News Reports for April 29, 2012

India: Separate ward for H1N1 patients in govt hospital (Andhra Pradesh)

MAHBUBNAGAR: The fear of swine flu has prompted officials at the government hospital to up set a separate ward for patients suffering from the virus infection. Though no deaths were reported due to the illness yet, three positive cases were reported in the last 10 days.

Engineering student Dayakar, 22, was diagnosed with swine flu 11 days ago. He was discharged from the hospital after the treatment. Hussain, 30, from Nagarkurnool and engineering student Abhishek Mitra, 21, of Mahbubnagar tested positive on Friday. Their condition has been reported as stable.

"Hussain became infected with H1N1 virus after returning from Hyderabad, while Dayakar contracted the disease after he came back from Delhi," 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 @ Sun Apr 29, 2012 at 05:46:25 AM UTC

Japan: Law on new flu outbreaks enacted

The Diet on Friday enacted a bill to prevent the spread of virulent new forms of influenza through measures that could include new powers to restrict citizens' rights.
(Snip)
If a new type of flu breaks out in Japan or abroad, the central and local governments will set up task forces, quarantine people attempting to enter Japan, and order doctors to examine those suspected of being infected, according to the new law.

The law authorizes the prime minister to declare a state of emergency if the "health and lives of Japanese people are at serious risk." Such a declaration could stay in force for up to three years. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/te...

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 Apr 29, 2012 at 06:00:32 AM UTC

Swine flu clocks 1000 (cases) in India

NEW DELHI: India has clocked a thousand cases of the dreaded swine flu virus, including 59 deaths being reported this spring and the number expected to go up as the dry weather continues in central and South Central India.

The most affected states viz. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajashthan are among thirteen states affected which have contributed most to the numbers and are known to have dry climates. Providing the figures, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the deaths have come despite government efforts to contain the disease.

Maharashtra accounted for the maximum number of 487 cases and 20 deaths, while Andhra Pradesh reported 115 cases and 12 deaths and Rajasthan had 116 cases with 12 deaths, followed by Karnataka where 171 cases were reported, including eight deaths.

(Snip) "advisory has been issued to the states for screening and isolation facilities, including critical care," Azad said. Continued: http://bikyamasr.com/67481/swi...

(Note: India only counts the laboratory confirmed cases so the number of infected people is MUCH higher.)

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 Apr 29, 2012 at 06:16:18 AM UTC

US: South Dakota Health Department reports drop in flu activity

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - The South Dakota Health Department says that flu activity has continued to decrease (Snip)

(Snip) four new cases of flu were reported in the week of April 15, when five people were hospitalized with the disease. (Snip) 154 South Dakotans have required hospital care for flu this season.

(Snip) 15 deaths have been reported during this influenza season. Two-thirds of those who died were residents of long-term care facilities. http://siouxcityjournal.com/ne...

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 Apr 29, 2012 at 20:09:18 PM UTC

Indonesia: Tainted Market Closed After Bird Flu Death in Bali

Denpasar. Authorities in Bali closed down the Satria Poultry Market in Denpasar on Friday after several chickens there tested positive for bird flu, days after the resort island recorded the country's seventh human death this year from the infectious disease. (Snip) the head of the Denpasar livestock agency, said the market would remain closed for at least three weeks. "It will only be allowed to reopen once it has been completely cleaned up," he said.

(Snip) health inspectors had found at least four chickens being sold there that tested positive for the H5N1 strain of flu virus, prompting the 242 other chickens there to be culled.

Livestock officials also used disinfectant to hose down poultry stalls at Kumbasari Market to prevent the spread of the virus.

(Snip) the head of the livestock agency's bird flu response team, said most of the poultry being sold in markets across Denpasar had been brought into the island from East Java. (Snip) Some traders at Satria market told the Jakarta Globe they got their birds from Jember and Probolinggo districts in East Java (Snip)

Ketut Gita, a trader, said it was actually quite easy to bring chickens in from Java. "There's usually two shipments a day," he said. "Maybe that's because the port officials (Snip) are being bribed. (Snip)

Earlier this month, officials at the Gilimanuk quarantine office culled hundreds of chickens being smuggled in the cargo bay of a bus from East Java. Several of the chickens tested positive for bird flu. The suppliers have still not been identified.

(Snip)

The latest bird flu scare follows confirmation from health officials that an 8-year-old boy died from the disease on Tuesday. His death is the seventh in the country this year from H5N1, and the second in Bali. One fatality has been confirmed on neighboring Lombok, with one each in Bengkulu and Tangerang and two in Jakarta. There were only nine confirmed bird flu deaths through all of last year. http://www.thejakartaglobe.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 @ Sun Apr 29, 2012 at 20:23:29 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to ...

News Reports for April 30, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Mon Apr 30, 2012 at 04:23:47 AM UTC