News Reports for March 21, 2009

Bird Flu Death Reported In Vietnam

The Ho Chi Minh City Health Department in Vietnam has reported the death of a three year old boy from the deadly H5N1 avian influenza following a four day battle to save him in hospital. Nguyen Van Chau, the director of the hospital explained that the boy had come from south west province of Dong Thap and was rushed to the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases when he started to suffer from respiratory problems and a very high fever.

While it could not be confirmed, it is likely that the boy became sick after eating duck a few days previously. His parents who had also eaten the same duck were subjected to testing to make sure that they had not contracted the virus along with local poultry farmers.  In line with standard procedure the health authorities of Vietnam disinfected the house where the boy lived and the immediate area around it.

A number of individuals were also given the influenza medication Tamiflu which is recommended by the World Health Organisation as being the most effective drug to treat symptoms of the deadly virus in humans. This case is the third fatality from the H5N1 bird flu virus and the first from the southern region of Vietnam in 2009. Overall Vietnam is the second most hit country in the world from the bird flu virus with over 100 human infections and 53 deaths. Continued: http://www.ukmedix.com/tamiflu...

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 Mar 21, 2009 at 10:18:13 AM UTC

Patients have died of H5N1

Hat tip: Commonground

After 4 days in the hospital female patient, 26 years old live in Thanh Tri, Soc Trang has been with the same manifestations of the avian influenza. Patient samples have been subject to tests to determine the exact cause of death.

Talking to VnExpress.net, doctor Tran Van Khanh, Director General Hospital Bac Lieu province, said, the patient died at 20/3, after 24 hours of hospitalization. The disease manifests from time to hospital mortality is respiratory failure, fever, cough ... be similar H5N1.

However, according to Mr. Khanh, must wait for test results from the Pasteur Institute HCMC can affirm patients infected with avian influenza or not.

Epidemiological investigation by Chau Hung Commune, Thanh Tri district, Soc Trang, where the patients live, to see, how about 20 days ago, you eat food made from meat ducks died, but only to first feel uncomfortable, to the fever in a few days ago again.

16/3, the patient was transferred to the commune clinics to treat the disease more severe the family moved to General Hospital Bac Lieu.

Although not yet confirmed the cause of death of patients, to prevent the spread of disease, the Medical Center for Soc Trang province has x?t chemical spray kh? same area in living patients. snip http://pandemicinformationnews...

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 Mar 21, 2009 at 10:32:49 AM UTC

This is in Vietnam

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 Mar 21, 2009 at 10:36:24 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

heres a map

Soc trang is right down at the bottom, didn't find the other city but it says "South West" so it should be nearby

http://tinyurl.com/dkope6

Always have a plan B.

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by: maryinhawaii @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 19:15:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Here's one showing the provinces

Dong Thap is just above Soc Trang, so they are pretty close to each other.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F...

Always have a plan B.

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by: maryinhawaii @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 19:21:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

How close geographically are these two recent deaths in Vietnam (the 26yo and the 3yo) to each other?

In both cases they believe the disease was caught from sick ducks, and this is a little worrisome...as I recall (correct me if I'm remembering wrong) there's been some discussion about the fact that ducks are more likely to be asymptomatic carriers than chickens, is that right?  Also I don't think they vaccinate ducks do they?

But now we have ducks dying of H5N1 and people getting sick and dying in their vicinity (although I really doubt it was from eating the ducks, as it doesn't seem like it would take 20 days for the symptoms to show up) so it might have been from feces or feathers or water contamination. In any case, this seems like a new and possibly significant change; possibly the virus in these ducks has mutated.  

Always have a plan B.

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by: maryinhawaii @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 19:08:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Hi Mary!

Yes, ducks are more likely to be asymptomatic carriers. I believe they do vaccinate the ducks just like they do the chickens and other types of poultry. It looks like the two are both in the Mekong Delta area. Here is the map link: http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/...

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 Mar 21, 2009 at 19:42:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Govt allots Rp 200 billion for bird flu research

Sat, 03/21/2009 2:22 PM
http://www.thejakartapost.com/...

SURABAYA: The government has allocated Rp 200 billion (US$17 billion) to finance research on bird flu in an effort to prevent and mitigate the spread of the virus, according to the health minister.

"Foreign financial assistance is also available, but it's still under our control," Siti Fadilah Supari said after speaking at an international symposium on bird flu at the University of Airlangga (Unair) in Surabaya, East Java, Antara reported.

