaccines, the development is potentially important in medically underserved countries that lack refrigeration to store regular vaccines.

But the work is preliminary, having been tested only in mice.

The team, led by Hiroshi Kiyono of the division of mucosal immunology at the University of Tokyo, reports the development of the new vaccine in Tuesday's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A major advantage of this approach, they said, it that it causes immune reactions both systemwide in the body and in mucosal tissues such as in the mouth, nose and genital tract.

Standard vaccines delivered by needle do not spur immune responses in the mucosal areas.

That means the new vaccine could have an advantage against pathogens that typically infect these membranes, such as cholera, E. coli, human immunodeficiency virus, influenza virus and the SARS virus.

Attempts to alter plants to produce proteins that induce an immune reaction to various diseases have been under way for years, but none has reached the state where it could be used in humans.

(remainder of article is at link)

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

Hep. B vax in bananas
from 2000, article with diagram explaining the recombinant DNA process.

http://www.mhhe.com/...

Looks like they're still working on it. (May, 2007)

... Researchers so far have successfully engineered several plants - including banana, potato, lettuce, carrot, and tobacco - to produce HBV vaccines...
But the banana is the best candidate.

http://www.netscape....

It is weird!

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

[ Parent ]
(Former Soviet) Georgia: pig disease
A highly contagious pig disease from Africa, now in Georgia, is spreading to southwest Asia. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization is concerned about the spreading of this disease. "This is a dramatic development in the international distribution of African swine fever, which has been almost entirely confined to sub-Saharan Africa since 1990," said Jan Slingenbergh, FAO's senior animal health officer.  In a statement released Friday at its headquarters in Rome, the FAO said the disease could affect Georgia's neighboring countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia.  According to the U.N. agency, African swine fever does not affect humans but has serious socioeconomic consequences for rural livelihoods, and there is no vaccine against the disease; stamping it out is the only remedy...

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...


"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

India: Mystery disease among cattle
More than 150-odd cattle have succumbed to a mysterious disease at Dimirikuda and under Deogarh district. The deaths have created a panic among farmers, as 200 more cattle are suffering from the same symptoms. "At 1st a swelling appears on the animal's neck. That is followed by profuse flow of saliva. It takes 24 hours for an affected animal to die...

"We have advised farmers to bury the dead animals in deep pits. But, most are not heeding our order and that could possibly escalate the situation," stressed the Deogarh CDVO, S.K. Dash. As precaution, vaccination is going on in full swing....

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

Vaccination against ?

Similar disease occurred one year ago, almost exactly.  Could be a toxic plant or something parasitic or infectious.
http://www.promedmai...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

So. Dakota: tularemia among cats
It's a dangerous disease that can spread to humans. And it's turned up in a dead cat in Sioux Falls. Several dead cats have prompted calls to Animal Control in the last two weeks. Five cats were found dead at Cactus Hills Mobile Home Park in Sioux Falls in a matter of ten days. One of the cats tested positive for a disease called tularemia, a bacterial disease similar to lyme disease...

Can be lethal to humans.  Spread by ticks or other insects or infected animal, either dead or alive.

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

Mysterious Fever - India
Comment:  Please see the map link I have provided at the bottom.  This area is east of Kerala state where the chikingunya outbreak has affected over a hundred thousand people (see the posts at the bottom of the diary linked http://www.newfluwik... ).  Is there a relationship?  Your guess is as good as mine.

VIRAL FEVER IN SINDHUVALLI: 2000 TAKE ILL

Nanjangud, June 14 (BRS)- Following reports of outbreak of a mysterious fever in Sindhuvalli village, Dr. Nagarathna, Health Officer, Primary Health Centre, Kadakola, visited the village on Tuesday and conducted a general health check-up of the residents.

She opined that the large number of residents in Sindhuvalli village could have suffered from fever due to virus.

Blood samples of 50 residents of the village had been taken and sent for testing. Persistent fever and its spread from one to another are signs of virus infection. It is neither Chikungunya nor Malaria, the official disclosed to the media.

More than 2,000 residents of the village are affected by the fever, with about three or four in each family suffering from the mysterious fever. The situation is persisting for about a month now. The number of afflicted persons is constantly on the rise. Many are completely bedridden.

As the fever is spreading widely, the scared residents are sending their children away from the village to relatives in other places, rendering the schools in the village empty.

Although the suffering persons were treated by local doctors for the past 15 days there was no relief.

A mobile medical check-up van from TVS Motor Company and another from Ganapati Sachchidananda Ashram are the only help available to the villagers. As these vans stop at pre-specified spots, it has not been possible to treat the bedridden patients. The entire village is stunned and an eerie silence has engulfed the place.

Villagers mob GP office

The residents of Sindhuvalli village mobbed the Gram Panchayat Office this morning alleging that the funds released by TVS Motor Company, which has adopted the village, has not been released for maintaining sanitation.

http://www.starofmys...

Here is a map:

http://encarta.msn.c...

PROMED comment on Kerala situation
UNDIAGNOSED ILLNESS - INDIA (KERALA): REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
************************************************** ***********
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases

Date: 13 Jun 2007
Source: Malayala Manorama [trans. and summarized by T. Jacob John, edited]

The number of fever cases this season [2007] has gone up to 550 000.
This is an undeclared emergency, and the help of the Army has been
obtained by the state government.

Army personnel are cleaning up the areas and introducing
anti-mosquito-breeding measures and killing adult mosquitoes. Army
doctors are leading clinical and preventive measures in many towns.
Hundreds of deaths have been reported, but there is no official
confirmation or count or an organized way of collecting authentic
data. There was a disease surveillance system in place, but it was
scrapped in 2003 upon declaring Kerala as the healthiest place in
India.

According to news reports, fever cases include chikungunya, dengue,
leptospirosis and typhoid fever. Apparently, all of them are being
confirmed in different laboratories in which small numbers are
tested. The government health system has been overwhelmed by the
number of persons entering hospitals, and that has resulted in panic
and the army's assistance.

The mosquito-borne fevers chikungunya and dengue cannot spread to
such a large population in such a short time, especially as
chikungunya infected a number of people last year [2006], and they
are, therefore, immune; dengue has been endemic for 2 decades, and,
again, a large proportion should be immune.

--
Communicated by:
Dr T Jacob John
Retired Prof & Head, Dept of Clinical Virolgy,
Christian Medical College,
Vellore

[Dr. John's interpretation is that a contagious infection is present.
By contagious he means person-to-person transmitted, not via a
vehicle or vector. He goes on to say that "Respiratory transmitted
fevers are very few, and influenza is a number one possibility. Most
of the deaths are in persons over 60 years old, according to
newspaper reports. That too fits with an influenza diagnosis.
Epidemic influenza is not readily suspected because of the wide age
range involved, the severe systemic symptoms, the lack of
familiarity, and the lack of laboratory testing. Sometimes the most
obvious is the easiest to miss."

ProMED thanks Dr. John for this report. This large number of febrile
infections exceeds the number of recent chikungunya virus infections
in Kerala. In October 2006, some 100 000 suspected cases (reported by
MedIndia.com
)
with at least 70 deaths (reported by BBC News
)
in Kerala due to chikungunya virus infection were reported in the
popular press. It will be important for samples from a significant
number of the febrile patients to be tested in the laboratory to
establish the etiology or etiologies of these illnesses. ProMED
requests further information about the laboratory results and about
the epidemic, indicating how long it has been going on, specific
locations of the cases, and the sex/age breakdown of those affected.

A map of Kerala, India can be accessed at:
.

Note: The fever is still spreading and to other districts.

See also http://www.newindpre...

http://www.newindpre...

[ Parent ]
attempted fix
we'll see...
[ Parent ]
Interesting In Kerala
Viral issue forces adjournment of Kerala Assembly

BS Reporter / Chennai/ Thiruvananthapuram June 20, 2007

The Kerala Assembly was adjourned on the opening day of the monsoon session today following heated discussions over the recent outbreak of viral fever in the state. 

The Opposition UDF, led by the Congress, attacked the Left Democratic Front government charging it with total mismanagement of the crisis. As many as 80 lives have been lost since the outbreak, two months back. 

The Opposition demanded an immediate discussion on the fever scene over other issues, which was rejected by the government. This forced the Opposition to shout slogans. Speaker K Radhakrishnan was left with no option but to adjourn the House for the day. 

Pandemonium started when the UDF?s call for an immediate discussion on the spread of fever and measures taken by the government was ignored by health minister PK Sreemathi and also by chief minister VS Achuthanandan. 

According to them, a discussion at this juncture would trigger an unnecessary scare as the situation was under control at the moment. Sreemathi informed that preventive steps as well as curative measures had already been taken in the fever-hit districts of Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki. 

Opposition leader Oommen Chandy, who spoke to the media outside the Assembly, accused the government of failing to initiate measures to contain the spread of the disease. He alleged that the rejection of the demand for discussion on this issue was undemocratic. 

Meanwhile, in a press conference convened soon after the adjournment, minister for parliamentary affairs, M Vijayakumar, termed the development as 'childish' and blamed the Opposition for stalling the proceedings of the House when important issues were scheduled to be discussed on the first day of the session. 

http://www.business-...

attewmpted fix
we'll try again...
[ Parent ]
Viral fever death (3 yr old)
3-year-old dies of viral fever
Friday June 22 2007 13:47 IST
PALAKKAD: A three-year-old child, Sanoop, son of Chandran of Karakkad near here, died of fever at the district hospital here on Thursday.

