Lookout Posts - Central and Southeast Europe (old diary)

lookout post transfer

14 November 2006

Nimbus – at 06:13

Cross posted to the ‘Not bird flue but close NEWS’ thread.

Budapest hospital closed due to epidemic

Kútvölgyi Hospital, located in Budapest’s District XII, is closed to visitors will admit no new patients after an epidemic broke out with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea on Friday, writes hirszerzo.hu. Around 70 patients have contracted the virus since Friday and most are reported to be recovering. Three patients and a hospital employee were diagnosed with the same illness on Monday.

Hospital Director Tamás Palicz said the symptoms of the illness go away within three days. The hospital will remain closed to visitors until 72 hours after the last patient recovers, which will probably be in around a week. Some departments may make an exception, for example, obstetrics and intensive care, where no infections have been reported so far.

Tests to determine the cause of the illness are underway. The National Public Health and Medical Officers Service (ÁNTSZ) has reported similar cases from other hospitals. Viral epidemics are not uncommon at this time of year, and hospital patients, whose immune system is generally weak and are in contact with each other, are more prone to infection, Palicz said.

http://tinyurl.com/y...

MaMa – at 13:40

Epidemic Alert: Nyúl, Győr-Moson-Sopron, Hungary. 50 people affected, no deaths(Nov.14/06)

The rest of the report is in Hungarian… http://visz.rsoe.hu/...

Nimbus – at 14:34

Calici virus breaks out at four Budapest hospitals

More than 100 patients have contracted the calici virus in four Budapest hospitals, Kútvölgyi Hospital, Ferenc Jahn Hospital, the National Rheumatology and Physiotherapy Institute and János Hospital. According to hirszerzo.hu, 74 patients are being treated at Kútvölgyi Hospital. Kútvölgyi Hospital and the Phisiotherapy Institute are closed to visitors; Ferenc Jahn Hospital is partly closed, while no limitation has yet been introduced at János Hospital.

http://tinyurl.com/y...

Calicivirus info from CDC

Note: this is snipped from a larger article titled Calicivirus Emergence from Ocean Reservoirs: Zoonotic and Interspecies Movements

Caliciviral infections in humans, among the most common causes of viral-induced vomiting and diarrhea, are caused by the Norwalk group of small round structured viruses, the Sapporo caliciviruses, and the hepatitis E agent. Human caliciviruses have been resistant to in vitro cultivation, and direct study of their origins and reservoirs outside infected humans or water and foods (such as shellfish contaminated with human sewage) has been difficult. Modes of transmission, other than direct fecal-oral routes, are not well understood. In contrast, animal viruses found in ocean reservoirs, which make up a second calicivirus group, can be cultivated in vitro. These viruses can emerge and infect terrestrial hosts, including humans.

http://www.cdc.gov/n...

bgw in MT – at 19:23

Outbreaks of H5N1 in Romania in May

In May, Romanian veterinarian authorities confirmed more than 80 outbreaks of the H5N1 virus infection in domestic fowl in 12 districts of the country, according to the World Health Organization. So far, no human cases have been confirmed, but Romanian officials are requesting assistance in controlling the disease.

MaMa – at 20:51

posted by nsthesia on the news thread

From RSOE (in Hungarian), Epidemic Alert 60 infected at Kutvolgyi Hospital in Budapest (anyone know Hungarian or a willing translator?) (link http://www.tinyurl.c...)

Translation en route from a Hungarian friend.

She has read the information at the above link and has verbally relayed by phone that the description states that a section of this hospital in Budapest has been closed down for at least 3 days. She says there is mention of “the flu”, but no mention of “avian flu” specifically. The patients/clients have symptoms that include high fever and diarrhea (and one other symptom that I can’t remember). She says the report does not mention any deaths.

She is emailing me her translation and I will post it when I get it.

15 November 2006
Nimbus – at 06:00

MaMa – at 20:51

Hi Mama - the outbreak in Budapest appears to be something called Calicivirus (see above).

It would be very interesting to hear your friend’s translation! I’ve had no luck at all finding a hungarian/english translator online.

Nimbus – at 14:36

Calici virus epidemic spreads to northwestern Hungary

Around 50 kindergartners and their relatives in the town of Nyúl, located near Gyõr, have been struck by an illness believed to be caused by the Calici virus, which earlier this week had led to the closure of a Budapest hospital.

