News Reports for August 23, 2012

India: Eight test positive for H1N1, 1 critical (Maharashtra)

PUNE: Eight people tested positive for swine flu in the city on Wednesday. One from among them - a 25-year-old man from Sadashiv Peth - is critically ill.

Since the beginning of this month, the H1N1 virus has claimed 10 lives in different parts of the state and infected over 140 people, officials said.

"The condition of the 25-year-old man is critical. He has been put on ventilator support. The remaining seven people who tested positive are stable," (Snip)

Of the seven infected, four patients are in their late 20s (Snip) The remaining three are in their late 30s (Snip) Three of them are being treated at civic-run Naidu Hospital, while four are being treated at different private hospitals designated for treatment of swine flu (Snip)

The city reported 39 positive cases and two deaths due to swine flu in August. In July, there were 18 positive cases and one casualty. Since April, the city has reported 194 positive cases and nine deaths, so far. 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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 06:40:59 AM UTC

Malaysia: Woman, 27, dies of H1N1

SEREMBAN: A 27-year-old woman here has become the country's first A(H1N1) influenza-related fatality this year when she succumbed to the virus at the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital. The woman, who worked in Singapore, had fallen ill while still in the republic and died just before Hari Raya. (Snip) the victim had earlier been asked by her family to return home after she did not recover from fever for several days. (Snip) a post-mortem revealed that she was infected by the virus.

"We have reasons to believe that she may have been infected in the republic. She returned for treatment here but died several days later," she said.

Dr Zailan said that despite the woman's death, the people need not panic. "We have tested her family members and none of them has been infected. The situation is very much under control and it is my hope that no one will spread rumours," she said.

(Snip) the victim had immediately sought treatment at Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital upon her return from Johor Baru and was prescribed with medication. http://thestar.com.my/news/sto...

(Note: Apparently, she contracted H1N1 in Singapore. I haven't seen any recent articles on flu cases in Singapore.)

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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 06:56:03 AM UTC

Singapore: Influenza A(H1N1) a seasonal flu strain in S'pore, says MOH

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Health Ministry said Influenza A(H1N1) has become one of the seasonal influenza strains here.

This follows a Malaysian media report about a woman who died from the virus while she was in Singapore. The 27-year-old had worked in Singapore. She fell ill while still in the country and succumbed to the virus at the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital in Malaysia.

In a statement on Thursday, the Health Ministry said Influenza A(H1N1) has been circulating world-wide since the 2009 influenza pandemic, alongside Influenza A(H3N2) and Influenza B. It added in Singapore, all three strains (A/H1N1, A/H3N2 and B) circulate throughout the year. Continued:  http://www.channelnewsasia.com...

(Note: I guess it took this death makig the International news for them to comment on flu cases in the country.)

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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 15:54:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

New jab set to fight bird flu

Hong Kong will switch to a mainland developed vaccine to protect local farm chickens against a mutated H5N1 bird flu, the health minister said.

Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing announced that 10 million doses of the new Re-6 vaccine will be made available from October to target the prevailing H5N1 clade 2.3.2.1 avian influenza that is commonly found in the region.

Local poultry farms produce 1.3 million chickens during each of the three breeding seasons in a year. Each bird will receive two shots when they are 10 and 50 days old, before being sold to the market in three months' time.

The vaccine, developed by the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, has been used in the mainland since June, and replaces the older Re-5 jab, Ko said.

"We are discussing arrangements with mainland authorities to supply the vaccine to Hong Kong," Ko said yesterday.

University of Hong Kong microbiology professor Yuen Kwok-yung said that since 2003, all imported and local chickens were given the H5N2 vaccine from Intervet in the Netherlands. "It has since proved to be ineffective," he said.

"The public can be reassured that once the birds, both in the mainland and Hong Kong, are inoculated with the new vaccine, our poultry and also our citizens will be fully protected."

(Snip) "The seed base of the new vaccine is made from the latest H5N1 virus isolated in China. This closely matches the viruses that are currently circulating."

(Snip)

"Intervet's vaccine is losing its effectiveness in fighting H5N2, especially since some of the vaccinated birds that have been found dead recently were infected with this virus," Lee said. (Snip)

(Note: I'm not so sure the public will be protected as stated here. It has been stated in articles several times in the past that the vaccine keeps the birds from dying but that it doesn't always prevent them from contracting H5N1. Articles I have read in the past said the poultry can still shed the virus and the worry was that people would be exposed to the virus without the warning of the poultry appearing sick or dying. This could have changed but I don't think so.)

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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 07:16:25 AM UTC

H3N2v Ohio Cases Increase to 95 in 23 Counties

Recombinomics Commentary

Ashland (1), Athens (8), Butler (17), Champaign (15), Clark (3), Fairfield (1), Franklin (4), Gallia (11), Greene (6), Hamilton (3), Henry (5), Huron (1), Jackson (1), Licking (1), Medina (1), Monroe (2), Montgomery (2), Morrow (1), Preble (1), Richland (2), Ross (7), Union (1), Warren (1).

