Vietnam’s new strain of bird flu spreading fast

Last Updated: Friday, September 21, 2012 08:50:00

Local authorities worry that it took just one month to spread from north to central Vietnam, but international experts do not predict a worse scenario than in previous years

  This picture taken on March 16 shows slaughtered chickens being displayed for sale at a local market in Hanoi. A new strain of the bird flu virus, which is deadly to humans, has appeared in Vietnam and is spreading rapidly, according to the Department of Animal Health. Photo: AFP
A new strain of the H5N1 virus known as bird flu has appeared in Vietnam, but the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says there is no reason to believe it is any more virulent than previous strains.
“In the past, the occurrence of variations in the virus has resulted in limited upsurges of outbreaks and the FAO expects this situation will be the same,” the UN agency said in a statement to Vietweek.
According to the Vietnamese Department of Animal Health, bird flu outbreaks have been detected in the northern and central provinces of Ha Tinh, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Bac Kan, Quang Ngai, Hoa Binh and Tuyen Quang, where more than 180,000 chickens and ducks have been culled so far.
“There is a new strain of the H5N1 virus that is spreading fast with a high capacity to kill humans,” Diep Kinh Tan, deputy minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said at a recent meeting of the National Committee for Avian Influenza Disease Control and Prevention.
“The central government is very concerned,” he said.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has also instructed relevant agencies nationwide to enforce bird flu control protocols and establish inspection teams to monitor bird flu prevention measures.
The agriculture ministry will coordinate with provinces and cities to detect the presence of H5N1 in poultry early in order to immediately inform health agencies to take preventive measures to limit the number of human infections.
Hoang Van Nam, acting director of the Department of Animal Health, said the new H5N1 strain is “more toxic” than previous ones.
He said the strain belongs to a subclade of the 2.3.2.1 clade that infected poultry in Vietnam in 2011.
“There is a high possibility that this new subclade will spread wider,” he said.
Nguyen Tung, deputy director of the Central Veterinary Diagnosis Center, said the new strain appeared in July and took just one month to spread from north to central Vietnam.
“The center will test existing vaccines against the new strain,” he said.
Smuggled chicks to blame?
Nguyen Thanh Son, deputy director of the Husbandry Department said he suspected that the source of the new strain of infected poultry was chicken smuggled into the country from China.
“The virus spread where the smuggled chicken was being brought to,” he explained.
Deputy minister Tan instructed the Husbandry Department to step up surveillance efforts aimed at preventing newly-hatched chickens from China from entering Vietnam for breeding, which carries far greater risk of spreading the virus than chicken for food.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), bird flu has been especially deadly in Vietnam, which has recorded at least 61 deaths among 122 infected patients since 2003.
The avian influenza virus has killed 349 people among 594 cases worldwide, and scientists have voiced concern it could mutate into a form readily transmissible between humans, with the potential to kill millions.
Two of the four people within Vietnam to become infected this year have died. The most recent fatality was a man from the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak in March – several months before the new strain was identified.
However, the WHO and the FAO, while calling for preventive measures, both said the presence of the new strain does not mean that major outbreaks are more likely to occur.
The FAO has an on-going program to support the Department of Animal Health to control avian flu and is helping the department identify the new strain.
“It is likely that some but not all available vaccines will protect against this variant,” the organization said. “A vaccine trial has been set up by the Department of Animal Health to test a newly available vaccine against this variant and earlier viruses present in Vietnam.
“Older ducks are resistant to H5N1 disease, whereas young ducks are more susceptible. Therefore, some areas will experience more severe outbreaks depending on the age of the poultry population being raised there.”
According to the WHO, bird flu infections among humans are rare, sporadic and occur mostly in areas where the virus is circulating endemically among poultry.
“There is currently no evidence to suggest that this present strain of the H5N1 virus will have an increased risk to human health,” the UN agency said.  http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/pages/20120921-vietnams-new-strain-of-bird-flu-spreading-fast.aspx?

