News Reports for April 27, 2012

Health minister resigns

http://www.thejakartapost.com/...

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 04/26/2012 4:00 PM

Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih: JP/Ricky Yudhistira
Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih has tendered her resignation to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono after he visited her at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Central Jakarta.

Endang has been receiving medical care for lung cancer since April 20. She is currently undergoing radiotherapy and cryosurgery treatments.

"She [Endang] has asked me to approve her resignation due to her illness. She wants to fully concentrate on her medical treatment." Yudhoyono told reporters on Thursday.
Endang, who has also undergone medical treatment abroad, opened up to the public last year about her illness. (asa/dic)

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by: bgw in MT @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 03:30:25 AM UTC

Flu Research Moratorium Should Continue, Fauci Says

Although the contention over whether to publish two controversial H5N1 avian influenza studies appears to be waning, researchers should continue to abide by a voluntary moratorium on certain types of studies involving the virus, a senior U.S. science official said today.

There should be "an extension on the moratorium," which was originally supposed to expire on 20 March, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) told a U.S. Senate panel today. "The question is for how long."

The comments came at a hearing held by the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs into the risk posed by "dual use" research that carries both benefits and risks. The hearing was prompted, in large part, by the H5N1 controversy, said Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), the chair of the panel. "Although this particular issue appears to have been resolved, it's going to recur and we can't just 'kick this can down the road' and deal with it on an ad hoc basis when it happens again." Continued: http://news.sciencemag.org/sci...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 05:08:06 AM UTC

India: Shortage of A(H1N1) testing kits worries patients

Even as Influenza A(H1N1) is spreading across the State, an acute shortage of testing kits is worrying patients. Testing of samples at the laboratory at the National Institute of mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) here, which is the only government facility to test samples from across the State, has come to a standstill for the last one week. While patients, who cannot afford tests in private laboratories, are anxiously waiting for the reports, State health officials, who admitted that there was a shortage, claim all is well.

"We usually do not wait for the test reports to start treatment. Medicines are administered symptomatically. We have enough stock of medicines and the problem of shortage of kits will be sorted out soon," said Chandrashekar Malagi, State Joint Director (Communicable Diseases).

Admitting there was a severe shortage, V. Ravi, Head of the Department of Neuro-Virology at NIMHANS, told The Hindu here on Thursday that the demand for A(H1N1) testing kits had gone up in the last two months after the flu started spreading. "We have a backlog of more than 450 samples as we had stopped testing for a week. We had placed orders last week itself and have now learnt that the stocks have been despatched by the manufacturer. We are likely to get our stock of kits to test 500 samples by Friday," he said. He said the situation was the same across the country.

"With just one company manufacturing the kits and so many countries requiring them, it is a difficult situation. The kits are procured from a World Health Organisation (WHO)-recommended company that has been licensed by the Centre for Disease Control," Dr. Ravi said.

He said the shortage was also affecting tests at private laboratories in Manipal and Bangalore that have been authorised by the Government to conduct the tests. "One of them even asked us to help them out but we refused as we ourselves are facing a shortage.
(Snip)
Sources in the department said that they were expecting that the flu might spread faster as it has started raining. Continued: http://www.thehindu.com/news/s...

(Note: Please correct me if I am wrong but I think there are several companies that manufacture H1N1 swine flu testing kits for distribution. If so, and WHO has only recommended one of them then that would make me very suspicious!)

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 05:33:43 AM UTC

Top 5 Most Infectious Diseases In History

Not all diseases are infectious. (Snip) Contagious diseases are difficult to control and also run the risk of turning into epidemics. All the epidemics in history were caused by diseases that are communicable.

Here are some of the most infectious diseases that have plagued the human race till now.

Top 5 Most Infectious Diseases:

1. Flu: It sounds silly when you start off with a disease is so minor and common to us. But in reality, flu spreads faster than most of the serious diseases. The spread of Bird Flu and Swine Flu, has shown us that even a little flu can become dangerous. Hospitals were forced to turn back people as their quarantine wards were overflowed with Flu patients. Continued: http://www.boldsky.com/health/...  

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 05:40:17 AM UTC

Illinois Swine Match 2011 Human H3N2v

Recombinomics Commentary

The USDA has released another series of swine sequences from collections in late 2011 / early 2012.  Included were five isolates (Snip) which were collected on October 20, 2011, November 28, 2011, and January 5, 2012, respectively, from lung tissues.  

