News Reports for August 10, 2012

US: C.D.C. Reports Sudden Rise in Mild Cases of Swine Flu

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08...

The number of people reported to have swine flu has risen sharply in the last week, federal health officials said Thursday, but they are not calling the increase a pandemic because there is no evidence of transmission between humans. So far, all the reported cases have been relatively mild, and have passed to humans through direct contact with pigs. [Editorial comment:  That contradicts yesterday's statement by another CDC spokesperson that "it wouldn't be surprising to us if there was some limited human-to-human transmission going on".  Sounds like spin control is gearing up.]

Joseph Bresee, an expert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the number of people who had fallen ill with the virus since the middle of July now stood at 152, up from 16 in the previous week, when the figures were last reported. (snip)

The concern is that the virus could start to be transmitted from person to person, health experts said. The swine flu virus shares a gene with the H1N1 virus that caused the 2009 flu pandemic that sickened millions of people around the world and caused what health officials estimated to have been several thousand flu-related deaths.

"The big question is, what is the potential for this virus?" said William Schaffner, president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. "Could it take off and spread person to person and be the origin for the next big influenza outbreak?" (continued)

[Further editorial comment:  Since the CDC and WHO were roundly (and IMHO unjustly) criticized for "over-reacting" to the H1N1 pandemic, it's practically guaranteed that the message to the media will be to significantly downplay this (possibly emerging) pandemic. I wouldn't be surprised to see a quick move to re-define the WHO pandemic stages to take into account severity of the illness, not just the geographic spread.]  

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by: AlohaOR @ Fri Aug 10, 2012 at 04:30:41 AM UTC

Good comment, AlohaOR

I agree!

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 Aug 10, 2012 at 07:43:22 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think we can expect to see

alot of PR contol with this, which will make it more difficult to get to the truth.

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

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by: cottontop @ Fri Aug 10, 2012 at 12:58:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

AlohaOR, I second and third these comments. n/t

"I am opposed to any form of tyranny over the mind of man."  Thomas Jefferson

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by: History Lover @ Fri Aug 10, 2012 at 14:56:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

CIDRAP: Illinois confirms novel H3N2 case as national total hits 152

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidr...

[This is a good, factual article by Lisa Schnirring. Snippets follow:]

• Confirmed cases of H3N2v now at 152, from 4 states (OH, IN, IL and HI)
• Illinois reported its first case: a child who attended Coles County Fair
• Indiana today reported 7 more cases, including its 2 cases in Tippecanoe County, raising the number of affected counties to 19
• Some severe infections have occurred (2 people have been hospitalized, both have recovered); the CDC advises elderly people, young children, and those with chronic medical conditions to avoid pig exposure at fairs
• CDC will issue H3N2v updates every Friday
• State labs that confirm H3N2v cases can now report them directly without waiting for CDC confirmation
• More than 90% of the H3N2v infections are in children who have direct contact with pigs
• Scientists are seeing a high degree of genetic similarity among the H3N2v strains
• The CDC expects to see some limited spread, given that three of last year's H3N2v infections occurred in children who had contact with each other but no known pig exposure
• Testing of swine being exhibited at county fairs (only in Ohio?) has only found H3N2v in the pigs so far this year; the infected pigs tested by the OSU group have been asymptomatic

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by: AlohaOR @ Fri Aug 10, 2012 at 04:55:37 AM UTC

India: Maharashtra sees spurt in H1N1 cases, deaths this month

PUNE: The state has witnessed a rise in the number of H1N1 infections, with the virus claiming five lives and infecting 78 people within just eight days so far this month as against eight dead and 205 infected in the whole month of July.

There has also been a five-fold increase in the number of throat swabs coming from various parts of the state to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) here for testing of the H1N1 virus since the beginning of this month. The NIV, however, says that there has not been a significant increase in the infection rate as compared to the number of suspected cases and throat swabs arriving for testing.

The number, which was earlier restricted to an average three to four samples per day till July, has now jumped to around 15 to 20 samples each day. Mumbai has reported the highest 52 positive cases and one death followed by Pune with 13 positive cases and one death.