Hospital authorities said that fever had damaged the brain of the child. A total of 1486 persons with fever came to hospitals in the district on Thursday, according to District Medical Officer A K Radhakrishnan.

Of them, 101 persons were admitted as in-patients. 219 persons were suffering from dysentery and 491 persons suffering from cough.

In Mannarkad alone, 156 persons were treated for fever. In the fever clinic conducted by the primary health centre in Kizhakencherry, three cases with symptoms similar to chikungunya were reported.

http://www.newindpre...

Vietnam: surge in child hospital admissions
Hat tip to Sharpe at FT.  Given that DHF normally occurs in only a tiny percentage of dengue cases, I find these numbers very odd, and concerning. 

http://vietnamnews.v...

Hospitals overloaded with Dengue fever, respiratory ills

(23-06-2007)

HCM City ? The number of children suffering from respiratory related diseases and Dengue haemorrhage fevers (DHF) is reportedly on the rise in southern Viet Nam.

By last Sunday, there were 151 DHF child patients at Nhi Dong children hospital, of which 57 cases were critical. Many came from the western provinces and quite a few others from Districts 3 and 6, Binh Thanh and Tan Binh districts in HCM City.

By Wednesday, the hospital was crammed with young patients with two, or even three, children having to share one bed.

According to Doctor Nguyen Dac Tho, deputy director of the HCM City Preventive Medicine centre, the number of DHF cases has increased over the last two weeks, with an average 20 cases per week.

Doctor Nguyen Le Da, deputy director of Dong Nai children hospital said that since early June, the number of children admitted for examination and treatment has increased rapidly.

"Every day from 1,000-1,200 children come to the hospital," said Da adding "at the beginning of the week, the number even climbed to 1,500."

The hospital has only 560 beds, but the number of in-patients is often 650-670.

The most common diseases among children are viral infections and DHF.

Doctor Bui Hung Viet, head of the examining ward of Can Tho children hospital said that over the last 10 days the number of children admitted increased markedly due to illnesses related to the hot weather like respiratory fevers and DHF.

"In one day, up to 900 children came to the hospital, of which 60 per cent had acute respiratory problems and high fever," said Viet.

Every day doctors have to examine some 100 patients on average.

Doctor Ly Mai Phuong, deputy director of the Soc Trang General Hospital, said on Wednesday alone 56 children were hospitalised due to DHF and four others were treated in the intensive care unit. ? VNS

[ Parent ]
Some DHF statistics - children

I thought I would do some digging on this to get some better statistics to compare against, as Asia is in monsoon season, a time when respiratory and mosquito borne disease normally reaches its seasonal peak. I wanted to see just how exceptional this report might be.

On Susceptibility ...."Susceptibility is universal. Children tend to have a milder disease than adults. Infection and recovery from one serotype provides lifelong immunity to that serotype but not other serotypes. Evidence suggests that a subsequent re-infection by another strain of the virus increases the risk of acquiring DHF."

On the incidence of dengue in children "The infection is asymptomatic in approximately 80% of infants and children. When children are symptomatic the illness is not easily differentiated from other common childhood infections. In adults, the illness tends to be more severe and begin more acutely.".... "Individuals that are experiencing their second dengue infection are immuno-compromised or under the age of 15 years have an increased risk of DHF."

The WHO estimates that there are some 50 million dengue cases per year, and that one half a million (or 1%) of these go on to produce DHF symptoms, a major proportion of whom will be children. It is estimated that 5% of the DHF cases will die, or 5000 cases annually, globally.

So we have a picture of a greater susceptibility to DHF in children infected with dengue, but a very high 'asymptomatic' rate. Ref http://www.health.gov.ab.ca/professionals/ND_DengueFever.pdf

On Wednesday the report above from Vietnam says that 56 children were hospitalised with DHF, at this one hospital, in one day.

In a clinical paper from this same hospital, and published in 2004 http://www.ajtmh.org/cgi/content/full/70/2/172 over a 2 year period (1996 - 1998), among the 1,136 study children, 712 were confirmed to have acute dengue infections, with 85 categorized as definitely not dengue and 339 as indeterminate (Figure 1). Of the 712 children with confirmed dengue, 312 (44%) were classified as having DF and 319 (45%) as having DHF. Up to 5 children a day were enrolled in the study.

Whilst you cant exactly compare all the numbers it is clear that whatever is going on at this hospital is exceptional.  This hospital had 35% of its expected annual child admissions for DHF in one day, when compared to 8 years ago.

[ Parent ]
attempted fix
again
[ Parent ]
Unknown Disease Claims 35 Kids in Kalikot
hat-tip Sharpe

http://www.thehimala...

Unknown Disease Claims 35 Kids in Kalikot
THT Online
Surkhet, June 25

Thirty-five children have died of an unknown disease in Khin and Chaulakot VDCs in remote north-eastern region of Manma, the district headquarters Kalikot, over the last two months, the Kalikot district public health office (DPHO) said.
The children got cough in the beginning followed by fever, chest pain and finally died after profuse discharge of blood, Katak Mahat, a health worker at the DPHO said.
A mobile health team was sent to the region to bring under control the disease, which has gripped over 1,000 children there, he added.
Katak, who returned from the affected area to the district headquarters in connection with controlling the epidemic, said that although the epidemic was not brought under full control, the situation was not so serious.
Some health personnel have stayed behind and medicines left there to control the epidemic, he added.
Meanwhile, three persons died of diarrhoea at Chhapre VDC this week, the DPHO said.

I am not like other birds of prey....

This doesn't sound good. n/t


"I am opposed to any form of tyranny over the mind of man."  Thomas Jefferson
[ Parent ]
India: Mystery fever
At least 3 people in each household in Sindhuvalli village, 15 km (9.3 mi) from Mysore, (off Mysore-Ooty Highway, located near the TVS Motor Company), are suffering from a mysterious fever..similar to chikungunya, villagers say.  Though the doctors camping in the village have ruled out outbreaks of malaria or typhoid based on the tests conducted on blood samples, the number of those affected is constantly increasing, causing panic among the villagers. The fever is spreading fast and there are reports that the villagers are sending their children away from the village.

...The Widal tests (for typhoid) were negative and the tests for confirming malaria were also negative. Though there is a mix of symptoms of malaria, typhoid, and chikungunya (swelling of fingers and legs) among the affected people, they have not been confirmed yet.

The doctors have also ruled out dengue. The doctors are of the opinion that the fever could have been triggered by some virus. Hence, symptomatic treatment is being given to the affected persons...

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

It could be contamination of the water (which has been confirmed), but what is the disease?

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

Australia: herpes virus killing abalone
A herpes-like virus killing abalone in waters off Victoria's south-west coast is now spreading east of Warrnambool. It is the first time the disease has been detected outside the western abalone zone. The disease ganglioneuritis has already killed thousands of abalone in western Victoria, costing the industry millions of dollars.... .. the easterly spreading of the virus is disastrous. "This virus was first discovered on farms in western Victoria. Once it was discovered in the farms, it's been working it's way along the coast and it's killing somewhere between 60 and 90 per cent of abalone in the wild," he said.)

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

Farmed abalone

http://www.goodfoodk...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

Good NYT article on Dengue
The New York Times today (6/27) has a very good article on dengue fever in and around Singapore. The address is:
www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/world/asia/27dengue.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
or just go to www.nyt.com and scroll down to the health section. The noteworthy parts are that global warming is extending the range of the Aedes mosquito, which is very hard to control; that lots of non-symptomatic people are carriers; and that a vaccine or treatment is very difficult. However, the fatality rate is usually well below 1/2 of 1% except in Indonesia, where it is slightly over 1%.
Burma (Myanmar): almost 5 children/day dying from hemorrhagic fever
An outbreak of hemorrhagic dengue fever is claiming the lives of almost five Rangoon children a day, according to doctors from the city's main children's hospital. "Between 150 and 200 children are arriving at the hospital with the disease every day . . . We do not have enough doctors here to do check ups on all of them," a doctor on duty at Rangoon Children's Hospital told DVB during the weekend. Doctors at the hospital said many parents were not bringing their children for treatment until the disease had entered a critical phase, during which patients can go into severe shock and die.  Hemorrhagic dengue fever can occur when a patient already infected with one strain of the more common dengue virus is then infected with another, different strain of the disease through a mosquito bite....

It's monsoon season, there's poor drainage, and hospitals have shortages of equipment and staff.

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

[Their bolding, and "every day" is underlined.]

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

A continuation, or something different
Deadly virus stalks city
3 Jul, 2007 l 0520 hrs ISTlTIMES NEWS NETWORK

KOLKATA: With the rains, viral fever is back in the city. But the strain that is pouncing on people unawares is more virulent than the ones that struck the city in previous monsoons. As a result, the city is reeling under a viral attack with hundreds falling prey.

Though the virus hasn't been identified as yet, it has left a trail of clues. It is airborne, highly infectious and is getting stronger every time it jumps victims. The symptoms are familiar: high fever, joint pain and severe cough accompanied by a stomach bug in some cases. An attack is leaving victims extremely weak. Most often, they are unable to get back to work even after the fever has subsided.