Like the two earlier matches from New York and Iowa (Snip)the collections were after the spread of H3N2v in humans in 2011 and all matches are with the first 10 human isolates in 2011.  (Snip) there still have been no swine matches with the three most recent H3N2v human isolates (Snip) which have an N2 from swine H3N2v.

The recent swine matches indicate this constellation is spreading in swine in Illinois, and increase concerns that these sequences have adapted to humans, and like H1N1pdm09, have jumped back to swine and are becoming increasingly common. http://www.recombinomics.com/N...  

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 05:53:24 AM UTC

Hundreds of Poultry in Bali Bird Flu Positive

The authority implemented focal culling or restrictive elimination.

27 April 2012

VIVAnews - The death of a child in Kintamani, Bangli District, Bali, with the initials of NP, 8, from bird flu infection, has forced the Department of Animal Husbandry in Denpasar and Bali Province to conduct poultry inspection in Satria Bird Market in Denpasar.

Applying rapid test method, the officers discovered hundreds of poultry being marketed carry the deadly virus.

"The chickens are bird flu positive. We conducted a restrictive extermination to cut the cycle of H5N1 virus distribution," said Head of Animal Health Laboratory of the Animal Husbandry Department in Bali Province, Wayan Sukanadi, on Thursday.

Sukanadi said the decision to inspect the poultry is due to the many reports about the sudden deaths of chickens. Before NP's death, officers have also received reports about chickens that died shortly after being purchased from the market.

Considering these symptoms, the Department of Animal Husbandry in Denpasar finally implemented supervision and discovered two dead chickens that were going to be sold. The chickens were positive with the H5N1 virus.

The authority then implemented focal culling or restrictive elimination in the Satria Bird Market, Denpasar.

As many as 231 fighting cocks from Probolinggo and Jember, East Java were exterminated, buried and disinfected.

The exterminated chickens were from seven poultry traders in the market.  The Denpasar Town Government compensated the traders with Rp50 thousand per chicken.  

In 2012, two Bali residents died from bird flu virus. In February, bird flu killed a Tabanan resident.

http://us.en.vivanews.com/news...

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

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by: cottontop @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 16:15:49 PM UTC

Thailand: Bird Flu Outbreak Feared In Central Thai Province

ANG THONG , April 27 -- Some storks have died mysteriously in (Snip) central Ang Thong Province, prompting both local authorities and the people to be on high alert for the possibility of avian flu outbreak (Snip) http://www.topix.com/health/av...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 16:17:35 PM UTC

India: H1N1 cases near 1,000; 59 deaths in 13 states

Government today said 987 cases of H1N1 and 59 deaths have been reported this year from 13 states. (Snip) Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said the badly affected states include Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.

He said advisory has been issued to the states for screening and isolation facilities, including critical care. (Snip) States and Union Territories have been advised to follow guidelines on triage, categorisation and testing of patients (Snip) and adequate stock of Oseltamivir, the antiviral drug, is available.

(Snip) from January this year till April 23, Maharashtra accounted for the maximum number of 487 cases and 20 deaths, while Andhra Pradesh reported 115 cases and 12 deaths and Rajasthan had 116 cases with 12 deaths, followed by Karnataka where 171 cases were reported, including eight deaths.

Delhi had reported seven cases but no death while Gujarat had reported six cases with two deaths and Haryana reported only four cases and Kerala reported 10 cases. Tamil Nadu reported 61 cases with two deaths and Madhya Pradesh reported one case and one death while Punjab reported two cases with one death and Uttarakhand one case with one death. http://www.moneycontrol.com/ne...  

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 16:22:17 PM UTC

Five more test positive for A (H1N1) in Tamil Nadu

A 32-year-old resident of Ashok Nagar who tested positive for A (H1N1) influenza was admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. He is one of five people in the State who were confirmed with having contracted the viral infection as of Thursday. While a nine-year-old boy from Vellore and a 60-year-old woman from Tiruppur have been quarantined at their homes, a 19-year-old woman from Pudukottai and a 26-year-old from Tiruppatur have been admitted in isolation wards at the government hospital in Tiruchi and in Christian Medical College, Vellore, respectively. Health Department officials said the transmission of the virus continues to be sporadic and that people need not panic. So far, 49 cases of the infection have been reported in Chennai.

