News Reports for June 17, 2012

US: Springdale memorial remembers those who died in 1918 flu epidemic (Pennsylvania)

Their names and number unknown, those buried in a common grave at Springdale Cemetery who died during the 1918 flu pandemic now have a marker.

About a dozen people, most of them current or former cemetery association board members, gathered Saturday at the cemetery along School Street to dedicate the tombstone, which also memorializes the roughly 90 people buried there in unmarked graves. The association spent about $2,000 in donated money on the black granite marker, which sits at the lower end of the graveyard, not far from the corner of School and Willow streets. "We have been wanting for a long time to get a memorial for these flu victims," said Henrietta Eaton, Springdale Cemetery Association president.

Referred to as a pandemic because of its global spread, the 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak killed between 60 million and 100 million people worldwide, according to the National Geographic Society. That's more than all of the combat-related deaths of World War I. In some cities, as many as 10,000 people died per week, outstripping the ability of society to deal with the deaths. Consequently, many towns were forced to hurriedly bury flu vicitms in common, and often unmarked, graves.

Eaton said the borough bought two plots to bury the flu victims in, although records only definitively indicate the victims being buried in one of them. The plots measure 15 feet by 18 feet and can hold eight bodies. Eaton said at least eight flu victims are buried in the common grave site. Eaton suggested most, if not all, of the flu victims were European immigrants, primarily from Hungary.

The cemetery also holds at least 90 unmarked flu victim graves. Eaton said small wooden crosses that failed over time to stand against the elements marked many of them. Eaton said the association knows the names of 90 people buried at the cemetery in an unmarked grave. "There are probably a lot more we don't know about," she said. Continued: http://triblive.com/news/20251...  

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 Jun 17, 2012 at 05:40:17 AM UTC

India: Plans afoot to fight epidemic outbreak (Kerala)

KOZHIKODE: Minister for social welfare and panchayats M K Muneer has directed the respective local self-government bodies to submit list of wards which had failed to carry out pre-monsoon cleaning drive, in four days. (Snip) the minister said that government had already sanctioned Rs 25,000 for each ward to conduct awareness and sanitation drive. "Many of the grama panchayats have failed to utilize the money sanctioned to carry out the cleaning drive," said the minister.

The minister urged the local self government bodies to give priority to conduct cleaning drive and to organize awareness class on communicable diseases to curb the spreading of diseases during monsoon. "The need of the hour is a time-bound work to avoid the outbreak of epidemic," said minister.

Minister also said steps would be taken to solve the shortage of medicines at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. He added that 21 doctors, including15 specialists, would be appointed at various government hospitals in the district.

District medical officer P K Mohanan informed the minister that a total of 18.53 lakh (1,853,000) people had approached government health institutions in the district for treatment this year. Of this, 47,799 were viral fever cases. There were six dengue fever cases also. A total of 545 hepatitis, 70 leptospirosis cases have been reported in the district so far. There were four leptospirosis deaths in the district. Apart from this, 63 malaria, 50 H1N1 and six cholera cases had been reported from various parts of the district so far, informed the DMO. The cholera is confirmed in persons who had gone for picnic outside Kerala. Continued: http://timesofindia.indiatimes...

(Note: IMO, "viral fever" is the name given to any illness - with fever as a symptom - they can't diagnose or they haven't run tests to try to determine what the illness is. Also, I think the name is applied to any illness they don't want to report to the public, which concerns 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 @ Sun Jun 17, 2012 at 06:02:41 AM UTC

Pre-monsoon cleaning, as relates to roadside gutters:

Cleaning roadside gutters is one thing, but finding a place to put that garbage isn't easy.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hardly two weeks have passed since the inauguration of the pre-monsoon cleaning at Rajaji Nagar colony. Urban Affairs Minister Manjalamkuzhy Ali had with a covered nose, kicked off the cleaning drive. But all that was, apparently, a farce. The garbage then removed has been dumped again into the drain, which now is as clogged as it used to be....

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/pre...