According to experts, this virus belongs to a new sub-type - which means Kolkatans have no resistance to it. It is more virulent than previous ones in terms of the intensity of symptoms. It is thriving at a certain temperature and humidity that now prevails in the city.

"The weather conditions are ideal for the virus to flourish. It is airborne and as it gets transmitted from one person to another, is turning even more virulent. But viral fever is rarely fatal unless it leads to a major secondary infection like meningitis, lung infection or cardiac myopathy. But these can't be ruled out in elderly patients," said enterologist Sanjoy De Bakshi.

This time, the fever is seen to persist for five days and antibiotics are making no difference. So doctors are just prescribing paracetamol to bring the fever down. "Unless there is a secondary infection, antibiotics are useless. The body's immunity system has to fight the virus and it will take its own time," explained senior doctor Samiran Panda.
There are around 30 known viruses. Every year the strains take on a new sub-type, which could be common cold, adeno or corona. "Since the strains keep changing and new variations occur, it is difficult to combat them with drugs. Medicines can only reduce the discomfort while the virus has to die out naturally. But this strain seems to be a particularly virulent one and it is leading to severe joint pains, chest infections and respiratory problems in many cases," said Panda.

Private hospitals across the city have deferred several operations over the last week on patients suffering from viral fever. "It could be dangerous for pregnant women and I have come across quite a few cases in the last few days. If they catch a secondary infection, other complications might follow," said fertility expert Ranjit Chakraborti. In older people, a virulent strain like this one might even lead to lung or heart disorders like cardiac myopathy. But if you have sound health, you need not fear. "The chances of a secondary infection are low unless the person concerned has a weak immunity system," said P K Nemani, secretary of the Indian Medical Association.

The good news is that children are coping better with the viral fever. "Since they have not had such infections before, their system is reacting less violently to the virus and hence the symptoms are less intense. Adults, on the other hand, have had such attacks in the past and their systems are producing more antibodies to fight the virus very quickly, which is leaving their system jolted. Also, they are more prone to the virus since they spend more time away from home. Children mostly get infected in school," said Panda.

Once the weather changes and it becomes cooler, the virus will die out, believe experts.

http://timesofindia....

Possibly related articles
Please see the following articles in the July 5 diary:

http://www.newfluwik...

[ Parent ]
attempted fix
again.
[ Parent ]
attempted fix
again.
[ Parent ]
20 people ill in Sohag - Egypt
20 people injured in Sohag cases of fatigue and Kiev without knowing the reasons

Sohag-20 people killed Tuesday village "Nag Alermellat" status Sohag cases fatigue and Kiev and diarrhea, and very high temperature has been providing medical assistance for them where he started a medical team to examine samples of food and water to determine the causes of infection.

The Major General Ahmed Abdel Wahab, director of security Sohag had received a communication from the health unit Samala fully the status of Sohag arrival of 12 people from the nearby Nag Alermellat infected situation fatigue and severe vomiting and diarrhea, and very high Drghalahrarh was a first for them

The inspection, examination and question a doctor about the health unit reported 8 other cases the unit for the same injury symptoms of the total cases to 20 cases have been providing medical assistance available to them and have gone all out of the hospital and their condition has been stable arrest one of them, is not yet know the reasons for the injury.

Dr. Saleh has supported Attiya Director of Preventive Medicine Department of Health governorate of Sohag substance of what came communique said that a medical team at the highest level of the Directorate doctors to go to the village and exchange preventive medication and the citizens and finding random sampling of food and water to determine the causes of infection.

http://www.masrawy.c...

Suspect dengue in Sorsogon, Philippines
Thursday, July 05 2007 @ 03:21 PM BST

Health 
Health authorities in Bicol are closely monitoring the increasing number of suspected dengue cases particularly in Sorsogon.

But no outbreak has not been declared as surveillance operations are still ongoing.

The DOH-Provincial Health Team based in Sorsogon has fielded its personnel to actively collect data and confirmations of reported dengue cases in the province.

Dr. Ma. Priscilla Fajardo, medical coordinator of the technical services department of the Sorsogon Provincial Health Office, said that based on their monitoring, there have been 92 cases of dengue in the town of Matnog, Sorsogon alone.

[snip]

http://www.bayanihan...

Here's a map:
http://maps.google.c...

Philippine dengue cases rising
Saturday, July 07, 2007
S. Mindanao dengue cases reach 1,017: DOH
By Carlo P. Mallo

DENGUE cases in Southern Mindanao have exceeded the 1,000 mark and are expected to rise even further.

Dr. Paulo Pantojan, Department of Health (DOH)-Southern Mindanao Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit chief, said most of the 1,017 cases come from Davao City.

[snip]

http://www.sunstar.c...

[ Parent ]
Ukraine: meningitis in schoolchildren
Illness believed to be from swimming in local waters during hot weather.

  ...Of the 20 cases, 2 were ranked as moderate, 17 as mild, and one was not confirmed...

... Meningitis is an infectious disease with inflammation of the cerebral and medullar membranes, which can be caused by bacteria, viruses, _Chlamydia_, _Mycoplasma_, protozoa, or fungi. The infection can be transmitted by contact and by airborne droplets.)

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

Ukraine: salmonella affects workers in poultry-processing plant
Cafeteria food blamed (omelettes or pork patties)

...At least 10 workers hit by the illness were listed in moderate condition at a regional hospital. The other 75 were reportedly suffering from a less serious dose of the disease, and all were expected to recover...

...Poultry processing is big business in Ukraine, due to the size of the market, Ukrainians' love of inexpensive meat products, and the low local costs of labour and feed needed to manufacture chicken meat. Public scares over the safety of Ukrainian-produced chicken has nonetheless suffered repeated scares in recent years, due to outbreaks of chicken flu in two meat factories, and news reports of shoddy health safety practices by some processors.)

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

Singaporean Virus
The virus Singaporean Serang Balita, Dinkes Janji Mengamati on Friday, on July 06 2007
Sidoarjo-Surya
Awas
, the illness resulting from the Singaporean virus currently begins to attack the pre-school child in Sidoarjo.
[/b[b]]Although not the category of the dangerous illness, but will result in fatal if this virus attacked the baby was below 28 days old.
In recent times, the pre-school child of several residents in Taman Hedona Regency Housing, Kecamatan Buduran Sidoarjo, terindikasi terjangkit this virus.
? Saat my child was examined, the doctor said my child was affected by the Singaporean virus, ? revealed Indra Harsaputra, the resident of the Hedona Regency Garden, on Thursday (5/7).

According to Indra, his child who was named the noble the Indonesian Archipelago Dawn, 15 months, terindikasi suffered this illness.
The sign is, the sufferer experienced laryngitis, the red lip and on the tongue was gotten white spots small a kind of thrush.
? Beberapa my neighbour several days ago his child also experienced the same thing, there were approximately four pre-schoolers ? he explained.
Confirmed by that, Dr Fajar Aribowo SPA justified the existence of the illness that was caused by this Singaporean virus.
According to him, this illness has been since long before.
This illness was known by the name of hand foot mouth disease, that is the illness that attacked the hands palm and foot, as well as the mouth to the pre-school child.

? Dijuluki the Singaporean virus had because of this virus become an epidemic in Singapore around the last four years, ? the doctor's words that served in Rumkital Dr Ramelan Surabaya this to Surya, on Thursday (5/7).
He explained, this virus entered the category of the illness that was not dangerous, only a kind of influenza illness.
? will be dangerous, if this virus attacked the baby was below 28 days old.
Because, if be hit by, the baby did not want to eat and drink, ? flat Dr Fajar Aribowo.
This virus would ngetren if the change in the season.
Because, at that time could be body resistance of the child descended, so as to prevent him being needed by strong body resistance.
Asked why this virus often spread in housing, according to Dr Fajar Aribowo because this virus spread through air.

Section Head Kesehatan (Dinkes) Sidoarjo Dr Edy Kustantono went through Kasbudin Pemberantasan and the Prevention of the Illness and Lingkungan Sanitation (P2PL) Dr Eka Harnasti said, his side will hold observation towards the illness.
Because, his side did not yet receive the report about this illness.
? Apakah the virus just or not, we still could not determine, ? said Dr Eka Harnasti, on Thursday (5/7).
http://www.surya.co....

I am not like other birds of prey....

Hand, foot, mouth disease spread by
air? I didn't know this. Is this true? It was my understanding that you had to come into physical contact with an infect person.

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
I was hoping someone with more expertise could weigh in on this
I know elephantiasis is spread by misquitoes. 

I am not like other birds of prey....
[ Parent ]
I'm no expert
but having gone through a few rounds with my own kids it is very, very contagious.  Obviously kids normally have lots of physical contact, but all it takes is one kid in a preschool class and the whole class can get it.  Usually by the age of five most kids have already been exposed to it, even if they only get a mild case, and the risk is greatly reduced by then.  My kids, of course, got the miserable versions!  Not fun at all.  I even had to watch out while PG because I had been exposed to a sick kid (unknowingly) but with no physical contact. 
[ Parent ]
Kerala State, India - "Viral Fever"
Comment:  Please note that "viral fever" is a catch all phrase.  While chikungunya, dengue and malaria are the diseases usually mentioned, influenza may very well be the cause of the bulk of the cases.  See this link:  http://www.newfluwik...  Also, while this article  http://www.newfluwik...  is about Kolkata, I suspect it also applies to ciities in Kerala and any number of others in India at the moment.  With these things in mind, please read the following articles:

KOCHI: Twenty-five cases of suspected chikungunya were reported in Ernakulam district on Monday, according to the District Medical Office. Of these, five were reported from Vadakkekara, four each from Chendamangalam and Manjaloor, three each from Mulanthuruthy and Kothamangalam, two from Nellikuzhi and one each from Keezhmadu, Choornikkara, Aavoli and Marady.

