News Reports for April 11, 2012

Cambodia: WHO confirms fatal human H5N1 case

http://www.who.int/csr/don/201...

(This was announced on April 5, but still hasn't been linked on the main WHO webpage for H5N1.)

5 April 2012 - The Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Kingdom of Cambodia has announced a confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus.

The 6 year-old female from Kampong Chhnang Province developed symptoms on 22 March 2012. After initial treatment at the village, she was later admitted to hospital in Phnom Penh on 28 March. She died on 30 March. Infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus was confirmed by Institut Pasteur du Cambodge on 30 March.

It was reported that the patient had contact with sick or dead poultry prior to onset of illness.

The National and local Rapid Response Teams (RRT) are conducting outbreak investigation and response following the national protocol. In addition, a public health education campaign is being conducted to inform families on how to protect themselves from contracting avian influenza.

To date, of the 20 cases reported in Cambodia since 2005, 18 have been fatal.

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by: AlohaOR @ Wed Apr 11, 2012 at 04:42:39 AM UTC

India: Ahmedabad records first swine flu death this year (Gujarat)

Ahmedabad has reported the first swine flue death after fresh outbreaks of the viral ailment in Gujarat. This is the second swine flue death in state after a patient died in Rajkot on April 7.

Yasmin Banu Iqbal Hussain Sheikh, 60, a resident of Juhapura succumbed to the illness on April 8 at around 3 pm. (Snip) the deceased, who had been admitted to the VS Hospital on April 6, had got herself discharged on April 8, against medical advice. It was only on April 9 that her tests reports confirmed her as suffering from swine flu.

Mayor Asit Vora when contacted said that Yasmin Banu's case was not a suspected case in the first place. "It was not a suspected case and she had got herself discharged against medical advice," (Snip) He refused to answer further questions saying he was in a meeting. (Snip)

Yasmin Banu's death has raised several pertinent questions. If Yasmin Banu's case was not a suspected case then why were her samples sent for testing in the first place? If the hospital already suspected her of suffering from swine flu, how did it allow her to get herself discharged, even before results of the test are available?

(Snip) eight people who had come in contact with the victim have been identified and 'contact treatment' has already begun for them. The release further said that 201 households where the victim lived had been surveyed and nothing untoward had been found. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/...  

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 Apr 11, 2012 at 05:09:08 AM UTC

India: 4 more swine flu suspects admitted (Maharashtra)

Apr 11, 2012 - NASHIK: Four more patients suspected to be infected with the H1N1 virus have been admitted to the Civil Hospital. While three patients were admitted on Tuesday, a 70-year-old patient was admitted late on Monday night to the isolation ward of the hospital.

One among the patients is a 50-year-old woman from the city. Medical officers from the hospital working in the isolation ward said that the total number of patients admitted in the isolation ward were six, with one found positive for H1N1 and one negative. 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 Apr 11, 2012 at 05:11:15 AM UTC

Swine flu hits Rajasthan, claims first victim

In the first swine flu fatality of the season in Rajasthan, a 52-year-old woman infected with H1N1 virus died at a private hospital here. The woman identified as Neelama, an employee of Punjab National Bank, died of the flu yesterday(Snip).

Neelima was admitted on Sunday and was later shifted to a private hospital, where she succumbed to her illness, he said, adding that one more person has been tested positive in the district and is being treated at a private hospital.

(Snip) alarmed by the first swine flue death of the season, the medical department has geared up for preventive measures and instructed the staff at Community Health Centres and Primary Health Centers to carry out a survey in the region (Snip)

Two persons had died in Karnataka this week, while a 55-year-old woman succumbed (Snip) in Himachal Pradesh on April 7 due to swine flu. Continued: http://www.indianexpress.com/n...

Map link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R...  

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 Apr 11, 2012 at 05:20:42 AM UTC

India: Chennai private hospital hides Swine Flu case (Tamil Nadu)

The Corporation of Chennai issued a notice to Menangudy Hospital in Shastri Nagar for failing to notify it about a patient suspected to have the H1N1 virus. Earlier all hospitals were asked to report all swine flu cases to the authorities. The total number of cases in Chennai have gone up to 18. (Snip) Corporation officials said though the hospital had observed that one of their employees had flu-like symptoms on April 5 and sent her throat swab for testing to King Institute, it had not informed the corporation about the case. Two days later, her daughter and nephew tested positive. Officials said the children could have been protected if they had been informed and were more vigilant.

