Mexico tight lipped on current #H7N3 Outbreak #h5n1 #birdflu

Authorities did not say a peep about bird flu in Jalisco
June 29, 2012 • 6:35
 
On a tour, noted yesterday REFORM workers removing dead birds from a farm in Acatic and then incinerated.

Guadalajara. - Authorities say a peep and producers when challenged about the extent of spread of avian influenza A H7N3 that have occurred in farms and Acatic Tepatitlan, Jalisco.

The National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) revealed on 21 June that evidence of the virus were detected in 4 of 110 poultry farms in the state, so a fence was installed sanitary and quarantine applies a precaution.

On Wednesday, indicated that they had sacrificed SENASICA 200 000 birds and is awaiting the arrival of one million vaccines purchased in Asia. These are the only official data that have been revealed.
On a tour, noted yesterday REFORM workers pulling the dead birds of at least three pens of egg producer located in the Municipality of Acatic, a few meters from the highway Guadalajara-Lagos de Moreno.

Without life, the animals are thrown into three tractors and a dump truck, meters after take them to a pit and burned.

One of the locals, who declined to give his name said that this movement began two weeks ago. He explained that the culling is done during the day as at night the workers leave the company and only the watchmen stay tuned for the facility.

Another worker, who also kept anonymity, confirmed that only this week on the farm for which works have been slaughtered around 20 000 birds.

"The kill and bury from first yes the were burning but no longer right now, walk around the control, but say that wherever it is well watered," he said.

It is estimated that the state exists in a universe poultry over 80 million, and in the affected municipalities, up to 12 million.

Evade authorities and producers provide daily records of the number of infected birds or slaughtered to enable to measure the problem in Jalisco, which is the main egg-producing state nationally, with 45 000 cases a day.
Poultry entrepreneurs interviewed were tight, but the reporter off the recorder, admitted that "it is a serious problem" even one of them said that this situation continues in a month lose all his chickens. Although the measures implemented by the SENASICA have been circulated since last week, producers of the place say that the outbreak was detected earlier this month.

The SENASICA has indicated that there is a strengthening of animal health measures in the area, but until yesterday, inspection modules was not installed any person, in some cases, staff said that there was no contingency in the area.

Enrique Sánchez Cruz, chief of SENASICA, said that the results of the farms that have been inspected will be available towards the following weekend.

Poultry producers are considered as a first step the import of one million doses of a vaccine specifically authorized and SENASICA-from Asia, which would today.

Sanchez Cruz said Mexican scientists are already working on developing a vaccine itself.

After the announcement of infections, the price of eggs has become more expensive nationwide: June 26, the price of tilefish was 15.80 pesos per kilo and yesterday stood at 22.50, according to the Ministry of Economy.

According to the SENASICA, the A H7N3 is not contagious to humans.

http://noticias.terra.com.mx/mexico/estados/jalisco/autoridades-no-dicen-ni-pio-sobre-gripe-aviar-en-jalisco,2a2dc1aa10838310VgnVCM3000009acceb0aRCRD.html

Farming poultry in deserts 'may reduce bird flu risks' # H5N1 # BIRDFLU

 

Hazem Badr

27 June 2012 | EN

Scientists say raising poultry in the desert will reduce the risk of bird flu transmission

Flickr/Eveline314

[CAIRO] Egypt's Desert Research Center (DRC) has called on the government to support rolling out poultry farms in desert regions, following the success of a pilot project to reduce avian flu transmission to humans.
The project ran from December 2011 to February this year, on five small units in the Egyptian desert. Researchers adopted procedures that helped avoid the transmission of infection, introduced indigenous desert plants into poultry diets, and evaluated varieties of poultry capable of resisting hot temperatures and drought.
Ismail Abdul Jalil, a former DRC president and leader of the research team that implemented the project, told SciDev.Net: "With the emergence of the avian flu virus in Egypt four years ago, the idea of moving poultry farms out of residential areas ​​was raised, as having farms adjacent or close to housing was one of the main reasons why the virus was … being easily passed from poultry to humans".
At a meeting last month..
 http://www.scidev.net/en/health/bird-flu/news/farming-poultry-in-deserts-may-reduce-bird-flu-risks-.html?utm_source=link&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=en_news

Guadalajara.-quarantined farms Tepatitlán. Slaughtered birds for avian influenza #H7N3 #BIRDFLU

A video for you http://www.nuestravision.com.mx/nuestravision/index.php/noticias?task=videodirectlink&id=4530

Mexico animal health emergency #BIRDFLU #H7N3

Mexico animal health emergency

Tepatitlan de Morelos, Jalisco., June 26, 2012 The National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) confirmed, following a series of molecular diagnostic tests, the presence of avian influenza type A, subtype H7N3, in poultry farms and municipalities Tepatitlán Acatic, which does not affects humans, only birds, according to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). In this situation, the SENASICA reported that in order to diagnose, prevent, control and eradicate the virus activated the National Emergency Animal Health covering, home, review of farms in the region where the first cases of this type of highly pathogenic influenza, exotic to Mexico. The H7N3 avian influenza virus poses no risk to the consumption of poultry and containment measures to be applied are intended to protect the production of this area. The health measures provide for the control of the movement, to prevent the affected birds, poultry, offal and manure are transferred to regions without the presence of the virus. Para ello, se dispondrá de cordones zoosanitarios. For this purpose, beads have animal health. It is also considered immunization prior permission from the SENASICA, to protect and prevent the spread of the disease and quarantine and isolation of affected farms. Even be eradicated poultry products and byproducts in the terms determined by the body. Other health measures are the practices of sanitation, disinfection, sterilization, using germicides and pesticides in animals, premises and transport to prevent transmission to farms and uninfected birds. This process is expected to attend technical and reference laboratories of the National Diagnostic Services in Animal Health (CENASA) and the National Service Center for Animal Health Certification (CENAPA) SENASICA. It also asked the producers increase biosecurity measures and report to health authorities when they detect suspected cases of infection by the virus. This will help control and eradication of the disease and protect the poultry industry. Symptoms that may have chickens, turkeys and other birds, are: sudden drop in egg production, soft shelled egg, depression and decay, reduction in consumption of food, overcrowding of birds and ruffled feathers; bloody nasal discharge, blue and purple chin crest swollen head, eyelids, comb, wattles and legs, and diarrhea and death. SENASICA certify, through laboratory tests, that the farms that sell eggs and poultry meat for human consumption are healthy as marking the international animal health standards. Finally, it was reported that, based on international protocols followed in these cases, the SENASICA notified the OIE of the presence of this disease and the measures taken to eradicate it. For further information or reports, contact the Mexico-United States for the Prevention of Foot and Mouth Disease and Other Exotic Diseases of Animals: Toll free, 01 800 75 1210 0; Phone: (55) 52593035, 52591441 and 36180821 to 30 ; (55) 59051000 Ext. 51234, 51236, 51241 and 51242. También vía correo electrónico a: iromero@senasica.gob.mx; julio.garcia@senasica.gob.mx; juan.acevedo@senasica.gob.mx , informó SENASICA.http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sagarpa.gob.mx%2Fsaladeprensa%2Fboletines2%2FPaginas%2Fdefault.aspx