Osterhaus bends over new coronavirus

Osterhaus bends over new coronavirus

12/09/25 - 16:40 Source: Reuters 
© Reuters.
Is it coincidence that in a few months time, two people have been infected with a new type of coronavirus or is there something around? That is the question virologist Ab Osterhaus (Erasmus MC) and his colleagues at home and abroad are currently bending. Also, they are eagerly looking for the source of infection.



"We are now working on a method which we this virus early diagnose. We also work on means by which we can fight, if need be: vaccines and antivirals, "said Osterhaus. The question is whether the virus from person to person can be. Currently, research is carried out in the contact area of the two patients. The question is whether people with whom they have been in contact antibodies have created. This may indicate that the virus from human to human transmission is. "But we should be careful. It may also be that the people who have antibodies with the same source have been in trouble. A bat example. Then it is possible that they are not infected each other, but that both the infected bat. " According to the RIVM in the Netherlands are not known infections. Symptoms that a patient receives when he is infected, include fever, cough, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. The two known patients had severe pneumonia and kidney problems. http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederlan...navirus.dhtml?

Health": Kuwait free of the virus, "Corona"

 Dr. Yusuf Mndkar Director in the Department of Public Health and the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health that no cases of Corona virus, which is similar to influenza in the country, stressing that it does not require the declaration of a state of emergency.
http://www.moheet.com/2012/09/25/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B3-%D9%83%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86%D8%A7/

Ebola scare in Zim

Monday, 24 September 2012 20:22

Zimbabweans are at risk of contracting the deadly Ebola virus which has been reported in the DRC as the country does not have enough trained health personnel to control ports of entry. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Gerald Gwinji said although government is on high alert and surveillance systems have been activated, the shortage of port health technicians at the country’s border posts is compromising the whole situation. Dr Gwinji said only 19 port health technicians and 6 environmental health officers are manning the country’s entry points, a figure which is way below the required number of over 50.   The Zimbabwe women’s soccer team, the Mighty Warriors, have a date with the DRC women soccer team this weekend and observers have urged responsible authorities to ensure that all the necessary steps to screen the visitors are conducted.  http://www.zbc.co.zw/news-categories/health/23701-ebola-scare-in-zim.html

'Sars' patient fights for life at St Thomas' after flying into London from Qatar

'Sars' patient fights for life at St Thomas' after flying into London from Qatar
25 September 2012

The London hospital treating a man struck down by an illness similar to Sars has been named as St Thomas’.

Experts at the Lambeth hospital, which specialises in respiratory illnesses, have put him in isolation and are treating him by oxygenating his blood outside his body.

The 49-year-old patient who was born in Qatar caught the illness in Saudi Arabia and travelled by air ambulance for treatment in the UK.

He is the second person confirmed with the coronavirus, which has been likened to the Sars virus that killed hundreds of people in 2002.

The first case was a 60-year-old man in Saudi Arabia who died in July. The two patients never met. The Health Protection Agency is also investigating a third possible case.

Specialists at St Thomas’ are using a procedure known as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment.

All medical staff who come into contact with the patient are following strict infection prevention and control procedures and wearing masks and protective gloves.

It is believed he developed a severe chest infection and renal failure after visiting Saudi Arabia. He was admitted to an intensive care unit in Doha in September but when the illness worsened he was flown to a private hospital in London.

He was then transferred to St Thomas’ which specialises in treating respiratory infections and is currently being given intensive care in an isolation unit.

Officials are still determining what threat the new virus may pose.

A spokesman for Guy’s and St Thomas’ said: “The patient has been identified as having a new type of coronavirus and we are working closely with the Health Protection Agency and following their guidance.

“The patient, who has been isolated, is receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment, which delivers oxygen to the blood outside the body when the lungs are not able to. We are one of five designated specialist centres in the UK to offer this treatment.

“We are following strict infection prevention and control procedures to protect patients and staff.

“There is no evidence that the virus has been transmitted to any other patient or member of staff. However, staff involved in caring for this patient are being followed up by occupational health as a precaution.”

Professor John Watson, head of the respiratory diseases department at the HPA said there was no specific evidence of the virus spreading from person-to-person.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which includes ones that cause the common cold as well as ones that cause Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome).