She was quoted as saying her office had official mechanisms for the allocation of government funds and the spending of foreign financial assistance for bird flu research activities. "There is a selection and only those having good quality will be approved. Researches using foreign donations also have their own mechanism," he said.

Meanwhile, Agus Purwadianto, head of the ministry's health research and development division, said his office had plans for bird flu research.

Research activities are directed at finding detection and diagnostic techniques for bird flu on humans and the development of bird flu vaccines, he said. -JP

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by: Pixie @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 13:08:47 PM UTC

Supari Wary of Foreign 'Attack'

March 21, 2009,by Dessy Sagita
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com...

Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari on Friday called the country's medical institutions to carry out their own virus and DNA research free of foreign funding so as to avoid exploitation from developed countries and the possibility of a future biological attack against the nation.

"I'm truly afraid the world will use our viruses or DNAs to create a mass biological weapon that may be used to attack us," she said.

Supari surprised the world when she abruptly stopped sending bird flu virus samples to the World Health Organization in 2007. Supari said the WHO wanted the virus to create an effective bird flu vaccine using the Indonesian strain but offered nothing in return.
She said Indonesia was perceived by many countries as both a potential object of exploitation and a promising market for new vaccines. The minister said that the virus samples were given for free but Indonesia had to later purchase the vaccine - developed using those samples - at high prices.

"They wanted me to send the virus because the Indonesian strain of the H5N1 is the strongest and they might produce a better bird flu vaccine by researching it," she said.

H5N1 is the virus strain that causes bird flu.  Supari said that all research conducted in Indonesia should abide by a decree she issued in 2008 governing the use of biological substances, including viruses or DNA samples.  She said the decree was issued to reduce Indonesia's dependency on foreign funding especially for research of potentially pandemic diseases such as bird flu.

"Trust me on this one, there is no such thing as free help. When people offer big money to help you, they undoubtedly expect to benefit from it," Supari said.

Supari said Indonesia should ideally be able to research its own viruses and produce its derivative products without having to depend on foreign intervention. She said that by being independent and mastering Indonesia's own strain of viruses, the country would have stronger bargaining power in the world.  The minister said that she did not want a repeat of the small pox "incident".

"WHO in 1985," she said, "ordered all countries to close down research unit and laboratories of smallpox vaccines including in Indonesia, but in 2005 suddenly WHO ordered every country to purchase WHO-approved small pox vaccines that cost Indonesia Rp 600 billion [Rp 51 million]."

Supari urged Indonesian scientists and researchers to conduct their research independently and pledged that the Ministry of Health would try its best to help fund their projects.
"I will provide the funding but please play by the rules that all research must be conducted through the ministry," she said.

Ratna Sitompul, dean of medical faculty of state University of Indonesia, said she had "no problems working without foreign funding, as long as the ministry agrees to provide financial assistance."

The production of bird flu vaccines has had its controversies. In 2005, it was alleged that four companies responsible for the production of the vaccine had produced inferior quality vaccines in order to inflate profits.  Indonesia, which has stopped announcing bird flu deaths as they occur, has the world's highest death rate from the disease at 119.  The smallpox virus was declared eradicated in 1980 and WHO called on all nations to destroy their virus stocks. However, due to post-9/11 fears of biological terrorism, it was decided to make the vaccine available to vulnerable countries.  Agus Purwadianto, head of the health ministry's research and development agency said that researchers or institutions refusing to abide by the decree would have to face the consequences.

"We may revoke a researcher's or institution's license if they insist on conducting research that may harm the country's sovereignty and we won't recognize findings from the research," he said. and the equipment we need

"I am opposed to any form of tyranny over the mind of man."  Thomas Jefferson

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by: History Lover @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 15:57:43 PM UTC

Bat-shit-crazy Supari is at it again!

The woman is a total "nut case" and is seriously harming her own people. There are people dying in Indonesia from bird flu and she doesn't even care. Millions will die if a pandemic breaks out and there are no vaccines. I have to ask the Indonesian government, "how much longer are you going to put up with this insane woman and her crazy ideas?"

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 Mar 21, 2009 at 17:37:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Its spreading, now egypt thinks we are spreading H5N1. n/t

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by: Kobie @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 17:45:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Supari is far more dangerous than just plain old crazy

.
Supari is the Health Minister of Indonesia.

Yet S.B. Yudhoyono, the President of Indonesia, says nothing to counter her.

Supari sits on the Executive Board of the WHO.  http://www.who.int/governance/...

