Saturday, September 1, 2012

First Confirmed H3N2v Death - Ohio

Recombinomics Commentary 18:30
August 31, 2012

The 61-year-old female Madison County resident passed away earlier this week.

The individual had direct contact with swine at the Ross County fair before becoming ill.

The above comments from the Ohio Department of Health press release describe the first confirmed H3N2v fatality. Details, including disease onset date and underlying conditions, were withheld.

The death highlights the dangers associated with a heavily biased data base focused on swine exposure. In the August 31 CDC update, additional human to human transmission was acknowledged, but the number of cases and locations were withheld.

Similarly, the sequences from 34 cases have been released, but age and gender have been withheld.

This lack of transparency is hazardous to the world’s health and signals more efficient and deadly H3N2v transmission.
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/08311204/H3N2v_Fatal_1.html

As I mentioned before, this will be your next pandemic

They just haven't told you yet.
The thing is fairly mild, but can still lead to complications in the elderly or others with underlying conditions. It is starting to slowly go H2H...
The latest flu vaccine does not cover this strain, although to get it may protect from H3N2 recombining in you with a different strain. This flu strain is new and not really understood. As usual and normal, flu strains can and do mutate.
A further problem down the road will be the chance for this flu to combine with a stronger strain such as but not limited to H5N1. No need to panic, just remain aware of it. I don't advocate a flu vaccine or offer medical advice, just trying to keep you appraised of the situation. My family took the previous H1N1 vaccine without any side effects and did not catch that or any flu in 2009...just sayin.

New strain of swine flu confirmed in Western Pa.

Posted: Sat, Sep. 1, 2012, 3:01 AM

State officials Friday confirmed two cases of a new strain of swine flu and one probable case in Western Pennsylvania.

All three cases involved youth participants at the Somerset County Fair in mid-August, the state Department of Health reported. No one was reported hospitalized.The flu, known as H3N2v, has sickened nearly 300 people nationwide. The Associated Press reported Friday that a 61-year-old woman who came into contact with hogs at an Ohio county fair and contracted the virus had died. To find out more about the virus, visit www.health.state.pa.us - Robert Moran

US reports first death from new swine flu

Kyle Robertson A pig makes it's way through the Swine Barn at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus on Aug. 1, 2012. Public health officials in the United States are reporting the first known death due to infection with the new flu virus that has been jumping from pigs to people there.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Columbus Dispatch, Kyle Robertson

The United States has reported the first known death caused by the H3N2 variant virus, the new swine flu that has been jumping from pigs to people there.
And in another development that underscores how dynamic the intersection is between pigs, people and influenza viruses, health authorities in Minnesota announced Friday they have found three people infected with a different swine flu virus, an H1N2 variant virus.
An unidentified Ohio woman became the first to succumb to infection with H3N2v, which was first seen in people in the U.S. last summer. The virus has triggered an explosion of cases — 288 at last count — in 10 states this summer...

She said the CDC is concerned that with the resumption of school and the impending change in the weather this virus could become more transmissible among people. So far only a few instances of person-to-person spread have been seen with H3N2v.
But Finelli noted that late last year there was some human-to-human transmission in Iowa and West Virginia. While the numbers last year weren’t high, she said the CDC is worried that pattern might be repeated this year.
“We learned from that situation that we have to be ultra-vigilant as weather changes from hot weather to cold weather,” Finelli said.
There is evidence that suggests flu transmission is more efficient when temperatures are cooler and absolute humidity drops.
As well, young children are highly susceptible to this virus, having no immunity to it. So if an infected child went to school, there is a possibility the virus could take off among his or her classmates.... http://metronews.ca/news/world/354993/us-reports-first-death-from-new-swine-flu/

Minnesota State Fair: Pigs might've given people flu

index.html

State confirms two cases of swine flu at Somerset County Fair

Health officials confirmed three cases of swine flu contracted by participants at the Somerset County Fair. (August 31, 2012)

MICHELLE GANASSI Daily American Staff Writer Daily American

August 31, 2012

Health officials report that three Somerset County Fair participants have contracted the new strain of swine flu.

Christine Cronkright, state Department of Health spokeswoman, said two of the cases have been confirmed by lab reports and a third person visited their physician with similar symptoms.

"We think they may have it," Cronkright said.

None of the three people were hospitalized. Cronkright declined to comment on whether the youth were showing pigs or provide their identities.

There have been a total of 288 confirmed cases nationwide of the H3N2v strain. Cronkright said the department received the information Friday afternoon. She did not know if Somerset County Fair officials were notified because the state Department of Agriculture notifies fair officials. That department was notified late Friday afternoon.

Cronkright said there is no evidence that the flu is being transferred from person to person.

"It is something we are watching very closely," she.

http://www.dailyamerican.com/news/somerset/da-ot-state-confirms-two-cases-of-swine-flu-at-somerset-county-fair-20120831,0,4437712.story

CDC: First Death From “State Fair Flu”

August 31, 2012 |

5:58 pm

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today reported the first death from influenza A H3N2 variant (H3N2v), the swine flu strain that has been crossing intermittently from pigs to humans since last year. The victim was an “older adult with multiple underlying health conditions,” according to the CDC, and the Associated Press fills in that the victim was a 61-year-old woman from “central Ohio’s Madison County [who] died this week… after having contact with hogs at the Ross County Fair.” In a statement, the Ohio Department of Health says that she was one of 102 cases so far in the state this year. In total, the CDC says, there have been 289 cases so far this year (with Indiana leading, at 138 cases); in 2011, there were 12. Fifteen people have been hospitalized.

The CDC has been urging people for several weeks now to consider the risk of flu in state fair pig areas, and to stay away if they are....