The State government has sought the support of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to conduct orientation programmes in all districts. Around 750 doctors from corporate hospitals, Chennai Corporation's health dispensaries as well as private practitioners, participated in an orientation programme conducted by the civic body on Wednesday. At the day-long interactive programme, participants were provided with a CD on the diagnosis and management of the viral infection. The programme follows the death of four patients in the State recently. They had all been referred to government hospitals too late. Health Minister V.S. Vijay told The Hindu that private hospitals had waited for test results before starting the patients on medication.

"Private hospitals treat this as common cold and fever. Once the viral load increases, it could lead to multiple organ failure. Instead, doctors can make a diagnosis based on clinical symptoms for the infection and start the patient on Tamiflu," he said.

Of the 25,000 doses of vaccines received, 20,000 have been already administered to a high-risk group of healthcare workers. The government has also floated tenders and placed an order for another 55,000 doses, which are likely to arrive within the next five days, Dr. Vijay said. Continued: http://www.thehindu.com/news/c...  

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 16:28:46 PM UTC

Netherlands: Controversial bird flu study gets export permit

A controversial bird flu study has cleared the final hurdle on its long road to publication. Dutch virologist Ron Fouchier says he's been notified the Dutch government has cleared his study for export, meaning he can submit it to the journal Science.

(Snip)

On Friday, the Dutch government gave Fouchier the green light to send his paper to Science.

A spokesperson for the journal says it is too soon to say how quickly the paper can be published. Ginger Pinholster says Science is hopeful it can synchronize publication of the Fouchier paper with the second paper, by Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The Kawaoka paper has been accepted for publication by the British journal Nature.

Pinholster says the Fouchier paper still needs to undergo peer review, so a publication date cannot be predicted.
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/SciT...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 21:33:04 PM UTC

Shudder. Starting down the Oppenheimer highway of no return?? n/t

Always have a plan B.

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by: maryinhawaii @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 21:42:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

India: 17th swine flu death in Bibvewadi (Maharashtra)

PUNE: A 62-year-old man from Bibvewadi succumbed to swine flu at a private hospital early on Friday, taking the death toll in Pune district to 17 since March 14. (Snip) "A cancer patient, Gajengi had tested positive for swine flu on April 22," said a PMC medical officer.

The patient consulted a doctor for fever on April 13. Later, on April 19, when he developed cold and cough, he was referred to Naidu Hospital where he was administered Tamiflu tablets. However, his condition worsened and he was admitted to DMH on April 20. He developed ARDS following which he was put on high frequency ventilator support on April 24. "The patient had been suffering from multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow," Continued: http://timesofindia.indiatimes...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 21:38:07 PM UTC

India drugmakers give flu vaccines a second shot

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Indian drugmakers, which in 2010 rushed to make cheap flu vaccines against the newest strain of H1N1 in response to an outbreak that waned before they could be brought to market, are looking to recover some of their investments amid a new outbreak of the deadly virus in India.
(Snip)
Five Indian companies -- Cadila Healthcare, Panacea Biotec, Bharat Biotech International, Jubilant Life Sciences and Serum Institute of India -- invested more than 1 billion rupees ($19 million) to develop vaccines but sold less than 400 million rupees worth.

The latest outbreak, which is far smaller than that of 2009, has claimed 57 lives in India so far this year, according to the Indian health ministry.

Sporadic cases of infections with the new flu virus have also cropped up over the last six months in southeast Asia and Latin America, with Mexico alone reporting 29 deaths.

"This time, we are planning to produce about half a million doses but still, recovery of costs is not possible," said Adar Poonawalla, executive director of unlisted Serum Institute of India, the world's fifth-largest vaccine maker by volume. Continued: http://www.empowher.com/wellne...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 21:42:26 PM UTC

India: Maharashtra to get H1N1 vaccine for doctors, staff soon

PUNE: The doctors and paramedical staff involved in the management of swine flu cases in Maharashtra will get the swine flu vaccine in a few days. The state government has submitted a requisition for 20,500 doses of injectable vaccine to the Union health ministry on Thursday. The vaccine doses are likely to arrive within a week. The objective is to vaccinate the front-line health staff before the monsoon, officials from the ministry said.
(Snip)
The vaccine is meant for doctors and paramedical staff involved in treating swine flu patients at state-run and civic body-run hospitals, dispensaries and screening centres.