Yet Margaret Chan, Director General of the WHO, says nothing to counter her.  

Supari is not crazy. She is reflecting the official positions of two very official governmental and non-governmental entities.  

There is simply no evidence to the contrary.  Supari is a very high ranking official - in both her government and within WHO - and no one has lifted a finger to stop her.  

Supari is not crazy.  She's officially supported. That's far, far, more dangerous than crazy.  

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by: Pixie @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 19:20:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It cuts both ways.

This statement of hers I would have to agree with, cynic that I am

"Trust me on this one, there is no such thing as free help. When people offer big money to help you, they undoubtedly expect to benefit from it," Supari said.

On the other hand, Supari herself (and her government) would stand to profit mightily if they develop a vaccine all on their own that they can then sell to the rest of the world. So they are holding tight to their little viral goldmine in order to maximize the amount they can profit from it.

The fact is that in so doing they are preventing scientists from around the world from contributing to the research that might, by their combined effort, allow them to develop a vaccine before the virus goes pandemic. That is the great danger that Indonesia seems willing to risk for a chance at making a greater profit.  

The pure idiocy all around is that no one seems to be offering up what would be the logical solution, that any vaccine created from these indonesian samples would be subject to significant royalties paid to the Indonesian government, as well as ample free supplies for all her people. That would be the carrot. The stick would be that should the flu go pandemic before a vaccine can be created, and that failure can be attributed to indonesia's unwillingness to share viral samples, they would be held financially, morally, ethically and criminally responsible for the resultant losses to the rest of the world.

Always have a plan B.

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by: maryinhawaii @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 19:37:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

What's really dangerous besides her

with holding samples,, is that the people of Indo and Asia are picking up on this and its speading a hate. I get these comments on my blog and there very serious. These people insist this is the truth. If it's good enough for Supari, it's good enough for them. These people have NO proof any of what she says is true. they just go along with it. IMO, this health minister is causing danger to people by spreading false information,and rumors. I'm a skeptic, but until I see something that raises a red flag, I cannot agree with her on this "someone's out to get us" theory. This is the last thing the people of Indo and Asia need in this war on H5N1.    

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com

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by: cottontop @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 23:18:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

unfortuntely

These people have NO proof any of what she says is true. they just go along with it.

We're likely to see more of that, people blaming other countries, Americans, Chinese, Indonesians, Egyptians etc.  Intellectual laziness (or in some instances dishonesty) is a univeral trait that crosses all national boundaries.  It's always easier, and more popular, to blame the problem on a perceived 'enemy', than to examine the issues with cold objectivity.  Or to ask yourself how your own country's policies might have contributed to the problem.



All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...

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by: SusanC @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 11:50:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Supari & fear blame from frustration

SusanC,

 I fear this. Its spreading to Egypt now.

 Not only will it drain and energy from pandemic prep but create friction.

 The only thing worse than no information is bad information.

 While it may be self serving now, these emotions have inertia. They will take time to change.

 Worse case: People listen to Supari now becasue there are few preconcived notions. Supair has a "blank slate" to draw upon. Later if Supari changes her tune the people may not listen. They may want to go on believing what they want to.

 IMO this bad information is a cancer to be removed for it will take root.

 As people we find it hard to accept the unexplained in our lives. We want a logical reson for a person's death, an out break or a pandemic.

Kobie

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by: Kobie @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 12:56:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

They should be asking China the hard questions.

They should be blaming China as well as their own lax policies......I remind Indonesia, Egypt and everyone else that the U.S. doesn't have any cases of H5N1. Let's put the blame where the blame belongs: China with their cover-ups, Vietnam & etc. with the imports and smuggling going on out of China, Indonesia who let things get out of hand while Supari ran her mouth and virtually did nothing else and......see where I'am going with this? WE don't have any cases of H5N1 and we didn't deliberately set it off in the world. CHINA IS WHERE IT ORIGINATED!!!  

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 @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 17:25:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

this is all good in theory

The pure idiocy all around is that no one seems to be offering up what would be the logical solution, that any vaccine created from these indonesian samples would be subject to significant royalties paid to the Indonesian government, as well as ample free supplies for all her people. That would be the carrot.

In practice the development of vaccines is in the hands of major manufacturers, who have absolutely no intention to pay one cent more than is necessary.  In fact, they constantly lament how they are not getting enough payouts from governments.  

With current technologies, there will not be 'ample supplies' for paying customers such as vaccine-producing countries, let alone for others that you are proposing the companies supply for FREE!  http://www.newfluwiki2.com/sho...