There was a global outbreak of Sars in 2002 which killed around 800 people.http://www.standard.co.uk/news/healt...r-8175088.html

Health authorities allay viral outbreak fears

Tuesday, 25 September 2012 03:33


by MOHAMED IQBAL

DOHA: The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) yesterday confirmed reports about a Qatari man affected with a new SARS-like respiratory virus that left him critically ill in a London hospital.

While the incident has prompted the World Health Organisation (WHO) to issue a global alert for the virus, the SCH has discounted fears about a possible spread of the disease in the country saying no second case has been detected here until now.

The news was circulating on social media yesterday, with people expressing fears about a possible outbreak, especially during the forthcoming

Haj pilgrimage. “The one we heard today is the only case detected in Qatar until now. All members of his family have been tested, but none of them were found affected,” Dr Mohammed Al Thani, director of the Public Health Department at SCH said in a news conference held on short notice last evening.

He said the victim had contracted the illness in Saudi Arabia where he went for Umrah earlier this month.

The 49-year-old Qatari was admitted to an intensive care unit in Doha on September 7 suffering from acute respiratory infection and kidney failure before being transferred to Britain by air ambulance on September 11, the WHO said yesterday.

“He was admitted to the HMC but we decided to send him to the UK when we found that he needed further tests,” said Mohammed Al Thani.

A Saudi Arabian national died earlier this year from a virtually identical virus, the WHO said, while Saudi medical authorities said they were investigating other possible cases of the disease.

The WHO confirmed the illness belongs to coronavirus family but was not SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which swept out of China in 2003, killing more than 800 people worldwide.

“These are the only two known cases of the disease until now. A third suspected case was reported but it has not been confirmed. The family members of the Saudi victim were also tested but none of them was found infected. We don’t have enough information about the illness. We still cannot say whether it will spread through human contact, or if it is curable,” said Mohammed Al Thani.

Dr Abdullatheef Al Khal, head of the communicable diseases section at HMC said HMC had alerted all its hospitals and emergency departments about the new disease. The illness was detected in the UK because the HMC laboratory does not have the facilities to identify the virus, he added

“We want to reassure the public that there is nothing to worry since there is no indication of the illness spreading fast. It has not yet become an epidemic. However, we are taking all necessary precautions,” said Al Khal.

He, however, added that Qatar has not initiated any special precautions for Haj pilgrims because the current situation does not demand that.

“We are advising all pilgrims to take all the required vaccinations at least two weeks in advance and follow general hygiene like washing the hands frequently during the pilgrimage,” said Al Khal.

Dr Mohammed Al Hajari, head of the communicable diseases department at SCH said Qatar was waiting for official instructions from the WHO and the Saudi authorities on precautions related to Haj pilgrims.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Health Protection Agency (HPA) confirmed the presence of the new coronavirus and then found that it was a 99.5 percent match with a virus obtained from the lung tissue of the 60-year-old Saudi man who died earlier this year.

Coronaviruses are causes of the common cold but can also include more severe illnesses including SARS.

Quoting Saudi media, agencies reported yesterday that three people, including the Qatari man were diagnosed with the virus.
The HPA, stressed no one else in Britain, including those who had come into contact with the man, were reporting symptoms.

The HPA said the new virus was “different from any that have previously been identified in humans.”

It said there were encouraging signs that it was not as infectious as SARS as there had been no evidence of illness in people who had been in contact with the Qatari or the Saudi, including in health workers.

“Based on what we know about other coronaviruses, many of these contacts will already have passed the period when they could have caught the virus from the infected person,” it said.

John Oxford, professor at the University of London, said he was “somewhat relaxed” because he believed the illness was more likely to behave “like a nasty infection rather than join the ‘exception’ group like SARS.”

