News Reports for November 28, 2009

China urges intensified supervision on A/H1N1 flu in animals

 China urges intensified supervision on A/H1N1 flu in animals
www.chinaview.cn 2009-11-28 09:43:42  
   BEIJING, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Agriculture has called for intensified monitoring and investigation of A/H1N1 flu in animals after two samples from sick dogs were tested positive for the virus.

   The veterinary clinic of College of Veterinary Medicine at the China Agricultural University reported Wednesday that two out of 52 samples from sick dogs were tested positive for A/H1N1 flu virus, the ministry said late Friday.

   Analysis of genetic composition found the virus detected in the samples and those found on human A/H1N1 flu cases were 99 percent homologous, it said.

   The ministry urged local authorities to further enhance prevention and control, intensify monitoring and investigation in animal cases of A/H1N1 flu and closely watch the virus mutation situation in animals.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/engl...

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

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by: mojo @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 00:54:55 AM CST

23 die of swine flu in Wales

23 die of swine flu in Wales

27/11/2009

The NPHS influenza surveillance scheme, which records reports of diagnoses of flu from more than 300 GP practices across Wales, shows that there has been a decrease in the rate of influenza consultations but this week it has been reported that 23 people have died in Wales as a result of swine flu.

The report from 25 November estimates there were 39.0 cases of a flu-like illness diagnosed by GPs out of every 100,000 people in Wales - this is the equivalent of 1,170 people in Wales contacting their GPs in the last seven days with flu like symptoms. Not all of these people will have swine flu and not everyone with flu like symptoms will contact their GP.
more
http://www.newswales.co.uk/?se...

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

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by: mojo @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 01:11:38 AM CST

Two die in France after mutated H1N1 flu infection

Two die in France after mutated H1N1 flu infection
Posted: 28 November 2009 0012 hrs

PARIS - Two patients who were infected by a H1N1 flu mutation that was also recently detected in Norway have died in France, health officials here said Friday.

"This mutation could increase the ability of the virus to affect the respiratory tracts and, in particular, the lung tissue," said a statement from the government's Health Surveillance Institute (InVS).

"For one of these patients, this mutation was accompanied by another mutation known to confer resistance to oseltamivir," it added, referring to the main drug being used to treat H1N1 flu, under the brand name Tamiflu.

The case was the first drug-resistant strain found in France among the 1,200 strains experts have analysed here, the InVS said, adding that "the effectiveness of vaccines currently available is not being questioned."

The two patients were not related and had been hospitalised in two different cities in France, it said.
more
http://www.channelnewsasia.com...

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

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by: mojo @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 01:15:31 AM CST

Is there a history lesson from the swine flu of '76?

Long article but here is a snippet.
mojo

Is there a history lesson from the swine flu of '76?
Scientists look closely for side effects of vaccine after earlier version caused outbreak of rare form of paralysis

snip
Unlike today's bug, the 1976 virus never took off from where it originated at an army base in New Jersey. With nothing to be gained from vaccination, the widespread campaign was halted after less than three months.

For the 15 years after the "swine flu affair," scientists sought to nail down whether and how much the 1976 vaccine increased a person's risk of GBS. Almost nothing, however, was done to figure out how and why the flu shot had that effect. It's an oversight some public health officials are coming to regret.

"We should have made an exhaustive attempt to understand what happened from a biological standpoint," said Michael T. Osterholm, a physician who heads the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

Both the 1976 strain and the new H1N1 strain are closely related to viruses carried by pigs, making some wonder whether that "swinishness" makes their vaccines more likely to cause unusual effects.

"That is the right question to ask," said Peter Palese, an influenza virologist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. "And I would like to say that no one really knows."

Researchers stopped looking back at 1976, Osterholm said, when there were no subsequent problems with flu vaccines. "After we had a couple of seasons under our belt when there was no unusual risk to regular flu vaccines, we just let it go," he said.
more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...


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

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by: mojo @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 01:21:24 AM CST

Is there a history lesson?

from page 2 of the post story

"...Researchers at CDC are hunting down blood samples from people who got the 1976 vaccine to see if they contain antibodies to ganglioside, or hold any other hints as to what might have made that flu shot have that rare side effect."

