News Reports for August 31, 2012

US: State reports 15 cases of influenza after patients were near pigs (Wisconsin)

MADISON- State health officials say 15 people exposed to pigs at the state or county fairs have been infected with a new strain of swine flu.

The original press release said 14 were infected, but health officials told Newsradio 620 WTMJ Thursday afternoon that 15 people have been infected.

(Snip)

All of the people were exposed to pigs at the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis or at county fairs in Kenosha, Dodge and Manitowoc counties. They say most of the afflicted were children. One child was hospitalized but all the victims are either recovering or have recovered. Continued: http://www.todaystmj4.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 @ Fri Aug 31, 2012 at 06:07:52 AM UTC

US: Canine Flu Making Inroads in Region (Pennsylvania)

An outbreak of canine influenza that has been described as nearing "pandemic" status in sections of southern and central Pennsylvania may have started to appear in Montgomery and Chester Counties, an area veterinarian said Thursday.

Doctor Jennifer Fry of Banfield Pet Hospital in Pottstown said she treated a suspected case of the disease about two weeks ago. "We are definitely seeing cases of it," Fry said. "I had a six-week old puppy that just lay on the exam table, which is not normal. It's similar to our flu. You just don't feel well at all."

The canine influenza virus, which is also known among epidemiologists as H3N8, had been observed in horses for decades but in 2005 was identified as having jumped to dogs, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

WPMT in York and WGAL in Lancaster reported last week that the veterinarians in the Susquehanna Valley region have seen a recent spike in the number of canine influenza cases coming into their offices.

The highly contagious disease, which manifests in dogs as a cough, runny nose, and fever, is "mild" in about 80 percent of dogs that are infected, according to the CDC. WGAL, citing unspecified officials, reported that about six percent of infected dogs die from the disease. Continued: http://malvern.patch.com/artic...  

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 31, 2012 at 06:36:37 AM UTC

6% CFR!

Horses and greyhounds often use the same racetracks, unfortunately.  What contacts do racing greyhounds have with other dogs?  (Just wondering how it spread.)
http://www.worldcasinodirector...

There is a vaccine for dogs, recommended for some dogs:

For example, if you live in an endemic area such as Florida or New York and your dog spends a lot of time in kennels, dog park and doggy daycare where multiple dogs interact then it would be beneficial to talk to your veterinarian about getting the flu shot for your dog. Be aware that the vaccine may not prevent infection completely but has been shown to significantly decrease the severity and duration of illness so if your dog is at high risk of exposure for canine influenza virus then it is worth looking into the vaccination.

http://www.cesarsway.com/askth...

CDC page: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/canine/

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

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by: Jane @ Fri Aug 31, 2012 at 14:28:15 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

CDC Adds H3N2v Column In Week 33 FluView

Recombinomics Commentary

Commentary and graph here: 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 31, 2012 at 06:48:44 AM UTC

CDC FluView link:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

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 31, 2012 at 06:50:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Philippines: Manila bans Dutch poultry on avian influenza fears Friday

MANILA:  The Philippine government has issued a temporary ban against imported poultry from Utrecht in the Netherlands due to the outbreak of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI).

The Department of Agriculture issued a memorandum yesterday, which reported that the LPAI serotype H7N7 was detected in free range laying hens in a Hagestein last August 9.

Philippine quarantine officers will confiscate all shipments of poultry and poultry products (with the exception on heat treated products) from Utrecht. Continued: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.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 Aug 31, 2012 at 06:56:25 AM UTC

India: PMC medical staff refuse H1N1 vaccine (Maharashtra)

PUNE: The H1N1 virus is still active, but not all paramedics and doctors treating infected patients at PMC-run hospitals have got themselves vaccinated.

Barring doctors involved in swine flu patient care at designated private hospitals, the front-line medical staff at corporation hospitals and dispensaries have turned their backs to the injectible vaccine given free of cost by the Union government.

The city has reported over 70 positive cases and four deaths in the month of August so far. On Thursday, five more tested positive. The condition of a 29-year-old man is critical.