In most of the US, then, the immediate risk of exposure from fair animals will end soon. However, the CDC has pointed out that there has been limited person-to-person transmission of this virus in the past two years, and has written some guidance for school systems who may want to be watching for ongoing clusters of infection.
The distant concern with flu is always that it is unpredictable, and may mutate into a more infectious or more virulent form. Adding pigs into the picture always alarms public health people a little, because the immunoanatomy of pigs’ lung epithelium is similar to humans’, allowing pigs to possibly serve as a “mixing vessel” for reassorting strains of flu. While concern over the H3N2v outbreak has seemed muted, it’s clear the CDC and the rest of the public health establishment do not take it lightly; 10 days ago, for instance, the CDC published standards for “enhanced surveillance” for any laboratories examining isolates from this flu.
With luck, and with deference to the victims — especially this sad death in Ohio — the H3N2v will remain a curiosity rather than become a source of alarm. But even so, it is yet another of the periodic reminders we get, that flu should never be taken for granted.
Update: Just as I hit the button on this, supreme flu reporter Helen Branswell of the Canadian Press published a piece emphasizing the concerns over transmission as kids return to school. Separately, I asked on Twitter for any sightings of blog posts on H3N2v, as I hadn’t seen any. The loose consensus is that the indefatigable Mike Coston of Avian Flu Diary is the only blogger to examine it this far. If you saw others, please let me know. Oops: Profound apologies to Crawford “Crof” Kilian, who has been covering it as well. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/08/death-fair-flu/

Swine Flu Death: Ohio Woman First Person To Die From H3N2v Influenza Virus, State Health Department Says

08/31/12 04:03 PM ET

CINCINNATI -- The death of a 61-year-old Ohio woman is the first in the nation associated with a new swine flu strain, the state Department of Health said Friday.

The woman, whose identity was not released, was from central Ohio's Madison County and died this week following an illness she contracted after having contact with hogs at the Ross County Fair.
The woman had underlying medical conditions, but the H3N2v influenza virus may have contributed to her death, the department said...
[link to www.huffingtonpost.com]

Ohio woman dies from H3N2v complications

In the U.S., the new strain of swine flu has died the first person
September 1st, 2012 | 08:13

Officials from the U.S. state of Ohio reported the first case of death of people who acquired a new strain of swine influenza H3N2v.

According to the Ministry of Health staff, 61-year-old woman who shortly before she developed symptoms of swine flu in contact with pigs at a fair, died earlier this week. However, the report states that the woman also suffered from several other diseases, which together with H3N2v could be fatal.

"Strain H3N2v, like other viruses, are more likely affects those with weakened immunity," - said the head of the Ministry of Health Ohio Uaymislo Ted, who also urged people who are at risk, contact with pigs, and take all necessary precautions .

Federal authorities have identified this summer 288 cases of human infection with the strain H3N2v, 102 of them in Ohio.

Previously, biologists found three new antibodies, one of which successfully protect mice from lethal doses of all types of influenza, including swine (H1N1) and avian (H5N1) influenza. This leads to the prospect of a universal cure for the disease. http://podrobnosti.ua/health/2012/09/01/855585.html

KOLKATA:It’s not a #birdflu outbreak: Experts

| Sep 1, 2012, 04.16AM IST
KOLKATA: Poultry deaths in North 24-Parganas might not have resulted from bird flu, believe animal husbandry officials and a section of experts. Even though samples are yet to be sent to the High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory in Bhopal for testing, the symptoms observed so far are closer to Ranikhet disease than H5N1 or the bird flu virus, they said.

All precautions, though, have already been taken to ensure that chickens from the affected areas don't reach either Kolkata or any of the other districts, according to the animal husbandry department. It has already resulted in a marginal price rise of chicken in the city.

"We have sent the samples for analysis. As of now, it doesn't seem to be bird flu for it's rare at this time of the year. The symptoms are more like Ranikhet disease. Also, had it been bird flu, it wouldn't have been restricted to just the organized poultries. The backyard farms would have also been affected," said an animal husbandry official.

Meanwhile, the ban on chickens from North 24-Paragans, which supply around 60% of Kolkata's chicken, has led to a spurt in price. The cost of a kg has gone up from Rs 88 last week to around Rs 92 now. Midnapore, Birbhum and Howrah are now catering to the Kolkata market. "We have instructed poultries in North 24-Paraganas not to supply to Kolkata. Supply won't be affected in Kolkata for the other districts are now providing more. But this could lead to a scarcity in the districts," said Avijit Kanjilal of the West Bengal Poultry Federation.

The federation has already taken steps to check the spread of the virus. "Initial signs suggest that this is not a flu outbreak. But we are taking no chances. Disinfectants have already been sent to farms in every south Bengal district. The affected poultries in North 24-Parganas have been shut down. We shall distribute more disinfectants over the next few days," added Kanjilal.

Microbiologists said the outbreak was less likely to be bird flu. "First, it's unlikely at this time of the year. More importantly, had it been H5N1, it would have spread by now. It could be some other virus like the Ranikhet disease. But we can't be sure unless the samples are checked," said a microbiologist at the West Bengal University of Animal and Fisheries Sciences.

Nurul Haq, secretary of the animal resoucres development ministry, said that local tests had confirmed that it wasn't bird flu. "It could be either Ranikhet disease or some other virus. We have sent the samples to Bhopal and shall wait for the report," Haq said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Its-not-a-bird-flu-outbreak-Experts/articleshow/16100055.cms

