News Reports for June 12, 2012

India: A (H1N1) claims one more victim (Tamil Nadu)

Chennai -  The first death due to A (H1N1) infection in June was reported in the city on Sunday. A 49-year-old man who was shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on Sunday from Apollo Hospital succumbed to the infection. (Snip) the patient was on ventilator support and was in a serious condition. With this, five persons have died of the infection since it was first reported in April.

Despite daytime temperature hovering around 40 degrees over the past few days, infectious diseases have raised their ugly head. The city's health facilities have been regularly reporting cases of dengue. Till May 28, a total of 130 persons reported with dengue fever.

Between May 28 and June 9 for which statistics were made available to The Hindu, 22 more persons had contracted the virus, bringing the total number of persons infected to 152. According to city health officer P. Kuganantham none of those who had the fever had complications. 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 @ Tue Jun 12, 2012 at 05:48:10 AM UTC

Studies: Antiviral prescribing reflects CDC guidance, flu activity

Jun 11, 2012 (CIDRAP News) - Clinicians are heeding antiviral prescribing guidance changes made over the past decade because of antiviral resistance and a greater focus on protecting high-risk patients, particularly during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, researchers reported today.

The report is one of two new studies on antiviral dispensing published in Influenza and Other Respiratory Diseases. Both compared data from prescribing databases with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) flu surveillance data and found that antiviral prescription trends are a useful adjunct for monitoring flu patterns.

Prescribing reflected CDC guidance

In the first study, researchers from eight Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) Project medical care organizations tracked antiviral medication dispensing from January 2000 through June 2010. The VSD collects vaccination and medical care data on more than 9 million members of certain medical care organizations based in six states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, California, Massachusetts, and Oregon.

The investigators compared the patterns against the backdrop of changing antiviral recommendations, and there were some notable ones during that period. Until now, few studies have assessed the impact the recommendations had on antiviral prescribing patterns, the authors report.

In 2006 when 91% of H3N2 viruses were resistant to adamantanes, the CDC recommended that clinicians stop using amantadine and rimantadine.

During the 2008-09 season, 98% of seasonal H1N1 viruses were resistant to oseltamivir (Tamiflu), which prompted a recommendation that zanamivir (Relenza) or a combination of oseltamivir and an adamantine be used. When the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus emerged a few months later, lab experts found that it was susceptible to osteltamivir, and health officials recommended using the drug as early treatment, even without lab testing and especially for high-risk groups. Continued: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidr...  

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 @ Tue Jun 12, 2012 at 05:54:04 AM UTC

India: Declare killer disease an epidemic, says Bihar

Patna, June 11 (IANS) Bihar has urged the central government to declare a mysterious disease that has killed 102 children an epidemic, Health Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey said Monday. Following the deaths of children in Muzaffarpur, Gaya and Patna districts in the past fortnight, Choubey said the state government wanted the central government's intervention.

"It is now urgent to declare it an epidemic. The state will approach the central government for this,"  (Snip)
Eighteen more children died in Muzaffarpur in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 57 in the district. Ten children have died in Gaya. (Snip) 35 children have died in the Patna Medical College and Hospital(PMCH) in the past 15 days.

(Snip) head of the department of paediatric in PMCH, said 80 children suffering from the disease were admitted to the hospital.

For the first time since the reports of deaths appeared, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday said it was a big challenge that a brain fever like disease had claimed the lives of so many children in the state.
(Snip)
Some doctors and health officials have reportedly said the children were showing symptoms similar to encephalitis. (Snip) http://www.bihartimes.in/Newsb...

(Note: Since this seems to be a contagious disease then there are probably adults contracting it also. If this is Japanese Encephalitis, I would think they would have already been able to diagnose it since there are frequent and large scale outbreaks in India. They continued to call it a mystery or disease. JMO)

The Indian state of Bihar borders Nepal. 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 @ Tue Jun 12, 2012 at 06:31:07 AM UTC

Bolivia: Peace is in the flu epidemic, reported two deaths

Translated

A two year old and a 25 are the first victims of swine flu in La Paz region declared an epidemic. (Snip)

The director of Epidemiology Department of Health Services of La Paz, Rene Barrientos, reported that to date have confirmed two deaths from swine flu in the department, in addition of 203 positive cases and 2,000 suspects. Across the country (Snip) there are 360 ​​confirmed cases.

The deaths (Snip) occurred between Thursday and Friday, in the case of (both) women, (they) had an underlying disease, suffering (from) an evil that complicated their health. (Total of) five patients died from the virus, the other three correspond to Santa Cruz.

Territory, do not forget that groups at risk (under two years, over 65 and people with chronic diseases) have to be vaccinated to avoid suffering the effects of the virus, while the rest of the population must comply with all measures health and well-known, "Barnett suggested.

The epidemiologist said that while the flu is seasonal, its effect on the risk groups is more severe and rapid progress than other influenzas that are slow to act. In the less susceptible population, the attack is usually something stronger than a common flu.