COMMENT: There has been only limited discussion by the CDC and WHO and the Media in general about the '76 vaccine campaign. I have been searching the subject and it seems prevelant considering most of us never heard of the swine flu before this. Now that GBS may be a side effect the issue/debacle of 1976 resurfaces.

FURTHER COMMENT: "...samples from people who got the 1976 vaccine..."

So are they hunting for me? I got my 1976 vax at the mall near where in live at the time in Pittsburgh, Pa.- the same mall where, coincidently, they filmed "Dawn of the Dead".    

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by: Mr White42 @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 13:55:09 PM CST

[ Parent ]

ganglioside antibodies

This was a surprise finding, as noted in that interview.  I'd say it was a major finding that should lead to a lot more research.  The Nachamkin paper was discussed here  http://www.newfluwiki2.com/dia...



All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...

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by: SusanC @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 14:45:04 PM CST

[ Parent ]

US: Swine flu declining, but vaccination still needed

Danbury (CT) News Times: "We may have passed the peak, but that only means we're half-way through the epidemic,'' he said. "There's still a lot of disease around."

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

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by: DemFromCT @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 07:08:16 AM CST

Virus mutation spreads as swine flu deaths leap

Updated on Saturday, November 28, 2009, 09:57 IST

Paris: Swine flu virus mutations are spreading in Europe, French health officials said Friday as the World Health Organisation reported a leap in deaths from the disease by more than 1,000 in a week.

Two patients who were infected by a mutation that was also recently detected in Norway have died in France, the government's Health Surveillance Institute (InVS) said in a statement.

"This mutation could increase the ability of the virus to affect the respiratory tracts and, in particular, the lung tissue," said a statement from "For one of these patients, this mutation was accompanied by another mutation known to confer resistance to oseltamivir," it added, referring to the main drug being used to treat swine flu, under the brand name Tamiflu.

The case was the first drug-resistant strain found in France among the 1,200 strains experts have analysed here, the InVS said, adding that "the effectiveness of vaccines currently available is not being questioned."

full article
http://www.zeenews.com/news582...

United we stand: Divided we fall

http://cottontopssandbox.wordp...

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by: cottontop @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 08:10:48 AM CST

CDC hooks up with WebMD

CDC hooks up with WebMD for flu blog, plus H1N1 updates
November 28, 7:43 AM
Richard Webster

Getting the information out.  In collaboration with WebMD, experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are guest blogging and helping to answer questions on WebMD's Focus on Flu Blog.

Check out two recent CDC blog posts by Anthony Fiore, MD, MPH, medical epidemiologist with the CDC's Influenza Division -- "Using Antivirals to Treat H1N1 Swine Flu" and "2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Safety" -- and this week's post, "Healthy Travels During Flu Season" by CDC guest blogger, Gary W. Brunette, MD, MS, medical epidemiologist for the CDC's Travelers' Health Branch.

The Focus on Flu blog is scheduled to run through the end of December.

full article
http://www.examiner.com/x-1757...

United we stand: Divided we fall

http://cottontopssandbox.wordp...

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by: cottontop @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 08:14:50 AM CST

they are trying

like the Bruce Gellin  interview here on the FP, they are trying to reach people with social networking...

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by: DemFromCT @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 08:22:10 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Muslin pilgrims complete Hajj: flu check

Flu checks

Officials said that this year's hajj had been a success, with a spread of the H1N1 flu virus not occurring as feared.

Special screenings for the virus had been undertaken before the ceremony.

There were five reported deaths from the disease, with all those dying also suffering from other complications, and less than 100 infections.

Ahmad Mansour Sissi, a Senegalese government official, said: "Frankly, I did not witness any impact of crowd congestion or the swine flu."

Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Mina, said: "The ministry of interior has said that 2.3 million pilgrims have participated in this year's hajj. Nearly 700,000 are from inside Saudi Arabia - the vast majority of those not Saudis but foreign nationals who live in the Kingdom.

"That number is a slight decrease from last year."