Govt denies bird flu report, samples sent to Bhopal lab

Govt denies bird flu report, samples sent to Bhopal lab
With bird flu panic gripping Swarupnagar in North 24-Parganas for the past few days, the state husbandry department has decided to send the blood samples of the chickens to a Bhopal research laboratory. The Belgachia lab here did not find any H5N1 positive case.
Animal Resources Development (ARD) Minister Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury, said bird flu was not behind the fowl deaths and said samples will be sent to Bhopal. “Following their confirmation, we can say whether there has been an occurrence of bird flu in that area,” he said.
The unusual death of a large number of poultry triggered the panic. Officials of ARD Department on Friday said there has been no report of fresh case of bird death from the area. They suspect that chickens may have been given stale food that resulted in their largescale deaths.
A senior official of the ARD department said the preliminary blood test reports confirmed that the birds died not due to bird flu but because of some “unnatural disease”.
A team of officials from ARD today inspected the poultry in Swarupnagar, where its sale has been stopped. Around 40 commercial poultry farms have been sealed in four panchayat areas of North 24-Parganas — Baduria, Kakrasuti, Lakshmikantapur and Nayabandh — where about 50,000 chickens died, a few days ago.
Quarantine measures like spraying lime has been started within one square kilometre area where the bird deaths took place, according to the guidelines of the Animal Husbandry department of the Union government.
It may be noted that in 2011, bird flu spread in parts of Tehatta in Nadia and the government gave around Rs 17 lakh as compensation to around 4,000 poultry farmers. Officials of the ARD department said this year, a total of around Rs 25 lakh has been allotted to control the disease of animals and preventive measures, therefore, should be taken earlier to prevent any outbreak.
Govt hiding facts: CPM
Leader of the Opposition Surya Kanta Mishra on Friday criticised the government and said the state government is trying to hide facts regarding bird flu. He said “he was confirmed that bird flu panic has gripped North 24-Parganas and that the government is trying to hide facts”. “There is no need to take all ministers along with secretaries on district tours. The secretaries have their work in the field too”, he said. The need of the government is to send the blood samples of the dead birds to laboratories in Bhopal and Pune for testing, he added. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/govt-denies-bird-flu-report-samples-sent-to-bhopal-lab/996246/2

Quang Ngai declares H5N1 bird flu epidemic

Tuoitrenews

A+A-

Updated : Sat, September 1, 2012,11:52 AM (GMT+0700)

Veterinary officers handle ducks infected with the A/H5N1 virus in Tu Nghia District, Quang Ngai Province

Photo: VnExpress

The Quang Ngai Province People’s Committee yesterday declared an epidemic of the A/H5N1 avian flu as the disease has spread to five districts, with nearly 58,000 affected ducks and chickens having died or been culled.

Under the declaration, poultry slaughtering, transportation and trade are banned in epidemic areas, and urgent measures, including spraying antiseptic in affected areas, must be taken in accordance with to the Health Ministry’s instruction to prevent the spread of the disease.

The provincial Veterinary Sub-department said it has sent nearly 80 samples taken from affected poultry to the Veterinary Agency for Zone 4 in Da Nang city for testing, and results have shown that all the samples were infected with the deadly A/H5N1 virus.

Currently, the disease has seriously affected 17 communes in five districts, namely Son Tinh, Nghia Hanh, Tu Nghia, Mo Duc and Binh Son, according to the sub-department.
The provincial authorities request that breeders inform veterinary agencies of any new epidemic outbreaks and not to trade, slaughter or transport infected poultry.

All concerned agencies are required to tighten control over poultry-related activities and absolutely ban transporting of poultry into or out of epidemic areas, the authorities said.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has granted 1 million doses of vaccines against A/H5N1 virus to Quang Ngai to vaccinate all flocks of poultry in the province. http://www.tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitrenews/society/quang-ngai-declares-h5n1-bird-flu-epidemic-1.84914

Bird flu epidemic breaks out in Quang Ngai 58,000 infected fowl

(VOV) - The Quang Ngai provincial People’s Committee declared on August 31 that a bird flu epidemic has swept through 23 hamlets in 17 communes of five districts across the province

All of the nearly 80 blood samples sent from these localities tested positive for the A/H5N1 virus, prompting local authorities have culled 58,000 infected fowl.
The provincto e is implementing strict measures to control the illegal slaughter and transport of poultry to prevent the disease spreading wider.
The provincial Department of Animal Health has provided one million doses of vaccine to protect poultry in seven neighbouring districts and towns.
http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/Bird-flu-epidemic-breaks-out-in-Quang-Ngai/20129/141652.vov

Friday, August 31, 2012

Ministry said has smuggled poultry breeds, Hanoi said no

Ministry said has smuggled poultry breeds, Hanoi said no

TP - Recently 3-4 cars a week (more than 100 thousand children, chicken Grower) chickens smuggled from China to Hanoi, turbulent market chickens, disturbing outbreak and spread of infectious diseases .

30-8, as observed by Pioneer reporter in poultry markets Dai Xuyen, Phu Xuyen - Ha Noi - the largest seed market in Hanoi, many households sell 10-15 day-old chicken, wear marks "chicken" and selling 13-16 thousand VND / child.
"The incubator in Dai Xuyen hamlet not sell chicken Grower, only sells day-old chickens, usually reserved for the oven. Grower that many households sell chicken is chicken smuggled from China, "she United, an incubator disclose.
Mr. K., the famous incubator in Phu Xuyen, said in the Great Trans often 3-4 first recruiter specializing run of the chickens, ducks Grower, through Lang Son, Mong Cai.
According to K., in China, they hamlet breeding herd, then they pick up the drums (left in above about 90% of the roof), move to Vietnam, so the price is very cheap. Hen, they are kept for egg production. Because of big interest dozen trips, arrested several trips still have money in their pockets.
"With Grower chicken, only sold 13 -14 thousand VND / child, high 16-17 thousand / children. Vietnamese chicken also, if fed by size, to sell 17-20 thousand VND / child, even more. Because cheaper than 3-4 thousand VND / child, and people still buy more, longer than about quality, not packaging our breeding centers. Another form, as they enter the Chinese egg hatching, however, due to various risks, so few people do, "said K. said.
Many traders like chicken said China policy support, if exports to lower costs, will be subsidized.
According to the understanding of reporters, every week there are about 3-4 cars chickens smuggled from China, often carrying Phu Xuyen on 3rd and 6 weekly.
Each car is about 20-30 thousand, which accounted for 90% chicken. The car always has 3-4 plates, at 17 (Pacific), at 99 (Bac Ninh), at sea 30 (Hanoi), vehicles without number plates.
Recently, the inter-agency rigorous inspection, smuggling objects do not use the truck to haul chickens, which used nine passenger car, remove the seats for the transport, in order to avoid inter-agency.
Fear of uncontrolled disease
Still smuggled poultry breeds in Hanoi, but in exchange for money, he needed Xuan Binh, Director of Animal Health Rights Hanoi said: "There is almost no poultry, including smuggled poultry breeds for domestic price is too low, livestock losses. "
According to Binh, the same bird before pirated from 10 to 15 days of age is essential. Recently, limit the trade in smuggled poultry transport, of unknown origin.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Duc Trong, Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry (MARD) said poultry breeds, including culling chickens smuggled from China still to Hanoi.
Mr Trong said, when smuggled to Vietnam, Chicken Grower legitimized veterinary papers, it can be transported around the country. The most dangerous disease is not controlled, the risk of spread is large.
"The type avian influenza virus emerging in the country, originating from China, in the absence of effective vaccines. On the other hand, is highly dependent on the source of vaccine produced by China. Therefore, this is a very complex and dangerous, "he worried weight.
Mr Trong said, Phu Xuyen area where the biological safety in the North today, not what the Ha Vy poultry market (Thuong Tin).
Want to handle, veterinary districts, combined with the government, the police in Phu Xuyen found the recruiter collectors to thoroughly treated.
His weight warned: "The provinces, especially Hanoi makes drastic, the border will be less immediately, because chickens smuggled want to not know to whom, what input do. Otherwise, the risk of disease spread is huge. " http://www.tienphong.vn/xa-hoi/590100/Bo-noi-co-gia-cam-giong-nhap-lau-Ha-Noi-bao-khong-tpp.html