Mexico-150 Chicken farms farms in quarantine #BIRDFLU #H7N3

Quarantined farms and Acatic Tepatitlán
June 28, 2012
Guadalajara • The National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA), while determining a quarantine isolation to about 150 farms and Acatic Tepatitlán reported that imported from Thailand or Vietnam, the first vaccines to counter Avian Influenza Type A H7N3.
The head of that agency, Enrique Sánchez Cruz, after making a tour of the affected area, said that in the absence Mexico with the vaccine has been necessary to investigate which country she has to make it reach farmers and prevent the virus expand. At the same time is a technical group composed of senior scientist who is working on developing such a vaccine.
"The first portion is on the way, we hope that this week we have it available to identify where would be the containment barrier."
Will be about a million vaccines which require, it is noteworthy that producers must pay for them. The official also added that we now know "what the enemy" and how to combat: "Is the quarantine, vaccination and the future elimination."
Regarding the origin of the virus might have been mentioned by ducks or geese that migrated from the U.S. or Canada: "Many of them reach the water area of ​​Mexico as Chapala, are left to live and coexist with wild birds bring the virus but are asymptomatic. "
Yesterday, the official met with both national and local poultry farmers to inform them how to act once the vaccine has arrived. "The vaccine purchases and distribution will be through the National Union of Poultry Farmers and of course the state, primarily because it is an exotic virus and should be careful in who receives it and how birds use".
He said it is essential that poultry and poultry products do not mobilize that area, as you run the risk of further spread. "They are in a quarantine process where they can not move animals or products outside the area but is an official authorization of the Government of the Republic." Adding the number of animals that have died from the effects of the disease and killed, the number is important: "between the original report that we saw to give the certainty of the presence of this virus, had reported about 200 000 animals had died, others killed. "

 For now it is unknown what the cost of imported vaccines as well as that developed in Mexico. Finally Cruz Sanchez said that the consumption of egg and chicken meat poses no danger to humans, according to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).Estimate impact of contagion is only 6% of total poultry farms operating in the producing area of ​​Los Altos de Jalisco.

Undo edits

http://jalisco.milenio.com/cdb/doc/n...aa1bc5f704b93a

Shhh....Mexico Birdflu outbreak is a secret.. #BIRDFLU #H7N3

Round secrecy in TepatitlánIn the animal health inspection modules located in a highway revenue Tepatitlán ruled that their reviews had to do with bird flu. 


  Lose 200 000 birds per influenzaGuadalajara, Mexico (June 28, 2012). - Not only avian influenza A H7N3 haunts Tepatitlán farms. So does the seal.And yesterday, while in Guadalajara authorities reported the deaths of more than 200 000 birds in Texas because of avian influenza A H7N3, near main Municipality of egg producer in the country seemed that nothing was wrong.Some farmers interviewed recognized that this secrecy is mainly due to fear of misinformation.Producers fear that the public misunderstood the situation that exists in the area and that, consequently, stop eating eggs and falling sales, as happened with the health emergency by the Influenza A H1N1 and sales of pork in 2009.Arriving at a poultry farm in the town of Los Puddles, where sampling was conducted by the National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA), the person at the scene collecting samples sent to a lab even in the area denied there was any outbreak of avian influenza and said his sample was "ordinary."Knock on doors of poultry farms is in vain, for them the only way to provide information is the Association of Poultry Tepatitlán or SAGARPA, who in turn passed the ball.
Past the toll booth to enter the visitor receives Tepatitlán animal health inspection module."I just said to watch here and I do not know what it is or anything," said one person who was in the module.In another checkpoint located off the city, heading to San Juan de los Lagos, awaiting another health inspection module, only completely empty.According to one producer, the roadblocks are put in different places to "mislead" the truck drivers who transport animals.And is that infected hens have to be sacrificed on their own farms and then buried to avoid infection. Hundreds of them are buried daily in the morning on most farms.According to Fidencio García Campos, general director of the Poultry Processing Poultry trail Tepa (Pate), some of its vendors detected this virus, so we immediately had to cancel the entry of their goods to it.He estimated that in the medium term, production of the Federal Inspection Type could drop 10 percent.Meanwhile, provided you do not see a tape recorder or a camera, poultry producers warn that a serious problem for the supply of eggs and that certainly is going to hit.
http://www.negociosreforma.com/aplicacioneslibre/articulo/default.aspx?id=72361&md5=6af6c11b16ca28f7bfea5ddc7388eeda&ta=0dfdbac11765226904c16cb9ad1b2efe&v=2

Undo edits

Mexican chicken do not come to Japan #BIRDFLU #H7N3

  Mexico City, June 28, 2012.
\- Japan banned imports of poultry and other birds of Mexico, because it confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza, Kyodo News reported roasted it quoted Japanese Ministry of Agriculture.

