News Reports for December 24, 2012

US: 2 Michigan children die during early flu outbreak

Two children in Michigan have died of the flu as health officials in the state and across the country are reporting a higher than usual number of influenza cases for this time of year.

The deaths of an infant from the southwest region of the state and an adolescent from central Michigan were reported last week to the state, said Angela Minicuci, public information officer for the Michigan Department of Community Health. She didn't have information late Friday about the children's ages or counties of residence.

As of Dec. 20, there were 149 confirmed cases of the flu in Michigan, up from 63 the previous week. "We typically don't see this volume of cases (until) the end of January or February," Minicuci said. She said most of the Michigan illnesses were in the southern portion of the state.

In Ithaca, a flu outbreak closed schools Thursday and Friday.

There has been an increase in influenza cases across the country in recent weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC reported that 29 states had widespread influenza activity the week ending Dec. 15, compared to 18 the week before.

Minicuci said many flu cases go undiagnosed -- and unreported -- because people who are sick don't always see a doctor. Continued: http://www.freep.com/article/2...

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 @ Mon Dec 24, 2012 at 06:58:57 AM UTC

US: Flu causes FMC to restrict visitors (Ohio)

LANCASTER - This year's flu season has hit Fairfield County full force, with the local medical center restricting visitation during the holiday season and the county's health department reporting more than double the amount of people being hospitalized for the flu already this year.

Gwen Shafer, nursing director for the Fairfield Department of Health, said the county had seven people from Fairfield County who had been hospitalized for the flu in 2011. "Since Oct. 1, area hospitals have reported 15 people from Fairfield County being hospitalized for the flu this year," Shafer said. "This is the earliest and largest increase I've seen in years. We had a mild flu season last year, but we've been building into a pretty bad year so far this season."

At Fairfield Medical Center, the number of flu cases reported has spiked in the past week, leading the hospital to impose visitor restrictions to help limit the spread.

"We are seeing an increase in the number of patients with the flu and other respiratory symptoms," said Dr. Andrew Murry, infectious disease physician. "It is our hope that our visitors will cooperate in helping to stop the spread of this disease, both for their health and the health of our patients."

The medical center found that 12.5 percent of all Emergency Department patients the week of Dec. 10 through 15 were positive for influenza or had the following flu symptoms: temperature of 100 degrees or greater, a sore throat and cough.

FMC also has admitted 12 patients with influenza diagnoses this year to date, and 31 percent of all influenza swabs performed have been positive for Influenza A or B, said Donna Hedges, infectious control practitioner at FMC.

To help reduce the spread of flu and other respiratory illnesses, employees, patients and visitors with flu-like symptoms will be asked to wear a mask while in the hospital. The masks are available at the north and south entrances to the building and on all patient floors, said Donna Stalter, a spokeswoman for FMC. Continued:  http://www.lancastereaglegazet...

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 @ Mon Dec 24, 2012 at 07:10:25 AM UTC

US: Health officials: Flu hasn't impacted FD, yet (Iowa)

While the flu season in the United States got off to its earliest start in nearly a decade, it's hasn't hit in full force locally, and health care professionals are hoping the reminder of the season will stay that way.

The Center for Disease Control told the Associated Press that higher-than-normal reports of the flu have come from the southern United States, primarily Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, and that the strain of flu is making people sicker than other types.

The Iowa Department of Public Health's website reported that as of Dec. 1, only .7 percent of all outpatient visits were for patients with influenza-like illness. Of those treated for flu symptoms, just 16 percent were confirmed as actual cases of influenza. Continued: http://www.messengernews.net/p...

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 @ Mon Dec 24, 2012 at 07:14:48 AM UTC

Palenstine: Swine flu claims one more life in WB

RAMALLAH - The Palestinian Minister of Health Sunday said that an elderly Palestinian man has died of H1N1 virus (Snip) in the West Bank city of Jenin. (Snip)  the man in his 80s had been admitted to martyr Khalil Suleiman hospital in the city from chronic diseases.

(Snip) results of the tests conducted at the hospital confirmed the presence of the H1N1 virus. He died of the virus's complication late Saturday, the official said. He added that her death bring the number of the virus's victims in Palestinian territories to five since the start of the season of winter. On Friday, a teenage girl died of swine flu complications in Jenin.

(Snip) 24 residents have been admitted to the hospital for treatment from the virus. According to Zakarneh, "most of the cases received proper treatment and were discharged."

(Snip) an emergency meeting was held in Jenin Governorate to "evaluate the situation and to update the citizens on any new developments and how to prevent the spread of the virus in winter."

Zakarneh said that only patients in high-risk groups - such as pregnant women, patients with chronic respiratory diseases, patients with suppressed immune systems, or patients with heart conditions - need to seek medical attention if they contract swine flu. (Snip)

On Friday, the Ministry of Health said that a total of 40 cases are receiving medical treatment from the virus in various West Bank cities. Hundreds of Palestinians were diagnosed with the swine since the first case was discovered in June 2009. Last year, twelve Palestinians died of the virus.

Swine flu also called H1N1 flu, swine influenza, hog flu, is an infection caused by any one of the several types of swine influenza virus like H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3. Transmission of the virus from pigs to humans is not common. But people with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk of swine flu infection. http://www.saudigazette.com.sa...

(Note: That last paragraph leads one to believe people in Palenstine are contracting swine flu from pigs. I think the reporter needs to get the facts straight because, as far as I know, these are H1N1 swine flu cases with H2H spread. Also, I don't think there are many pigs in Palenstine since Muslins don't eat pork.)

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 @ Mon Dec 24, 2012 at 07:44:04 AM UTC

Indonesia culls over 100,000 ducks to stop bird flu

2012-12-24

JAKARTA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian Agriculture ministry has culled 112,000 ducks for having new strain of bird flu viruses in the country, official said here on Monday.

Director of Animal Health of Agriculture Ministry Pudjatmoko said that the virus was categorized as clad of 2.1. "Until now, we have culled 112,000 ducks in the country," he was quoted by inilah.com, one of leading portals in the country.

The Indonesian government plans to take measures to prevent the spread of the new strain of avian influenza virus, which is more virulent.

The step was taken following the finding of the new clad of H5N1 virus after the death of over 320,000 ducks in some provinces in Java island was reported since November.

Indonesia has been investigating the origin of the new clad, which is very different from the clad of H5N1 virus found in recent years.

The agriculture ministry said that the cause of the emerge of the news strain may be drift mutation or genetic shift from the previous viruses or importation of poultry from overseas.

Indonesia has been hit hardest by bird flu since 2003, the virus has killed 160 people out of 192 cases since 2005, according to health ministry.

But, so far the new strain of H5N1 virus on ducks has not caused human fatality, the ministry said.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/engl...

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by: cottontop @ Mon Dec 24, 2012 at 10:34:41 AM UTC

Please post new news stories ...

...to News Reports for December 25, 2012.

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Tue Dec 25, 2012 at 04:57:31 AM UTC