News Reports for September 5, 2012

Australia: Sharp rise in flu cases (Victoria)

THE Geelong region has had a flu season to rival the swine flu pandemic of 2009, new figures show.

There were more than five times the reported cases of influenza in the Barwon South Western Region during the first eight months of this year than the same period last year, a state report reveals.

The 376 incidents of flu were on par with the 379 seen during the first eight months of 2009, when the H1N1 swine flu mass outbreak gripped the world.

The potentially deadly H3N2 flu, including a Type B strain, was virulent across the region as it swept across Australia for the first time in several years.

Barwon Health's director of infectious diseases, Associate Prof Eugene Athan, said primary school-aged children had been the hardest hit, but the elderly and pregnant women were most at risk of health complications.

"It has been as big as the 2009 pandemic," Dr Athan said of the flu season, which was now slowing in the new number of new diagnoses. "It has been an intensive year ... lots of people have been admitted to hospital."

The H3N2 outbreak started its seasonal increase earlier and rose sharply in comparison to previous years, with Barwon South West recording 72 flu cases to September 1 last year and just 37 the previous year. Continued: http://www.geelongadvertiser.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 @ Wed Sep 05, 2012 at 05:37:16 AM UTC

India: 10 out of 40 samples test H1N1 positive (Uttar Pradesh)

LUCKNOW: As many as 10 out of 40 samples examined by microbiologists at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) tested positive to H1N1 infection, taking the total number of affected persons to 66. (Snip) 14 samples were still pending confirmation. "Of the total cases seen so far, 95% belong to category A of H1N1 which is not life-threatening. Therefore, residents of the city should not panic," he said.

(Snip) chief medical officer Dr SNS Yadav has informed that the study on the theory "is swine flu virus active in SGPGIMS and areas in four kilometre radius of the institute or not' has begun. 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 @ Wed Sep 05, 2012 at 05:54:00 AM UTC

US: Swine flu infects 2 from Somerset fair (Pennsylvania)

HARRISBURG - A state report found two confirmed cases and one probable case of swine-related influenza in youth exhibitors at the Somerset County Fair.

That has fair leaders scratching their heads. "We did not have any sick hogs at the fair at all," fair President Jeffrey Romesberg said, noting that fair leaders took all the recommended precautions for swine flu control.

(Snip)

Nationwide, 288 cases have been confirmed. The illnesses reported in Pennsylvania are mostly in children and are typical for the flu.

Romesberg said he spend much of the weekend reviewing precautionary measures and going over prevention issues with medical experts from the state Health and Agriculture departments. "From what I understand from the doctors at the Health Department, you're not going to know if any animal that is going to transmit the flu," Romesberg said.

All of the animals exhibited Aug. 18-25 at the Somerset County Fair were required to have proof of a veterinarian's exam from within 30 days, Romesberg said. The animals were checked when they arrived at the fairgrounds, and a veterinarian was at the Meyersdale complex every day. No animals were identified with symptoms of swine flu, Romesberg said.

(Snip)

Similar precautions have been instituted at Cambria County Fair, which continues through Saturday in Ebensburg. Cambria organizers also required livestock owners to provide proof that their swine had been examined by a veterinarian within 30 days. (Snip) All of the pigs checked out, and daily checkups have continued on the fairgrounds. The swine have shown no signs of illness, and none has been sent home (Snip). "At this point, we're good up here," Rice said.

Somerset fair swine superintendent Dan Miller said he doesn't understand how the Health Department can connect the flu cases with the fair. "We didn't have any pigs tested," Miller said. "How do they know it was at the fair?" Continued: http://tribune-democrat.com/lo...

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 @ Wed Sep 05, 2012 at 06:05:53 AM UTC

H3N2v Pennsylvania Cases Increase to 38 in 5 Counties

Recombinomics Commentary

Huntingdon (32), Blair (1) Lancaster (1), Mifflin (1), Somerset (3)

The Pennsylvania Department of Health website on H3N2v cases have updated cases to the above totals, which cites 9 confirmed and 29 probable.  The numbers are due to 3 confirmed cases linked to the Somerset County fair and 35 cases linked to the Huntingdon County Fair (an increase in 4).  The above totals are from the September 4, 2012 update.

The H3N2v cases are distributed in 5 different counties. 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 @ Wed Sep 05, 2012 at 06:22:09 AM UTC

India: Lucknow records 66 cases of swine flu in less than a month (Uttar Pradesh)

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has seen a sudden spurt in the number of swine flu cases after 66 people were confirmed positive in Lucknow alone in less than a month.

