News Reports for September 7, 2012

India: 36 more test positive for H1N1 (Maharashtra)

PUNE: Six more people tested positive for swine flu in the city on Thursday. (Snip) the condition of a 43-year-old woman from Kothrud is said to be critical. She has been put on non-invasive ventilator support. "The woman delayed taking treatment for 14 days. (Snip)

(Snip) there are three patients who are critically ill with swine flu being treated at different hospitals in Pune city. Two of them have been put on ventilator support while one is on non-invasive ventilator support.

Among the other infected with swine flu on Thursday are a 28-year-old man from Aundh, a 31-year-old woman from Janata Vasahat, a 26-year-old woman from Sihagad Road, a 45-year-old woman from Manikbaug and a 48-year-old woman from Yerawada. 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 Sep 07, 2012 at 05:59:23 AM UTC

Vietnam: High alert for deadly bird flu virus

Bird flu has hit many provinces and cities and is spreading far and wide, according to the Ministry of Health.

As of August 23, four cases of A/H5N1 infection had been recorded with two deaths in Vietnam.

Health workers said that the epidemic will become more complicated, especially in the northern and central regions, when it reaches its peak in the next two months.

According to the national steering committee for bid flu prevention and control, seven provinces and cities, including Ha Tinh, Haiphong, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Bac Kan, Quang Ngai and Thanh Hoa, have not yet passed the 21-day deadline for no bird flu infection.

Nguyen Van Binh, head of the Health Ministry's Preventive Health Department, said that the disease has occurred in Vietnam since 2003, causing a huge loss of human life and property. He asked local authorities, relevant agencies and people to take sterilization and vaccination measures and strictly control the transport, slaughtering and trading of poultry in order to curb the epidemic.

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced the appearance of a new H5N1 virus in Asia that is more dangerous than the original one.

(Snip) it is urgent to prevent the A/H5N1 virus from changing into new types with higher toxic contamination through people-to-people transmission. The healthcare sector should work more closely with relevant agencies and local households to intensify sanitation and sterilization work and quickly stamp out new outbreaks of the fatal disease, he added.

(Snip)

The Government leader also assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to assist local authorities in the inspection of poultry and waterfowl diseases to prevent transmission of the A/H5N1 virus to humans. http://english.vovnews.vn/Home...

(Note: This statement needs a little   clarification: "As of August 23, four cases of A/H5N1 infection had been recorded with two deaths in Vietnam." That's the total cases for 2012. As far as I know, there are no human cases right now.)  

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 Sep 07, 2012 at 06:28:38 AM UTC

Vietnam: Localities warned against new bird flu outbreaks

There will be a high risk of fresh bird flu outbreaks from now till the end of this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) warns.

The epidemic has recurred in several cities and provinces in the northern and north-central regions due to cross-border smuggling of chicken (Snip)

Bird flu outbreaks have been reported in Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Nam Dinh, and Ninh Binh provinces and Haiphong city. More than 140,000 chickens, ducks, and other birds have been culled.

About 100,000 birds are illegally imported into Vietnam every week via border provinces. Tougher measures are needed to control the transportation of poultry though 90 percent of illegal poultry imports have been prevented over the past 10 days, Tan said.  

(Snip)

He also raised concerns about the protection level of the bird flu vaccine for the virus strain in the northern region, which stands at 60-70 percent. Continued: http://english.vov.vn/Home/Loc...

(Note: The poultry is being illegally smuggled in from China and this has led to increased H5N1 in the northern area of Vietnam. The Chinese government continues to be silent on H5N1 in the poultry in China, deliberately  giving the impression there isn't any.)

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 Sep 07, 2012 at 07:55:27 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

'Highly toxic' bird flu in Vietnam

The strain appeared to be a mutation of the H5N1 virus which swept through the country's poultry flocks last year, forcing mass culls of birds in affected areas, according to agriculture officials. The new virus "is quickly spreading and this is the big concern of the government", Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Diep Kinh Tan said (Snip)

Experts cited in the report said the new virus appeared in July and had spread through Vietnam's northern and central regions in August. Outbreaks have been detected in six provinces so far and some 180,000 birds have been culled (Snip)

The Central Veterinary Diagnosis Centre said the virus appeared similar to the standard strains of bird flu but was more toxic. The centre will test how much protection existing vaccines for humans offer (Snip)

Some experts suggested that the new strain resulted from widespread smuggling of poultry from China into the northern parts of Vietnam. Two people have died this year from the virulent disease -- but long before the new strain was identified.