"We receive around 15 to 20 throat swabs every day now. They are mainly from Pune and the rest of Maharashtra except Mumbai and Raigad, which send the swabs for testing to the Haffkine Institute in Mumbai. The sudden increase in samples is being witnessed since the beginning of this month," senior scientist Mandeep Chadha, deputy director of NIV, told TOI on Thursday.

However, Chadha said that there was no significant increase in the infection rate as only three to four samples among them test positive for swine flu.

"The viral infection will subside after the monsoon. Since it is a self-resolving as well as self-limiting virus, there is no need to panic," Chadha said.

The H1N1 group of viruses proliferate more when the weather is humid and cool. It's an airborne virus and humidity and cool weather conditions are conducive to its survival.

State epidemiologist Pradip Awate said, "Influenza epidemics in colder countries are usually seen in winter. In tropical countries like India, epidemics can be seen throughout the year. In fact, there is a propensity towards more epidemics in the monsoon. This is usually due to a combination of high humidity, relatively cooler temperatures and indoor crowding of people." Continued: http://timesofindia.indiatimes...

(Note: ...."no significant increase in the infection rate as only three to four samples among them test positive for swine flu".... That's debatable because from what I've read several times, the rapid test is only about 50% accurate so they may be missing some of the positives. The amount of samples have increased and 3 to 4 positives out of every 20 samples is about a 15% to 20% infection rate and if they are missing some then it is higher.)

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 Aug 10, 2012 at 07:16:08 AM UTC

CDC: Reports jump to at least 158 cases of new swine flu strain from pigs

ATLANTA - Don't pet the pigs.

That's the message state and county fair visitors got Thursday from health officials who reported a five-fold increase of cases of a new strain of swine flu that spreads from pigs to people. Most of the cases are linked to the fairs, where visitors are in close contact with infected pigs. This flu has mild symptoms and it's not really spreading from person to person.

"This is not a pandemic situation," said Dr. Joseph Bresee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But any flu can be a risk for some people, and people should be cautious when they can, he added.

The case count jumped from 29 a week ago to 158 this week, thanks to a wave of new cases in Indiana and Ohio, said Bresee, the agency's chief of influenza epidemiology.

Most of the infected patients are children - probably because many were working closely with raising, displaying and visiting pigs at the agricultural fairs, Bresee said.

The recent cases include at least 113 in Indiana, 30 in Ohio, one in Hawaii and one in Illinois, Bresee said in a conference call with reporters.

The count is changing rapidly. Indiana health officials on Thursday afternoon said they had seven more confirmed cases than Bresee noted. That would raise the grand total to 165 so far.

Also, diagnosis of cases has become quicker in the past week. CDC no longer must confirm a case with its own lab. Now states are using CDC test kits to confirm cases on their own on, speeding the process along. The newly reported cases were likely infected a week or two ago.

The CDC has been tracking cases since last summer. A concern: The new strain has a gene from the 2009 pandemic strain that might let it spread more easily than pig viruses normally do. Continued: http://www.heraldtimesonline.c...

(Note: Clearly there is some confusion as to how many positives there are so far but that is understandable with both the state labs and the CDC doing test. The quoted numbers of 113 in Indiana, 30 in Ohio and 1 each in Illinois & Hawaii is 145 cases. Dr. Joseph Bresee of the CDC said there are 158 cases and the 7 more confirmed this afternoon in Indiana puts the number at 165.)

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 Aug 10, 2012 at 07:40:42 AM UTC

US: Indiana swine flu cases reach 120

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana now has 120 confirmed swine flu cases.

The Indiana State Department of Health said Thursday it has confirmed seven more cases, including the first two in Tippecanoe County.

Health officials still haven't confirmed any transmission of the flu from person to person. All of the cases have been transmitted from hogs and pigs to humans.

(Snip) Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, nausea and diarrhea, and may last anywhere from three to eight days. Continued: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/a...