The above list represents the August 22 tally of H3N2v cases confirmed in Ohio by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH).  The number of cases increased from 87 to 95, while the number of counties increased from 21 to 23.  These short term increases signal increased testing, but also strongly suggests that many of the totals will represent serious undercounts.

Two counties reported initial cases, Huron (1) and Richland (2), while two counties reported 2 case increases, Athens (8) and Ross (7), while one county increased by one, Henry (5).  The three counties in double digits Butler (17), Champaign (15), Gallia (11) did not change, although media reports indicate the 3 cases in Mason County, West Virginia attended the Gallia Junior County Fair and the WVDH has warned of more cases.

The 6 "seasonal" H3N2 cases in Ashland, Kentucky did not attend fairs in Ohio or West Virginia. 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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 07:29:16 AM UTC

H3N2v Heterogeneity Concerns In Jackson County Indiana

Recombinomics Commentary

The CDC has released three sets of H3N2v sequences from collections in July, 2012.  The first two sets included an isolate from Hawaii (Snip), four isolates from the LaPorte County Fair (Indiana) (Snip), one isolate from Jackson County (Indiana) (Snip), and one isolate from the Butler County Fair (Ohio) (Snip).  All seven matched the novel sub-clade (Snip) which was first reported at the Mineral County day care center, where there was no swine contact or exposure.  In addition to the two confirmed cases, 22 additional contacts of the index case had influenza-like illness, signaling efficient human to human transmission over a one month period at the day care center.

The four LaPorte sequences were identical, signaling rapid H3N2v transmission to all four cases.  (Snip) at least 15 other fair attendees had ILI, again signaling efficient transmission. The LaPorte cases also had an NA acquisition, N234D, which abolished the glycosylation site.  Although this change was not in the Jackson County sample or earlier collections of the novel sub-clade, it was in the Butler County isolate, A/Ohio/13/2012.

The third set of sequences released by the CDC where from four isolates from Indiana (Snip), while six were from Ohio (Snip). The Ohio sequences were closely related or identical to the earlier Butler sequence, which again signaled rapid transmission (and all NA sequences also had N234D).

However, the Indiana sequences had considerable heterogeneity.  Two of the sequences (A/Indiana/13/2012 and A/Indiana/17/2012) were similar to, but distinct from the initial Jackson sequences (A/Indiana/12/2012).  The other two (A/Indiana/15/2012 and A/Indiana/19/2012) were virtually identical to each other and distinct from the 3 Indiana sequences above.  Most of these sequences were from Jackson County, while adjacent Jennings county was likely the fifth sequence, although one of the sequences may have been from Tipton County, which was also represented in the first 11July cases in Indiana.

The heterogeneity in the Jackson County sequences signaled divergence due to independent infections, which is consistent with reports that ILI was noted in Jackson County six weeks prior to the initial collection of samples, which was precipitated by the H3N2v positive cases linked to the LaPorte County Fair.

Community spread (or sustained community spread or efficient sustained community spread) have been denied by the CDC, but this lack of evidence is due to a lack of testing, which also highlights the factors involved in the generation of the pseudo-linkage of H3N2v with swine exposure (since virtually all testing is on samples from cases with swine exposure).

The heterogeneity in the Jackson County cases raises concerns that the ILI in the untested residents in Jackson County are common, and the decision of the CDC to begin testing ILI cases with no swine exposure. 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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 07:57:43 AM UTC

India: Five more swine flu cases in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)

Lucknow, Aug 23 - Five more cases of swine flue were reported in the Uttar Pradesh capital Thursday, a day after an elderly person died of the virus here.

Samples of five people, brought to Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) with symptoms of the dreaded H1N1 virus, were found positive, doctors said.

(Snip)

Three of the infected people were SGPGI staffers, two of them technicians. The other two are from the city's Telibagh area.

An elderly person from the city's Gomtinagar area had died of swine flu at a private hospital Wednesday. Continued: http://india.nydailynews.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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 08:20:01 AM UTC

India: Two test positive for swine flu in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)

Bhopal: Two persons, including a pregnant woman, tested positive for swine flu in the city, official sources said on Thursday.

(Snip)

Soon after receiving the positive report about swine flu patients, chief medical officer Dr Pankaj Shukla directed the health workers to do a fever survey in and around the city (Snip)

Both the patients have been admitted to isolation wards in two separate hospitals, where their condition was improving, sources added. http://zeenews.india.com/news/...

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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 08:24:54 AM UTC

Superbug Killed 6 at Nation's Top Research Hospital

August 23, 2012
http://www.star-telegram.com/2...
WASHINGTON, DC:  Over six frightening months, a deadly germ untreatable by most antibiotics spread in the nation's leading research hospital. Pretty soon, a patient a week was catching the bug. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health locked down patients, cleaned with bleach, even ripped out plumbing - and still the germ persisted.  By the end, 18 people harbored the dangerous germ, and six died of bloodstream infections from it. Another five made it through the outbreak only to die from the diseases that brought them to NIH's world-famous campus in the first place.