New walkways were credited with preventing crushes and stampedes seen in previous years.

About 1.6 million foreign pilgrims will now leave Mecca, taking buses to the city of Jeddah and from there aeroplanes, trains and road vehicles back home.

source
http://english.aljazeera.net/n...

United we stand: Divided we fall

http://cottontopssandbox.wordp...

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by: cottontop @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 08:19:54 AM CST

Netherlands: For Sale: 19 million Doses of Pandemic Vaccine, As Good as New

Amsterdam--The Netherlands is selling the majority of its H1N1 pandemic vaccine supply. Some 19 million doses of the 34 million doses that the government has ordered from manufacturers Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline are now for sale, health minister Ab Klink wrote today in a letter to Parliament. Some 2 million of them will be available in December, the remainder in the first months of 2010. Malta and Macedonia have been reported to be among the potential buyers.

http://blogs.sciencemag.org/sc...

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by: DemFromCT @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 08:22:47 AM CST

Canada: Demand for H1N1 flu vaccine levels off

Residents who still want to get their H1N1 flu vaccine -- but get a headache just thinking about waiting in an hour-long queue -- can relax.
By Vancouver SunNovember 28, 2009

Residents who still want to get their H1N1 flu vaccine -- but get a headache just thinking about waiting in an hour-long queue -- can relax.

Health authorities are reporting no major lineups at most clinics.

Anna Marie D'Angelo, a spokeswoman for Vancouver Coastal Health, said that since health authorities opened up the vaccine program to the general public last Friday, the line-ups at the authority's clinics in Vancouver, the North Shore and Richmond have levelled off.

When the clinics opened to everyone, some residents faced waits of up to an hour to get the jab.

D'Angelo said part of the reason for shorter waits is that about 80 per cent of the people who received the H1N1 vaccine got it at a family doctor's office instead of the clinics.

In total, 25 per cent of the population in the Vancouver Coastal Health region has received the shot, she said.

continued
http://www.canada.com/vancouve...
 

United we stand: Divided we fall

http://cottontopssandbox.wordp...

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by: cottontop @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 08:31:08 AM CST

Swine flu virus a mixture of drug resistant & lung hemorrhaging H1N1 strains

Fatality in France - Swine flu virus a mixture of drug resistant & lung hemorrhaging H1N1 strains

November 27, 6:44 PMLA Health Technology Examiner Victoria Nicks

Two fatalities in France have been identified with the same receptor binding domain as the fatalities in Norway, Ukraine, and China. One of these fatalities also contains a mutation that causes the virus to resist treatment with Tamiflu, a common antiviral medication.

D225G H1N1 Fatalities

D225G is the receptor binding domain that has been associated with a high swine flu fatality rate in patients from various countries. The H1N1 virus with a D225G receptor binding domain attaches to surface cells deep in the lungs, causing damage and bleeding in the lungs. Cases in the Ukraine, Norway, and China have been confirmed with D225G, while cases in the United States have similar symptoms without confirmation of receptor binding domain information.

H274Y Swine Flu and Tamiflu resistance

H274Y is the designation given to the strain of the swine flu that has developed a resistance to Tamiflu. This strain is still sensitive to Relenza, another antiviral medication used to treat H1N1 infections.

source
http://www.examiner.com/x-2922...

United we stand: Divided we fall

http://cottontopssandbox.wordp...

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by: cottontop @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 08:38:11 AM CST

Saudi Arabia: the death of Pakistani pilgrims bird (H-1 that 1)

11/28/2009 9:37:25 AM
DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said on Saturday that Pakistani pilgrims died after suffering bird (H 1 to 1).

According to the Saudi Health Ministry said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency reported that al-Haj from Pakistan 70 years old.

Saudi Arabia announced four deaths among the pilgrims after the bird (H-1 that 1) in the days before the start of the pilgrimage on Wednesday.

And causes three million Muslims, the pilgrimage each year, including up to two million from outside the Kingdom.

translated
http://translate.google.com/tr...

United we stand: Divided we fall

http://cottontopssandbox.wordp...

