News Reports for June 18, 2012

Malaysia: Sixty-six others with H1N1-like symptoms quarantined at training camp

ALOR SETAR: Four National Service trainees remained warded at the Kuala Nerang Hospital for Influenza A (H1N1) illness.

Sixty-six others were quarantined at the Dusun Minda NS Training Camp in Kuala Nerang after they, too, displayed H1N1-like symptoms, said Kedah Health Department director Dr Ismail Abu Taat.

(Snip) the four warded at the hospital were females while those quarantined at the camp comprised 45 boys and 21 girls. "All of them are in stable condition. The camp has taken extra precautionary measures to prevent the illness from spreading," (Snip)

Last week, 90 trainees at the camp came down with the illness after they complained of flu and cough.

The camp has not been closed, although trainees and instructors have been advised to keep the premises clean and wear face masks. (Snip) http://thestar.com.my/news/sto...

(Note: Yesterday, the word put out to the media was that no one else had contracted the flu and only two remained in the hospital. The story is now totally different.)

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 @ Mon Jun 18, 2012 at 05:58:44 AM UTC

Bolivia: In 20% increased attention for respiratory viruses in Santa Cruz in the last week

Translated

A rise of 20% recorded visits for respiratory viruses in the Unidadde Emergency Hospital in Santa Cruz, due to the rains that fell during the week. (Snip) within two days of rain greater "number of users increased to 195 visits per day" and (Snip) "so we are preparing to receive a greater demand from July to September" (Snip)

(Snip) the halls of the Hospital and ERA IRA "served children and adults with respiratory problems," said the professional, adding that "the rooms are equipped for oxygen therapy and procedures to carry out fogging, which are medical procedures involving the administration of drugs or therapeutic elements by vaporization through the airway. " The director of the Hospital of Santa Cruz, Ricardo Silva, said that the care in that service does not obey a first-come, but the severity level submitted by each patient. http://eltipografo.cl/2012/06/...

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 @ Mon Jun 18, 2012 at 06:13:44 AM UTC

China: Flu season lasting longer than usual (Hong Kong)

(Snip) Hong Kong is experiencing a longer-than-usual peak flu season this year. Its controller (Snip) said this has probably been caused by strains of common influenza viruses undergoing slight genetic changes.

He said the number of infections may remain high, especially in schools, until the summer break (Snip) Dr Tsang said that flu vaccinations still provide some degree of protection, despite the genetic changes. http://rthk.hk/rthk/news/engli...

(Note: I wish he would have given the details of the genetic changes, since that's important now to everyone in the southern hemisphere and for the future northern hemisphere flu season too.)

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 @ Mon Jun 18, 2012 at 06:29:11 AM UTC

Mike Coston has some more details,

but he's hoping for more information to come out.

Here's the part of a letter that Mike excerpted in his post:

   

The current circulating influenza A(H3N2) virus is antigenically related but not identical to the current vaccine strain, A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus.
   Separately, the circulating influenza B viruses belonged to two lineages, the Victoria and Yamagata lineage.

   The latest laboratory data showed that the Yamagata lineage accounts for around 70-80% of the circulating influenza B viruses. As compared with influenza B viruses of Victoria lineage,  influenza B viruses of the Yamagata lineage are antigenically less similar to the current vaccine strain B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus. Though the match is less than optimal, studies have demonstrated some degree of cross protection with the available influenza vaccine against current circulating strains.
www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/letter_to_doctor_20120521.pdf

http://afludiary.blogspot.com/...

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

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by: Jane @ Mon Jun 18, 2012 at 21:51:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

China: Clusters of Influenza A cases in Castle Peak Hospital (Hong Kong)

(Snip) The spokesperson for Castle Peak Hospital made the following announcement today (June 18):

Patients in two female forensic wards have confirmed positive for Influenza A virus. Seven patients (aged 25 to 73) in one of the wards have presented with flu symptoms since June 15. (Snip) the test results of four of them were positive for Influenza A. In another ward, five patients (aged 28 to 60) had also presented with flu symptoms since June 16. (Snip) the test results of three of them were positive for Influenza A. The patients are being treated under isolation and are in stable condition.

Admission to the wards concerned has been suspended and restricted visiting has been imposed. Infection control measures have already been stepped up (Snip) All other patients in the wards are under close surveillance. (Snip) http://7thspace.com/headlines/...

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 @ Mon Jun 18, 2012 at 12:55:14 PM UTC

UK, Thai Researchers Enlist NVIDIA Tesla GPUs to Fight the Next H1N1 Epidemic

HAMBURG, GERMANY -- NVIDIA today announced that its GPUs are playing an integral role in research that's shedding new light on ways to prevent future epidemics of the deadly H1N1 influenza virus.

A major difficulty in combating H1N1 has been the frequent and rapid onset of new virus mutations that rendered anti-influenza drugs, such as Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir), ineffective.

However, using computer simulation, researchers at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, and the Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat and Chulalongkorn Universities in Bangkok, have observed how H1N1 mutations can cause changes in the chemical and biological structural dynamics of a key enzyme of the virus, revealing, for the first time, the mechanism of resistance to existing anti-influenza drugs. With this breakthrough, it will be possible to identify new ways in which inhibitor drugs can be quickly designed to address these mutations, and possibly reduce the deadly impact of future epidemics. Continued: http://it.tmcnet.com/news/2012...

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 @ Mon Jun 18, 2012 at 12:59:01 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for June 19, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Tue Jun 19, 2012 at 05:47:31 AM UTC