The solution lies in changes in technology, but the development of the technology itself does not rest on the availability of virus samples.  You can develop a vaccine and get it all the way through licensure without ever having the samples from Indonesia.  But THAT, in itself, is often bogged down by both bureaucracy and the darker side of commercial competition http://www.newfluwiki2.com/sho...

NGOs such as the Gates Foundation and PATH are working on these issues, often in coordination with the WHO, but as with governments these organizations also have their own challenges balancing many needs and demands, and the process is excruciatingly slow.

The stick would be that should the flu go pandemic before a vaccine can be created, and that failure can be attributed to indonesia's unwillingness to share viral samples, they would be held financially, morally, ethically and criminally responsible for the resultant losses to the rest of the world.

Again, good in theory.  In practice, there are scant means of obtaining justice by legal and non-violent means.  the world has only JUST started prosecuting government leaders for genocide and crimes against humanity through the International Criminal Court, which I might add that neither the US, China, Russia, or India have joined.  The ICC is also limited by statutes, to 4 categories of crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.  Remember that ommission is a crime "only when the law imposes a duty to act and the defendant is in breach of that duty."  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O...  

In theory, the IHR(2005) has the status of international law, but right now we already see that countries are veering away from using this instrument, towards using a 'trust-based' aka non-binding resolution to solve the virus sharing issue.  http://www.newfluwiki2.com/sho...  

Part of the problem lies in the fact that there is no explicit clause in the IHR for sharing of SAMPLES - it is a matter of major dispute whether the IHR requires that.  Developed countries say yes, but developing countries say no.  You can see where the line is drawn - between the have's and have-not's, as with the majority of issues concerning equity and development.  

So much for international justice.  



All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...

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by: SusanC @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 11:40:06 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thank you

SusanC,

  Just a note to say thanks. I read your post but do not know as much as you so I have nothing to add. Just wanted to let you know the post helped me seperate 'theory' from 'practice'.

  The goal remains the same; we just have a long way to get there.  

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by: Kobie @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 13:01:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

if more ordinary citizens

of whatever country, are willing to make the effort to inform themselves of the issues, then we may have a chance to solve the problem.  Without that, we are all hostage to the rhetoric of those who do not have the best interest of the world in mind.

It isn't beyond the capability of a person of average education background, to understand the issues involved.  All it needs is the will.  When we have sufficient members of the public making informed judgments, then, and only then, can public opinion play a constructive role in this problem that affects us all, whatever country you live in.



All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...

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by: SusanC @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 13:50:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

it all starts from taking an interest

in issues that concern others, and trying to look at it from THEIR perspective.  The STEPS paper offers a good overview, of the different players and the significant difference in approach that each takes.  http://newfluwiki2.com/showDia...



All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...

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by: SusanC @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 13:56:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Supari went to China last Fall

She and her contingent toured the Sinovac facilities.

Chances are, there's a vax deal.  With royalties.  

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by: Pixie @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 14:21:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yet another twist

Pixie,

 Hmmm. Yet another twist. Thank you. China may be seen as an alternative to "the evil western world with no direction and short past" Those are my words based on experiances with people from other countries.

 I do not like the way this is dividing up.  

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by: Kobie @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 15:27:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

well, if Sinovac makes a good vaccine

and they have enough to spare for the Indonesians, but not for anyone else, would that be a good thing?  I don't know how much capacity they have.  Be good if anyone has that info.

I guess it depends on how much the specificity of the antigen is going to make a difference to the efficacy of the vaccine.  At the moment, that is anybody's guess, but at least compared to a couple of years ago, there are more encouraging results that suggest even mismatched vaccines provide a fair amount of cross clade protection.

That, plus the recent revelation from the OIE, that animal viruses are being shared, gives a little bit of hope, that maybe we're not totally lost, even if we don't get the exact virus coming out of Indonesia.  

Call this wishful thinking, or what you will, but the longer this go on, the more likely that technology will find ways around that need to get the EXACT virus sample.  eg the recombinant HA vaccine can be made using sequence information alone, without the need for an actual sample.  

Supari may find that she doesn't have the last laugh....



All 'safety concerns' are hypothetical.  If not, they'd be called side effects...

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by: SusanC @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 18:17:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Editorial Critical of Health Minister Supari

March 21, 2009, http://www.thejakartaglobe.com...
Indonesia does not exactly score high marks for research and development in the health sector, with only a handful of institutions undertaking any significant work. This is due to a number of factors, chief among them a lack of funding and a lack of trained researchers.