Preliminary tests conducted by the National Public Health and Medical Officers Service (ÁNTSZ) showed that neither food poisoning nor bacteria are responsible.

The kindergarten is being disinfected to prevent spreading of the virus. The ÁNTSZ expects more cases of the illness to be reported in upcoming days, but the process should stop within a week.

Calici virus outbreaks are not uncommon in Hungary in the fall, but this is the first larger outbreak in the Gyõr area.

http://tinyurl.com/y...

16 November 2006
Nimbus – at 08:23

3 more unreadable (hungarian) alerts on the Havaria Alert Site for Hungary. The cities named are Köszeg,Zalaegerszeg and Sopron with 29, 7, and 30 incidences respectively. These 3 towns are all west of and fairly close to Budapest. I’m assuming this is more of the Calici virus but will keep on the lookout for an english language update.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/...

Okieman – at 08:28

Here is a good translation website with links for various languages. Scroll down to the sixth from the bottom, there is a link to a site for Hungarian/English translation.

http://www.word2word...

Nimbus – at 10:28

Thanks Okieman - great find!

Nimbus – at 14:45

From PROMED: TUBERCULOSIS, MULTIRESISTANT - HUNGARY

Three Hungarians have been quarantined after becoming infected with an untreatable strain of tuberculosis, index.hu reports. However, the situation is yet to develop into an epidemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Red Cross say a serious epidemic is threatening Europe as a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis is spreading on the continent. According to the organizations, there have not been this many untreatable cases of the illness since the Second World War.

More here: http://tinyurl.com/y...

17 November 2006
1st time anonymous – at 13:21

[Calici virus breaks out at four Budapest hospitals]

http://preview.tinyu...

By: CaboodleNews 2006–11–14 13:03:00 More than 100 patients have contracted the calici virus in four Budapest hospitals, Kútvölgyi Hospital, Ferenc Jahn Hospital, the National Rheumatology and Physiotherapy Institute and János Hospital. According to hirszerzo.hu, 74 patients are being treated at Kútvölgyi Hospital. SNIP

FrenchieGirl – at 17:26

NEWS - GREECE - Cross posted from AnnieB – at 15:58 on the news thread for today - Greece finds bird flu virus in wild duck - Posted: 18 November 2006 0323 hrs (link http://tinyurl.com/y...)

ATHENS - Greece said Friday it had found bird flu in a wild duck shot by a hunter, adding that more tests were underway to establish whether the virus was the strain that can kill humans. The H5 virus, most of whose sub-types are only lethal to birds, was confirmed in the migratory duck killed in a coastal area of the central prefecture of Fthiotida, the agriculture ministry said in a statement.\\\

Samples from the bird will be sent to the EU Reference Laboratory for avian influenza in England to determine whether the virus is in fact H5N1, the highly pathogenic strain that has killed 152 people in the Far East, the Middle East and China since 2003.\\\

The relevant European Union authorities have also been informed, the ministry said.\\\

This is the first H5 case reported in Greece since the summer. Earlier this year, the Greek authorities confirmed 33 cases of H5N1 between February and March, all in wild birds.\\\

Yet even though no domestic poultry cases turned up, demand for chicken in the country took a serious blow for weeks. Local authorities in Fthiotida have been advised to ban the transport of live poultry near the area where the duck was hunted. Poultry owners have been warned to keep their flocks indoors, and the public advised to alert the authorities to all bird carcass finds, the ministry said.

FrenchieGirl – at 17:30

Background Note - Geography - Greece - Fthiotida, link...http://en.wikipedia....

Nimbus – at 18:10

Swine fever spreads in Croatia

Some 5,500 pigs will be slaughtered at a farm in eastern Croatia which was hit with a new outbreak of classical swine fever, the worst so far in the country, the agriculture ministry said. . “The farm where the presence of swine fever virus was confirmed earlier this week is located only some 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) away from the farm which was hit by the disease in October,” agriculture ministry spokesman Mladen Pavic told AFP. At the time 3,600 pigs had to be slaughtered.

Swine fever is a highly contagious disease which is passed on through excrement or saliva. It does not affect other animal species or humans.

More here: http://www.todayonli...

18 November 2006
bgw in MT – at 13:09

BIRD FLU

http://preview.tinyu...