“This new virus does not appear to be in the same ‘big bang’ group,” he added. “I am very pleased that it does not!” http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qat...eak-fears.html

New coronavirus alert) Qatari in London remains critical

New coronavirus alert) Qatari in London remains critical
(29 mins ago)

A Qatari man suffering from a new respiratory virus from the same family as the deadly virus that causes SARS, remains in critical condition, the World Health Organization said today.
“He is still in critical condition'' at a London hospital, Gregory Haertl, a spokesman for the United Nations health body, said in Geneva.
The 49-year-old Qatari was admitted to an intensive care unit in Doha on September 7 suffering from acute respiratory infection and kidney failure before being transferred to Britain by air ambulance on September 11, the WHO said.
A Saudi Arabian national died earlier this year from a virtually identical virus, the WHO said.
The WHO confirmed the illness was in the coronavirus family but was not SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which swept out of China in 2003, killing more than 800 people worldwide.
Haertl stressed that the coronavirus family also includes other viruses, including the common cold, and insisted the new virus was not SARS.
“This is not SARS, it will not become SARS, and it is not SARS-like,'' he said, pointing out that what sets the new virus apart was that it caused rapid kidney failure.
The WHO is cooperating with national health authorities in a bid to detect other cases, and was planning to publish an update later Tuesday, Haertl said.
He stressed though that very little was known about the new virus so far, pointing out that there were only two confirmed cases, which popped up three months apart and with no connection besides the fact that both men had links to Saudi Arabia.
“We don't know yet how it transmits... if it's human to human or animal to human,’’ he said, pointing out that the virus might also provoke milder, and therefore undetected illness. “We are very much in an investigative period,'' he said.   http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=25541&icid=a&d_str=

Health officials allay fears over new virus

Senior health officials have assured Qatar residents that a newly-detected Sars-like virus, which has so far killed two people across the world and made a third person - a Qatari - critically ill in a London hospital, is not yet a pandemic.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced yesterday that a 49-year-old Qatari man was critically ill in a London hospital after contracting an infection similar to the deadly Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus that emerged in 2002 and eventually killed around 800 people. Among those killed by the virus recently is a 60-year-old Saudi national. “We would like to assure Qatar residents that there is no cause to panic because this is a new type of virus, which was detected in London,” Supreme Council of Health Public Health Department director Dr Mohamed al-Thani told an urgently-convened media briefing yesterday evening.

 http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=533368&version=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56

HK- 'SARS-like' virus alert

'SARS-like' virus alert Mary Ann Benitez Tuesday, September 25, 2012 Authorities are on full alert for a new SARS-like threat that - like the virus that rocked and ravaged Hong Kong nine years ago - can cause severe illness and death.It has surfaced in the Middle East, and travelers who have been to Qatar or Saudi Arabia and return with pneumonia are being targeted for isolation and checks for signs of the virus. Concern has been sharpened by the fact that the Haj, the annual pilgrimage of hundreds of thousands to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, will be in full swing by the middle of October. The 2003 SARS epidemic killed 299 people in Hong Kong among 774 worldwide, though a top health official here believes anything on such a scale this time around is unlikely. Severe acute respiratory syndrome is caused by what is called a coronavirus, taking its name from its crown-like outer part. Such a virus causes the common cold, but a mutation can be horrific. The scare comes after a World Health Organization alert yesterday following a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection in a 49-year-old Qatari man who traveled to Saudi Arabia prior to falling sick on September 3. He was admitted to a Qatar hospital in critical condition on September 7 and then airlifted to a London hospital on September 11. He was last night in critical condition after renal failure. The Health Protection Agency UK said virus samples from the man were almost identical to those of a 60-year- old Saudi who died earlier this year. Samples of matter from his  lungs were sequenced by the Erasmus University Medical Centre in the Netherlands and reported earlier this month. The WHO is trying to determine the public health implications of the two cases and had not yet recommended travel restrictions. In Hong Kong, the controller of the Centre for Health Protection, Thomas Tsang Ho-fai, warned: "We need to step up surveillance [at] entry points ... to detect whether there is any trace of this coronavirus." But the new strain appears to have limited ability to spread between people. "This is a novel coronavirus," Tsang said. "We're not talking about the return of SARS." Tsang did send a message to doctors, however, saying that people who developed pneumonia from unexplained respiratory illnesses seven days after landing from travels must be reported. People suspected of carrying the virus must be under strict isolation in facilities where staff wear full protective gear, he added. And the Hospital Authority called a teleconference of all public hospital doctors yesterday on the virus. Still, Chinese University chair professor of respiratory medicine David Hui Shu-cheong said: "We need to wait for more information from WHO. We do not know exactly how infectious the disease is and whether this virus has the capacity to cause major outbreaks."  http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=11&art_id=126784&sid=37739567&con_type=3&d_str=20120925&fc=1