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 Aug 10, 2012 at 07:56:23 AM UTC

Vietnam: Health departments to ascertain, curb possible spread of H5N1 virus

(Snip) municipal and provincial departments of health across the country have been ordered to do a thorough study of old cases of outbreaks of diseases, so as to ascertain and curb the possible spread of H5N1 virus.

Medical workers, especially those at border gates, have been advised to keep a close watch on patients suspected of having contracted the H5N1 strain, by placing them in quarantine and isolation wards in hospitals.

Binh asked people to inform the local governments about diseased and dead poultry in their district, and avoid eating sick foul or transport and sell poultry (Snip).

The quick spread of the bird flu virus has worried local authorities and caused concern among poultry breeders. (Snip) the northern provinces of Hai Phong and Hai Duong; the central provinces of Quang Binh and Ha Tinh are being plagued by bird flu.

More worrisome is the risk of the disease spreading because of current weather conditions which are favorable for spread of the virus and lax management of poultry trade and sale in the bordering districts with China where tons of sick chickens are illegally brought into the country.

Bird flu has spread to a duck farm in the central province of Quang Tri, affecting 4,890 poultry, bringing the total of H5N1 infected areas to six communes in Vinh Linh, Trieu Phong Districts and Quang Tri Town.

(Snip) Quang Tri Province has provided more than 300,000 vaccine dozes and 5,000 kilograms of disinfectants to localities, to sanitize the environment.

(Note: The Chinese government is going to have a "hissy fit" over Vietnam telling on them for having H5N1 in the country!! LOL I found this statement particularly interesting: "Medical workers, especially those at border gates, have been advised to keep a close watch on patients suspected of having contracted the H5N1 strain, by placing them in quarantine and isolation wards in hospitals." Clearly they are worried about human H5N1 cases crossing the border from China into Vietnam.)

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 Aug 10, 2012 at 08:16:49 AM UTC

New York Summer Camp Outbreak Raises H3N2v Concerns

Recombinomics Commentary

Several children were diagnosed with viral flu influenza. They were immediately isolated from the rest of the camp population and they have already returned home.

There are reports of influenza-like illness from other states, and we're looking into these along with the state health departments. Finally, limited human-to-human transmission has been observed in the past and we expect some limited human-to-human spread may be observed in these current outbreaks. Ongoing investigations will determine whether there is, and if so, what the extent of transmission is.

The above comments, on a flu outbreak at a summer camp in Glen Spey, New York (Snip) and the August 9 CDC telebriefing transcript (Snip), raise concerns that reports on CDC H3N2v confirmation for flu clusters that do not involve swine exposure have been delayed.  

As also noted in the telebriefing, the CDC is ceding confirmatory H3N2v testing to state labs because almost all samples submitted to the CDC have been confirmed, and the level of seasonal flu in the United States at this time is low.

Recombinomics attempted to get additional information on the summer camp outbreaks.  The summer camp noted that the CDC had been informed of the outbreak, and the CDC would have additional information.  However, the media center at the CDC denied knowledge of the outbreak.  Similarly, attempts to ask questions on the above outbreak or H3N2v evolution at the CDC telebriefing were unsuccessful, in spite of early queueing. Continued: http://www.recombinomics.com/N...

See report below: "Camp Simcha To Conclude Current Camp Session Due To Flu Breakout"

Press Briefing Transcript: "CDC Update on H3N2v Cases Telebriefing" http://www.cdc.gov/media/relea...

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 Aug 10, 2012 at 13:00:16 PM UTC

Camp Simcha To Conclude Current Camp Session Due To Flu Breakout (New York)

The following was released by Camp Simcha moments ago: On the advice of its medical director, Dr. Peter Steinherz, and its associate medical director, Dr. Leonard Wexler, both leading pediatric oncologists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Chai Lifeline has decided to conclude the current Camp Simcha session five days early.

Several children were diagnosed with viral flu influenza. They were immediately isolated from the rest of the camp population and they have already returned home. (Snip)

"The medical directors have made this decision for the safety of all campers," said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, executive vice president of Chai Lifeline. "Children fighting cancer have weakened immune systems, and our first priority is to safeguard their health. While no children are in danger, the medical staff has taken the prudent step of ending this session to ensure that no other children are exposed to the flu." Continued: http://www.thelakewoodscoop.co...