Blue ear disease continues to spread in Bac Kan

Last updated at 16:41, Friday, 31/08/2012 (GMT 7)

Nhan Dan Online-The last day in Na Oh, Duong Quang, Bac Kan (Bac) some sick pigs died, authorities take samples for testing and determining the blue ear disease .

Soon after the local authorities have destroyed 70 infected pigs, and localized outbreaks, conduct chemical spray disinfection cages once a day in the outbreak and the surrounding areas.

Earlier, the blue ear disease occurs in two, and then spread to the four communes and far spread Cho Moi District in Bac Can province also killed and destroyed nearly 200 pigs. Provincial Department of Animal Health said: Currently the pigs in the bordering area of the Cho Don district, Na Ri is the risk of spread.

Although the province has set up checkpoints on Highway 3 in Yen Dinh commune, Cho Moi district to prevent the transportation of pigs through the service, but in recent days some cars still secretly carrying pigs to town to spread disease.

Current H5N1 avian influenza are very complex evolution in Cho Don district, have tended to spread. http://www.nhandan.com.vn/cmlink/nhandandientu/thoisu/doi-song/i-s-ng-tin-chung/d-ch-l-n-tai-xanh-ti-p-t-c-lay-lan-b-c-c-n-1.365421

Deadliest prey in the jungle: viruses

August 30 2012 at 06:00pm
By Mark Piesing

In this 2009 file photo, Hong Kong police officers guard a hotel which was sealed off after the first swine flu victim in the city was confirmed to have stayed there.

London - For many, the dimly remembered panics over the bird-flu, swine-flu and Sars pandemics may now seem like a case of the authorities crying wolf, or even a conspiracy to boost the profits of Big Pharma. But to “virus hunter” Professor Nathan Wolfe, these viruses, which had all crossed over from wild animals, were merely the first gusts of a viral storm blowing out of the jungle and heading straight towards us.

Last year, Professor Wolfe's work led to the creation of an embryonic early-warning network of “viral listening posts” across Africa and Asia. The network earned his not-for-profit Global Viral Forecasting Initiative (now renamed Global Viral) the label of the “CIA of the viral world” and its founder a place in Time magazine's top 100 most influential people of 2011.

.....

“After all, despite all the efforts of the public health authorities, swine flu still infected 10 per cent of the world's population, and if it had been a little more deadly it could have easily killed millions.”

However, for Professor Wolfe there is also hope as, along with “the wonderful precedent of earlier efforts of the campaign to eliminate smallpox”, we now have “a whole load of tools that mean for the first time we can do something to prevent one of these hugely costly pandemics”.

Ultimately, he can imagine the possibility of a single global viral control room. Imagine Dr Strangelove's war room, but with the enemy being swarming viruses. Professor Wolfe was first made aware of the danger posed by the viral reservoirs carried around by wild animals - particularly in the jungle hotspots of Africa and Asia - as a field researcher in Cameroon and Uganda, where he witnessed the devastation wrought by Aids.

His own research on the many variations of the HIV virus in the villages he was monitoring showed just how big the viral reservoir was.

He believes that, while humans and this viral reservoir have always been connected “through the catching and butchering of wild game”, the further we have moved away from our origins as hunter-gatherers the more vulnerable we have become to viruses that we would once as a species have had immunity to.

So the “accelerating interconnectivity of the modern world” has helped to create the potential for a viral storm because any virus that crosses over and which would have burnt out in a small population (victims either dying or developing immunity) “now has, in a world of six billion people, the potential to spread and spread, as people are the fuel of viruses”.

It occurred to Professor Wolfe (and to others such as Dr Larry Brilliant, the president of the Skoll Global Threats Fund, as well) that improving scientific knowledge plus technological advances meant that for the first time humanity could start “imaging a kind of global immune system” that would be able to predict and then prevent viral outbreaks by “harnessing the power of data”.

By aggregating together information gathered from jungle hunters reporting strange deaths of wild animals that might warn of a new dangerous viral mutation, with data from “global organisations whose sickness records of their global workforce could pick up the first signs of a spreading virus”, and even by “looking at what people are posting via their smartphones,” it should be possible to predict an outbreak and then monitor how fast it is spreading.

Professor Wolfe, though, is concerned that “understandable fears over privacy” will hinder the “good use” of .....With bird flu on a new killing spree in Indonesia, we have to hope he is right http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/news/deadliest-prey-in-the-jungle-viruses-1.1372921

Schools re-open after Ebola attack

Pupils of Kakindo Primary School in Kibaale District attend a lesson yesterday. Schools have re-opened after authorities did not register any new cases of Ebola
Posted Friday, August 31 2012 at 01:00

In Summary

Back to business. Schools and markets in Kibaale District have re-opened after authorities confirmed no more cases of the haemorrhagic fever.