On Tuesday morning, health minister V S Vijay appealed to the public not to panic. "With the 'effective' measures adopted by the government, the disease is under control in the state," he said.
(Snip)
another man from Saligramam who had been suffering from a cough and fever for several days tested positive. He is being treated at the Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Hospital. http://health.india.com/news/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 Apr 11, 2012 at 05:25:28 AM UTC

Bhutan: Bird flu outbreak suspected in Yangbari

A bird flu outbreak is suspected in Yangbari village in Gongdue, Mongar after 30-40 chicks were reported dead from nine houses last month. The deaths were reported to the department of livestock on March 27 and the samples are yet to be confirmed positive (Snip)

Yangbari is about two days official walk from Nanglam and is not connected with electricity or road. Yangbari shares its border with four dzongkhags of Zhemgang, Samdrupjongkhar, Pemagatshel and Mongar.
(Snip)
"Before we say that it is bird flu, we're waiting for the sample results which we are expecting very soon," he said. "There are more than 260 unaffected birds in the village." But he said that the symptoms from which the chicks died were very similar to that of bird flu.

(Snip) "These were the birds they had raised individually at home," Tenzin Dendup said. "Every household owns a few number of birds." Meanwhile officials from regional livestock development centre in Kanglung and Mongar are in the field creating awareness as well as investigating the deaths. http://www.kuenselonline.com/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 @ Wed Apr 11, 2012 at 05:53:55 AM UTC

India: Tumkur woman succumbs to swine flu, toll now 5 (Karnataka)

A day after the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) claimed that the Influenza A(H1N1) virus was under control, another suspected A(H1N1) death has been reported in the city on Tuesday, taking the toll to five since January. Eighteen more persons tested positive here.

The 25-year-old woman from Tumkur (Snip) was being treated at a private hospital in the city. BBMP health officials said that an additional 18 positive cases were reported on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases to 76.

(Snip) Joint Director of Communicable Diseases, State Department of Health and Family Welfare, told The Hindu until the reports clearly state that the death was due to A(H1N1) (Snip), the department could not categorically declare the nature of the death. He advised people to take extra care what with sporadic cases being reported across the city.
(Snip)
The BBMP has formed three rapid response teams. (Snip) "The teams have been asked to supervise the survey of the houses in areas where cases have been reported. If anybody is found to have flu-like symptoms, they will be advised home quarantine. If symptoms persist even after two days, they will be urged to undergo tests," a health official said. Continued: http://www.thehindu.com/news/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 Apr 11, 2012 at 06:23:07 AM UTC

Indonesia: Smuggled Chickens on Bali Bus Infected With Bird Flu

April 11, 2012
Denpasar. Quarantine officials in Bali have culled hundreds of chickens infected with bird flu that were smuggled onto the island from East Java, an official said on Tuesday.

Wahyu Savitri, the executive head of the Gilimanuk quarantine office, said the chickens were discovered hiding in the baggage hold of an inter-province bus that had departed from East Java.

Rapid tests conducted on some of the birds showed that they carried the H5N1 virus that causes avian influenza.
"Unfortunately, the owner of the birds was not arrested because he did not travel onboard the bus," Wahyu said.
He said the smuggling of chickens into Bali was rife because the poultry could fetch better prices on the island.

"Just this year, there have already been three smuggling attempts foiled," Wahyu said, without providing details.
The chickens found on the bus, he continued, were believed to have been intended for sale at markets in Denpasar, the provincial capital.

Bird flu has so far been detected nine districts and municipalities in Bali.
The last case of suspected human infection was in Jembrana district last month. A 4-year-old girl, who made contact with a dead bird later confirmed to have been infected with the bird flu virus, is still under observation and isolation at a local hospital.

The island's latest human bird flu casualty was a 12-year-old boy, who was infected in Badung district and died on Feb. 21.

Five people have died on the island since the first human bird flu case was discovered there in 2007. In 2011, 46 people were found to be infected in Bali.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com...

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

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by: cottontop @ Wed Apr 11, 2012 at 09:53:30 AM UTC

H1N1: 13 deaths reported in Pune (Maharashtra)

Video Report: http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2...

(Note: The number of cases and deaths are much higher than what is stated in this report.)

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 Apr 11, 2012 at 15:57:56 PM UTC

The above is in India

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 Apr 11, 2012 at 16:07:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Studies on resistance against influenza

There is a connection between age and susceptibility to the influenza virus. It can't be explained by frailty in general, because it is not obvious that very small children and the very old are the biggest risk groups. In a study of the connection between age and the risk of suffering from the flu, Timpka and his colleagues show that the 2009 swine flu affected age groups 10-19 and 20-29 the worst.

They studied how five different influenza epidemics struck in Östergötland County of East Sweden between 2005 and 2010. Except for the swine flu, they were all what are known as seasonal flu. The difference in those taken sick among age groups varies up to ten times in certain cases, they state, for example, with swine flu. 2.3 cases per thousand inhabitants were diagnosed in the 10-19 age group, compared with 0.2 cases per thousand in the 70 and older age group. This was before they were able to start up the vaccinations.