Now Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari has made it even more difficult for local medical research institutions to do meaningful work by preventing them from accepting foreign funding with an eye to preventing later exploitation and intervention.  Supari said that all research conducted in Indonesia should abide by a decree she issued last year governing the use of Indonesian biological substances, including viruses and DNA samples. The decree was to prevent Indonesia from being exploited as both a source of material and as a market for vaccines.

The minister in fact had a very public row with the World Health Organization over the use of avian flu strains. While Indonesia provided the viruses for free, the country was forced to buy the vaccines developed from the samples provided at high prices. Supari surprised the world when she abruptly stopped sending bird flu samples to the WHO.
Supari also said the decree she issued was aimed at reducing Indonesia's dependency on foreign funding, especially for research of potentially pandemic diseases such as bird flu.

The ministry has now set aside Rp 30 billion ($2.55 million) for research into a new vaccine for avian flu this year. Indonesia remains one of the countries most infected by this deadly disease and has so far not come up with a tested vaccine. Although Supari promised to provide the necessary funding, however, she did not mention the ministry's budget to help fund R&D in other areas of medical research.

It is also not clear if the decree only applies to government-linked medical research institutions or if privately owned and managed institutions are also included. As such the minister will have to clarify her statements to avoid more confusion on the matter. Medical research is extremely expensive and requires years and years of detailed, methodical work. It requires dedicated scientist and technicians. It requires years of testing and retesting of vaccines on animals and most importantly, it requires access to information from studies being conducted around the globe.  If Indonesia wants world-class institutions, then it should also welcome the best talent in the sector.

The minister did not make clear if her instructions on funding extend to other forms of cooperation with foreign medical institutions. If they do, it will be a travesty for the country's medical industry and research institutions.  In today's globalized world, coordination and cooperation between medical institutions is vital in dealing with new and ever more portent diseases. We would argue that the minister should instead look at the broader picture on how medical science is evolving in more advanced countries and work to tie up with leading global medical research institutions.  

"I am opposed to any form of tyranny over the mind of man."  Thomas Jefferson

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by: History Lover @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 17:04:21 PM UTC

Kudos to the Jakarta Globe!

More of this needs to be said by all the news media in Indonesia!!!

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 Mar 21, 2009 at 17:40:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Making a difference while making the grade

Laura Brennick and her classmates aren't just earning post-secondary degrees at Renaissance College.

They're helping the community with emergency preparedness, Maliseet language revival, hospital bed shortages, pandemic planning and immigration issues

The work is being done through a community problem-solving class at the college, and the students involved in the program say they are thrilled to be making a difference in the city.

"A lot of our research, and all of our final reports, will be sent out to our community partners because we hope our work will help with some of the things the community is trying to tackle," Brennick said.

"This is why I came to Renaissance. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to learn in a hands-on way. This program not only helps us develop skills we'll use later in life, but we're also able to put our work to good use."

Source
http://dailygleaner.canadaeast...

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by: Kobie @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 17:27:18 PM UTC

Who Spread H5N1 in Egypt ??

I know that it is strange question because naturally due to the position of Egypt in the world ,the birds will pass by in their annual migration; Conspiracy theories may rest in this issue because all the world suffer from it in a way or another.

But it won't rest for MP Ali Laben"MBs" in the parliament who asked  directly the prime minister and ministers of Agriculture and Health about the involvement of the NAMRU-3 lab in spreading the H5N1 virus in Egypt.In other words he accuses the Americans to spread the virus in Egypt along with the Israelis too !! "Some Israeli experts have attended the H5N1 conference in Sharm El-Sheikh last year !! Already this was an international conference held by the WHO as far as I know"

Laben accused the lab to experiment the virus on the Egyptians in the Abbassia fever hospital ,of course the lab is not in the hospital but rather adjacent to it . I understand that Mr. Laben concerns about the country but this is too much ,it is not logic at all ,this is pure conspiracy theory I am afraid.

We are talking about science and logic here.He is forgetting that in all the infection cases in Egypt birds transfer the virus to the humans , all the H5N1 victims in Egypt were mostly from rural villages.The WHO documents every single condition and currently the lab and the WHO publishes directly online all the info regarding the progress of the viru

Source
http://www.globalpost.com/webb...