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by: cottontop @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 09:17:07 AM CST

Could someone tell me

what they are talking about? Are they saying the bird had H1N1? If it was bird flu surely they would have said H-5?

Not sure if it's the translation or not.


United we stand: Divided we fall

http://cottontopssandbox.wordp...

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by: cottontop @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 09:20:06 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Here is a link in English

I think it is the same case but I just woke up so...

Swine flu kills Pakistani hajj pilgrim
Despite early worries, A(H1N1) infections have been surprisingly low during the pilgrimage, doctors say.

An elderly Pakistani has died from swine flu in Saudi Arabia where he was participating in the hajj pilgrimage, Saudi authorities said on Saturday.

The 70-year-old man had already been suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes when he was hospitalised with the A(H1N1) virus, the health ministry said in a statement on the official SPA news agency.

The death, whose date was not given, was the fifth from swine flu among some 2.3 million pilgrims taking part in the annual hajj in the Muslim holy city of Mecca this week.-.-wikipedia-.-

Of the four others, three were 75 years old and suffering from other serious health problems. The fourth was a 17-year-old Nigerian woman with a chest infection.
more
http://www.javno.com/en-world/...

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

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by: mojo @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 10:18:07 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Thanks mojo

Of course that makes more sense than what I translated. ;-)

United we stand: Divided we fall

http://cottontopssandbox.wordp...

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by: cottontop @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 11:02:54 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Could we get the direct link?

we don't use the translated link... thanks!

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by: NewsDiary @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 10:04:53 AM CST

[ Parent ]

It is ironic

if you cut and paste "pilgrims bird" in a News search engine, you get a lot about Thanksgiving.

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by: Mr White42 @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 10:17:55 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Hajj devil stoning ritual biggest swine flu risk

MINA, Saudi Arabia - Millions of Muslim pilgrims, many wearing surgical masks, jostled together shoulder-to-shoulder furiously casting pebbles at stone walls representing the devil Saturday - the hajj ritual of highest concern to world health authorities watching for an outbreak of swine flu.

The annual Islamic pilgrimage draws 3 million visitors each year, making it the largest yearly gathering of people in the world and an ideal incubator for the H1N1 flu virus.

So far, only around 60 flu cases have been uncovered, but health officials warn it is likely spreading silently among pilgrims - and the true extent of the push that hajj has given to the virus won't be known until later, after the faithful have returned to their home countries around the world.

Saudi officials, along with American and international health experts, have geared up here to try to limit any outbreak. But they also are using the pilgrimage as a test case to build a database, watch for mutations and look for lessons on controlling the flu at other large gatherings like the 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa.

The stoning of the devil ritual, performed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, is when the crowds of pilgrims at the five-day hajj are at their height and contact between them is closest.

Under a hot sun Saturday, hundreds of thousands of sweaty bodies pressed against each other toward the stoning walls. The majority did not wear masks, and many sneezed, coughed and spat and looked visibly exhausted.

http://www.google.com/hostedne...

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by: Mr White42 @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 10:19:17 AM CST

snip from hajj story above

[The same hajj petri dish that could help the disease spread gives epidemiologists a unique chance to study the virus.]

again link at
http://www.google.com/hostedne...

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by: Mr White42 @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 10:25:56 AM CST

Flu victims warned not to count on immunity

By Phoebe Cheng (HK Edition)
Updated: 2009-11-28 07:05

HONG KONG: People who have contracted A (H1N1) flu should not be misled into believing that the virus confers immunity to future episodes, Under Secretary for Health Gabriel Leung said Friday.

The secretary urged everyone, including those who have already had swine flu, to be vaccinated in preparation for the coming peak flu season.

"Even for seasonal flu, not 100 percent of them get immunity to the virus," Leung said. He continued, saying that about one quarter to 75 percent of patients infected with seasonal flu will not be immune to a recurrence of the virus. Immunity, he said, is very much an individual matter and may be affected by the physical condition of patients.

He encourages people, even those who have recovered from swine flu, to receive the vaccinations which will be available in mid December. Those who belonged to any of the five high-risk groups are also urged to receive the vaccine.