More than 200 schools that were indefinitely closed in Kibaale District following the outbreak of Ebola, have been allowed to re-open for the third term after all cases of the disease were discharged from Kagadi Hospital.

“After consultation with World Health Organisation, the ministries of Health and Education, the district has cleared markets and schools to resume normal operations,” Mr Stephen Mfashingabo, the vice chairperson of the district Ebola task force, said on Wednesday.

Mr Mfashingabo, who is also the district vice chairperson, said medical officials will continue to closely monitor activities in schools and markets to ensure they do not become centres of infection.

Schools and markets were closed after medical officials registered back to back cases of people infected with the highly contagious disease. The district education officer, Mr John Kyaboona had, last month, announced the closure of over 220 private and government-aided primary and secondary schools in the counties of Buyaga East, Buyaga west and Buyanja.

He said the closure was a precautionary measure to prevent a possibility of massive infections given the fact that Ebola is highly infectious. The District health officer, Dr Dan Kyamanywa, said surveillance teams have not detected any new cases in the district since the last patient was discharged last week.

Mr Kyamanywa said if no new confirmed Ebola cases are registered, the district will be declared Ebola-free after the completion of 21 days when the last case was discharged from hospital.

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Schools+re+open+after+Ebola+attack/-/688334/1490770/-/hift7vz/-/index.html

Markets re-opened on Monday although Muhorro, Kagadi, Karuguuza and Mabaale, which were popular, have registered low turn ups.

DRC Govt Confronts Ebola as New Cases Test Positive at Entebbe's UVRI

2012-08-30 21:43:33
Cases of Ebola continue to rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as government continues to find ways to control the outbreak of the haemorrhagic fever, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

Read more: http://ugandaradionetwork.com/a/story.php?s=45059#ixzz257FcglOc

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Viral outbreak grips Panchthar‚ 50 cases reported

Over 50 cases of fever have been reported so far in the District Hospital, Panchthar. A viral fever outbreak has hit hard Prangbung, Lungrupa, Memeng, Angsarang VDCs [Village Development Committees] and their headquarters, Phidim. In fact, Angsarang has been the most affected VDC. The number of students attending schools has dropped in the Angsarang-based Jyoti Secondary School after children suffered from the disease.

In the same way, Prangbung-based Kalika Secondary School also faced similar problems after a number of students fell sick.

According to the Principal Lungrungpa Parbat Lal Dangal of the Siddheshwori Secondary School, more than 60 students have remained absent in their terminal examinations.

Health workers said when the symptoms of viral fever are found, then the disease will affect the patient for a week. However, since it is transmissible, most of the people in the village have taken ill.

The number of viral fever patients has increased in the District Hospital. Over 50 cases of fever are reported so far. The viral outbreak which spread in Parbat's southern Barrachaur and Ranipani VDCs has not been controlled.

With the spread of viral fever and typhoid since a week, hundreds of people are being affected daily. A team of health workers along with the medicine has been sent to the affected areas.
Barrachar-based Jana Sewa Secondary School has been closed after the outbreak, while the numbers of students in the Ambari Secondary School and surrounding schools have decreased by 50 per cent. Ambari School's Principal, Ganesh Poudel, said that schools could not be conducted for the whole day as there are very few students, and most of them have been ill. More than 100 patients are reported in local clinics. Health worker Surya Bahadur Karki reported that among them, 80 per cent are fever patients and 20 per cent typhoid.

Similarly, maternal health worker Kopila Sharma said that over 80 cases of fever are reported in the Barrachaur Health Post. Dr Sagar Rajbhandari of the District Hospital, Parbat said viral fever has spread due to climate change and unclean drinking water consumption.

Likewise, Lamjung's Duipiple-ba-sed Bhairavkali Higher Secondary School has been shut after most students were affected by viral fever. The number of students going to school has dropped since a week, so the school has been closed after an emergency meeting of the School Management Committee held today [29 Aug 2012], reported committee chairperson Nirmal Gautam. He said that after the suggestions of doctors and health workers of the nearby health posts, they have decided to shut the school.

Viral fever has spread in Gorkha's Gumda 6, 7, 8 and 9 since Sunday [26 Aug 2012]. With its spread, the local Suryodaya Secondary School was shut for 3 days as the teachers and students have taken ill, reported the school's management committee chairperson Bhim Prasad Gurung. According to him, over 250 households have been affected with at least one member in each family taken ill. Patients have the symptoms of runny nose, headache and fever, reported Gurung. Local health centres have started to face the shortage of medicine after fever spread in their areas.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Viral+outbreak+grips+Panchthar%26sbquo%3B+50+cases+reported&NewsID=345346

WHO-DR Congo: Ebola (Situation as of 28 August 2012)

should say 12 deaths
A total of 24 cases and 11 deaths were reported from Isiro, Viadana and Dungu districts of Orientale Province
Event description
As of 28 August 2012, a total of 24 (12 suspected, 6 probable and 6 confirmed) cases and 11 deaths had been reported in Province Orientale.
The reported cases and deaths (suspected, probable and confirmed) have occurred in 3 health zones as follows: 17 cases and 9 deaths in Isiro, including three (3) health care workers who have died; 6 cases and 2 deaths in Viadana; and 1 fatal case in Dungu. One alert was received from Gombari health zone, yet to be verified. http://www.afro.who.int/en/clusters-a-programmes/dpc/epidemic-a-pandemic-alert-and-response/outbreak-news/3673-dr-congo-ebola-situation-as-of-28-august-2012.html

Surveillance and Response Programme Area, Disease Prevention and Control Cluster, Regional Office for Africa

Email: outbreak@afro.who.int

As of 28 August 2012, a total of 24 (12 suspected, 6 probable and 6 confirmed) cases and 11 deaths had been reported in Province Orientale.