"It is true that the vaccine has been made available for our medical staff, but there is reluctance to get vaccinated. None of them took the shot, but we are sensitising them to get vaccinated to shield themselves from the infection," said S T Pardeshi, PMC medical officer of health (MoH).

The PMC received 3,050 vaccine doses for its 2,000 front-line medical staff including doctors, paramedics etc and 1,000 medical staff involved in swine flu patient-care at private hospitals designated as swine flu treatment centres in Pune. "Barring 1,182 doctors in private designated hospitals, none of the medical staff at Naidu and other PMC-run hospitals and dispensaries have taken the vaccine," said another civic official. Over 1,800 doses are lying unused.

The resurgence of swine flu infection in Pune, Mumbai and nearby areas in the state during summer this year had prompted the Union Health Ministry to procure vaccines for medical staff involved in management of H1N1 infection cases in Maharashtra. 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 Aug 31, 2012 at 07:04:57 AM UTC

Seven H3N2v Cases In Manitowoc County Wisconsin

Recombinomics Commentary

The Manitowoc County Health Department has confirmed four cases of the H3N2 variant virus in children who likely picked up at the county fair.

Three more kids are sick with influenza and tests are pending.

Public Health Nurse Manager Amy Wergin says all of the seven kids visited the Manitowoc County Fair that ended on Sunday.

"Some of the kids have had fevers as high at 104 degree, so they are quite ill." Wergin said.

The above comments describe detail on the 7 H3N2v cases in Manitowoc County.  These cases follow 11 confirmed cases linked to the Wisconsin State Fair in Milwaukee County, Kenosha County Fair, and Dodge County Fair all of which are eastern Wisconsin (Snip)

The fair dates indicate the CDC released sequence, (Snip) (collected August 13), is linked to the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis, which ended August 12.  However, the relationship of the Wisconsin sequence to the 33 other July and August sequences from Hawaii, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania signals sustained community transmission which is linked to swine via heavily sample bias. 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 31, 2012 at 07:16:43 AM UTC

India: 3 cases of swine flu detected in Madhya Pradesh

Indore: Three persons, including a woman, have tested positive for H1N1 influenza virus and admitted in two private hospitals in the city (Snip).

While two youths admitted in a hospital here are from Ratlam and Ujjain, a 48-year-old woman is from Dhar district (Snip).

(Snip) the two youths were undergoing treatment in CHL Apollo Hospital, the woman had been admitted in Suyash Hospital (Snip). http://post.jagran.com/3-cases...

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 31, 2012 at 07:27:07 AM UTC

West Virginia Reports H3N2v and Seasonal H3 in Week 32

Recombinomics Commentary

Commentary and graph here: 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 31, 2012 at 07:32:32 AM UTC

India: Another swine flu case in the Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh)

HYDERABAD: (Snip) a 50-year-old woman has tested positive for the virus in the city. The woman is a resident of Manikonda in Rajendranagar and is admitted to a private hospital in King Koti. While the health authorities said that her condition is stable, this is the 103rd case of swine flu reported so far this year in Hyderabad and the neighbouring Rangareddy district, of which Hyderabad accounts for 58 cases.

Officials are concerned that there could be more cases reported now, given that the rains have brought down city temperatures. "During 2010, Hyderabad alone had reported 260 swine flu cases and the figure came down drastically to 7 cases during 2011. However, this year, 58 cases have been reported already in Hyderabad district. If cases are reported in clusters, it is an alarming sign," said (Snip) district surveillance officer of communicable diseases (Snip)

(Snip) a total of 18 swine flu deaths and 145 positive cases have been reported in the state so far this year. 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 Aug 31, 2012 at 07:43:38 AM UTC

US: First death linked to swine flu is Ohio woman, 61

COLUMBUS, Ohio -  Health officials say the death of a 61-year-old Ohio woman is the first associated with a new swine flu strain.

The Ohio Department of Health says the woman died this week. It says that she had other medical conditions but that the H3N2v influenza virus may have contributed to her death.

She was not identified but lived in Madison County. She became ill after contact with hogs at the Ross County Fair.

Federal health authorities report 288 cases of the strain this summer. Continued: http://www.foxnews.com/health/...