After that, announced that it expects the impact of the ban is minimal, given that Mexico represents less than 0.1% of Japanese imports of chicken that is not thermally processed. Note that in 2011, Japan imported 377 tons of poultry meat from Mexico, according to the ministry.
Remember that on Tuesday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Food, Rural Development and Fisheries (SAGARPA) confirmed the presence of avian influenza A subtype H7N3 in poultry farms and municipalities Tepatitlán Acatic, which were placed in quarantine.

Nevertheless, the agency said the disease does not affect humans but only the birds, according to the World Organization for Animal Health.  http://elsemanario.com.mx/categorias/Mundo/nota/24/11697/pollos-mexicanos-no-entran-a-japon

200 000 chickens die of #birdflu #BIRDFLU #H7N3

National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality has reported the deaths of more than 200 000 birds in Texas because of the H7N3 avian influenza.

 June 28, 2012 by Edgar Carolina National Section

 Around 200 000 birds have died from H7N3 avian influenza, according to reports from the National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA).
According to the agency, only four poultry farms have confirmed the presence of the AH7N3 virus, but some media have warned that Tepatitlán, producers have an involvement in 30 of the 48 farms in the region Against this background, representatives of SENASICA established quarantine centers in at least 110 aviaries, where carrying a 80 percent advance of the inspection.
Jalisco is estimated that there are more than 80 million birds and according to the results obtained from the farms and inspected, they will be taken next weekend, will depopulate poultry those centers that have tested positive, said Enrique Sánchez Cruz, chief director of the body.
Because there is no treatment to reverse the disease and that it would be affordable, all birds carry the AH7N3 virus will be killed, he said.
The agency has not quantified the economic impact that producers face, since the work is completed to health.
Tomorrow will come to the state, the first batch of one million doses of vaccine from Pakistan, with which they seek to curb the spread of the disease in poultry farms close to those already affected.
In this regard, local producers and even some members of the SENASICA who are conducting the sampling, maintain total secrecy for fear that society misunderstand the situation and people stop using their products, driving down sales, such as happened with the pork after the H1N1 public health emergency.  http://www.sexenio.com.mx/articulo.php?id=16573

200 000 birds die from influenza in MEXICO #BIRDFLU #H7N3

June 2012 12:00

200 000 birds die from influenza

* Inspect farms to establish the damage caused by the disease

More than 200 000 birds in Texas have died from avian influenza AH7N3, reported the National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA).

SENASICA representatives established a perimeter quarantine aviaries 110 centers, where carrying a 80 percent advance of the inspection.
According to the SENASICA only 4 poultry farms have confirmed the presence of the AH7N3 virus, however, on a tour in Tepatitlan, producers warned an involvement in 30 of the 48 farms established in the township.
Jalisco is estimated that there are more than 80 million birds, and in the towns of Ajijic and Tepatitlán calculate a universe of 12 million poultry.Enrique Sánchez Cruz, chief of the agency, said that the results of the farms that have been inspected will be available towards the following weekend.
Due to the nature of the virus, all birds carry the AH7N3 must be killed because there is no treatment to reverse this avian disease.
Risk discarded Jalisco Health Secretariat health risks dismissed human cases of avian influenza in Tepatitlán and Acatic.

http://www.latarde.com.mx/index.php/panorama/1343-mueren-200-mil-aves-por-influenza

2.5 million birds have been culled in Mexico #H7N3 #BIRDFLU Outbreak

Confirmed outbreak of bird flu in Jalisco
June 28, 2012
MEXICO CITY-After confirmation of the presence of avian influenza type H7N3 in three poultry farms and municipalities Tepatitlán Acatic in Jalisco, the leading egg producer nationwide, the authorities launched the National Emergency Animal Health 110 farms in the state.According to statements by the Secretary of Health of Jalisco, Antonio Muñoz 2.5 million birds have been culled since to contain the spread. Meanwhile, federal authorities of the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) met yesterday with producers in the region today and is expected to disclose more information...
http://www.vanguardia.com.mx/confirmanbrotedegripeaviarenjalisco-1319353.html

A Palestinian Farmer says lost 3,500 chickens due to ministry negligence #BIRDFLU #H5N1

Farmer says lost 3,500 chickens due to ministry negligence

Published Saturday 23/06/2012

A Palestinian farmer in the northern West Bank says 3,500 of his chickens died after Palestinian Authority Ministry of Agriculture officials failed to send samples for disease-testing despite committing to do so.
Khalid al-Sayfi, who owns a poultry farm of 9,000 chickens in the Nablus governorate, told Ma'an he consulted the ministry's veterinary department after noticing symptoms among his chickens...

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=497936

New Hendra virus outbreak near Mackay

 28 June 2012, 13:18 AEST

Biosecurity Queensland says it has detected a new outbreak of the potentially deadly Hendra virus near Mackay. Biosecurity officials say a vet treated a gravely ill horse at a property near Mackay in the state's north on Tuesday. The horse was later put down.

Biosecurity Queensland says the new Hendra case was detected near Mackay (File photo) (Credit: ABC)

Biosecurity officials say a vet treated a gravely ill horse at a property near Mackay in the state's north on Tuesday.

The horse was later put down.

Health authorities say only one other person had contact with the sick animal.

Queensland's chief ..

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-06-28/new-hendra-virus-outbreak-near-mackay/968938

Study indicates 2009 swine flu outbreak was 15 times deadlier

Date: Mon 25 Jun 2012
Source: Reuters [edited]
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL2E8HP39Y20120625


Study  indicates 2009 swine flu outbreak was 15 times deadlier
--------------------------------------------------------------
The swine flu pandemic of 2009 [A/H1N1 pdm09 virus infection] killed an estimated 284 500 people, some 15 times the number confirmed by laboratory tests at the time, according to a new study by an international group of scientists. The study, published on Tuesday [19 Jun 2012] in the London-based journal Lancet Infectious Diseases, said the toll might have been even higher -- as many as 579 000 people. The original count, compiled by the World Health Organisation (WHO), put the number at 18 500. Those were only the deaths confirmed by lab testing, which the WHO itself warned was a gross underestimate because the deaths of people without access to the health system go uncounted, and because the virus is not always detectable after a victim dies.