It took gene detectives teasing apart the bacteria's DNA to solve the germ's wily spread, a CSI-like saga with lessons for hospitals everywhere as they struggle to contain the growing threat of superbugs.  It all stemmed from a single patient carrying a fairly new superbug known as KPC - Klebsiella pneumoniae that resists treatment by one of the last lines of defense, antibiotics called carbapenems.

"We never want this to happen again," said Dr. Tara Palmore, deputy hospital epidemiologist at the NIH Clinical Center.
(more)


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

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by: History Lover @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 15:13:16 PM UTC

Australia: Flu spike sparks urgent vaccine demand (Queensland)

The nation's biggest pharmaceutical wholesalers are urgently trying to order more stock of Tamiflu for patients in Queensland. Health authorities thought the state's influenza season peaked at the start of the month, but since then, nearly 5,000 people have contracted the flu.

There have been more than 11,000 cases since the start of the year - more than double any other state.

At least five major Queensland hospitals have delayed elective surgery this week because of an influx of flu patients.

A teenager and a man in his 50s have died in the Prince Charles Hospital from flu-related complications.

(Snip) stocks of the preventative drug Tamiflu have almost disappeared from Queensland pharmacies due to the high demand. (Snip) http://au.news.yahoo.com/lates...  

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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 21:06:15 PM UTC

US: Bird Flu Outbreak? The Vaccine (Patch) Is in the Mail

If a flu pandemic breaks out, the last thing the government wants is for people to rush to hospitals and doctors' offices to get vaccinated among lots of already sick people. To prevent such a scenario, a self-administered flu vaccine is being developed that could be mailed out to the masses.

The vaccine, developed by the Infectious Disease Research Institute, will start human trials next month and is designed to protect against H5N1 Continued: http://www.usnews.com/news/art...

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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 21:12:17 PM UTC

that assumes the postal workers aren't sick...

One assumes they would mail it overnight priority - and maybe have the Congress mail it, to get "franking" privileges (ie: not pay postage)? Assuming, of course, that all the postal workers aren't sick - or don't panic and take the packages home to their loved ones. (I'm a bit sceptic of this...)

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by: Cathy M @ Fri Aug 24, 2012 at 00:32:37 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

India: 3 new suspected swine flu cases (Madhya Pradesh)

BHOPAL: Health officials have called for an emergency meeting of task force, comprising superintendents and hospital administrators of government and private hospitals in the city following three new suspected swine flu cases here on Thursday.

(Snip) three samples of suspected swine flu cases were sent to Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) Jabalpur on Thursday. One of the two confirmed swine flu victims on Wednesday continues to be critical. The 28-year-old woman is still on ventilator life support.

In addition on Thursday, three new suspected cases swine flu-like were under observation. "Their condition is critical and are under quarantine," (Snip)

The three suspected cases include two infants and an adult - all three critical  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 @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 21:17:31 PM UTC

why are they panicking?

I'm still confused on this - in a country of millions of people,(some of the the cities have millions) they seem to go into panic mode about 3 or 4 swine flu cases! What gives? Does anyone know why they are panicking? Is there a piece they are leaving out? Is there a higher "severe" rate than in other countries?

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by: Cathy M @ Fri Aug 24, 2012 at 00:35:44 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Hi Cathy

It doesn't appear that the public is panicking whenever I see this message to the population. IMO, it's the government that has the "panic attack". Either they are afraid the outbreak will become to large for them to handle or they are afraid the public will start making demands that they can't handle. Whatever their reason.... it's the government officials in these countries who act like they are on the verge of panicking. JMO

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 24, 2012 at 01:10:21 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I was wondering about that

and asking myself if there's a two tier system operating. Are there desperately poor people living and dying without anyone in the wider community caring but when it's a member of the middle and upper classes with access to better medical care, then it's a STORY. Are the stories themselves fodder for the wealthier classes to chew over?  A measure of how successful that they've become that they can be concerned over relatively minor illnesses.

I don't know enough about the current state of India's class system to answer myself.

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by: UK - Bird @ Fri Aug 24, 2012 at 19:55:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Canada: B.C. first province to require health-care workers get flu shot

Canadian Press via The Province:

VICTORIA - British Columbia has become the first province to implement a policy requiring health-care workers to get a flu shot or wear a mask to protect patients.

Provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall says the measure is being implemented this season for staff at publicly funded facilities including long-term care homes because less than half of health-care workers get vaccinated.

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by: pogge @ Thu Aug 23, 2012 at 22:57:33 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for August 24, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Fri Aug 24, 2012 at 04:01:27 AM UTC