(Note: I just said the other day that so far it has been in healthy young adults and kids. I told a friend, wait until this starts showing up in the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. We probably see things change then.)

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 31, 2012 at 19:08:46 PM UTC

U.S. reporting first death due to new swine flu; no person-to-person spread seen

Helen Branswell/Canadian Press via Waterloo Region Record:

The United States reported the first known death caused by the new swine flu virus that has been jumping from pigs to people there.

An unidentified Ohio woman, who reportedly had multiple health problems, died this week of infection with the variant H3N2 virus. The woman, 61, was from Madison County near the centre of the state. She had direct exposure to pigs at a county fair before becoming ill.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control expressed sympathies, but used the opportunity to warn that people who have serious health problems should avoid swine at the current time.

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by: pogge @ Sat Sep 01, 2012 at 00:01:39 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

US: Lake County - Swine flu case under investigation (Ohio)

The Lake County Health District is investigating a confirmed case of swine flu (H3N2v).

This (is) Lake County first confirmed case of H3N2(v). The patient is recovering (Snip).

(Snip) investigators will determine how the patient contracted the virus. http://www.wkyc.com/rss/articl...

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 31, 2012 at 19:27:20 PM UTC

US: One Lake County child was hospitalized with 'swine flu'; another Ohioan died (Ohio)

The Ohio Department of Health announced Friday that the state has had its first known H3N2v-associated death. Meanwhile, an illness also has been reported to ODH from Lake County.

(Snip)

Lake County Deputy Health Commissioner Ron Graham said a child was recently hospitalized for a short time, but recovered and is back home.

The Lake County General Health District has launched an investigation to determine if there was any contact with swine and to determine how exposure to the virus might have occurred. To this point, no contact with swine has been identified

Graham said the illness did not come from attendance at the Lake County Fair. Continued: http://news-herald.com/article...

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 31, 2012 at 19:40:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

H1N1 cases touch 100 mark in August

MUMBAI: The H1N1 influenza virus that made a comeback this year has managed to cross the 100 mark in the city for this month. Till Friday, 316 Mumbaikars have got affected by the novel influenza virus that managed to infect just six in the previous year.

The count of positive cases has been going down since the last few weeks. However, the fresh showers may mean a slight spurt in cases as experts say monsoon provides a conducive atmosphere for the virus to thrive. The virus had affected seven people in the month of March and 20 in the following two months. The numbers started multiplying with the onset of monsoon with 35 cases being reported in June. It, however, peaked in July when 151 or 49% of the positive cases from this year were reported. In August, 103 people have tested positive for H1N1.

On Friday too, two more people came positive for the novel virus. A 40-year-old man (Snip) and another 38-year-old man 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 Aug 31, 2012 at 19:32:33 PM UTC

This is Maharashtra, India

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 31, 2012 at 19:34:00 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Minnesota: Three human cases of [H1N2v] influenza linked to swine exposure at State Fair

Minnesota Department of Health:

Three people are believed to have developed a strain of influenza known as variant H1N2 (H1N2v) after exhibiting pigs or spending time in the swine barn at the Minnesota State Fair.

One of the three cases has been confirmed by CDC. Test results for the other two are pending.

The H1N2v strain is different from the H3N2v strain that has prompted stepped up surveillance and prevention efforts nationwide, after causing 289 reported cases of illness and one death since the beginning of the year.

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by: pogge @ Sat Sep 01, 2012 at 00:05:25 AM UTC

Good find on this, pogge. Thanks!

There was a case of this in Dec. 2011. Niman wrote about it. Here is an excerpt from that:

"In addition to the twelve H3N2v cases in 2011, there are also H1 cases (H1N2v represented by A/Minnesota/19/2011, and H1N1v represented by A/Wisconsin/28/2011).  The H1N2v case had no swine exposure and was linked to an earlier symptomatic, but untested case, while the  H1N1v case had exposure that was occupationally linked. 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 @ Sat Sep 01, 2012 at 01:03:05 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for September 1, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Sat Sep 01, 2012 at 03:59:21 AM UTC