For all five outbreaks, the risk of falling ill was greatest in the 30-39 age group, and least for those aged 70 and over. The researchers, however, point out that this data should be interpreted carefully, since many of the elderly are regularly vaccinated against seasonal influenza. On the other hand, their study does not support the hypothesis that school children are a bigger risk group in general.

However, Timpka says, it's clear that the risk of being infected by the flu is equally great in various age groups, and he wants to study theories as to why:

"One hypothesis is that the first influenza infection you get in your life affects your immune system. This means that your immune system learns to react to one category of influenza, but has a poorer defence against other types. This is one of the theories we want to study." Which type of flu you suffer from as a child should thus be able to affect your immune system for the rest of your life.

The body has two types of defences against infections, Timpka explains. On the one hand antibodies, which are formed as a response to an infection and then remain, make us less susceptible to an infection of that type. Antibodies thus cannot help up the first time we suffer from an infection. However the second defence type, T-cells, can; they're released immediately once the body is infected and they kill off the virus. Continued: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_...

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 Apr 11, 2012 at 16:07:07 PM UTC

US: 'Novel' flu strain found in Weber County (Utah)

OGDEN -- A Weber County resident has tested positive for an unusual strain of influenza that has hospitalized three people in the U.S. and is not included in this year's vaccination. The virus has been identified in isolated cases across the nation, including West Virginia, Maine, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Indiana. The Weber County resident was not hospitalized and is recovering at home.

The virus, A/H3N2v, was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Utah Department of Health. The strain is genetically similar to those which circulate in pigs, said Weber-Morgan Health Department director, Gary House.

"Fortunately, this individual is getting better," House said of the Weber County resident. "We know there have been 12 other cases within the past year in the United States that have also fully recovered."

House said the health department is working closely with the CDC, the state health department and the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to determine how the local resident was exposed to the new strain. House said as a precaution, those who have been in contact with this person have been advised to watch for fever, cough and other flu-like symptoms. So far, this seems to be an isolated case and is the only one confirmed in the state, according to the health department.

Health officials called the virus "novel," meaning any case of human infection with influenza A that is different from the currently circulating and predicted strain, said Amy Carter, Weber-Morgan Health Department communicable disease nurse. She said it is common practice to monitor diseases that are capable of transmitting from animals to humans. "We want to stay as ahead of the game as possible so we can know how to best be prepared," Carter said. "This doesn't mean the strain will be included in next year's vaccination. That is determined by what strains we are dealing with this year and what is circulating worldwide." Continued: http://www.standard.net/storie...

Map link: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl...

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 Apr 11, 2012 at 21:19:29 PM UTC

US: CDC advises prisons on influenza protocols

Health officials in the United States recently advised correctional facilities to consider adopting measures aimed at preventing and containing influenza among prisoners and staff.

Last year, two Maine prisons experienced outbreaks among prisoners and staff. In the wake of the outbreaks, Correctional Medical Services, which provided health services to both facilities, reported that influenza vaccination rates among prisoners was extremely low, according to UPI. CMS said that inmates had less than 10 percent coverage against influenza, and while rates among corrections officers were unknown, they were also believed to be low.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised correctional facilities to offer universal vaccination for inmates, to conduct respiratory etiquette training and to make vaccination records available and accessible. Continued: http://vaccinenewsdaily.com/me...

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 Apr 11, 2012 at 21:23:32 PM UTC

India: Bangalore civic body reports another H1N1 death, hospital denies

Karnataka - While people continue to fall prey to the rapidly spreading H1N1 virus, lack of communication and co-ordination between the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and private hospitals is putting people at risk in the city.

On Tuesday, the BBMP claimed that there had been another death due to H1N1. The victim, the civic agency said, was a 30-year-old female named Gayatri from Kolar district who had been admitted to Manipal Hospital. But, surprisingly, the hospital denied the BBMP's claims. When DNA contacted Manipal Hospital, hospital authorities said there had been no H1N1-related death in their hospital.

H1N1 is a notifiable disease, which means that every hospital has to inform the BBMP of any suspected case, confirmed case and death due to it. Every day, the civic agency has to compile a list of cases and deaths. But with Manipal Hospital denying the death, and the BBMP insisting that there has been a death, the whole exercise comes into question.

The hospital's denial has once again brought to the fore the issues of poor co-ordination and the conflict in the exchange of information over deaths due to contagious diseases. Tuesday's incident is similar to last year's case when the BBMP sent notices to a few private hospitals for not sharing information regarding dengue and swine flu cases reported there. Continued: http://www.dnaindia.com/health...

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 Apr 11, 2012 at 21:28:55 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for April 12, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Thu Apr 12, 2012 at 04:57:40 AM UTC