The resurgence in swine flu infection in Pune, Mumbai and nearby areas in the state had prompted the Union health ministry to procure vaccines for the medical staff involved in management of H1N1 infection cases. The ministry's EMR department had asked the state officials to furnish exact requirement of the vaccine doses for the staff a few days ago.

During the previous outbreak of swine flu infection, the Union ministry had to call back unused doses of imported vaccine following poor response from doctors and paramedical staff. In July 2010, when the swine flu infection was at its peak in the state, only 2,055 of the 34,300 of state's medical staff involved in the H1N1 cases had taken the vaccine.

Asked how the authorities are going to convince the health staff to take the vaccine now, a state health official said, "We can only advise them to take it. We cannot force anyone to take the vaccine." The vaccine is free of cost, he added. Continued: http://timesofindia.indiatimes...  

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 21:46:53 PM UTC

Bronco Bill, it's Friday joke time!

Your jokes for the week are here: http://www.newfluwiki2.com/dia...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 at 22:17:07 PM UTC

Hundreds of Poultry in Bali Bird Flu Positive

Saturday, 28 April 2012

The authority implemented focal culling or restrictive elimination.

VIVAnews - The death of a child in Kintamani, Bangli District, Bali, with the initials of NP, 8, from bird flu infection, has forced the Department of Animal Husbandry in Denpasar and Bali Province to conduct poultry inspection in Satria Bird Market in Denpasar.

Applying rapid test method, the officers discovered hundreds of poultry being marketed carry the deadly virus.
"The chickens are bird flu positive. We conducted a restrictive extermination to cut the cycle of H5N1 virus distribution," said Head of Animal Health Laboratory of the Animal Husbandry Department in Bali Province, Wayan Sukanadi, on Thursday.

Sukanadi said the decision to inspect the poultry is due to the many reports about the sudden deaths of chickens. Before NP's death, officers have also received reports about chickens that died shortly after being purchased from the market.

Considering these symptoms, the Department of Animal Husbandry in Denpasar finally implemented supervision and discovered two dead chickens that were going to be sold. The chickens were positive with the H5N1 virus.
The authority then implemented focal culling or restrictive elimination in the Satria Bird Market, Denpasar.

As many as 231 fighting cocks from Probolinggo and Jember, East Java were exterminated, buried and disinfected.
The exterminated chickens were from seven poultry traders in the market. The Denpasar Town Government compensated the traders with Rp50 thousand per chicken.
In 2012, two Bali residents died from bird flu virus. In February, bird flu killed a Tabanan resident.

http://us.en.vivanews.com/news...

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

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by: cottontop @ Sat Apr 28, 2012 at 00:56:18 AM UTC

Hong Kong suspends poultry imports from Liaoning over bird flu

04:45 AM Apr 27, 2012
HONG KONG - The territory yesterday suspended imports of poultry products, including eggs and frozen meat, from China's north-eastern Liaoning province for 21 days after the authorities there confirmed an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu.

Hong Kong imported about 28,000 tonnes of frozen poultry and 103 million poultry eggs from Liaoning last year.

"The outbreak in Dalian city was among chickens," said a Hong Kong government spokesman, who had no further details.

The H5N1 virus mainly affects birds, but occasionally jumps to people. Experts fear it may mutate into a form that could spread easily among humans, who have no natural immunity against it. There have been 24 human cases of H5N1 confirmed globally so far this year, compared with 62 last year.

Of the 24 patients in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Indonesia and Vietnam, 15 died. In most of these cases, the victims came into direct contact with infected birds, mostly chickens. Reuters

http://www.todayonline.com/Wor...

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

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by: cottontop @ Sat Apr 28, 2012 at 01:33:57 AM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for April 23, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Sat Apr 28, 2012 at 04:06:04 AM UTC

Oops! AlohaOR made a boo boo!!! LOL

Hmmm, I think you mean April 28th don't you and what time is that? AlohaOR, have you been out partying tonight and if so why didn't you take me with you? With all the screw ups I make..... there was no way I was going to let you get away with that one!!! LOL

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Sat Apr 28, 2012 at 05:38:42 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I was just checking...

...to see if anyone was watching ;)

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by: AlohaOR @ Mon Apr 30, 2012 at 04:25:04 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

They were looking but....

they are polite and well mannered people and I'm not! LOL  

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 30, 2012 at 06:19:51 AM UTC

[ Parent ]