Those who sought out-patient services at various PHCs and Government hospitals for other viral fever numbered 6,057. One case of typhoid was reported from Palluruthy, one case of malaria from Paravur and one hepatitis from Cheranelloor.

The mosquito index in many places continued to be more than 25 per cent, which called for more public participation in making the places free of puddles.

The District Medical Officer issued precautionary measures to be taken by those having air-borne viral fever. These are taking adequate rest, drinking lots of fluids and following normal diet ? high in nutrition.

Those having viral fever have been asked not to mingle with people in public places. They should avoid travel in public transport and should not crowd in cinema halls. People with viral fever should also not visit relatives and friends in hospitals so that it does not get transmitted to the patient there.

Unless the fever is confirmed not to be vector-borne, it would be prudent to use a mosquito net so that others do not contract the disease, said Deputy DMO, D. Sreenivasan.

http://www.hindu.com...

----------
Depots for fever treatment opened

Special Correspondent

14 suspected cases of chikungunya reported 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The district health administration on Monday opened two fever treatment depots at Kollangode and Paruthiyoor under the Pozhiyoor Primary Health Centre to contain the outbreak of malaria reported from various parts of the city and suburban areas.

[snip]

2,749 viral fever cases

As many as 2,749 cases of viral fever were reported from several places in the district on Monday. Of these, 291 patients have been admitted to hospital. Most of the viral fever cases have been reported from Kesavapuram, Neyyatinkara, Perungadavila, Nedumangad, Vilappil and the Corporation area.

[snip]

Eleven medical camps were organised at the relief camps housing displaced families at Anchuthengu, Veli, Poovar, Valiathura and Poonthura today. Medicines were also distributed free of cost to the inmates.

Meanwhile, the health administration on Monday selected 110 doctors for appointment to hospitals in the rural and coastal areas. The appointment is part of a scheme aimed at ensuring round-the-clock service of doctors in hospitals with in patient facility. The selected doctors include 56 speciality doctors and 54 with MBBS.

The doctors would be organised into three shifts ? 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. the next day. Medical officers currently working in government hospitals can also avail of enhanced pay by opting to work in the new shift system. The appointment would be for a period of one year, according to the Arogya Keralam district mission programme manager Dr.G.Sunilkumar.

http://www.hindu.com...

----------

KERALA Jul 10, 2007

Kid?s death hits hospital functioning
Tuesday July 10 2007 10:51 IST
PATHANAMTHITTA: The death of a three-year-old child at the General Hospital here after administering an injection caused tension and affected the functioning of the hospital for hours on Monday.

Three-year-old Arya, the only child of Shaji and Priya of Naranganam, was admitted to the hospital following viral fever at 2.30 pm on Sunday. At 9 pm, when the child started shivering, the nurse on duty gave an injection and at 1 am the child breathed her last.

The parents and relatives complained that the death was caused owing to the laxity on the part of the hospital authorities.

[snip]

http://www.newindpre...

only problem is....
Chik, dengue and Malaria are not air borne....

The District Medical Officer issued precautionary measures to be taken by those having air-borne viral fever.

So, 2749 cases of viral fever were report on Monday, from various places, and 291 people have been admitted.  Yet only 14 were suspected of Chic.

Now, I'm wondering if those housed in these medical camps would be separate from the 291 admitted to hospital:

Eleven medical camps were organised at the relief camps housing displaced families at Anchuthengu, Veli, Poovar, Valiathura and Poonthura today

And why would the appointment be for a year?  Dengue, Chik and Malaria are caused by the rainy season, no?

The appointment would be for a period of one year,


I am not like other birds of prey....
[ Parent ]
"Viral Fever" - India
Fever spreading, toll rises to 17
Wednesday July 11 2007 13:59 IST
KOOTHATTUKULAM: Viral fever is spreading fast in Koothattukulam and nearby panchayats.

The toll has gone up to 17 in this area in the past one and a half month. Kurumban (68), Vadakkenedathu, Pampakuda is the latest victim of the spreading fever.

He died at Kottayam Medical College Hospital on Tuesday morning.

In the district, the eastern parts are the worst-affected. Koothattukulam, Palakuzha, Thirumarady, Elanji, Piravom, and Pampakuda registered the maximum number of cases.

[snip]

http://www.newindpre...

"Viral Fever" - Nepal
Two die of viral fever in Jhapa  [ 2007-7-11 ]
RSS
Jhapa, July 10 : Two persons died of viral fever at Rajgadh in southern part of Jhapa district.

Dhalansari Rajbansi, 60 of Rajgadh VDC-4 and Hira Lal Rajbansi, 15, of Ward No. 3 of the same VDC died while undergoing treatment at Rajgadh Health Post, District Public Health Office said.

The Office said the fever has spread in various other areas of Rajgadh for the last two weeks.

The disease had a strong hold at Rajgadh, Garamuni and Korobari VDCs, according to the Office.

Public Health Officer Nawaraj Subba said 60-70 patients visit daily for the treatment in Rajgadh Health Post.

A team of doctors with additional medicine has been sent to the Health Post, it is said.

However, the disease in Korobari and Garamuni has been taken under control, the Office added.

Even the Bhutanese refugees at Goldhap Camp suffered from the disease.

It is also said a doctors' team will arrive here from Kathmandu today. 

http://www.gorkhapat...

Chinese Cats and Mice
OK, I just couldn't resist these stories..notice is says 2 billion mice! I wonder if it is because there are no cats around? >;)

BEIJING (AP) - People living in communities surrounding a large shallow lake have been overrun by field mice after floodwaters drove the rodents out of islands on the lake, state media reported Monday.

The mouse invasion began on June 23 when the Yangtze River flooded, raising the water level in central China's Dongting Lake and submerging mouse holes on lake islands, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Now, an estimated 2 billion mice are ravaging crops in 22 counties around the lake, and authorities were rushing to construct walls and ditches to keep the rodents out. Residents have killed more than 2.3 million field mice - or 90 tons of the rodents, Xinhua said.

http://news.aol.com/...

Then this great piece about cats in China!

China Animal Lovers Protest Eating Cats

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - Chinese cat lovers mobilized online to save a truck load of cats from the cooking pot, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

Veteran Shanghai cat rescuer Duo Zirong started off her mission Friday when she called police to stop a truck stuffed with some 800 live cats, the China Daily said.

The standoff happened at a parking lot in a southern suburb of Shanghai. It continued for hours while cat lovers spread word of the incident online, eventually raising $1,320 in donations to buy the whole load.

http://news.aol.com/...

Maybe they should send the 800 cats to where the mice are! :)

Then China would be full of "Fat Cats"!! n/t

[ Parent ]
Could be the end to a puurrrfect meal :o) n/t

[ Parent ]
Grooaan! n/t


"I am opposed to any form of tyranny over the mind of man."  Thomas Jefferson
[ Parent ]
Snowhound ....
There is a species of mice in Florida from which one adult pair of mice can lead to 10,000 (yep, that's 10 thousand) mice a year.  LOL!

There was a similar instance in Apopka, FL a few years back.  It too was caused by flood waters.  http://www.washingto...

Makes me wonder if they same thing will happen during a pandemic with pest control ... any variety of ... will be difficult to get more than likely.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

[ Parent ]
10,000 mice a year - yummy! - no need to stock up on animal protein! :-)


You arm yourself to the teeth just in case.  You don't leave the gun near the baby's hand.
[ Parent ]
I love cats, but I'm also a reptile person...
So I was thinking "Send snakes!!!" 

Meteorologist in Florida!?!  Now we're talkin'!!!
[ Parent ]
No viral fever compensation
Compensation for chikungunya victims

Victims of dengue, leptospirosis too to get compensation

No compensation for viral fever

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to sanction Rs.25,000 each to the next of kin of those who died of chikungunya, dengue fever and leptospirosis in the State.

Briefing presspersons on the Cabinet decisions, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said the Collectors and District Medical Officers had been asked to take an exact count of the victims. Those who died of viral fever would not be eligible for the compensation.

The State Civil Supplies Corporation would distribute kits containing rice, pulses, sugar, tea and chillies to families of estate workers, residents of one lakh colonies, the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and those living below the poverty line who had been hit by the fever epidemic.

[snip]

http://www.hindu.com...

Comment:  I wonder...if they identify it, do they have to pay compensation for it.  Maybe this is why so little "viral fever" is ever identified.

500 Prisoners
Over 500 prisoners down with viral fever in Meerut jail

Posted at Thursday, 12 July 2007 20:07 IST

Meerut, July 12: Over 500 inmates of the Charan Singh District Jail here are down with viral fever, the prison doctor said today.

The prisoners in most of the overcrowded barracks are down with cough, influenza, vomiting and loose motion, said Subhash, the lone doctor in the jail.

At least 100 prisoners are forced to live in each barrack, and non-availability of guards are preventing officials from shifting the seriously ill to the government hospital, sources said.

http://www.saharasam...

Here's a map:
http://maps.google.c...