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 Aug 10, 2012 at 13:04:23 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

CDC Cedes Confimatory H3N2v Testing To State Labs

Recombinomics Commentary

The ODH lab will now be able to do final confirmation testing on H3N2v cases, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed protocol. ODH will provide notice of any additional H3N2v human case confirmations on its website, http://bit.ly/OhioH3N2vUpdates and will send out a press release if any additional counties identify cases of H3N2v.

The above comments are from the August 8, 2012 press release from the Ohio Department of Health indicating final H3N2v confirmation will be done locally, indicating the CDC is overwhelmed and backlogged. This became clear when details were released on two recent outbreaks in Ohio and Indiana.  Both involved more than 60 influenza A positive samples, which were likely generated via testing of more the 150 symptomatic individuals at each site, the Gallia Junior County fair in Green, Ohio and the Monroe County Fair in Bloomington, Indiana. The August 9 CDC telebriefing confirmed that all states would be allowed to confirm H3N2v in state labs.

It is likely that similar outbreaks were at additional locations in each state.  ODH reported 30 confirmed H3N2v cases in 5 counties, while ISDH reported 113 confirmed H3N2v cases in 16 counties.

The shifting of testing from the CDC to state labs has striking similarities with the 2009 H1N1v pandemic (Snip)  The large clusters being cited signal efficient H2H transmission, and the linkage to swine is largely linked to testing.

As the number of cases explodes, testing will be broadened.  The CDC has noted in recent releases that H3N2v can jump from swine to humans, but can also jump from humans to swine, which is the likely cause of the large number of H3N2v confirmed swine.  Detection of this novel H3N2v sub-clade was rare in swine prior to the July outbreaks in Indiana and Ohio.  It is likely that detection of H3N2v will increase at area fairs, which provide an ideal environment for H2S, S2H, H2H, and S2S transmission, leading to large H3N2v clusters involving hundreds of attendees.

The CDC also started citing limited H2H transmission, which will be increasingly obvious (Snip) 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 Aug 10, 2012 at 13:24:44 PM UTC

US: Vets to watch for swine flu at Ky. State Fair (Kentucky)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - State veterinarians will be watching for evidence of swine flu during this year's Kentucky State Fair as health officials nationwide have reported a five-fold increase of a new strain of the flu (Snip)

The state fair says in a news release Friday that the vets will staff the swine pavilion and visually inspect all swine. Animals that are coughing, sneezing or have labored breathing will be isolated and tested.

Harold Workman, president and CEO of the Kentucky State Fair Board, says the fair is prepared for the slightest sign of an outbreak and the public will be notified immediately if swine flu is found. (Snip) http://www.palmbeachpost.com/a...  

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 Aug 10, 2012 at 16:36:28 PM UTC

200 H3N2v Cases In Gallia County Ohio

Recombinomics Commentary

The following update is currently available from Gerald E. Vallee, MD, Gallia County Health Commissioner, in regard to H3N2v virus:

There have been 200 suspected cases reported; 69 of those tested positive for Influenza A using the rapid flu test. Representative samples of the suspected cases have been sent for further testing.

There are currently 4 confirmed cases of H3N2v in Gallia County. All individuals had direct contact with swine at fairs.

The above comments from the Gallia County Health Department in Ohio provide insight on the relationship between the number of H3N2v cases and the number of confirmed cases.  Earlier reports cited 62 cases confirmed by the influenza A rapid test, which suggested more than 150 cases were tested.

The above update increases the number of influenza A confirmed cases to 69, but as noted in the August 9 CDC telebriefing, seasonal influenza levels in the United States are low, so most state lab confirmed cases with be H3N2v, especially when linked to an outbreak at an agricultural fair.

Thus, it is likely that the 200 symptomatic cases were H3N2v infected, although CDC confirmation is lagging and only four confirmed cases from Gallia County have been reported and included in the CDC update.  However, the CDC has ceded H3N2v confirmation to the state labs, so the number of "confirmed" cases is expected to increase significantly in today's MMWR as well as future updates by state labs as well as the upcoming Friday updates by the CDC.