The new study also shows the pandemic's..

Woman battling flesh-eating bacteria upgraded to 'good' condition

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The medical condition of the Georgia woman suffering from a flesh-eating bacteria has been upgraded to "good," Aimee Copeland's doctors announced Monday.

The upgrade means that the University of West Georgia graduate student's vital signs are stable, that she is conscious and comfortable, and that her indicators are excellent, said Barclay Bishop, media relations manager for Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Ga...  http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-06-25/woman-battling-flesh-eating-bacteria/55825806/1?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20usatoday-NewsTopStories%20%28News%20-%20Top%20Stories%29

PESTE DES PETITS RUMINANTS - CONGO DR (03): EMERGENCY, FAO

Tue 26 Jun 2012
Source: FAO press release [edited]
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/150317/icode/


FAO is mobilizing emergency support for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to counter the rapid spread of peste des petits ruminants [PPR], a virulent livestock disease of goats and sheep.

The disease not only threatens food security in the country but could also result in a spill-over to southern African countries that have never had the disease.

According to the national government's Directorate for Animal Production and Health, PPR has infected tens of thousands of goats, and more than 75 000 have already died from the disease.

The government estimates that another one million goats and 600 000 sheep are at risk of contracting PPR, representing 1/4th of goats and 2/3rds of sheep throughout the entire country. Sheep and goats are generally kept by the poorest farmers, who have the least ability to absorb the loss of one of their few assets.

"This is the worst livestock epidemic in the country in more than 10 years," said the FAO Representative in DRC, Ndiaga Gueye.

"We're seeing that in response to the threat of their animals contracting the disease, farmers are moving their animals away from infected villages to where, so far, there have been no disease outbreaks, which has been spreading the virus to healthy flocks of animals," said Gueye.

A recent emergency mission by the Crisis Management Centre-Animal Health, jointly operated by the FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), reported that the current outbreaks are particularly lethal, with an 86 percent mortality rate in goats.

An FAO emergency project will provide funds for:
- Vaccinating 500 000 sheep and goats in areas that aren't yet affected;
- Limiting animal movements by preventing them from moving to communal grazing areas and temporarily interrupting sale and transport of animals;
- Raising awareness via rural radio and village-level meetings to educate farmers about steps they can take to prevent PPR;
- Increasing active surveillance for PPR throughout the area;
- Training of field veterinarians and para-veterinarians in the recognition of PPR and field investigation techniques.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is believed to have been infected since 2008, when the provinces of Bas-Congo and Kinshasa both reported outbreaks. Neighbouring countries, like Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Kenya and Tanzania, are affected by the disease, and some areas are considered to be endemic.

The Southern Africa Development Community, including Angola, Botswana and Zambia, which are on the frontline of the disease's march southwards, have made stopping PPR a major animal health priority. Eliminating PPR is seen as key to poverty reduction in the world's most vulnerable countries.

"Peste des petits ruminants" [PPR] is caused by a virus that is similar to measles in humans and rinderpest in cattle. When FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) declared rinderpest eradicated in mid-2011, it was the 1st animal disease eradicated by mankind," said Juan Lubroth, the FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer.
"Excellent vaccines exist to protect small ruminants from PPR, and these can be a key weapon in combating it. Rinderpest was eradicated only thanks to the full commitment from donors, the scientific community, development organizations, our main partners the OIE and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), member governments, and farmers the world over to be rid of it. We can do the same with PPR should there be the political will," Lubroth added...

http://www.promedmail.org/

Disease kills 75,000 goats in DRC

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                              June 26, 2012 at 9:29 PM           

UNITED NATIONS, June 26 (UPI) -- A livestock disease has killed 75,000 goats in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and many more goats and sheep are at risk of contracting it, officials say.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said DRC authorities report 1 million goats and 600,000 sheep are threatened by peste des petits ruminants, considered the most destructive viral disease affecting small flocks, the U.N. agency said in a release.
"This is the worst livestock epidemic in the country in more than 10 years," the organization's representative in DRC, Ndiaga Gueye, said in the release.
Farmers, he said, have been moving their animals away from infected villages, which in turn has spread the virus to healthy flocks...

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/06/26/Disease-kills-75000-goats-in-DRC/UPI-11501340760545/

PRRS spreads wide in Vietnam

PRRS spreads wide
  27/06/2012


  PRRS vaccination for pigs (Photo: KT)
  Two weeks, both countries continue to record 3 more provinces appear PRRS including Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ha Noi.
 . Recently, while avian influenza, foot and mouth disease in cattle, which are controlled then continue PRRS complicated and no signs of stopping.
  Experts warned that local control was lax transport of cattle disease and not actively deployed drastic measures against the epidemic, the risk of PRRS will spread widely in the Red Hong Kong and Southeast.

 To support the local epidemic, to date, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has provided nearly 300,000 doses of vaccine for the local green ear, and their officials to grassroots direct anti-epidemic work.
  Speaking at the Steering Committee meeting to prevent bird flu, which took place afternoon 26/6 in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Diep Kinh Tan asked cities and provinces including Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Dong Nai, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Dien Bien, Hanoi and Binh Duong
to implement drastic measures to fight against epidemics, organized vaccination drive enclosure services; assign responsibilities to local authorities managed outbreak or temporarily banned transport of pigs, pig products in the district service, regularly organized environmental disinfection, not to offer spread.
  Deputy Minister Diep Kinh Tan also suggested the police force, market management and coordination with veterinary organizations to crack the "recruiter" purchase swine and pork products smuggled across the border to prevent widespread epidemic.   http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=vi&tl=en&u=http://www.vietlinh.vn/lobby/agriculture_livestock_news_show.asp%3FID%3D5165&usg=ALkJrhgzVWzdnVOVLeUclLSoEGoBSk-NnQ

Major HPAI outbreak hits Mexican poultry state #BIRDFLU #H7N3

//27 Jun 2012

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been found on three commercial poultry farms in the Mexican state of Jalisco, according to a report submitted to the OIE.