The PGI hospital in Lucknow (Snip) has been identified as one of the epicentres of the spread of the virus in the city. (Snip) around 50 people among those detected with the virus are doctors and staff at the hospital.

The Chief Medical Officer (Snip) said, "We are trying to find out why this is happening at the PGI hospital. We are trying to get it investigated by the head of the department of Social and Preventive medicine and the Dean of the Medical College."

The first swine flu case in the city was reported August 22 when a retired doctor fell prey to the H1N1 virus and died later. Hospital authorities suspect that the virus could have travelled with a patient from Mumbai who was recently admitted to the hospital.

The rising numbers of swine flu cases has sent alarm bells ringing in the state health department. However, the government has not pressed the panic button yet. (Snip) Special wards have been set up in government hospitals and Tamiflu supplies have been increased to tackle the crisis. "The medicines also help in preventing the spread. Doses can also be administered to those who have been in close contact with a patient (Snip). http://www.ndtv.com/article/in...

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 @ Wed Sep 05, 2012 at 19:20:40 PM UTC

US: Last Flu Season Especially Mild, CDC Says

The 2011-2012 influenza season peaked late, with low rates of outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and deaths, according to an update from the CDC.

Of almost 170,000 possible influenza specimens tested by the CDC between October 2011 and May 2012, 13% were positive, the agency reported in an Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published in the Sept. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Influenza A viral strains predominated, accounting for 86% of cases, while 14% were influenza B viruses. Three-quarters of the influenza A viruses were H3N2 strains, while the remainder were pH1N1 viruses. Disease activity peaked late, with the largest number of A strains being reported during the week of March 17, and most B strains being identified during the week of April 21.

The highest level of outpatient visits for influenza took place during the week of March 17, with a rate of 2.4%. In contrast, during the previous year, the highest level of 4.5% was seen in early February, while in the 2009 pandemic the rate reached 7.7% in late October.

There were 2,356 hospitalizations for influenza between October 2011 and April 2012, with the highest cumulative rates per 100,000 being seen in older individuals:

Ages 0 to 4 years: 14.2
5 to 17 years: 4.2
18 to 49 years: 4.1
50 to 64: 8.5
65 and older: 30.4

By comparison, hospitalization rates among patients younger than 4 years in other recent seasons have ranged from 35.5 to 72.8 per 100,000, while rates for those older than 65 ranged from 13.5 to 65.9 per 100,000.

Adult hospitalizations during the 2011-2012 season were most commonly associated with underlying chronic pulmonary disease in 42%, heart disease in 37%, and metabolic disease in 34%. Continued: http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pr...

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 @ Wed Sep 05, 2012 at 19:34:16 PM UTC

India: MP: Man tests positive for swine flu (Mahdya Pradesh)

Indore, Sep 5 (PTI) A man today tested positive for swine flu infection, taking the number of people affected by the H1N1 virus in western Mahdya Pradesh to five (Snip). a 52-year-old man tested positive for H1N1 virus, and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here. His condition was stable (Snip). http://www.ptinews.com/news/29...

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 @ Wed Sep 05, 2012 at 19:41:19 PM UTC

Understanding swine flu: NetWellness

Understanding the nature of influenza viruses and how to prevent infection are the best ways to lower your chance of getting sick as a result of the current outbreak of a new influenza virus.

What is H3N2v?

H3N2 is a swine flu virus that has been found in U.S. pigs and has also infected people. This new virus - called H3N2v when it infects humans -- may spread more easily from pigs to humans than is usual for swine flu viruses. In some cases, the H3N2 virus seems to have spread from person to person.

Who is being infected with H3N2?

So far, the majority of H3N2 infections have involved people who had direct contact with pigs carrying the virus - mainly at state or county fairs - or by workers in the swine industry. Most of these cases have been reported in children.

How does H3N2 spread from pigs to people?

Spread of H3N2 to people is thought to happen mainly when an infected pig coughs or sneezes. Droplets with influenza virus in them spread through the air. It is possible for you to become infected if:

•these droplets land in your nose or mouth, or if you inhale them;

•you touch something that has virus on it and then touch your own mouth or nose;

•you inhale dust containing influenza virus.

Scientists are not really sure which of these ways is the most common. Continued: http://www.cleveland.com/healt...  

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 @ Wed Sep 05, 2012 at 19:58:37 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for September 6, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Thu Sep 06, 2012 at 04:36:11 AM UTC