The reported cases and deaths (suspected, probable and confirmed) have occurred in 3 health zones as follows: 17 cases and 9 deaths in Isiro, including three (3) health care workers who have died; 6 cases and 2 deaths in Viadana; and 1 fatal case in Dungu. One alert was received from Gombari health zone, yet to be verified.

There were 7 cases admitted in the isolation ward.

CDC has established a field laboratory in Isiro. Fourteen samples were tested in the la-boratory including 8 samples from contacts of probable/confirmed cases for retrospective investigation.

A total of 6 patients have been confirmed positive for Ebola. All positive cases are from Isiro; none of the suspected cases from Dungu and Pawa tested positive for Ebola.

To date 68 contacts have been identified and are being followed up;

Event description

Geographic distribution of Ebola in DR Congo

WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health in the areas of coordination, surveillance, field epidemiology, laboratory, case management, outbreak logistics, public information and social mobilization.

Twenty- two (22) health workers were trained on Ebola case management including infec-tion prevention and control; Discharge kits were prepared for the discharged patients; A daily situation report and the first epidemiological bulletin were produced on 28 August 2012. CDC laboratory team started conducting Ebola tests in the field laboratory in Isiro. MSF Suisse is actively involved in case management. A second WHO logistician arrived in Isiro to continue to support outbreak response. A teleconference was held on 28 August 2012 between AFRO and HQ; Deployment of anthropologist and additional epidemiologist in being finalized in collaboration with GOARN. DR Congo: Ebola (Situation as of 28 August 2012) (411.19 kB)

Searching for Animal Disease Transmission

Joe DeCapua

Last updated on: August 29, 2012 11:10 AM

Researchers are not waiting for the next new disease to emerge. They’re studying our near and distant primate relatives to try to prevent future epidemics.
HIV/AIDS is a well-known zoonotic disease, an illness transmitted from animals to humans. The disease – linked to African primates - has killed tens of millions and more than 30 million people are now living with the disease.
Dr. Natalie Cooper said there may be many more diseases ready to jump from animals to humans. The Trinity College Dublin assistant professor and her colleagues are focusing their research on primates.

“Investigating diseases in primates gives us a really good model of the kinds of diseases which we might expect to see in humans. Because things which are common in these primate populations are also the kind of things which end up getting passed into human populations eventually, or they’re the kind of things that we already share with primates,” she said.

There are a number of things that need to happen before an animal disease spreads among humans.

“First of all you have to contact that disease somehow. So maybe you bump into an animal that sneezes on you for example. And that’s got to happen first. But then there’s a lot of stuff that happens within the human body. So that disease then has to get through your immune system. It has to get into your cells and actually start causing some disease symptoms. And so it’s much easier for these diseases, if they’re kind of adapted to this primate model system, to come into another primate, a human,” she said.

Researchers expected to find that humans would share diseases with primates with whom they’re mostly closely related. Cooper says immune systems are likely to be similar in primates that share a common ancestor.

“It wasn’t that long ago that humans and chimpanzees had this common ancestor. So we expect that we have these similar traits in our biology, which might make it easy for us to catch the same kinds of diseases. So we were expecting – and all the previous research has suggested – that we’d share more with our very close relatives, the great apes. So this would be gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans than we would with other species of primates,” she said.

Researchers did in fact confirm that we do share many diseases with the great apes. But Cooper said they they also found something unexpected.

“What’s more surprising is that things like old world monkeys and lemurs even – so lemurs are the very primitive kinds of monkeys that you find on Madagascar – we share an ancestor with them something like a hundred million years ago, [a]really, really long time ago. So we really weren’t expecting to see that much sharing there,” she said.

So the span of a hundred million years since we had a common ancestor does not necessarily protect us from catching a virus from a lemur. By the way, we also share diseases with macaques and baboons.

Cooper said there are massive gaps in knowledge about various species of monkey. She said once those gaps are filled, scientists can determine how much of a risk monkey diseases pose to humans. That could lead to vaccines to prevent outbreaks and epidemics.

“It’s a hugely daunting task, and obviously primates are only just the first step here. So there are other kinds of animals, which we actually end up having a lot more contact with. So domesticated animals, cats and dogs in particular - and then things like rats and mice, which we have a lot of contact with in domestic situations. And we think that these species are very, very likely to transfer diseases across to us,” she said.

As the global population grows, people are spreading into new areas. As they do, Cooper said, they’re encountering new species of animals and possibly new diseases as well. http://www.voanews.com/content/primates-diseases-29aug12/1497870.html

Creation of a committee to fight against the epidemic of haemorrhagic fever Ebola in DRC

Creation of a committee to fight against the epidemic of haemorrhagic fever Ebola in DRCKinshasa, 29/08 (ACP)
. - A coordination committee of the fight against the epidemic of Ebola haemorrhagic fever officially declared in the DRC since August 17 is created under a decree of the Minister of Public Health 23 August 2012.
The committee, according to a decree issued policy guidelines and administrative and ensure social mobilization and resource information to the population, especially those affected by the epidemic, the evolution of the latter as well as stock control companies.

The coordination committee, chaired by the Minister of Public Health, is composed of six commissions, namely commissions support cases, epidemiological surveillance, education, health and sanitation, making psychosocial care as well as research and laboratory. Regarding these commissions, that care cases is responsible for reducing the risk of contamination of the community, caregivers isolating the sick and the proper use of protective equipment and the implementation of measures universal protection, while ensuring the monitoring of patients.

The epidemiological surveillance is responsible for identifying cases at home and its surroundings in order to transfer to the medical center, inform and raise awareness about the disease and its prevention, by training health personnel epidemiological surveillance, coordinating monitoring in the area of health and maintain a register of rumors and its verification.
The Committee has the obligation of awareness training sensitizers, identify channels of awareness, information on the measures to prevent, prepare the population to accept the control measures recommended by the International Committee of fight against the epidemic .