U. S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 (NAMRU-3)
http://www.geis.fhp.osd.mil/GE...

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by: Kobie @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 17:47:27 PM UTC

Suspected bird flu patient dies in Soc Trang

Veterinarians have quarantined and disinfected hamlet 23 in Chau Hung commune, Thanh Tri district, Soc Trang province, after a female villager suspected of contracting the deadly H5N1 virus died in hospital on March 20. According to Vo Ngoc Linh, head of the Chau Hung commune medical centre, Ly Thi Hang, 26, ate sick ducks nearly a month ago. She was admitted to the general hospital of nearby Bac Lieu province on March 16 with symptoms such as headache, exhaustions and coughing. The unfortunate patient died early in the morning of March 20.
(Snip)
Meanwhile, another suspected case in the southern province of Dong Thap has tested negative for the deadly virus, according to doctors from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City.

The four-year-old patient Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen has been isolated and given intensive care around the clock at the hospital. Doctors said that she is showing signs of recovery. http://english.vovnews.vn/Home...

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 Mar 21, 2009 at 17:50:10 PM UTC

Who Spread H5N1 in Egypt ??

Hat-tip Monotreme at PFI:

21/03/09
http://egyptianchronicles.blog...

I know that it is strange question because naturally due to the position of Egypt in the world ,the birds will pass by in their annual migration; Conspiracy theories may rest in this issue because all the world suffer from it in a way or another.

But it won't rest for MP Ali Laben"MBs" in the parliament who asked 788140 directly the prime minister and ministers of Agriculture and Health about the involvement of the NAMRU-3 lab in spreading the H5N1 virus in Egypt.In other words he accuses the Americans to spread the virus in Egypt along with the Israelis too !! "Some Israeli experts have attended the H5N1 conference in Sharm El-Sheikh last year !! Already this was an international conference held by the WHO as far as I know"

Laben accused the lab to experiment the virus on the Egyptians in the Abbassia fever hospital ,of course the lab is not in the hospital but rather adjacent to it. I understand that Mr. Laben concerns about the country but this is too much ,it is not logic at all ,this is pure conspiracy theory I am afraid.

We are talking about science and logic here.He is forgetting that in all the infection cases in Egypt birds transfer the virus to the humans , all the H5N1 victims in Egypt were mostly from rural villages.The WHO documents every single condition and currently the lab and the WHO publishes directly online all the info regarding the progress of the virus.

The MP does not understand how dangerous the virus is , already I wonder if he believes the United States had spread the virus in Asia !!?? Ok what if this lab was not American but were Russian from the old Soviet Egyptian relations time !!?? Or were following the EU !!?? Or even the WHO ??

If I were in the MP place , I would ask about how our poultry industry was doomed despite we had the opportunity to save this industry and our position as one of the main exporters of poultry in the region !! Why we have not revived this industry and we opened the doors for imports !! This is what the the MP should ask ,relevant questions not spread conspiracy theories.  

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by: Pixie @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 19:08:04 PM UTC

I hope this young blogger's opinion isn't in the minority.

It would be good if such logical thinking were in their main-stream media too.  

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

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by: Jane @ Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 19:43:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I read this earier and feard conspiricy is spreadding

Pixie,

  It is an interesting story that has more frear than fact.

 H5N1 is a problem for all and has shown up in more places than the US has labs.

Kobie

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by: Kobie @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 03:33:12 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Singapore - On alert for next pandemic

SINGAPORE is in the midst of a region largely expected to be 'ground zero' for the next disease pandemic.
That is why the Government is making serious efforts to tackle infectious diseases, said the permanent secretary for health, Ms Yong Ying-I, at the opening yesterday of a conference on the genetics and genomics of infectious diseases.

The keynote speaker at the four-day international event, she said Singapore's brush with infectious diseases - most notably the Sars epidemic in 2003 - makes the threat not just a 'theoretical one, but a very real one'.

'One of my own friends, who headed the Intensive Care Unit at one of our hospitals, caught the disease from a patient and almost died,' said Ms Yong, who was the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) at the time.

'I was one of those government leaders who said 'never again.''

Source
http://www.straitstimes.com/Br...

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by: Kobie @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 03:37:52 AM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for March 22, 2009

Thank you!

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 @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 04:13:59 AM UTC

You beat me to it!

Nobody can out-draw Quickdraw McCarol!

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by: AlohaOR @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 04:16:09 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

LOL

I checked and didn't see you online so I posted it. It is Saturday night so I thought you were out painting the town red. Wish I was. LOL

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 @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 04:50:58 AM UTC

[ Parent ]