H5 strain found in wild duck in central Greece; measures demanded

A veterinary laboratory in Halkida, Evia, said yesterday that it had discovered the H5 strain of bird flu in a wild duck that was found in Fthiotida, central Greece. The H5 virus is only lethal to birds but samples from the duck will be sent to England to determine whether the virus is the H5N1 strain which can also kill humans. Authorities in Fthiotoda have been instructed to adopt emergency bird flu measures, such as ensuring that poultry is kept indoors.

bgw in MT – at 13:13

Three Hungarians quarantined with tuberculosis

http://preview.tinyu...

By: CaboodleNews 2006–11–08 10:44:00 Three Hungarians have been quarantined after becoming infected with an untreatable strain of tuberculosis, index.hu reports. However, the situation is yet to develop into an epidemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Red Cross say a serious epidemic is threatening Europe as a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis is spreading on the continent. According to the organizations, there have not been this many untreatable cases of the illness since the Second World War. SNIP

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little- Edmund Burke

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by: MaMa @ Mon Nov 20, 2006 at 07:53:24 AM UTC

Avian flu steps swing into action

http://www.ekathimer...

Authorities are implementing safety measures in parts of Fthiotida, central Greece, where a migrating duck was found to be infected with the H5 strain of bird flu last week. The sample has been sent to a laboratory in London to determine whether it is the H5N1 strain which can also kill humans.

Safety measures include local farmers keeping all poultry in enclosed areas where they cannot come in contact with wildlife possibly carrying the virus.

Authorities have called for calm, saying that all the necessary steps have been taken and that the area where the migrating duck was found, on a riverbank close to the town of Anthilis, is not located near any poultry farms.

SNIP

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by: bgw in MT @ Tue Nov 21, 2006 at 18:55:02 PM UTC

No deadly bird flu strain found in Greek wild duck

http://www.todayonli...

Greece's agriculture ministry has said that a wild duck found to carry bird flu last week was not ill with the highly pathogenic strain that has killed 152 people in the Far East, the Middle East and China since 2003.

Tests at the EU Reference Laboratory for avian influenza in England found no trace of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the virus, the ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

As a result, protective measures enacted in the area where the duck was found have been lifted, the ministry added.

SNIP

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by: bgw in MT @ Thu Nov 23, 2006 at 00:31:47 AM UTC

No Avian Influenza found in Serbia and Montenegro

http://www.thepoultr...

information received on 21 November 2006 from Dr Dejan Krnjaic, Chief Veterinary Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Belgrade:
End of previous report period: 15 March 2006 (see Disease Information, 19 [11], 228, dated 16 March 2006).
End of this report period: 21 November 2006.
Identification of agent: avian influenza virus subtype H5N1.
Date of first confirmation of the event: 13 March 2006.
Date of start of the event: 9 March 2006.
There have been no new outbreaks in poultry since the last report. The event was considered ended on 20 April 2006.
Final report: yes.

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by: bgw in MT @ Sat Nov 25, 2006 at 17:52:31 PM UTC

Central and Eastern Europe...bird flu seminars

UNICEF and the Japanese government organised an international seminar in Tirana on bird flu, focusing on communication during health emergencies and appropriate measures to minimise pandemic outbreaks. Carrie Auer, UNICEF representative in Albania, said the event -- which took place on November 20th -- was the first of six such seminars to be held in Central and Eastern Europe.

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by: bgw in MT @ Mon Nov 27, 2006 at 18:19:17 PM UTC

I have searched...

...every day but I have seen nothing for this area. This is just a note to let you know that this lookout post is being manned. We will be leaving for the holidays, in a few days and there will be several days that I won't have access to the computer

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by: bgw in MT @ Wed Dec 06, 2006 at 20:40:43 PM UTC

Calici virus epidemic spreads to Kaposvár

Calici virus epidemic spreads to Kaposvár
By: CaboodleNews
2006-12-01 12:58:00
So far eight patients have been diagnosed with the Calici virus at the Kaposi Mór Kórház in Kaposvár (Somogy county), reports radio.hu.

Patients started arriving with the symptoms of the virus - diarrhea and vomiting - earlier in the week, but the virus was only detected in the middle of the week.

[SNIP]

http://www.caboodle....

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by: bgw in MT @ Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 20:41:49 PM UTC