The five groups considered to be at highest risk are healthcare workers; chronically ill patients and pregnant women; children aged from six months to under six years; the elderly aged 65 and above; and pig farmers and slaughterhouse workers.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/h...

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by: Mr White42 @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 14:03:44 PM CST

Why Some Vaccines May Require A Booster

Saturday, 28 November 2009  
Preventing disease is the goal of every health care provider and fortunately every year, new vaccines are being added to assist in disease prevention. But do all vaccines boost immunity for the same period of time? And, if not, when are additional 'booster shots' needed to keep immunity strong?

In this month's issue of Pediatrics, the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Michael Pichichero MD, Director of the Rochester General Research Institute, based at Rochester General Hospital in Rochester NY, studies the medical necessity for occasional booster shots to sustain immunity.

It is a well known medical fact that a booster shot for tetanus is needed every 10 years to maintain your immunity. But, what happens if you fail to get that booster? "Fortunately, a patient has a window of opportunity to get a booster shot even after getting a dirty wound," said Dr. Pichichero. "In this case, the booster shot will take hold before the tetanus infection can establish itself. The problem is that this scenario is not true for all diseases."

In his published study, Dr. Pichichero, an international authority on vaccines and vaccine-induced memory, discusses the effectiveness of booster vaccinations and disease progression. "We found that for slow moving infections like hepatitis, immune memory is activated within plenty of time to prevent the disease after a person has been vaccinated and booster vaccines are not needed" said Dr. Pichichero. "Other examples of vaccines that do not appear to require boosters because the pace of disease progression is slow include: polio, measles, mumps, and German measles."

MORE AT:http://www.auto-mobi.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9688&Itemid=50

COMMENT: Isn't tetanus more like 5-7 years?
 

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by: Mr White42 @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 14:20:39 PM CST

Here in MA, USA

Our doc says our tetanus schedule is every 10 years.

We live in a farm setting so I am very careful to get us all vax'd against this on a reg schedule.

I just wish there was an easily available vax against listeria (for us and our goats)

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by: nika @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 15:22:24 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Canada: Resident gets Guillain-Barre after H1N1 shot

There have been no other cases of GBS in Ontario linked with the H1N1 flu shot.

November 28, 2009
Joanna Frketich
The Hamilton Spectator
(Nov 28, 2009)

A Hamilton resident is ill with Guillain-Barre syndrome after getting the H1N1 flu shot.

However, the public health department says it's unlikely the vaccination caused the autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system and results in sudden weakness or paralysis.

"We'll never know for sure," said Dr. Chris Mackie, a Hamilton associate medical officer of health. "The evidence is suggesting that it did not, but it is possible."

Health Canada lists GBS as a rare side-effect of the H1N1 flu shot. Chances of getting it from vaccination are one in a million.

Mackie points out that the risk of getting GBS from influenza itself is much higher at four to seven per 100,000.

"It's 40 to 70 times as likely," he said. "The main message is that all evidence gathered to date suggests that this vaccine is quite safe. It suggests there is not an increased risk of GBS with this vaccine. And it suggests that getting the vaccine is a lot safer than not getting the vaccine."

The unidentified Hamilton adult came down with GBS three weeks after getting the adjuvanted vaccine.

However, the patient also had a mild viral illness about 10 days prior to the onset of symptoms, which could be responsible for the GBS.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Lo...

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by: Mr White42 @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 14:38:27 PM CST

CDC: H1N1 Vaccine With Negligible Side Effects

There's no evidence that the swine flu vaccine is causing any serious side effects, U.S. health officials said Wednesday, in their first report on the safety of the new vaccine.

Since vaccinations began in early October, the government has been tracking the safety of the swine flu vaccine. By mid-November, about 22 million Americans had gotten the vaccine and there were about 3,200 reports of possible side effects, the vast majority for minor things like soreness or swelling from the shot.

Health officials didn't expect to see any serious problems - the swine flu vaccine is basically the same as the regular winter flu vaccine. And there weren't any signs of trouble in the tests done in thousands to find the right dose.