In total over one million birds have been found susceptible across the three farms with over 200,000 deaths and 60,000 birds have been destroyed...

http://www.worldpoultry.net/news/major-hpai-outbreak-hits-mexican-poultry-state-10575.html

Hong Kong Influenza strain level dropped to alert

Dr Chow yesterday after attending a public event that the authorities have stepped up monitoring of three weeks and found no other human case of avian influenza, so the center decided to drop back to the alert level from serious, but outside Hong Kong is still gradually birds infected with highly pathogenic avian flu, you can not underestimate the threat.。 The Hospital Authority will meet to determine the visiting hours of the acute wards of public hospitals revert to more than four hours every day and not more than two visitors at a time.
 。 In addition, the Centre for Food Safety has also decided early in the suspension of importation of live poultry imports from Guangzhou Control Area, chilled or frozen poultry and eggs 21.  Center yesterday announced that with immediate effect to restore poultry products from the control input.


http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Forientaldaily.on.cc%2F&sl=auto&tl=en

CDC unveils new pandemic preparedness tools

Lisa Schnirring Staff Writer
Jun 22, 2012 (CIDRAP News) – The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday unveiled two new tools designed to boost pandemic preparedness: an inventory of H5N1 avian influenza genetic changes and a system the CDC and its partners are developing to help evaluate the threat from flu viruses circulating in animals.

The CDC posted details about the new tools on its Web site yesterday, the same day highly anticipated findings from the second of two controversial H5N1 transmission studies—the one from a group at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands—was published in Science.

Tom Skinner, a spokesman for the CDC, told CIDRAP News that the CDC waited for the publication of the study from Erasmus, led by Ron Fouchier, PhD, to unveil the H5N1 genetic changes inventory. "The inventory has been in the works for a while, and we wanted it to be as complete and up to date as possible when we first posted to include the Fouchier sequences," he said.

The CDC said the H5N1 changes inventory is geared toward those conducting influenza surveillance in humans and animals, as well as those conducting research on H5N1. The inventory is a list of amino acid changes grouped by viral protein. Listed wth each mutation are the phenotypic consequences, the virus isolate tested, and selected literature references.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center for Influenza at the CDC, along with international partners, developed the inventory and will update it periodically and apply date stamps when it adds new mutations, the CDC said.

The Influenza Risk Assessment Tool (IRAT) is designed to help public health officials prioritize their pandemic preparedness activities, such as..

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/panflu/news/jun2212flutoolbr.html

Man, 59, suffering from plague in Bend remains in critical condition

Friday, June 22, 2012, 2:13 PM

A 59-year-old man hospitalized nearly two weeks ago with the plague remains in critical condition, hospital staff reported Friday.

Paul Gaylord was identified by his family in Bend, where he’s hospitalized. Lisa Goodman, spokeswoman for the St. Charles Medical Center-Bend, said he’s still being monitored in the ICU unit.

Gaylord, who lives in a rural area outside Prineville, was infected while trying to take a mouse out of the mouth of a stray cat that his family had befriended, said Emilio DeBess, state public health veterinarian. Initially, officials weren’t sure whether Gaylord was bitten by the mouse or the cat, but DeBess said after an invehttp://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2012/06/man_59_suffering_from_plague_i.htmlstigation in ..

Deadly Bird Flu May Be Five Steps From Pandemic, Study Finds

By Simeon Bennett - Jun 21, 2012 2:00 PM ET Five genetic tweaks made a deadly strain of bird flu that can infect humans spread more easily, according to a study that the U.S. government had first sought to censor on concerns it could be used by bioterrorists.
The genetic changes made the H5N1 virus airborne among ferrets, the mammals whose response to flu is most like that of humans, researchers from the Netherlands wrote in the journalScience today. The likelihood of those changes occurring naturally is difficult to estimate but there is “no fundamental hurdle to that happening,” said Derek Smith, a University of Cambridge researcher who led a second study.

Government workers cull chickens at the Cheung Sha Wan wholesale market in Hong Kong. Photographer: Paul Hilton/Bloomberg

“We now know that we’re living on a fault line,” Smith said on a conference call with reporters yesterday. “It’s an active fault line, it really could do something, and now what we need to know is, how likely is that?”
Publication of the paper was...http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-21/deadly-bird-flu-may-be-five-steps-from-pandemic-study-finds.html

Bird Flu Research That Stoked Fears Is Published

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.

Published: June 21, 2012

The more controversial of two papers describing how the lethal H5N1 bird flu could be made easier to spread was published on Thursday, six months after a scientific advisory board suggested that the papers’ most potentially dangerous data be censored  

 The paper, by scientists at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, identified five mutations apparently necessary to make the bird flu virus spread easily among ferrets, which catch the same flus that humans do.

Only about 600 humans are known to have caught H5N1 in the last decade as it circulated in poultry and wild birds, mostly in Asia and Egypt, but more than half died of it.

The paper’s publication, in the journal Science, ended an acrimonious debate over whether such results should ever be released. Critics said they could help a rogue scientist create a superweapon. Proponents said the world needed to identify dangerous mutations so countermeasures could be designed.

“There is always a risk,” Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, saidhttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/22/health/h5n1-bird-flu-research-that-stoked-fears-is-published.html..