(Snip) Vietnam has recorded one of the highest numbers of fatalities from bird flu in southeast Asia, with at least 59 deaths since 2003. The avian influenza virus has killed more than 330 people around the world, and scientists fear it could mutate into a form readily transmissible between humans, with the potential to cause millions of deaths. http://www.bangkokpost.com/bre...

(Note: If this new strain appeared in July, then the 4 cases with 2 deaths this year were infected with a strain that was already circulating in Vietnam. Since this new strain is deemed more toxic, I shudder to think what that means to anyone infected with it. I just hope it isn't more transmissible. Of course, the Chinese government is not giving us any information on poultry outbreaks or human cases there or supplying samples of this new strain to WHO.)

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 Sep 07, 2012 at 20:45:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

they have human vaccines against H5N1??

It says:  .

The centre will test how much protection existing vaccines for humans offer

I didn't know they had a vaccine for humans yet...and if so, how widely is it being used?

Any data?

Always have a plan B.

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by: maryinhawaii @ Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 22:29:00 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Hi Mary

This is a news article from Feb. 16, 2012:

Vietnam may begin producing H5N1 vaccines for humans next year

Vietnam may begin producing bird flu vaccines for humans next year, according to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology's director Nguyen Tran Hien.

The institute, which started researching development of the vaccine in 2005, is now producing an experimental version of the vaccine and testing its safety and effectiveness.

"These tests will facilitate the production and use of the vaccine for humans," Hien said.

The institute plans to carry out clinical trials of the vaccine at the end of this year, said Hien, adding that their research results would then be submitted to Ministry of Health.

The full article is here:   http://www.thejakartapost.com/...  

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 08, 2012 at 01:30:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks Carol...guess they are talking about the experimental one

Looks like it got produced a little ahead of schedule (and that they're already worrying it's outdated?)

Always have a plan B.

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by: maryinhawaii @ Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 06:31:54 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Good chance it will be ineffective.

The strain used to make the vaccine was the one circulating at the time. This is a different strain that has invaded the country (from China) and so they may need to start the whole process all over again. That's why more countries aren't producing and stockpiling H5N1 vaccine. No one knows what exact strain will be the one to go pandemic and so they don't know how well a vaccine will match the strain that does.

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 08, 2012 at 06:41:23 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

US: Canine influenza slowly moving into midstate (Pennsylvania)

Canine influenza, a virus which jumped from horses to dogs a few years ago, is slowly making its way into central Pennsylvania, according to some area veterinarians. The virus causes runny nose, fever, lethargy and a cough that can last for a month. It's usually not fatal, but a few dogs can become quite sick from it, and it occasionally leads to pneumonia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is closely monitoring the virus to see if it could mutate to become infectious to people, but so far there is no evidence that is occurring, according to the CDC website. "In general, canine influenza virus is considered to pose a low threat to humans," the site says.

The illness has been known to occur in horses for 40 years, but was first diagnosed among greyhounds in Florida in 2004, and has been spreading north and west.

(Snip)

The symptoms can be similar to kennel cough, but are often more severe, he said. "It can vary from being like a head cold for people to temperatures up to 106 degrees, bronchial pneumonia, vomiting and diarrhea," he said. "We've seen some pretty sick dogs...especially in its later stages, it can get a lot uglier." http://www.pennlive.com/midsta...

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 Sep 07, 2012 at 06:36:14 AM UTC

US: Somerset County fairgoers contract swine flu virus (Pennsylvania)

SOMERSET, Pa. - Three youth participants in the Somerset County Fair have been diagnosed with a new strain of the flu known as H3N2v that is typically associated with swine, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Two of the cases were confirmed and one was probable, the health department said. None of the youths was hospitalized and there is no evidence of the flu strain spreading from person to person in Pennsylvania.