. Mohammed Al Thani reveals details of injury citizen mysterious disease like SARS

D. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani during the conference

8:08 p.m.

24

September

2012

Jassim Salman - East Gate
D denied. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of Public Health in the Supreme Council of Health any presence of SARS in Qatar, pointing out that citizens who are suspected of being infected like SARS was doing Umrah and returned before Eid al-Fitr, and see the emergency two weeks ago, and was transferred by plane medical evacuation to London, and is now undergoing medical care there.
This came during a press conference held this evening to respond to what is being traded for injured citizen SARS killer, revealing which doctors HMC that citizens left the country on July 29 last to perform Umrah, and then returned on August 18, and went to the emergency after returning a few days.
And he added. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani said that citizens see the emergency on Sept. 7, and was suffering from pneumonia, shortness of breath and a rise in temperature, doctors found that it is better to move to London, and was transferred a medical evacuation aircraft.
And between the World Health Organization told them yesterday evening through formal methods existence Corona virus has infected citizen, a virus that causes SARS-like symptoms.
 He pointed to the case of citizen-like state for Saudi suffered the same symptoms and died last June.
He d. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, the media hype about the disease not only because it is dangerous, but because it is a new virus.
In response to a question by "East Gate" about the delay of the Supreme Council of Health to announce the injury, he said. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, that there is no delay The World Health Organization told them yesterday evening only the news, but London wanted to get out they were pioneers are the name of the disease, was spreading the word from them.
The manager called the Department of Public Health pilgrims from citizens and residents to take the necessary vaccinations before they left for the pilgrimage this year for their own safety.
In response to reporters' questions the conference about the possibility of an infection suffered by any of the patient's relatives citizen, he said. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, they already performed the necessary tests to relatives of citizens and all mingled, and is not detect any infection, emphasizing that Qatar is void of any infected.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier that the country in critical condition being treated in a London hospital from illness like SARS killer.
The organization said the United Nations said in a statement through its "Global Alert and Response" The tests were conducted on the patient, a diagonal at the age of 49 years and confirmed the presence of the new virus, which belongs to a family of viruses coronal. The large family of viruses coronal and includes the influenza virus and SARS.
The statement said, "including that new coronal virus, the World Health Organization is now beginning the process of gathering more information to determine the implications for public health."
SARS emerged in China in 2002 and killed about 800 people in the world before it becomes under control.
 http://www.al-sharq.com//ArticleDetails.aspx?AID=203998&CatID=64&title=%D8%AF.%20%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%20%D8%A2%D9%84%20%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%20%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%B4%D9%81%20%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%8A%D9%84%20%D8%A5%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A9%20%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%86%20%D8%A8%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%B6%20%D8%BA%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B6%20%D9%8A%D8%B4%D8%A8%D9%87%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B3