SNIP>
In particular, officials have been watching for reports of a rare paralyzing condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome. That condition was seen in higher numbers than usual during a swine flu vaccination campaign in 1976, a development that contributed to the program's cancellation.

There have been only 10 Guillain-Barre reports so far in those who got the new swine flu vaccine since early October, and some of those cases still are under investigation, CDC officials said.

Ten is low. Guillain-Barre can occur on its own, and normally between 80 and 160 people are diagnosed with the condition each week in the United States, Schuchat said.

The information comes from a voluntary reporting system that patients and doctors can use if they think something went wrong after a vaccination. Of the swine flu reports, 177 were considered serious, including 11 deaths.

There's no evidence those deaths were due to the vaccine, and there was no common underlying medical condition or other pattern seen in those fatalities, CDC officials said.

http://cbs4.com/health/h1n1.va...

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by: Mr White42 @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 14:42:06 PM CST

Look at ill effects of H1N1 vaccine

Letter to the Editor

In response to the article entitled, "Get vaccine to those who need it most," I believe that the urgency for the vaccine expressed by the media poses a threat to consumers.

The H1N1 vaccine is considered experimental and could have unknown side effects. Health officials are even saying that there is a link between the vaccination and the lethal nerve disorder, Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

Although the virus presents a great risk to millions of lives, the vaccination's safety should be in question, and therefore, this form of prevention is not worth the risks it entails. Because the swine flu is curable and short-lasting, I believe that a better course of action would simply be to contract the disease and build up natural immunities to it.

The article said that "We urge all suburban counties to distribute the limited supply (of the vaccination) in this manner," meaning to pregnant women, young children and those with chronic health problems. However, the vaccine contains toxic ingredients, including MSG and mercury, which would be most harmful to these types of people.

The pharmaceutical industry is making a major profit off this virus, and I can't help but to question their intentions with these promotions for a risky drug. I feel that before the population goes to get vaccinated, they should first look into the negative effects this drug can have on its users.

Cheney Hagerup

Glen Ellyn

COMMENT: The writers may have their information out of whack, but aren't the pharma companies relieved of most liabilities. The question remains; is any entity ultimately responsible?

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by: Mr White42 @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 14:55:22 PM CST

U.S. Vaccine Injury Liability and Compensation

On 15 Jun 2009, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, issued a declaration extending the liability protections of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act ("PREP") to the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine.¹ PREP provides immunity from tort liability for any claim, except willful misconduct, for any type of loss under both federal and state law.² The immunity extends, among others, to manufacturers of the vaccine.³ Persons directly injured by the vaccine may be compensated by the U.S. Government from the "Covered Countermeasure Process Fund" established for this purpose by the U.S. Treasury.⁴

References:
1. 74 Fed Reg 30294 (25 Jun 2009).
2. 42 USC § 247d-6d (2008).
3. 42 USC § 247d-6d(i)(2)(B)(i) (2008).
4. 42 USC § 247d-6e (2008).

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by: Marble @ Tue Dec 01, 2009 at 01:49:08 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Thanx Marble, then, okay, we'll just blame Mr. Obama n/t

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by: Mr White42 @ Sun Dec 13, 2009 at 18:23:39 PM CST

[ Parent ]

link

http://www.dailyherald.com/sto...

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by: Mr White42 @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 14:56:02 PM CST

Macedonia: 3rd death confirmed from H1N1

Another person has died due to complications caused by the A/H1N1 flu virus, director of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases Zvonko Milenkovic said on Saturday.

Dr. Milenkovic informed that a 34-year old person was admitted to the clinic with a deteriorating health condition. - Due to complications caused by progressive bronchopneumonia, the person died within less than 60 hours, said the doctor.

This is the third swine flu fatality in Macedonia following the deaths of two men aged 32 and 77 years respectively.

http://macedoniaonline.eu/cont...

"I have come to value liberated minds as the supreme good of life on earth."

epitaph on grave of J. Frank Dobie

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by: Joseph_Roehl_kiwiamerican @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 15:11:25 PM CST

India: 3 more deaths in Rajasthan brings total there to 42

Jaipur, Nov 28 (PTI) [B]Three more persons, including a woman, succumbed to swine flu in Rajasthan today pushing the death toll due to the disease to 42 in the state[/B], official sources said.