The hygiene and sanitation as filler to improve working conditions for health workers and the public (waste disposal, decontamination and disinfection of premises), to limit or reduce the risk of contamination of the population by handling of sick or excreta of patients, develop the isolation wards, to ensure disinfection of places, and objects contaminated protective clothing as well as the collection and burial of corpses.
As for the commission of psychosocial care, its tasks are to identify the affected families, families of victims and secure their neighbors disinfection of inhabitants, to supply food to affected families, to facilitate their reintegration and make support socio-orphan school. ACP/FNG/Kayu/Kul http://www.acpcongo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11464:creation-dun-comite-de-lutte-contre-lepidemie-de-fievre-hemorragique-a-virus-ebola-en-rdc&catid=41:sante&Itemid=62

Monitoring anti Ebola strengthened border Uganda-Congo

Monitoring anti Ebola strengthened border Uganda-Congo

Tuesday, August 28, 2012 4:45 p.m.
The government is working to limit the spread of the Ebola virus. The Minister of Public Health, Felix Kabange is flying a delicate operation to eradicate Ebola hemorrhagic fever raging in Eastern Province, specifically in the area of Dungu and in the town of Isiro.
With the help of partners from WHO, UNICEF, MSF and CIBSI to give the state and the health situation prevailing in the Eastern Province specifically in the town of Dungu and Isiro. Immediately warned the Minister of Health has sent a small team of experts in the field to examine patients and confirm the reappearance of this virus in Congo. After the samples taken from patients, six of them were examined and two are being analyzed, both found in Dungu were negative. The provisional toll reported some deaths. A Isiro, eight cases were identified, including three deaths and forty-four cases are about to be examined, Viadana where there were three deaths and 32 cases of targeted contacts...

http://7sur7.cd/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36318:surveillance-anti-ebola-renforcee-a-la-frontiere-ougando-congolaise-&catid=6:congonews

South Kivu: an unknown disease decimated 100 pigs a week in Sange

August 30, 2012
An unknown disease decimated the pig in the city of Sange, over 100 km south of Bukavu. . Local farmers who announced the new claim that this is the last week that the animals die from the disease.
A pig infected with this disease is high fever. . His spleen swells, according to farmers.
The charge of agriculture and livestock Sange confirmed this disease swine, announcing the imminent arrival of specialists to collect samples for examination in the laboratory.
This situation leads to a decrease in the consumption of pork, in spite of the fuck its price on the local market, said a butcher.
Due to lack of vaccines, pigs are often victims of diseases unknown in this city.
http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://radiookapi.net/en-bref/2012/08/29/sud-kivu-une-maladie-inconnue-decime-100-porcs-en-semaine-sange/&usg=ALkJrhiWCvY4S65Ypkm52Ng3IQ87z-tgzg

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola outbreak - DREF Operation No. (MDRCD011)

Democratic Republic of the Congo (the)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola outbreak - DREF Operation No. (MDRCD011)

Report

—29 Aug 2012

IFRC

Download PDF (430.35 KB)

CHF 262,914 has been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the National Society in delivering immediate assistance to some 830,000 beneficiaries. Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.
Summary: An Ebola hemorrhagic fever epidemic is currently ravaging the Haut-Uele District in Oriental Province situated along the Uganda border. Isiro, capital of the district and Dungu, one of the towns in the district are the most affected localities.
As of August 22, 2012, a total of 16 cases including 10 deaths and 97 contact persons who are under surveillance were recorded in these two health districts (Source: interagency meeting from 22 August 2012 to the Ministry of health in Kinshasa). The near inaccessible nature of the area, coupled with the insecurity that is currently prevailing there, the scarcity of internal flights, and especially the dilapidated nature of existing health infrastructure are all factors that can lead to a worsening of the current situation.
The DRC Red Cross has supported the government of DRC in response to earlier hemorrhagic fever epidemics and has deployed volunteers in the affected areas. The DRC Red Cross now needs to scale up their activities in order to minimize the spread and impact or the epidemic. The current planned operation includes sensitization campaigns in affected districts, psycho-social support to affected and exposed persons and support to the government safe transport of patients, safe disposal of dead bodies and disinfection of suspected infected houses and items.
An Ebola epidemic was recently reported in Uganda, but tests have confirmed that this outbreak is of a different strain, and therefore this outbreak is not related to cross-border migration.
This operation is expected to be implemented over 3 months, and will therefore be completed by November 2012; a Final Report will be made available three months after the end of the operation (by February 2013). http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/democratic-republic-congo-ebola-outbreak-dref-operation-no-mdrcd011 http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/MDRCD011.pdf

Alarming levels of drug-resistant TB found worldwide

- Kate Kelland

Thursday, August 30, 2012 17:0 hrs IST

Scientists have found an alarming number of cases of the lung disease tuberculosis in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America that are resistant to up to four powerful antibiotic drugs.
In a large international study published in the Lancet medical journal on Thursday, researchers found rates of both multi drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) were higher than previously thought and were threatening global efforts to curb the spread of the disease.

"Most international recommendations for TB control have been developed for MDR-TB prevalence of up to around 5 percent. Yet now we face prevalence up to 10 times higher in some places, where almost half of the patients ... are transmitting MDR strains," Sven Hoffner of the Swedish Institute for Communicable Disease Control, said in a commentary on the study.

TB is already a worldwide pandemic that infected 8.8 million people and killed 1.4 million in 2010.

Drug-resistant TB is more difficult and costly than normal TB to treat, and is more often fatal.

MDR-TB is resistant to at least two first-line drugs - isoniazid and rifampicin - while XDR-TB... http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.DLL/portal/ep/contentView.do?contentType=EDITORIAL&channelId=-1073753405&programId=1080132918&contentId=12314936&tabId=1

Ebola: Kibaale public gatherings ban lifted

Publish Date: Aug 30, 2012
The national Ebola task force has lifted a ban that had been slapped on all public gatherings in Kibaale district.

“We have deemed it necessary to allow public gatherings (in places) such as markets, schools and any other social gatherings to open up because the Ebola epidemic is now contained,” Dr. Jackson Amony, the national coordinator of the Ebola task force said.