Also posted to the July 12, 2007 News Diary

China to Begin Olympic Food Checks
http://news.aol.com/...

Posted: 2007-07-12 15:14:19

BEIJING (AP) - A system to monitor food safety will go into effect during test events for the 2008 Beijing Olympics next month, a government watchdog announced Thursday, even as a TV station aired an undercover investigation showing how shredded cardboard was used as a filling in steamed buns.

The discovery of the tainted buns highlights the country's perennial problems with food safety despite government efforts to improve the situation. Countless small, often illegally run operations exist across China and make money cutting corners using inexpensive ingredients or unsavory substitutes.

Hundreds ill Viral Fever - Nepal
Hundreds Ill as Viral Fever Grips Bhutanese Refugee Camps

Kumar Luintel
Damak, July 13

Viral fever has gripped all seven Bhutanese refugee camps in Jhapa and Morang districts. Hundreds of refugees have fallen ill and treatment of the sick has become difficult as most of them are children and aged people.
The number of patients visiting health centres in the camp has gone up suddenly and there are neither enough health workers to attend to the sick nor sufficient medicines, said a health worker at Beldangi-2, Bidur Dagal, adding that at least 100 patients were visiting the health centres every day. The health centres have no other medicine save Cetamol, he said, warning that the situation can get out of hand if arrangements for treatment are not made soon.
Due to the spread of viral fever, students from the Beldangi camp are also facing problems. Assistant headmaster of the Marigold School Basudev Adhikari said most of the students fell ill and did not turn up for an examination. The ongoing third-quarterly examination has been affected by the widespread absenteeism, he said.
Sixty critically ill persons visited the Damak-based AMDA hospital. Dr Chandra Shah of the hospital said some of the patients were critical. Excessively high fever, vomiting, lack of appetite, severe headache are symptoms of the seasonal disease, he added.
A refugee at the Beldangi camp Yadav Neupane accused the authorities of not being serious about the problem. He added that additional health workers were not dispatched to the camps even in such a grave situation.
An INGO, AMDA, which has been extending assistance, has urged refugees to take precautions. Chief of the AMDA, Birtamod, Dr Nirmal Rimal, said the number of patients and effect of the disease this year have surpassed all past records. He said that a team of health experts from Kathmandu will visit the camps on Sunday. The team will give its report after a field visit, he added.
Jhapa's Khudunabari, Goldhap, Timai and Morang's Shanishchare camps have also been affected, said camp secretary at Khudunabari Manoj Rai. Viral fever grips densely-populated camps every summer.

http://www.thehimala...

Viral Fever (new type) - Kerala State, India
Kerala districts reel under fever epidemic
By Akhel Mathew, Correspondent
Published: July 12, 2007, 23:25

Ponkunnam: At this time of the year this town in Kerala's Kottayam district would normally be bustling with activity and looking forward to the next agricultural season after the plentiful rains of June.

But these are not normal times for the people of the district or the neighbouring Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts.

All three districts are in the grip of the chikungunya epidemic and face a health crisis not witnessed in recent history, and tens of thousands of people in the district are down with fever and joint pain that are the painful symptoms of the disease.

There is still confusion over what kind of fever is affecting the masses, but what is clear is that a vast majority is already affected and life has been thrown off the rails. Worse, economic realities are staring at the affected people.

The state health system has been stretched to the limit and the private medical sector too is unable to cope with the flow of patients. Even as that gloomy picture remains, the fever is spreading to other districts.

Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram are now reporting significant number of fever-affected. Reports from Kozhikode say nearly 2,500 people sought treatment for fever in the district on Wednesday alone.

By official counts, the disease has taken a toll of about 100, but anyone who lives in central Kerala would debate that figure and settle for at least a few hundreds.

Even a passing visit through the chikungunya-affected belt reveals the fearful magnitude of the disease. At the Mary Queen's Hospital, about 7km from here, the medical staff struggle to cope with the sheer number of patients as hundreds of people turn up each day, in various stages of the fever.

In Kottayam district, a few hospitals have put up open sided tents for patients to queue up to see the doctors.

The waiting time can easily run into hours, considering that the patients run into hundreds. Some hospitals inform the patients, quite helplessly, that doctors cannot meet all of them.

Official statistics say that about 200,000 people may be affected by a range of fevers in the region, but that would be way off the mark considering that a good number of people in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts are affected by the fevers.

Schools in Kottayam district opened almost three weeks late, but attendance is still thin in the schools as teachers and students are all affected by the disease.

After Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan visited the area a fortnight ago, the government has made arrangements to provide free grains ration. This week, the government decided to sanction Rs 25,000 each to the next of kin of those who died of chikungunya, dengue fever and leptospirosis.

Red rashes point to new strain of virus

In a bizarre turn to the continuing spread of epidemics in Kerala, a new one has been reported in recent days, in which the patients get red rashes on the skin almost the size of tomatoes.

The fever is now locally called "tomato fever" and some patients have mentioned worms coming out of the boils that develop on the rashes. Debate is still rife in Kerala as to whether or not the fever currently raging in the state is chikungunya.  Okieman comment:  Let us hope this is not Streptococcus pyogenes.  See this scientific article  http://jvi.asm.org/c...  See page 4110 with this quote "The most intriguing result from the present mouse model
was the appearance of necrotizing fasciitis at the forelimb and
hind leg but not the primary infection sites such as the upper
respiratory tract and skin (Fig. 3A and Table 2)."

There is also a debate whether the deaths reported have been caused by chikungunya or natural causes. What appears more certain is that different types of fevers are present in the state, with differing symptoms.

Many of the patients have near identical symptoms, namely high fever, lack of appetite and pain in the joints. However, depending on whether it is chikungunya, dengue fever or some other viral fever, the severity can vary.

Paracetamol and vitamin B-complex tablets are being administered in large quantities and patients are being advised to consume lots of fluids and take rest. It takes weeks and sometimes months for patients to be completely rid of the disease.

http://www.gulfnews....

New Type Viral Fever - Kerala State, India
Kerala reels under impact of viral fever

Thiruvananthapuram: Many parts of Kerala are reeling under the impact of viral fever, including chikungunya, with the problem spreading to new areas where patients are pouring into hospitals to seek treatment.

Reports from the across the state said a large number of patients came to hospitals in the northern districts even as health authorities were grappling to contain the situation in central Travnacore region, which has been in the grip of viral fever for over two months.

According to official sources, the Centre has provided Rs 5.5 crore to the state to tackle the situation. An team of experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research is expected in the state shortly for more investigations.

Besides fresh cases, secondary infections, relapses and new kinds of external manifestations like red patches on skin and swelling of limbs had been reported from the worst-hit Pathanamthitta district, where the problem is reported to be severe in the eastern farm belt.

About 1,300 people came to hospitals in Alappuzha district today, of which 10 were suspected to be chikungunya cases. About 6,000 people in Ernakulam and another 2,000 people in Kozhikode came to hospitals seeking treatment.

The state health department will start special medical camps in six districts from tomorrow.

In affected areas, working class families are living on support from the state like free rations as it would take months for victims to recover and return to work, officials said.

http://www.bhatkally...

[ Parent ]
South-east Asia Grapples With Dengue
http://www.ipsnews.n...
HEALTH:  South-east Asia Grapples With Dengue
By Marwaan Macan-Markar

Credit:USDA

Aedes aegypti mosquito.

BANGKOK, Jul 12 (IPS) - End June saw health officials in Singapore confronted with a worrying trend in the affluent, squeaky-clean city-state. During two separate weeks that month, dengue fever cases had reached epidemic levels.

The second week had seen 401 cases reported, while the last week saw 381 cases of the deadly virus, spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Singaporean authorities consider any number above 378 infections a week as an epidemic.

But the rest of South-east Asia is far from immune. Health officials from across the region have been raising an alarm about the trail this mosquito is leaving in many urban areas. The surge in the number of dengue cases has already prompted health officials to say that 2007 may rank as one of the worst years recorded for a disease that is endemic from Burma to Brunei.

??There is a risk we are heading towards an epidemic situation in the region,?? says Dr. John Ehrenberg, advisor for malaria and other vector-borne diseases at the World Health Organisation?s (WHO) Western Pacific regional office. ??We are seeing a serious increase in the number of cases relative to previous years in Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.??

Countries have to be prepared for this and ensure that patients are guaranteed proper care, he explained during a telephone interview from the WHO?s regional headquarters in Manila. ??In some least developed countries patients are dying because it is difficult to guarantee patients health care.??

Also relevant, he added, was the surveillance system to be improved, since accurate information is pivotal to gauge how far dengue fever is spreading. ??Countries have to get their surveillance systems in place for the official numbers to reflect the reality, because there are lot of rumours.??

Health officials in Vietnam conveyed similar concerns as they urged citizens in the central and southern provinces to search and destroy the spots where mosquitoes breed. ??The risk of dengue epidemic outbreak in southern and central provinces is very high in the coming time,?? health minister Tran Thi Chien was quoted as having told the ?Thanh Nien? (Young People) newspaper over the weekend.

The assistance Thailand is offering neighbouring Cambodia to contain dengue fever speaks of the impact the virus is making in the region this year. Bangkok has sent medical teams and equipment to treat Cambodian patients and ??update Cambodian medical staff on new procedures on preventing and containing dengue fever outbreaks,?? according to the state-owned Thai News Agency (TNA).