The fair was held Aug. 18 to 25. Earlier in August, the same virus was detected in association with the Huntingdon County Fair. Nationwide, 288 cases have been confirmed.

(Snip)

Handling or eating pork products presents no risk of exposure to influenza, the health department said.

Symptoms of the H3N2v flu are similar to that of seasonal influenza. http://times-news.com/local/x2...  

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 Sep 07, 2012 at 06:49:11 AM UTC

US: Goodhue County woman gets H3N2 (Minnesota)

GOODHUE COUNTY, Minn. -- A Goodhue County woman is the most recent person to contract H3N2. (Snip) she acquired the flu strain while visiting the swine barn at the Minnesota State Fair.

The woman is in her late seventies (Snip) She's also believed to have an underlying health condition. The Goodhue County woman has been treated and released. http://www.myfox47.com/story/1...

(Note: The Minnesota State Fair was Aug. 23rd to Sept. 3rd.)

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 Sep 07, 2012 at 06:58:44 AM UTC

H3N2v Pennsylvania Cases Increase to 41 in 5 Counties

Recombinomics Commentary

Huntingdon (32), Blair (1) Lancaster (1), Mifflin (1), Somerset (6)

The Pennsylvania Department of Health website on H3N2v cases have updated cases to the above totals, which cites 11 confirmed and 30 probable.  The numbers are due to two more probable cases linked to the Somerset County fair.  There are 35 cases linked to the Huntingdon County Fair.  The above totals are from the September 6, 2012 update.  The H3N2v cases are distributed in 5 different counties.  

(Snip) the PADOH has issued a Health Advisory because of the Somerset cluster. The steady increases in Somerset cases raises concerns of community transmission.  

Anectdotal report from attendee of Penn State University / Ohio University football game cites ILI three days after game with almost 100,000 attendees.  A serious CDC would call attendees in telephone survey for ILI cases (without 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 @ Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:22:29 AM UTC

Australia: Flu hits Kingaroy piggery (Queensland)

An outbreak of influenza has killed 40 pigs at a Kingaroy property in Queensland's South Burnett region.

Biosecurity Queensland says it is likely the virus was passed from humans and spread among the animals. Sick pigs have been placed in quarantine. (Snip) the virus is a common problem for the industry at this time of the year.

"One of the processes we use is to ensure that pig farmers and their employees are offered vaccines for the normal flu," (Snip)

(Snip) only healthy pigs will be allowed to go to slaughter. "We demand they have been healthy for at least seven days before they go to slaughter," Dr Symonds said. 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 @ Fri Sep 07, 2012 at 07:34:32 AM UTC

US: Update: Manitowoc Co. Confirms 3 More Cases of Swine Flu (Wisconsin)

Manitowoc County - The Manitowoc County Health Department has confirmed three more cases of the new strain of the swine flu or H3N2 virus. They now have seven confirmed cases in children under the age of 10.  They are investigating one more probable case of the flu in the county. That brings the total to 18 confirmed cases in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says in all known cases of H3N2 virus in the state, the patients were exposed to or in proximity of pigs at county fairs in Manitowoc, Dodge, and Kenosha counties or the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis.

Officials say the virus is similar to seasonal flu with symptoms including fever, headache, sore throat, cough and body aches. They recommend people with these symptoms seek medical treatment. Continued: http://www.wbay.com/story/1941...

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 Sep 07, 2012 at 20:31:42 PM UTC

Australia: 400% rise in flu cases (Queensland)

FLU cases in the Toowoomba area have risen nearly 400 per cent. This year 521 people from the Toowoomba Regional Council area tested positive for a strain of influenza. Last year there were just 138. In 2010 only 38 cases were recorded.

Queensland Health public health physician Dr Don Staines said thankfully the worst of the flu season was over.

(Snip)

"Across Queensland, 81 per cent of flu notifications have been for Influenza A while 19 per cent of flu notifications have been for Influenza B," he said.

"The flu season usually goes through until around mid-September. Continued: http://www.thechronicle.com.au...
 

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 Sep 07, 2012 at 20:50:47 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 Sep 07, 2012 at 21:30:22 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for September 8, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Sat Sep 08, 2012 at 04:03:36 AM UTC