Epidemiological update: two cases of a novel coronavirus laboratory confirmed

24 Sep 2012

A novel coronavirus has been identified with laboratory tests in two patients both with severe respiratory and renal disease. Both had travelled to Saudi Arabia in recent months. It is not clear at this point whether the viruses are identical but there is strong indication that they may be. A British national originally from Qatar first had symptoms on 3 September and was initially hospitalised in Doha, Qatar. He was transferred to the UK on 11 September by air ambulance where he is currently being treated in an intensive care unit in a London hospital. He had earlier travelled to Saudi Arabia. The first case was a 60 year old patient in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in June 2012 who subsequently died. The same coronavirus type as the Qatari case was confirmed by the Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. No other cases have been confirmed at this point. Coronaviruses are a group of viruses causing respiratory infections in humans and animals. Up to one third of upper respiratory tract infections with no severe symptoms in adults are caused by a coronavirus. ECDC is working closely with the Health Protection Agency in the UK, Erasmus University Medical Centre, WHO HQ, WHO Euro and the European Commission to coordinate information, assess the risk for further spread and support appropriate response measures.  http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/press/news/Lists/News/ECDC_DispForm.aspx?List=32e43ee8-e230-4424-a783-85742124029a&ID=734&RootFolder=%2Fen%2Fpress%2Fnews%2FLists%2FNews

Ron Fouchier on the New Coronavirus: We Need to Fulfill Koch's Postulates

by Martin Enserink on 24 September 2012, 1:57 PM | 

Health officials around the world are on alert after the discovery of a new virus in two patients with pneumonia. The agent belongs to the coronavirus group, which includes several common cold viruses but also the virus that causes SARS, a severe disease that killed more than 700 people during a fast-moving global outbreak in 2002 and 2003 before it was contained.

The first known patient in the new incident was a 60-year-old man from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, who died from pneumonia in July; his case was reported by Ali Mohamed Zaki of the Soliman Fakeeh Hospital in Jeddah on ProMED, an e-mail list about emerging infections, on 15 September. Yesterday, the United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency (HPA) reported that a 49-year-old Qatari man, who had traveled to Saudi Arabia and is now being treated in an intensive care unit in London, is infected with the same virus. Several other cases are reportedly under investigation; it's unclear whether the virus can be transmitted between humans or how big a threat it may pose to public health.

ScienceInsider talked to Ron Fouchier, a virologist at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, who sequenced the virus's genome and concluded that the Saudi and Qatari patients most likely are infected with the same virus. Questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Q: What do you think we're dealing with?

R.F.: For the moment, all we know is that one patient has died and another one is terribly ill. Other cases are under investigation, but as far as I know they have not been confirmed. So for the moment, we're just assuming there were two individual infections, probably from some animal reservoir. They occurred 3 months apart, which is too long for one to have infected the other. I really can't speculate about it.

There are now six known human coronaviruses; one of them is SARS, but four cause the common cold and are quite innocuous. So let's keep both feet on the ground and not blow this out of proportion.

Q: How did your lab get involved in this case?

R.F.: We've been involved in the discovery of several viruses, including another coronavirus, and recently, we published a paper in PLoS ONE describing a test for the entire family of paramyxoviruses. So when Dr. Zaki had cultured an unidentifiable virus from one of his patients, he e-mailed me, primarily because he wanted us to test it for paramyxoviruses, and then he sent us the virus. I asked him whether he had tested for coronaviruses, which he hadn't done yet. There's an assay developed by [the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] that tests for all known coronaviruses. So while the virus was on its way to our lab, Dr. Zaki discovered that it was a coronavirus. But he does not have the facilities to sequence the virus, so that's what we did here.

At the time he posted the finding on ProMED, there was the patient in intensive care in London, so the HPA immediately started looking for a coronavirus as well, and that came back positive. They sent us the sequence of a very small PCR [polymerase chain reaction] fragment, just 200 nucleotides, and except for one nucleotide, it was identical to our virus. Of course, you need to sequence the entire genome, but based on this we can assume we're dealing with the same virus. In the meantime, we have sent the full genome and the virus itself to the U.K., so they can determine whether it really is.

Q: Why did you think it might be a coronavirus?
R.F.: We always think about coronaviruses. … Influenza, paramyxoviruses, and coronaviruses are the most obvious candidates when you have a serious respiratory infection.

Q: Do you want to study this new virus?

R.F.: Yes, we do. We've written a case report with Dr. Zaki about this first case and we're working on the annotation of the full genome, which we'll write up as a paper as well. But of course we'll need to start doing animal experiments. Initially, we assumed it was one isolated case in Saudi Arabia; now that the virus has surfaced in London as well, I think we'll need to become a bit more aggressive.