Cleaning drive in Kozhikode ineffective, say residents
May 28, 2012, 03.17AM IST TNN

KOZHIKODE: The pre-monsoon cleaning drive entered the 10th day on Sunday but has not yet reached many wards of the corporation. This has cast aspersions on the effectiveness of the drive forcing the residents' associations to write to the mayor and the district collector for their intervention.

Residents complain that wastes are not being removed from drainages and plastic wastes have piled up in many places. The apex council of residents' association has urged the civic body to flush sea water through the drainage channel to prevent mosquito breeding. The anti-malaria squad in the seven health circles entrusted to carry out spraying in the 75 wards is yet to reach many wards. The civic body has set aside Rs 63.25 lakh for the drive which began on May 17.

The respective ward-level committees have been entrusted with the supervision of the waste removal work. Ward-level sanitation committees in the 75 wards of the corporation have also begun clearing bushes and construction material wastes piled up on the roadside.

"The drainage in the city limit does not have a proper channel to reach the main channel. This would result in flooding during monsoon," said Puthussery Viswanathan, president of the apex body of residents' association.

"We have written to the mayor asking the civic body to prepare a master plan to construct proper drainage channels connecting the entire city," he said....

http://m.timesofindia.com/PDAT...
Umm, that probably won't be done in time for this year's monsoon...

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

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by: Jane @ Tue Jun 19, 2012 at 20:00:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Malaysia: H1N1 outbreak at camp 'under control'

GEORGE TOWN: The influenza A (H1N1) outbreak at a National Service camp in Kuala Nerang, Kedah, on Thursday evening, which affected close to 100 trainees, is under control. (Snip) the health authorities had followed safety procedures to contain the situation at the Dusun Resort campsite.

"There is no cause for alarm as we have isolated and quarantined the infected trainees. Our medical personnel have been attending to trainees with flu-like symptoms.

"Of the 21 cases referred to doctors, 15 trainees have been warded at Kuala Nerang Hospital," (Snip) Rosnah described the infection as non-critical and urged parents to remain calm. The 15 trainees, including four girls, were admitted after falling ill on Wednesday, while the rest were treated with anti-viral medications and sent back to the camp.

Rosnah said all the preventive measures were in place, adding that all staff and trainees were not allowed to leave the camp until further notice. It was reported that 96 out of 300 NS trainees at Kem Dusun Resort near Kuala Nerang, Kedah, had been quarantined for H1N1 infection since Thursday night.

(Snip) eight of the 15 trainees warded had been discharged on Thursday. (Snip) "The remaining trainees seeking treatment for the virus are responding well to treatment and are in a stable condition," he said yesterday. (Snip)  there were no new cases at the camp. The department would continue to monitor the situation at the camp to prevent any new outbreaks. http://www.nst.com.my/nation/g...


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 Jun 17, 2012 at 06:56:06 AM UTC

Malaysia: Only two NS trainees remain in hospital for H1N1

ALOR SETAR: Two of four National Service trainees at Dusun Resort, Kuala Nerang who were warded for H1N1, have been discharged from the Kuala Nerang Hospital.

They were among 18 trainees who were treated for the influenza A viral infection since Wednesday. (Snip) as of yesterday 34 of the 78 trainees under quarantine at a special block in the camp have been released.
(Snip)
He said the camp would continue to monitor the situation and trainees who have high fever would be immediately quarantined and duly treated.
http://thestar.com.my/news/sto...

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 Jun 17, 2012 at 19:39:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

India: 35-year-old tests positive for swine flu (Maharashtra)

MUMBAI: A 35-year old woman from Bandra (W) tested positive for the H1N1 virus on Sunday, taking the count of cases to 34 since April this year. With the arrival of monsoon, experts say people will have to remain cautious as influenza viruses tend to thrive during this time of the year.

This was the fifth positive case of the month (Snip) "The patient has already been put on Tamiflu and is stable," (Snip) the patient was taking the treatment at home. (Snip) that the other four patients have completed their five-day course and are doing fine.

State epidemiologist Dr Pradeep Awate said that people have to stay alert as there could be a spurt in cases. "Monsoon is a favourable season for the virus to prosper. 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 Jun 17, 2012 at 23:29:53 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for June 18, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Mon Jun 18, 2012 at 05:05:45 AM UTC