All public gatherings had been banned following the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic that was declared on July 28.

Amony said that the epidemic is now in the low risk period and the public can now go on with their normal business but with caution...

[link to www.newvision.co.ug]

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Pig fever sweeps across Russia

Deadly virus may be poised to spread to neighbouring states.

Ewen Callaway

28 August 2012

Mass culls and vigilant hygiene are the main forms of defence against the African swine fever virus.

K. Chalabov/RIA Novosti

Russian authorities have incinerated tens of thousands of pigs and closed roads in the past few weeks, in an attempt to contain an emerging outbreak of African swine fever, a viral disease so lethal to the animals that it has been likened to Ebola. The spread of the disease comes with a heavy economic toll — last year, the Russian Federation lost 300,000 of the country’s 19 million pigs to swine fever, at an estimated cost of about 7.6 billion roubles (US$240 million).
African swine fever was also detected for the first time in Ukraine in late July, and European and Asian countries are on the alert to deal with outbreaks that could cost their pork industries billions of dollars. With no vaccine or cure for the disease, mass culls and vigilant hygiene offer the main defence..... http://www.nature.com/news/pig-fever-sweeps-across-russia-1.11294

The outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in the Haut-Uele surrounded

Isiro, 28/08 (ACP). - Work on site qu'abattent stakeholders in the fight against the epidemic of Ebola haemorrhagic fever raging in Orientale Province, specifically in the district of Haut-Uele helped identify quickly the epidemic, according to the Minister of Public Health, Felix Kabange Numbi. The latter, while staying in Isiro, chief town of the district, for the supervision of activities related to the fight, congratulated the players. Kabange Minister, accompanied by a team of health experts, said the efforts of the central government is rolling out to partners to curb the epidemic in this district. The epidemic officially declared on August 17, was until the beginning of last weekend killed 11 people in Haut-Uele, where we also recorded 20 suspected cases, particularly in the areas of health Isiro of Wamba, Viadana, of Pawa and Dungu.

The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo stabilized

Haemorrhagic fever Ebola, which is officially declared on August 17 Isiro in Orientale Province, in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a stabilization phase, said Tuesday medical inspector of the Eastern Province, Jean-Marc Madindi. Of 15 reported cases, the epidemic has killed 10 people, he said, adding that the medical team on the ground has the support of WHO, UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) .

The Minister of Health, Kabange Numbi stays Isiro, along with a team of health experts in the context of strengthening the fight against Ebola epidemic in this part of the DRC.

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=fr&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.afriquejet.com%2Fsante-fievre-2012082943775.html

Woman Steals Baby from Mulago ,Hides it in Ebola Unit

August 29, 2012By Ahura Mujuni Mark
There was drama and agony in Mulago referal hospital on Monday when a woman stole a newly born baby from an ailing mother and hid with it in an Ebola isolation facility.
Ms Safina Birabwa lost her baby shortly after delivering .The suspect who hails from Kasubi, Rubaga Division in Kampala reportedly came near her bed and carried her baby ,she then sneaked out of the room leaving her small bag which acted as her scapegoat with Birabwa.
After realizing that the suspect was missing with her child ,Birabwa called her husband that her child had been stolen .She later fainted and police began the search for the suspect .fainted
Assistant Inspector of Mulago Police Station, Mr Richard Okello, said he received information and dispatched policemen to major entrances of the hospital to check all women leaving the hospital with babies and whether they had discharge forms or not.
“The suspect was found hiding at the Ebola Isolation Unit with the baby.” He said
Police also found her with a delivery from Itojo hospital and it confirmed that she was in labour on August 24.This forced police to subject the two women to DNA test.It was later confirmed that Birabwa was the mother of the Baby. http://www.ugandapicks.com/2012/08/woman-steals-baby-from-mulago-hides-it-in-ebola-unit-68681.html

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Ebola: Prisons to Lift Ban on Visits

Uganda Prisons authorities will this week assess whether to allow public visits to selected prison facilities following a month-long ban over Ebola outbreak.

Read more: http://ugandaradionetwork.com/a/story.php?s=44925#ixzz24pmTOR22

Medical workers start count to declare Kibaale Ebola-free

A health officer from World Health Organisation ready to spray the premises at Kagadi Hospital recently. More than 60 patients with Ebola-like symptoms have sought medical attention at the hospital. PHOTO by RONALD TUMUSIIME

The last confirmed cases were discharged on Friday while a man who reportedly entered into an isolation ward at Kagadi Hospital and stole a phone from an Ebola patient was also discharged.

Kibaale

Medical officials in Kibaale at the weekend began counting 21 days within which the district will be declared Ebola-free if they do not register any new cases.

The district health officer, Dr Dan Kyamanywa, said the counting started after all suspected and confirmed Ebola patients were discharged from Kagadi Hospital.

Also discharged was a 40-year-old resident of Kyakabugahya Village in Kagadi Town Council who reportedly stealthily entered into an isolation ward at Kagadi hospital and stole a phone from one of the Ebola patients who succumbed to the disease.

He developed Ebola-like symptoms after he started using the phone which an Ebola patient had used.
“He tested negative, received medication and has been discharged,” Dr Kyamanywa said. He may have survived the highly contagious disease but he is not yet off the criminal hook.

The district police commander, Mr John Ojokuna Elatu, said detectives are following him up over theft charges. “The file was opened at Kagadi Police and it is active,” Mr Ojokuna said.

This newspaper had by press time confirmed that the suspect had not been arrested by police.
The district health officer said medical officials are conducting surveillance in villages to detect any new cases.The tension that had gripped the district following the confirmation of Ebola outbreak has subsided.

The disease is a haemorrhagic fever and its incubation period is 21 days. Some of the signs and symptoms of the disease include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, headache,measles-like rash, red eyes and bleeding from body openings. http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Medical+workers+start+count++to+declare+Kibaale+Ebola+free/-/688334/1488356/-/92gk79/-/index.html

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