 

Pakistan-Outbreak of polio feared over next few months

KARACHI, June 20: While only three cases of polio have been reported across the province since the year’s beginning, an upsurge is feared during the next four months, said Dr Rizwana Memon, a senior polio officer, while speaking at a workshop on Wednesday.
The media workshop on healthcare issues of children-polio was jointly organised by the Karachi Press Club, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and a non-governmental organisation, Mishal Pakistan.
Dr Memon, who is deputy project manager of the expanded programme on immuisation in Sindh, appealed to all stakeholders to remain alert this summer as the next few months were critical as far as a polio outbreak was concerned.
She said the fact that Sindh had reported only three out of 22 polio cases in the country was relatively a comfortable situation. “However, if we see the trend of new polio cases reporting in the previous years, it can be safely said that July to October are peak months for the spread of polio virus in the province,” she said.
To fight and eradicate the dreaded virus, there was a crucial need to remain cautious and continue with the serious efforts, she reiterated.
Combined efforts of all the stakeholders, including planners, field executers, vaccinators and volunteers, were required to achieve desired results, she ..

http://dawn.com/2012/06/21/outbreak-of-polio-feared-over-next-few-months/

Doctors, Researchers on Lookout for New Flu Outbreak

Mariama Diallo

June 21, 2012

Within the past 10 years, two serious pandemics have raised public health alarms around the world. The first was a respiratory infection known as SARS; the second, a virulent swine flu virus known as H1N1. Isolated cases of H1N1 continue to crop up. And as concerns grow about other potential threats, including the H5N1 or avian flu virus, international health officials are taking precautions to prevent any new pandemics.

The H1N1 influenza virus infected about 61 million people during the 2009 pandemic. Dave Cornwell was one of them. “I had a fever, I was achy, you know, flu-like symptoms," he described. "And while I was in the emergency room for several hours, someone finally came in and said it looks like piggy flu.”

H1N1 -- also known as swine flu -- claimed about 18,000 lives worldwide. What began in April 2009 in North America quickly spread around the world. Seven years earlier, it was an epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, which originated in Southeast Asia.

"There were about 8,000 cases of SARS in 2002-3, although it was severe but not extensive. And H1N1 wasn’t severe but very..

 

 http://www.voanews.com/content/doctors-researchers-on-lookout-for-new-flu-outbreak/1216316.html

Vietnam-Beware of swine streptococcus disease

11:25 AM Tuesday, June 19, 2012 -

Since early this year, Hospital for Tropical Diseases Central has received 20 patients with streptococcal infections, especially in May alone there until ca. Trong Of these, most patients with severe or complications.

Patients often appear streptococcal gangrene of the skin. Ảnh: PN Photo: PN

On 14/6 and then, the hospital also received a male patient in Hai Phong hospital in serious condition, struggle, psychosis, with the skin necrosis.

Dr. Nguyen Trung level, positive scientific treatment, Hospital for Tropical Diseases Central (Hanoi) said that patients with disease manifestations such as fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness perception leads to coma (due to meningitis), high fever, severe infection (sepsis).

In addition, patients with a history of alcoholism, so when the body suddenly sick to "alcohol" caused the alcohol, causing patients struggle, psychotic. The state support, but he was in hospital for at least 2 weeks.

Dr. Grant, a streptococcal infection cases reported in pigs scattered all months of the year.

These cases may be due to patients not eating pork is cooked, eat duck or contact with blood, secretions of the pig through the wound in the skin, respiratory tract. The disease is spread from pigs streptococcal disease to include three possible: sepsis, meningitis, pus, or a combination of both.

In that dangerous diseases can be fatal if treated late. People with the disease die by poisoning from bacteria, causing shock phenomenon. There's only 3 days was shocked by infection, but some have 10 days to putting such changes, depending on the location of each person.

Moreover, the initial signs of disease is not usually in addition to typical high fever so easily misdiagnosed with other diseases. The pigs had streptococcal infection can still be trapped.

It should be noted that patients with a streptococcal meningitis in pigs may have pus hospital treatment at least 3 weeks. Those who have been treating sepsis and 2 months, at a cost of hundreds of millions, depending severe sequelae or severe, said Dr. Grant.

Currently, there are eight provinces: Dien Bien Phu, Bac Ninh and Quang Ninh, Lai Chau, Hoa Binh, Lang Son, Bac Lieu and Dong Nai PRRS less than 21 days. According to medical research, blue ear disease does not infect humans. However, this patient immunocompromised, causing other diseases in growing pigs, including streptococcus, which can spread disease to humans.

Therefore, to prevent infection, people should not slaughter sick pigs, dead, not living from handling pork products with bare hands, especially when there are injuries to hands. Wash hands after processing.

Do not eat swine, pork and live, duck, pig organs and especially undercooked pork not eat sick or dead. Tr In any case contact with sick pigs, care, breeding or slaughter, destruction should be the means of protection.

The incubation period is short, only several hours to 3 days. When signs of high fever (40, 41 degrees C), the array appears necrotic subcutaneous hemorrhage, diarrhea, stiff neck ... it can be difficult to breathe, people should go to the hospital early, avoid the risk mortality. http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=vi&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://www.tinmoi.vn/canh-giac-voi-benh-lien-cau-lon-06934537.html&usg=ALkJrhjDXAdLOve75hyYNk_FVxI7iGHo8Q

Guangdong JiangmenXinhui District occurred with outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza

Time :2012-06-21 15:51
The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture Information Office of the June 17 news release, the former Secretary of Jiangmen City Xinhui District, Guangdong Province town of Ya Village June 13 suspected bird flu, on the 17th, the national bird flu reference laboratory confirmed as H5N1 subtype pathogenic avian influenza epidemic.
The outbreak a total of 3873 death of ducks culled 17,127 ducks.

At present, the epidemic has been effectively controlled. After the outbreak, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guangdong Provincial People's Government in accordance with the requirements of the emergency plans, and timely to organize epidemic emergency workhttp://info.china.alibaba.com/news/detail/v8-d1028002677.html

Mount St. Helens elk herd threatened by hoof disease

Date: Fri 15 Jun 2012]

BJ thought he had seen it all in his 44 years of hunting in the Mount St. Helens foothills, but he was not prepared for what he saw last weekend [8-9 Jun 2012].

"My hands were shaking so bad I could hardly hold the camera," he said. "Everyone I saw had it."