Cambodia, one of South-east Asia?s poorest countries, has seen 132 deaths from the dengue virus in June, a five-fold increase over the previous month, adds the TNA. In addition, there were close to 10,000 dengue cases reported that month.

Vietnam, meanwhile, has recorded 24,255 cases of this tropical fever during the first half of the year, which is over a 20 percent increase from last year. To date, 27 people have died from dengue, as against 17 deaths in the first half of 2006.

Thailand has recorded 17 deaths from dengue and over 20,000 infections, which is a 35 percent increase from last year. Burma has recorded 30 dengue-related deaths during the first six months of the year and has seen nearly 3,000 people fall ill from the virus.

Malaysia, on the other hand, has recorded 25,858 dengue cases from January to June this year, a sharp increase from the 16,808 cases during the same period the year before. According to Malaysia?s ?New Straits Times? newspaper, there have been 56 dengue-related deaths since the year began, which is also higher than the 46 deaths recorded during the previous year.

The region?s largest country, Indonesia, marked the end of June with disturbing numbers, too, since there have been over 68,000 reported cases and 748 deaths during 2007.

Singapore, the region?s smallest country, has also reported two dengue-related deaths.

This virus, which causes pain in the joints, high fever, rash and nausea, requires hospital care, including regular testing of the patient?s blood. In severe cases, the patient suffers from internal bleeding, called dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) which could lead to death.

South-east Asia is home to all four strains of the dengue virus that is transmitted by the bite of the carrier mosquito. Research to produce a vaccine has proved daunting since being inoculated from one strain will not protect a patient from falling ill if bitten by a mosquito carrying another strain.

The WHO attributes the current increase in the number of dengue cases to climate change. The deaths due to dengue fever are among the 77,000 deaths recorded annually in the Asia-Pacific region linked to global warning, the Geneva-based health agency said at a recent conference in Malaysia.

??We have now reached a critical stage in which global warming has already seriously impacted lives and health, and this problem will pose an even greater threat to mankind in the coming decades if we fail to act now,?? said Shigeru Omi, WHO regional director for Western Pacific.

This region was hit by its worst dengue epidemic in 1998 when 328,000 people fell ill due to the virus and 1,484 people died, according to the WHO. In 1991, there were 118,000 dengue cases and 1999 saw 46,000 cases.

But till the recent spate of newspaper reports about this deadly virus in the region, dengue has been overshadowed by global concerns over another deadly virus, bird flu, which has killed 187 people worldwide since its outbreak in South-east Asia in the winter of 2003.

(END/2007)

Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Philippines (dengue, but not confirmed)
Matnog in Sorsogon placed under state of calamity ...

Friday, July 13 2007 @ 10:28 AM BST

Provincial 
13 - Matnog in Sorsogon placed under state of calamity due to dengue outbreak

This municipality that plays host to the busiest roll-on-roll-off terminal in Bicol region has been placed under a state of calamity in an effort by the municipal government to fight the outbreak of dengue fever.

The whole population of this third class municipality as well as the thousands of people coming in daily to avail of the services of the ferry terminal is exposed to this outbreak that reportedly killed an elderly woman last week and sent to hospitals about 90 victims, Mayor Guillermo So said Thursday.

[snip]

Sorsogon Provincial Health Officer Dr. Edgar Garcia has confirmed the outbreak of the dreadful mosquito-borne disease even as the epidemiology center of the Bicol regional office of the Department of Health (DoH) based in Daraga, Albay disagreed, saying last week that it was yet to validate the reported dengue cases.

[snip]

http://news.balita.p...

Here's a map  http://maps.google.c...

Kerala State, India (Viral Fever - Politics and Public Health)
Kerala Assembly adjournes over viral fever issue
Thiruvananthapuram, July 13 (PTI): Congress led UDF opposition in Kerala today stalled the proccedings in the assembly protesting the government's 'inept' handling of the spread of viral fever in the state, forcing the speaker to adjourn the house for the day immediately after question hour.

The UDF members tropped and squatted in the well of the House and raised slogans against the government, demanding immediate discussion on the 'alarming' situation of viral fever, that had claimed several lives in the last two months.

Trouble started when Speaker K Radhakrishnan refused leave for adjournment motion on the ground that House had discussed the matter earlier. When the Speaker agreed to take up the matter as a submission, opposition insisted for a discussion on the matter considering severity of the situation.

[snip]

http://www.hindu.com...

Maldives - Dengue...or something else?
Dengue Confirmed In Foakaidhoo
By Paul Roberts in London
July 14, 2007

Five cases of dengue fever have been confirmed among residents of Foakaidhoo island in the northern Shaviyani atoll. Hundreds more islanders have contracted a mystery viral fever, and more than five new infections are being reported daily.

But the Shaviyani atoll hospital manager Hassan Ismail has denied reports six hundred people have been infected, and dismissed concerns chikungunya could be present on the island too. He said a handful of islanders are being tested for dengue, but the vast majority of patients are suffering from a less serious virus.

Outbreaks of the mystery virus have been reported in Shaviyani atoll since June. Hassan Ismail says up to three hundred people were infected on the capital island, Fonadhooo, last month. No dengue and chikungunya cases were reported, but the Department of Health Services dispatched two doctors to Shaviyani to encourage islanders to take precaution against mosquitoes, and prevent infections spreading.

The first viral case on Foakaidhoo was reported on June 4. Since then four or five cases have been reported daily, and up to ten a day since Thursday. According to Hassan Ismail a female Foakaidhoo islander suffering with the virus died in the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in early June, after being taken from the island to Malé for treatment.

Since then a doctor, two nurses and a community health worker have been based in the Foakaidhoo island hospital, and the island has been sprayed regularly to eradicate mosquitoes.

But concern has grown in the last week after five patients transferred from Foakaidhoo to the Kulhuduffushi hospital in neighbouring Haa Dall atoll, tested positive for dengue. And since then rumours of a dengue and chikungunya epidemic on Foakaidhoo have spread.

The Island Chief Mohamed Rasheed says 80% of the thousand islanders have been infected in the last month, and Aishath Waheeda, who works in the island health centre, says she has seen several suspected chikungunya cases.

Reacting to reports in Aafathis that six hundred of the thousand islanders on Foakaidhoo are in ?a serious condition,? Ismail said, ?I have heard this, but it is really wrong.? According to Ismail, ?no one is in a serious condition,? and there are less than three hundred people recorded ill.

Ismail says a handful of islanders are being tested for dengue, but the vast majority of the patients are suffering from a minor virus, and ?and can be treated at home.? He said the Foakaidhoo island centre ?has the capacity? to deal with the outbreak and said the three beds in the centre are being used to provide IV drips to patients who need them.

But Foakaidhoo islanders, are more concerned about the outbreak. According to one resident, Ahmed Hameed, nearly every islander has contracted the virus in the past month, and half of the islanders remain ill. Even the two doctors dispatched to Shaviyani form Malé contracted the illness and had to leave Foakaidhoo

Ismail Hassan said daily reports being sent to the Department of Public Health will show infection rates are lower than reports suggest. The Health Ministry was closed for the weekend and unavailable for comment.

http://www.minivanne...

Mystery disease affects 100 at Bangladesh school
http://www.abc.net.a...

Posted 11 minutes ago

More than 100 students and teachers from a school in Bangladesh have been admitted to hospital after suffering convulsions, local police said.

The cause of their sudden illness is being investigated.

The victims fell ill at Adiabad School and College near Narshingdi district town, 55 kilometres north-east of the capital Dhaka.

You want perspective. I want perspective. Let's talk. We don't have to agree on every thing. If we do, one of us is redundant.

Bangladesh health officials investigate after dozens lose consciousness
[SNIP]

Over the past week, at least 50 students and four teachers suffered headaches, nausea or convulsions before losing consciousness at Adiabad Islamia High School and College in Narsingdi district, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) east of Dhaka.

A team of health experts from a disease control center and the military visited the school over the weekend to investigate, principal Shakhawat Hossain said.

"They are checking the classrooms and the patients," Hossain said.

Public health official Birendranath Sinha said a virus, chemical or gas contamination, could be responsible. He did not elaborate.

cont.

http://www.iht.com/a...

[ Parent ]
Deadly pneumonia outbreak, Malaga, Spain
Monday, July 16, 2007
Deadly pneumonia outbreak in Malaga, Spain

"Ex-journalist hit by deadly bug
Chris Osuh
16/ 7/2007
A FORMER Manchester journalist is seriously ill after contracting Legionnaires disease in Spain.
Dennis Wills is one of 15 people to be struck down by the deadly virus in the Costa del Sol town of Benalmadena.
The town in Malaga province, about eight miles from Torremolinos, is a popular expat enclave, and it is thought at least half the victims are British.
A 68-year-old British man, who has not been named, has been killed by the outbreak.
Mr Wills, 63, began suffering from the Legionnaires symptoms of back pain and a bad cough two weeks ago.
He had planned to fly back to his home town of Bury at the beginning of the month, but the pain was so severe that he had to be admitted to Malaga University Hospital, where he is being treated in intensive care.