Given the situation, the governor of La Paz, Cesar Cocarico, said the insistence on broadening the winter (school) time in the region was justified. "We were right to ask for the extension of the winter, because recent data indicate that rose greatly flu cases and already reported the first two victims of evil. "Regular Education Deputy Minister, Juan José Quiroz, argued that changing the schedule also is based in a medical report and other climate.

The National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology (Senamhi) indicated that temperatures will fall further and the Ministry of Health reported an increase in cases of influenza and acute respiratory infections (ARI).

(Snip)

Area hospitals have cases of this disease

The tertiary hospitals of the department of La Paz adapted an environment for the exclusive attention of H1N1 flu patients, said the director of the Departmental Health Service (Headquarters), Rene Barrientos. http://www.la-razon.com/socied...

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 @ Tue Jun 12, 2012 at 07:10:58 AM UTC

India: H1N1 claimed 320 lives in State (Karnataka)

As many as 320 people in Karnataka have lost their lives to H1N1 (swine flu) from the time it was first detected in the country in May 2009. Accounting for 12 per cent of H1N1 deaths in the country, Karnataka has lost more number of people than Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

Maharashtra, which accounts for 34 per cent of the deaths, saw 1,883 people lose their lives to the virus. the number of cases detected in Maharastra (11,433) is much higher than the number detected in Karnataka (4,547).

Between May 2009 and December 2009, 1,872 cases were detected in the State and 138 people, including 78 women, died of the disease. During the same period, 981 persons, including those from Karnataka, were reported dead in the country while 27,236 cases were detected.

In the period between January 2010 and December 2010, 116 people died in the State of the 2,575 cases detected while the nation-wide figures stood at 1,763 and 10,604, respectively. Similarly, 12 people died of the 100 cases detected in Karnataka between January 2011 and December 2011. A total of 603 cases were detected in the country and 75 persons lost their lives during this period.

"The State government is doing everything to contain the spread of the virus, including creating awareness about the symptoms of the H1N1 and we are committed to enhance the availability of Oseltamivir (Snip)

(Snip) laboratory-based surveillance is continuing to detect recurrence of the influenza and that a national network of 45 laboratories, including 19 private labs, is available to test samples.

Advisory to states

The Centre, in its advisory to the states, had recommended that they identify hospitals and isolation facilities, which could be put to use if there is a recurrence.
Also, four Indian companies--Serum Institute, Panacea Bio-tech, Bharat Biotech and Zydus Cadilla have the capacity to manufacture the H1N1 vaccine even at short notice.
(Snip)
notwithstanding the measures being put in place by the State government, around 164 cases were reported this year and eight persons have lost their lives. Compared to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu reported only 24 deaths since May 2009 although as many as 3,280 cases were detected.

In Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, 102 and 131 persons were reported dead respectively.  A total of 1,521 cases were detected in Andhra, while the number stood at 3,322 in Kerala. http://www.deccanherald.com/co...

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 @ Tue Jun 12, 2012 at 20:40:03 PM UTC

Australia: Queensland Health Announces Flu Season

It has been finally announced by Queensland Health that flu season has arrived. Since last week, the state has witnessed 130 cases and they expect the number to increase further.

Acting senior director communicable diseases branch Frank Beard said that cases have been on rise since May and last week's figure were quite concerning as the total number increased by four times. "Vaccination is the best protection against this disease but as it takes up to two weeks to be fully effective, I urge people to visit their local GP", he further affirmed.

Till now, the prevailing pattern is that 32 cases have been witnessed per week and it seems that the pattern is going to continue for further months as well. (Snip)

Queensland Health has urged high risk groups to get vaccination at the vaccination centers. It has also been said that people, who think that they have caught the flu, should not visit hospitals. (Snip)  http://topnews.us/content/2488...

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 @ Tue Jun 12, 2012 at 20:49:05 PM UTC

US: USDA to Exempt Pigeons, Doves from Bird Flu Import Rule

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to exclude pigeons and doves from a rule that prohibits the importation of birds and poultry from countries where highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) exists and is seeking public comments on the change.

In an effort to minimize the risk of HPAI spreading to the United States, the USDA published an interim rule in January 2011 prohibiting the importation of live birds or poultry that have moved through a region where any form of HPAI exists. Some strains of the virus may be able to spread rapidly through dogs and isn't unheard of in cats, either.

Since issuing the original rule, the USDA reviewed several studies that showed pigeons and other Columbiform species, such as doves, have a very low risk of being infected by HPAI viruses, leading the agency to its current action of excluding Columbiform species from the rule.

The full rule can be read and comments can be submitted through July 12, 2012, on the website http://www.regulations.gov/#!home

Continued:  http://www.petproductnews.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 @ Tue Jun 12, 2012 at 20:53:52 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for June 13, 2012

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 @ Wed Jun 13, 2012 at 05:04:06 AM UTC