What they had was hoof rot. The mysterious disease has shown up sporadically in other Western Washington elk herds, but not like this.

Dave Ware, manager of the State Fish & Wildlife's Game Division, said he saw the video and agrees it's bad news. He said the state is preparing a conference call with international experts on hoof rot to see in anything can be done.

But Ware warns, even though they have samples, they don't know what strain of the disease they are dealing with. And even when they do, treating wild herds is extremely difficult. He said in past cases, many inflicted animals die, but the disease seems to run its course and fade away.

BJ hopes it's the disease and not the whole Mount St. Helens herd that fades away.  http://www.king5.com/news/local/Elk-hoof-disease-threaten-Mount-St-Helens-herd-159258065.html

Hong Kong-Scaly-breasted munia tests positive for H5 virus #H5N1 #BIRDFLU

Hong Kong (HKSAR) - Preliminary testing on a dead scaly-breasted munia found in Yuen Long has returned a positive result for the H5 avian influenza virus, a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said today (June 20), adding that further confirmatory tests are being conducted.

The dead bird was found and collected at Cumberland Presbyterian Church Yao Dao Secondary School, 28 Hong Yip Street, Yuen Long, on June 18. The scaly-breasted munia is a common resident bird in Hong Kong.

The spokesman said cleansing and disinfection have been stepped up at the venue, adding that three chicken farms are within 3 kilometres of where the dead bird was found. AFCD staff inspected the farms and found no abnormal mortality or symptoms of avian influenza among the chicken flocks.

The farms will be put under enhanced surveillance.

In view of the case, the AFCD has phoned...
http://7thspace.com/headlines/415152/scaly_breasted_munia_tests_positive_for_h5_virus.html

41 infected with swine flu in Thailand #swine flu

 20 June 2012 - 4:43pm

Bangkok : At least 41 people have been confirmed to be infected with the H1N1 bird flu virus in a province in Thailand, the government said Wednesday.

The virus was detected in the northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province, Xinhua reported citing the ministry of public health.
There were six females and 35 male patients, officials said.
A probe showed that the first flu victim was a patient undergoing treatment for alcoholism.

http://twocircles.net/2012jun20/41_infected_bird_flu_thailand.html

Egypt-Farmer suspected bird flu injured in Assiut #H5N1

 Wednesday, June 20, 2012 15:25
 Assiut - Isra Hamid
    Wounded peasant suspicions of bird flu while he was on his ranch in the village of Beni Hilal Center Qusiya.

Major General Mohammed Ibrahim, head of security of Assiut had received a communication from the police station Qusiya Director of Veterinary Baqusih suspicions of cases of bird flu on poultry farm Invitee of Hisham AD - farmer - the village of Beni Hilal Service Center "contains about 700 chickens).
Transmission of a committee of veterinary medicine, the environment and health management and agricultural management, the professionals to take blood samples from poultry to be sent to the central laboratory in Cairo and the Committee added that it will inspect and follow up on farms surrounding the pending receipt of sample results, and cost management research investigation into the incident.  http://dostor.org/%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B8%D8%A7%D8%AA/14182-%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%81%D9%84%D9%88%D9%86%D8%B2%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%B1-%D9%81%D9%89-%D8%A3%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%B7

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ar&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://onaeg.com/%3Fp%3D167583&usg=ALkJrhgjCIaXoIT22cy5M3D9uQQ3rz-NxA

"Strange disease" appeared in Quang Ngai expression "strange" new Symptoms

"Strange disease" appeared in Quang Ngai expression "strange" new

19/06/2012 14:14 19/06/2012 14:14

 These days, at Ba Dien Commune, Ba district, Quang Ngai province, many patients with "unknown disease" are faced with the fear from the new expression outside the thick horn syndrome, dermatitis hands, feet. This makes it local people more confused, because the cause of this evil disease has not yet been determined.

During the latest visit of the delegation Dr. Bach Mai Hospital - Hanoi, although many patients have been cured, or ordinary people in Ba Dien communes, also have additional symptoms such as shortness of breath , chest, eat less, vomiting, burning face ... http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=vi&tl=en&u=http://hanoimoi.com.vn/newsdetail/Doi-song/550908/benh-la-o-quang-ngai-xuat-hien-bieu-hien-la-moi.htm&usg=ALkJrhigg7IX-XXiLD7-sCrbaYnh7dB_Yg

......An opaque eye paralyzed, signs of elevated liver enzymes, fatal symptoms common in patients, "stranger". I heard Mr. Le Han Feng, chairman of Ba To district information, a few days, who suffered chest, abdomen, vomiting foot without arms and legs in this community suddenly increased, hepatic enzyme tests show high, but not recognized as unknown disease.

The villagers do not know it, just know that the panic is growing. The number of sick people, "strange" the district has up to 240 cases, of which 16 cases of particularly serious, are unlikely to survive. Farmers are not going to give up farming fields.A district leaders say that, upon the occurrence of disease, we have noted that, where cattle drink water, near the end when they die...
http://www.tienphong.vn/xa-hoi/58133...g-Reu-tpp.html

U.S. health officials visiting Vietnam, to help fight bird flu #H5N1

RFA

2012-06-19 2012-06-19

  Deputy Director Office of Global Cooperation under the Ministry of Health and Human Welfare of the United States, Ms. Holly Wong, recently visited Vietnam and officials working with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture - Rural Development, Vietnam South.

  Taking place in Ha Noi today, meeting were representatives of the Centers for Prevention and Disease Control (CDC) to attend and discuss bird flu in Vietnam.
  Statements of the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi said the meeting is an opportunity for U.S. health authorities depth understanding of the impact of bird flu to the health and economy in Vietnam.
  U.S. $ 70 million funding in 2005, is the largest donor for their activities against bird flu in Vietnam.  http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=vi&tl=en&u=http://www.rfa.org/vietnamese/vietnamnews/us-official-visits-vietnam-to-discuss-influenza-activities-06192012111545.html&usg=ALkJrhh2wXHstYFqq7VCFZeQaYOgdJEcQw

Novartis, Emergent headline $400M HHS plan to combat health threats

June 19, 2012 | By Ryan McBride

Several biopharma players--including Emergent BioSolutions, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis--landed on the winning end of contracts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop and churn out treatments against bioterror and pandemic threats. To fund the first phase of the effort, the HHS has committed $400 million.