Legionnaires disease is caused by the Legionella bacterium, which is closely related to pneumonia and tends to flourish in hot weather.
Infection occurs after inhaling contaminated water and typical sources include cooling towers, air conditioning systems, showers and humidifiers.
The disease attacks the liver and kidneys and can lead to pneumonia. Victims typically suffer flu-like symptoms such as fever, coughing, chills and headaches.
Spanish authorities believe the Benalmadena outbreak has now been controlled."
*****
And how was this Benalmadena outbreak tested? The symptoms are the same as in human H5N1

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com

Link to story....
http://penumbra-of-p...

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com
[ Parent ]
Indonesia
SUKOHARJO - the Case of the upper respiratory tract infection (ISPA) in the pre-school circle in Sukoharjo was high enough.
The Dinas Kesehatan data of the Regency (ET AL) showed, 28,865 pre-schoolers were attacked by ISPA between January and in June this year.
From this number, 184 including suffering pneumonia or ISPA acute.
The ISPA case usually emerges because of the weather factor.
Pre-schoolers were quite serious was affected by this illness.
ISPA that attacked pre-schoolers could have a point in pneunomia, said Kasubdin Pencegahan and the Eradication of the Illness (P2) ET AL, the doctor Agus Prihatmo, on last Monday (16/7).
Usually, ISPA attacked during the change in the season.
At that time, the condition for the changing weather and very influential in the condition for the pre-school body.
If the condition for the body was descending, the virus more was easy attacked.
Dangerous pre-schoolers were affected by the illness, because their body resistance was still weak.
Saw the data that pre-schoolers who were attacked pneunomia only 184 children, Sukoharjo could be still being considered to be safe.
Secara the percentage, he only 2.02 percent, he added.
Was based on the WHO standard (the Organisation of the Health of the World), an area was stated by the danger if the percentage of the pneumonia attack reached 10 percent of the total ISPA case.
Although the number of ISPA cases was high enough, the doctor Agus stressed the case still could not be stated as the extraordinary incident (KLB).
ET AL considered, the ISPA case in the pre-school circle was still natural.

However, we would not considered this problem unimportant.
ET AL continued to carry out anticipation as early as possible, so that the ISPA case not increasingly increased.
The handling more the focus to pre-schoolers, because they were susceptible to this illness, he stressed.

Attack Anyone
Pre-school children were most serious towards the illness of ISPA. Di Wonogiri, thousands of pre-schoolers were attacked.
In the first semester this year, pre-schoolers who were attacked by ISPA were recorded by 12,178 people.
They were treated in 34 community health centres.
From this number, that was diagnosed experienced the pneumonia complication or the inflammation of the lungs was recorded by 775 pre-schoolers.
The head Sub the Eradication Service of infectious diseases and environmental Sanitation (P3MPL) the Health Service of the Regency (ET AL) Wonogiri the doctor H Widodo MKes said, on last Monday (16/7), ISPA could attack anyone.
Usually, was caused by the person ignored the fulfilment of nutritious food.
The impact is, someone found it easy to be attacked by the illness, he said, warned.
Widodo warned also, pre-schoolers who were attacked pilek should immediately be treated completely.
http://suaramerdeka....

I am not like other birds of prey....

We may need to watch Sukoharjo
closely.  According to this post by History Lover, they just distributed bird flu kits there:

"This help was needed in view of the fact that Sukoharjo was gazed at as the area that was serious with the spreading" of the "AI virus,"

http://www.newfluwik...

I think the kits had gloves, masks, a booklet, and other info.  Perhaps just for handling sick chickens.

[ Parent ]
Indonesia - Muntaber
Muntaber

Tangerang: Mewabahnya muntaber in Tangerang, Banten, recently was caused by the brightness of food and the hygienic drink that circulated in the Sepatan Subdistrict and Pakuhaji.
Therefore, the official of the Sepatan Community Health Centre displayed an amount of food and the drink that was expected caused muntaber this.
The number of patients muntaber in the Sepatan Community Health Centre again jumped after beforehand could descend.
The rise as far as 20 patients it was suspected because of the awareness reduction of the resident underwent the healthy life.
Up to now, this community health centre side did not yet accept results of the laboratory in order to knows the cause of this illness

http://www.liputan6....

Muntaber

Liputan6.com, Tangerang: the Kesehatan Service of the Tangerang Regency, Banten was still researching the sample of food and the drink that were consumed by children so as to the plague happen muntaber.
One of the examples of this food was found in a house in the Lebakwangi Village, Sepatan.
This house was made by his owner the place produced ice that was wrapped from the package of the drink of second-hand juice of various makes.
In the meantime, around 150 patients muntaber still was treated in the community health centre (the community health centre) Sepatan, Pakuhaji, and Kedaung Barat.
This number far descended compared to beforehand that almost reached 500 people.
The official of the health permitted some patients to come home because their condition has it was considered improved
http://www.liputan6....

[A couple days old: 15/07/2007 14:53]

Liputan6.com, Tangerang: the Patient muntaber in three community health centres in the Sepatan region, Pakuhaji, and Kedaung Barat, Tangerang, Banten, improved almost twice the fold in time 24 last hours.
As far as Ahad (15/7), totalling 478 patients that most children were treated in almost all the room, the path as far as the page of the community health centre.
Officially Kesehatan of the Tangerang Regency until this was still determining the status of the extraordinary incident (KLB) for this case.
They also were waiting for results of the sample feces and the laboratory in order to learns the cause became an epidemic him muntaber that claimed three fatalities the last few days [read: casualties Muntaber Terus Berdatangan].
The Sepatan subdistrict beforehand also had been stated as the KLB area muntaber in 2005 with 19 casualties died.
At that point, the cause of the plague muntaber was suspected of because of the shortage of the awareness of the resident applying the pattern of the clean and healthy life [read: Belasan Pasien Muntaber Dirujuk to RSUD Tangerang]
http://www.liputan6....

I am not like other birds of prey....

Indonesia - Muntaber
[previous stories are out of Tangerang (with one "g") in West Java. Two "g"'s is in East Java. However...this story is out of South Sulawesi.]

Metrotvnews.com, Pinrang: The Number Of patients vomited defecated (muntaber) that was treated in the Lansirang Hospital, Pinrang, South Sulawesi, in a last week continued to improve.
The data recorded the medic RS Lansirang mentioned, in this week already 10 residents were treated as a result of being attacked by diarrhoea and muntaber.
The diarrhoea illness and muntaber attacked several residents in the Pinrang Regency.
At least four children currently still are treated in RS Lansirang resulting from dehydration.
The entry of the season pancaroba at this time also became the trigger the number sprang up the environmental illness, like diarrhoea.
Therefore, the resident it was hoped continued to maintain the cleanliness of the environment and to consume clean food, water that was drunk also must be cooked more previously until boiling.

http://www.metrotvne...

I am not like other birds of prey....

WHO to study "Viral Fever" in Kerala State, India
Kerala Ready to Invite WHO to Study Fever Outbreak

Kerala Health Minister P.K. Sreemathi Wednesday said the government was not averse to inviting the World Health Organisation (WHO) to study the outbreak of a mosquito borne fever in the state that has claimed 173 lives this year. 

"Even though four different expert teams have arrived in the state since the outbreak of the fever, collected blood samples and given us reports, which have confirmed the fever as chikunguniya and nothing else, we have no problems in another study by WHO," Sreemathi informed the Kerala assembly.

She was replying to a calling attention motion moved by opposition legislator N. Jayraj, who demanded that a comprehensive study on the disease, which has affected thousands, be undertaken because there were conflicting reports about the illness.

[snip]

http://www.medindia....
 

More on "viral fever" in Kerala, India
This article is mostly concerning the perceived deterioration of the health system in Kerala State, India, but I felt the reports of the collateral effects were worth posting.

KERALA?S AILMENT

THE FEVERISH STATE

The health sector is in a shambles because since 1990, successive governments have withdrawn from healthcare responsibilities

KA Shaji
Alappuzha/Kottayam

[snip]

As many as 8.75 lakh people suffered viral infections since May this year and about 8,011 among them are still undergoing treatment at different hospitals. So far, 157 cases of Chikungunya have been identified. A state which had been boasting of its high level of vaccination and its preparedness to fight any epidemic is rattled by these developments. Moreover, the death of 38 newborns at the Sree Avittom Thirunal (SAT) Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram due to in-house infection poses serious questions on the state?s so-called achievements in the public health sector.

Economically, the viral outbreak was a severe blow to the state. Since many of its staff are on medical leave, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation is cancelling its services in many south-central districts, pushing the corporation into a huge debt-trap. Further, latest reports suggest that the Malayalam film industry is also badly hit by it: about 40 actors including superstar Mohanlal, a three-time National Award winner, and top actress Meera Jasmine are suffering from the disease. ?The situation is alarming. But we are trying our best to bring it under control,? said Kerala Health Minister PK Sreemati.

[snip]

http://www.tehelka.c...

attempted fix
again
[ Parent ]
KLB in North Sumatra for DBD

Pemantang Siantar KLB Demam Berdarah Pemerintah of the Pematang Siantar City, North Sumatra, maintained his territory as the area of the extraordinary incident dengue fever dengue fever.
The DBD case in this city indeed showed the increase for the last two months.
Moreover in this month claimed 10 fatalities.

http://www.liputan6....

I am not like other birds of prey....

Sydney flu epidemic kills 150
AT least 150 elderly Sydneysiders have died from the most serious flu outbreak to hit the city in four years. The victims have all died this month after suffering complications, mainly pneumonia, caused by the influenza A virus, a Health Department report reveals.