Thirty two others, including 15 children, were tested positive of the virus in the state.

Ramesh (50) of Sikar district and Fatima (38) of Nagaur district died in SMS Hospital here while Gopal Sharma (38) died in Bikaner, an official of state Medical and Health Department said.

So far, 42 people have died due to swine flu and 1,429 were tested positive, he added.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/39...

"I have come to value liberated minds as the supreme good of life on earth."

epitaph on grave of J. Frank Dobie

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by: Joseph_Roehl_kiwiamerican @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 15:26:52 PM CST

Taiwan: confirmations of 31st death, 10 new hospitalizations, 802 schools closed

The number of influenza A(H1N1)-related school closures in Taiwan has continued to hit a new high as the outbreak persists around the country, health authorities said yesterday.
As of 4:00 p.m. Friday, 1,925 classes in 802 schools remained closed because of A(H1N1) infections among the students. The number of affected classes accounted for 1.28 percent of the total, reaching yet another high since the outbreak began, statistics from the Central Epidemics Command Center (CEC) showed.

Chou Jih-haw, deputy director-general of the Centers for Disease Control, said the situation demonstrates that the H1N1 virus is highly infectious. He urged individuals eligible for priority vaccination to receive the shots as soon as possible.

It usually takes two to three weeks for the vaccine to produce immunity in human bodies, Chou noted.

Meanwhile, there were 10 more patients hospitalized with the flu strain as of Saturday, compared to a day earlier, the CECC said.

The total number of such cases since the outbreak began had reached 692, 31 of which had resulted in death, according to the CECC.

The latest victim was a 45-year-old man in the southern county of Chiayi who had suffered from liver cirrhosis.

http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn...

"I have come to value liberated minds as the supreme good of life on earth."

epitaph on grave of J. Frank Dobie

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by: Joseph_Roehl_kiwiamerican @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 15:32:45 PM CST

Palestine: confirmation of 2 new deaths, total now 9

 pregnant Palestinian woman from Hebron and a man from Jenin died of the A/H1N1 virus in the West Bank, the Health Ministry announced Saturday, Xinhua reported.

Asad al-Ramlawi, an official from the ministry in the West Bank, said that the pregnant woman in her mid 30s and a man with diabetes from Jenin died in the hospital earlier on Saturday.

The latest deaths bring the number of Palestinians who died of the flu to nine, he said, adding that 1,170 people have been infected.

http://en.trend.az/regions/met...

"I have come to value liberated minds as the supreme good of life on earth."

epitaph on grave of J. Frank Dobie

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by: Joseph_Roehl_kiwiamerican @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 15:40:33 PM CST

FDA Approves Agriflu Seasonal Influenza Vaccine

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Agriflu for people ages 18 years and older to prevent disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and B.  

Agriflu, manufactured by Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics in Siena, Italy, was approved using the FDA's accelerated approval pathway, which helps safe and effective medical products for serious or life-threatening diseases become available sooner. In this case, Novartis demonstrated that the vaccine induced levels of antibodies in the blood likely to be effective in preventing seasonal influenza.

Agriflu is administered as a single injection in the upper arm and is available in single dose, pre-filled syringes that do not contain preservatives.

"The approval of the new seasonal influenza vaccine, Agriflu, is an important step in adding to the production capacity to enhance the supply of vaccine for the United States for future influenza seasons," said Karen Midthun, M.D., acting director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

Common side effects in clinical studies included pain, swelling and redness at the injection site, headache, muscle aches and malaise. People with severe or life-threatening allergies to chicken eggs, or to any other substance in the vaccine, should not be vaccinated.

As part of the accelerated approval process, Novartis is required to conduct further studies to verify that the vaccine induces levels of antibodies in the blood that are effective in preventing seasonal influenza.

[more]

 



"History never looks like history when you are living through it." ~John W. Gardner

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by: tess @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 15:52:30 PM CST

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for November 29, 2009

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 23:01:20 PM CST