The major endeavor strives to set up an infrastructure to rapidly advance from the development, to manufacturing of..  http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/novartis-emergent-headline-400m-hhs-plan-combat-health-threats/2012-06-19

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

Monday June 18, 2012

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.
He said 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,” he said yesterday.
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.
NS Training Department director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil is expected to inspect the camp today.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/6/18/nation/11498971&sec=nation

Egypt - Camels and FMD

18 Jun 2012

Demand for camel meat is growing in Egypt as a strain of SAT2 foot and mouth disease sweeping across the nation has decimated cattle production and left the populace fearful of consuming Beef.

According to the Cattle Site government officials suspect that smuggled shipments of infected sheep and cattle from Libya caused the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, which is responsible for killing about ten percent of cattle.

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations reported their livestock census data for Egypt showed "6.3 million buffalo and cattle and 7.5 million sheep and goats are at risk."

It advised "this is an entirely new introduction of a virus strain known as SAT2, and livestock have no immune protection against it."

Humans are not at risk of catching foot and mouth disease from infected cattle, but meat and milk from infected stock are not fit for human consumption.

Egyptians have responded to the crisis by switching to camel meat, according to Alarabiya.

Camels are imported from Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and Uganda to the domestic market, where traditional camel dishes include camel steaks and camel kebabs...

  video

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/326003

Q fever confirmed in Idaho livestock

Date: Sat 16 Jun 2012
A release from Governor Otter's office says that the State Department of Agriculture [ISDA] is investigating a confirmed case of Q fever in an Idaho goat herd. The herd has been quarantined.
Q fever has been known to cause stillbirths in livestock, most often in goats, sheep and cattle.

Symptoms typically include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

The disease can be contagious to humans and most often is passed through contact with birthing fluids of affected animals or through inhalation.

The ISDA encourages all livestock owners and handlers to be aware of the signs of illness and contact their veterinarian if animals display signs of Q fever.

Back in November [2011], we told you about the head girl's basketball coach in Dietrich who contracted the disease. He is still recovering.

http://www.ktvb.com/news/local/159310085.html

Case of anthrax in a Texas white-tailed male deer

The first confirmed case of anthrax in a Texas animal for 2012 has been detected in an adult white-tailed male deer near Uvalde. At this time no domestic livestock are involved. Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, whichis a naturally occurring organism with worldwide distribution, including Texas. "The TAHC will continue to closely monitor the situation for possible new cases across the state. Producers are encouraged to consult with their veterinary practitioner or local TAHC office about the disease," Dr. Dee Ellis, State Veterinarian, said. It is not uncommon for anthrax to be diagnosed in livestock or wildlife in the Southwest part of the state. In recent years, cases have been primarily confined to a triangular area bounded by the towns of Uvalde, Ozona and Eagle Pass  http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=BH-20120618-35479-USA

Second strain of cholera identified in Haiti epidemic

By Thomas H. Maugh II

June 18, 2012, 1:31 p.m.

U.S. researchers have linked a second strain of cholera to the epidemic that decimated the Haitian population in 2010-11. Previous studies have suggested that the epidemic was caused by bacteria inadvertently introduced by Nepalese soldiers who came to assist in recovery from a massive earthquake. The new strain appears to be local in origin, but its role in the epidemic is not clear because this strain does not normally produce epidemics.

Haiti suffered a devastating magnitude 7 earthquake on Jan. 12, 2010, followed by about 52 aftershocks with a magnitude of 4.5 or higher. Estimates indicate that more than 250,000 died immediately, about 300,000 were injured and 1 million were rendered homeless. Cholera cases began to appear in October and the spread of the disease was exacerbated by Hurricane Tomas, which skirted the island on Nov. 5 but produced torrential rains and severe flooding. To date, cholera has killed an estimated 7,500 Haitians and sickened half a million.

Early studies by..   http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-haiti-cholera-20120618,0,3371170.story

Taliban to Ban Polio Vaccinations Until US Stops Drone Strikes

19 Jun 2012

A Taliban leader in Pakistan said that until the United States stops drone strikes—like the one that killed al-Qaida no. 2 Abu Yahya al-Libi earlier this month it will ban polio vaccinations of Pakistani children in the region it controls.

"Polio drops will be banned in North Waziristan until the drones strikes are stopped," Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur said in a statement released Saturday and published Monday by CNN. "Almost every resident of North Waziristan has become a mental patient because of the drone strikes, which are worse than polio. On one hand, the U.S. spends millions of dollars to eliminate polio, while on the other hand it kills hundreds with the help of its slave, Pakistan."

UNICEF had been hoping to launch a drive this week to vaccinate 161,000 children in the region. Bahadur said he...

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/taliban-to-ban-polio-vaccinations-until-us-stops-drone-strikes/118278/

Jaundice outbreak in Maharashtra: 12 dead, 3,000 affected

Kolhapur (Maharashtra): More than 500 new cases of jaundice have been reported from the textile town of Ichalkaranji in Kolhapur district in the last four days and the disease has killed at least 12 people in the last one month, officials said on Monday.
Kolhapur health department suspect that the consumption of contaminated water of Panchganga river by the people is the cause behind the recent rise in cases of jaundice in Ichalkaranji.
“Since May 15, there have been 3,803 cases of jaundice in the city and so far 12 people have already succumbed to the disease,” a city health official told IANS.
Ichalkaranji is 40 km from the district headquarters of Kolhapur ... http://www.firstpost.com/mumbai/jaundice-outbreak-in-maharashtra-12-dead-3000-affected-348985.html