Babies and young children have also been hard hit. Hundreds have required specialist treatment in hospitals.  "This is a pretty bad one - the highest level of influenza since 2003,'' NSW Health's director of communicable diseases, Dr Jeremy McAnulty, said. Although the elderly are particularly at risk in winter, he said the full extent of cases was not known as many people did not seek medical treatment for the influenza A virus. ...

At Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick, the number of youngsters at the emergency department with viral infections has soared by 200 per cent compared to last year. Respiratory illnesses have risen by 70 per cent. "We're in the peak of the flu season and we're seeing quite a sharp increase in people presenting at emergency departments,'' Dr McAnulty said. Doctors in Sydney held an urgent teleconference with West Australian colleagues last week following the death of a fourth child there.

As investigations continue into the cause, doctors in Sydney have been warned to be alert for the fast-acting illness. So severe and prevalent are the cases of influenza A and bronchiolitis that babies such as seriously ill Liam Wolthers had to be placed in an adolescent ward until a bed became available at the Randwick hospital. What began as a runny nose quickly escalated to breathing difficulties. He was rushed to hospital where he required oxygen for six days.....

http://www.news.com....



Be Prepared

Widespread "Viral Fever" - India
Monsoon triggers infections across the country
25 Jul 2007, 0056 hrs IST,Kamayani Singh,TNN

NEW DELHI: It's that time of the year when humidity is high, mosquitoes breed in stagnant pools, and viral and vector-based diseases rise alarmingly. The story is virtually the same across the country - from Delhi to Chandigarh, Kolkata to Lucknow and from Mumbai to Bhopal, doctors' chambers are spilling over with patients suffering from diseases like viral fever, dengue, malaria and gastroenteritis.

So, if you were to hold a business meeting or decide on a monsoon holiday, is any city safe to visit? Perhaps, Bangalore. It's one city where there's only been a moderate rise in cases of viral fever and other monsoon maladies. There are also instances of short-term arthritis which can be easily treated with analgesics. But in the other cities it's virtually an epidemic of viral infections.

Viral cases start coming in during pre-monsoon when humidity levels suddenly shoot up making the weather conducive for organisms to multiply. In Delhi, for instance, cases of viral fever first started surfacing in mid-June and soon assumed epidemic proportions.

[snip]

http://timesofindia....

attempted fix
again
[ Parent ]
another attempt
try again.
[ Parent ]
Hey!
I can read this one without my reading glasses. LOL

Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy. Ralph Waldo Emerson
[ Parent ]
6,009 people - India -chikugunya?
There were 6,009 people who came to seek treatment for fever across the district on Monday. New cases were reported from Kothamangalam (752), Paravoor (722), Muvattupuzha (487), Perumbavoor (337) and Thripunithura (331). There were eight cases of suspected chikungunya, which came from Chengamanad (2), Amballoor (2), Kunnukara (1), Kottampady (1), Kuttampuzha (1) and Elamkunnapuzha (1). One case of typhoid was also reported from Mattancherry. The district medical authorities conducted medical camps at Vengola, Mazhuvannoor, Ezhikkara and Kizhakambalam on Monday. On Tuesday, camps would be held at Kavalangad, Njarakkal, Koduvally and Edavanakkad.)

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/...

Be Prepared

Viral fever spreads in Terai districts
Nepal

Wednesday, July 25,2007 
RAJBIRAJ: Viral fever has spread in Saptari district?s Kanchan VDC and rural areas of Mahottari in the past one week.
At least 150 persons have been suffering from the illness in Saptari. The patients complain of headache, cold and high fever. Some of the patients are also suffering from diarrhoea, a patient, Ram Narayan Pandit, said.....

Assistant health worker Indra Lal Yadav sometimes visits the sub-health post for an hour and never cares for the patients, Thakur alleged. Rainfall has further complicated matters as roads by which patients are taken to hospitals are in bad shape, Thakur said.
?Health workers seldom visit the health post in our village and we are having problems taking the patients out of the village for treatment due to the poor condition of the roads,? he said. Saptari district public health administrator Rakesh Kumar Thakur said he has no information on the outbreak of the disease and the absence of health workers at the sub-health post.
In Mahottari, the number of viral fever patients visiting hospitals and health centres have gone up in the past one week....

A sudden surge in the mercury level and polluted water may have caused the spread of the disease, the head of the district hospital, Dr Pawan Thakur, said. ?The viral fever may develop into kala-zar and typhoid if patients don?t get timely medical treatment,? Thakur added.

http://www.southasia...

 

Be Prepared

Bulgaria: Newcastle disease
Approximately 260 domestic birds have been culled by veterinary officials following a suspected outbreak of Newcastle Disease in several farms in the south of Bulgaria. According to the officials, the highly contagious disease killed over 50 fowl in the last week in farms near the town of Velingrad....Tests are being done to confirm the diagnosis...

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

India: 3788 fever cases in Kerala
The district reported 3788 cases of viral fever on Monday [23 Jul 2007], including 23 cases of suspected chikungunya [virus infection].....Suspected chikungunya cases are being reported frequently from Peroorkada area. The outpatient clinic at Peroorkada Government hospital has been very crowded in the past few weeks [8-21 Jul 2007] with fever patients. However, the hospital authorities had not been sending the stipulated number of blood samples daily for analysis. The Central team members who had visited the hospital sought an explanation for this from the district health administration. Blood samples are now being sent from the hospital and a few suspected and confirmed cases of chikungunya have been reported from Peroorkada. A section of the doctors are worried about the sustained pattern of viral fever incidence and the fact that chicken pox cases are also being reported now, during the rainy season.)

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

Burma: increase in cases of hemorrhagic dengue fever among children
...local doctors told DVB that more than 10 children suffering severe fevers were being admitted to hospital every day. 'My clinic receives about 10 children with hemorrhagic dengue fever every day,' a doctor from a private clinic in Min Hla said. 'But there are a lot of clinics like mine in town so it's difficult to tell how many children have been suffering with the fever....

.. In a recent statement, Burma's Ministry of Health said that 30 of the estimated 3000 children who suffered from hemorrhagic dengue fever in the first half of this year died. If correct, the estimates show that death rates from the disease are higher than in 2006.)

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

D. R. of Congo: Leprosy epidemic
About 400 new leprosy cases have been recorded in Moba, northern Katanga province, in DR Congo during a screening campaign begun last May [2007] in the province. According to health district supervisors and other community-based agents, leprosy has been spreading in the area located near Lake Tanganyika, south of Kalemie. ...

http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

Zimbabwe: diarrhoea kills 31
Thirty-one people died from diarrhoea in western Zimbabwe after relatives were unable to prepare rehydration solution because there was no sugar...Children under the age of five were the most affected...

...This contributed to the high death rate. They could still have saved lives by simply boiling water and observing basic hygiene standards," he said. There are chronic shortages of most basic goods in Zimbabwe, including sugar, bread, cooking oil and meat. The situation has been worsened since the government last month launched a crackdown on high prices, which saw many goods disappearing from the formal market and reappearing on the black market at much higher prices. Lack of clean water, especially in arid rural areas is also a massive problem that contributes to the spread of disease.
http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

Simple things, hard times- This feels like foreshadowing to me, or maybe it's just  time to go to sleep.  :-(

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

Legionnaires' fear on cruise ship
http://news.bbc.co.u...

The cruise has been cut short and the ship is heading for Dover.

At least five Britons are among six cruise ship passengers admitted to hospital in Sweden after showing symptoms of Legionnaires' disease.

A spokeswoman for cruise operator Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said the group of elderly holidaymakers had "pneumonia-like symptoms".

The passengers from the Black Watch ship would be in hospital for the next few days, she told Reuters news agency.

Water tests are being carried out to find the source of the illness.

Company spokeswoman Wendy Hooper-Greenhill told the AFP news agency: "Six passengers have been hospitalised in Stockholm."

cont.

30 people - India
30 people

Mysterious virus in Chitradurga district

30 people admitted to district hospital since the past week

Victims are suffering from high fever, headache, body pain and vomiting The cases are mostly reported in Challakere, Hiriyur and Hosdurga Chitradurga: For the past one week, the District Hospital here has been receiving cases of people being infected with unknown virus.

According to hospital authorities, over 30 people have been admitted to the hospital, of them the condition of four was said to be critical. They have been referred to hospitals in Davangere and Bangalore.

Several patients said that they were suffering from high fever, headache, body pain and sometimes vomiting>/b>. "My son had mild fever on the first day, but the temperature increased in coming days. We consulted a local doctor who gave medicine for nearly a week, but since his treatment did not work, I brought him to district hospital here," said Narayanswamy, father of a patient from Challakere. ...

"The symptoms clarify that it is not malaria, typhoid, chikungunya or dengue, we precisely cannot say what it is," District Surgeon Kamareddy, who confirmed it as a viral disease, said. ...

We are not receiving more cases from only one place, they are isolated and sporadic."



Be Prepared

test

no more bold?  larger font?

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor
test
normal type  normal type

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor
[ Parent ]
Funny that the preview looks perfect,
but the post, not.  ??

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor
[ Parent ]
try to normalize
again
[ Parent ]
test
test
[ Parent ]
test
test
test
test
bold testing  italic test
Preview worked.

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor
[ Parent ]
Not Bird Flu But Close June 3... | 88 comments
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