However, as seen in the above outbreak associated with the Gallia Junior County fair, many infected cases will not be tested, and the number of "confirmed" cases will significantly undercount large outbreaks.

However, the CDC has targeted testing of ILI cases associated with agricultural fairs, which limits detection of human to human transmission in clusters with too many to test.  These large outbreaks clearly demonstrate the ability of the current H3N2v to infect large numbers of humans. Continued: 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 Aug 10, 2012 at 16:47:52 PM UTC

another reason we won't know true numbers...

Good catch, Carol! Here's yet another reason why, when the press says, "but only X confirmed cases" one has to be sceptical - you can only confirm what you test! So, as this article says, one has to assume all these sudden symptomatic cases are the same flu...  

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by: Cathy M @ Fri Aug 10, 2012 at 23:11:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Avian influenza - situation in Indonesia - update

Hat tip to Michael Coston of Avian Flu Diary: http://www.who.int/csr/don/201...

10 AUGUST 2012 - The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has notified WHO of a new case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus.

The case is a 37 year old male from Yogyakarta province. He developed fever on 24 July 2012, was hospitalized on 27 July and died on 30 July.

Epidemiological investigation on the case found that the case had four pet caged birds in his home, which is about 50 metres from a poultry slaughter house and near a farm.
Infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus was confirmed by the National Institute of Health Research and Development (NIHRD), Ministry of Health and reported to WHO by the National IHR Focal Point.

To date, the total number of human influenza A(H5N1) cases in Indonesia is 191 with 159 fatalities, 8 (all fatal) of which occurred in 2012.

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by: bgw in MT @ Fri Aug 10, 2012 at 18:05:27 PM UTC

Bird Flu Case report 191

Hat tip to Michael Coston of Avian Flu Diary: http://translate.google.com/tr...

Bird Flu Case report 191
AUGUST 9, 2012 | 7:11 PM

Ministry of Health through the Directorate General of Disease Control and Environmental Health announced a new case of H5N1 have been confirmed by the Center for Biomedical and Health Technology base, Balitbangkes.
Case on behalf of AW (Female, 37 years) who Prambanan, Sleman District, Yogyakarta Special Province, is a self-employed. Dated July 24, 2012 symptoms of high fever, the following day case treatment to a hospital outpatient PR. Because of persistent high fever and started coughing case, dated July 27, 2012 the case went to the hospital again and finally treated PR. Care hospital in public relations, the more elevated fever accompanied by cough and shortness, so that on July 29, 2012 the case was referred to Hospital B and ventilator. Circumstances of the case gets worse and finally died on July 30, 2012 at 12:05 pm.

Epidemiological investigations have been carried into the homes of people and the environment by the Integrated Team Ministry of Health, the local Health Department, Animal Husbandry Department and Officer PDSR Kab.Sleman DIY province, the provincial Agriculture Department DIY, acquired risk factors, namely the possibility of contact with the environment in the workplace and ornamental birds around 50 meters from the house there are cases where the cuts of chicken, quail and duck farms and there is also the case in the home environment.

With the increase of these cases, the cumulative number of bird flu in Indonesia since 2005 until this news was broadcast on 191 cases with 159 deaths.

Director General of Disease Control and Environmental Health Yoga Aditama Prof.dr.Tjandra as the focal point of the International Health Regulations (IHR) has been informed about the case to the WHO.

This information is published by the Center for Public Communication, Secretariat General of the Ministry of Health. For further information please contact via telephone: (021) 52907416-9, fax: (021) 52921669, Fast Response Response Centre (PTRC): 500-567 and 081 281 562 620 [kode lokal] (sms), e-mail or contact @ depkes.go.id

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by: bgw in MT @ Fri Aug 10, 2012 at 18:13:19 PM UTC

Bronco Bill, it's Friday joke time!

Your jokes 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 Aug 10, 2012 at 22:40:46 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for August 11, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Sat Aug 11, 2012 at 04:05:12 AM UTC