For starters, we'll find out whether animals get sick from this virus. You can isolate a virus from a patient, but that does not mean they died from it; to show that it causes disease you need to fulfill Koch's postulates. That'swhat we did for SARS, and it's what we hope to do here; we've applied for emergency ethical approval. The most obvious animal species to put this virus in are mice, ferrets, and perhaps monkeys. We've got to see what we can get approval for. http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/09/ron-fouchier-on-the-new-coronavi.html?rss=1

New SARS-like virus detected in Middle East

September 24, 2012 LONDON (AP) — British health authorities have alerted the U.N. of a new respiratory virus that resembles SARS in a severely ill patient who recently traveled to Saudi Arabia — where another man died of a similar illness earlier this year.

The man in the new case was sickened by a coronavirus, which causes most common colds but also causes SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome. In 2003, SARS killed hundreds of people, mostly in Asia, in a short-lived outbreak.

Experts said it was unclear how dangerous the virus is. "We don't know if this is going to turn into another SARS or if it will disappear into nothing," said Michael Osterholm, a flu expert at the University of Minnesota. He said it was crucial to determine the ratio of severe to mild cases.

Osterholm also said more information was needed on how the virus is spread — whether it's spread as easily as a common cold or, as in the case of SARS, mostly through close contact and via specific medical procedures like a lung intubation.

He said it was worrying that there had been at least one death from the new virus.

"You don't die from the common cold," he said. "This gives us reason to think it might be more like SARS." The SARS virus was particularly deadly and killed about 10 percent of the people it infected.

The World Health Organization says it is trying to determine the public health implications of the two cases but isn't currently recommending travel restrictions.

Officials are also concerned the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage next month could provide more opportunities for the virus to spread. The Hajj has previously sparked outbreaks of diseases including flu, meningitis and polio.  http://washingtonexaminer.com/new-sars-like-virus-detected-in-middle-east/article/feed/2032900?#.UGA8ZY2PUu4

Vietnam-One day discovered nearly 60,000 smuggled chickens

"Flush" smuggled into domestic poultry breeds: The risk of spread and widespread disease outbreaks

Updated: Monday, 09/24/2012 | 10:56:43 AM

Functional forces in Quang Ninh province arrested boxes smuggled chickens. Photo: TP Amid bird flu are re outbreaks in many localities throughout the country and the risk of spread to the very large outbreak arising from July to now appear H5N1 2.3.2.1 branch (group C) highly virulent, causing rapid death, death many waterfowl continuously in recent years, authorities have arrested several consecutive transporting smuggled poultry breeds, with unclear origin. This situation makes the risk of spread and large-scale disease outbreaks ...

One day discovered nearly 60,000 smuggled chickens Between 2 - 5 am 20/9, in the Pass area But, of P. Quang Hanh Dist. Cam Pha and White Bridge under P. Ha Tu, TP. Halong, Customs Control Team 2 Department Customs of Quang Ninh checked, the detection, arrest four cars shipped 59,000 chickens just 5 days years smuggled originated from China. All four vehicles were running on highway 18 from Mong Cai direction of, on each truck from 14,000 to 15,000 chickens just do not have valid papers. Whole chicken on the estimated value of nearly 300 million. Customs Control No. 2 team in collaboration with the specialized agencies in the province of administrative sanctions for 4 cars, the amount of nearly 30 million, the organization destroy all illegal transportation of chickens. Health perspective, Dr. Nguyen Tran Hien, Director of the Central Hygiene and Epidemiology Institute, said the study, analyze the latest genetic code is not detecting any sudden change in the influenza A/H5N1 virus strains that cause disease in humans. However, the most worrisome risk A/H5N1 influenza virus continues to circulate and cause outbreaks in poultry. It can keep small change in natural evolution, gene rearrangement in the process of human growth and development, recombinant influenza viruses circulating in animals and humans to form a strain new influenza highly pathogenic and potentially be transmitted from person to person. Therefore, the veterinary industry to work closely with the health sector, the need to actively enhance influenza virus surveillance in poultry and in humans for early application of appropriate preventive measures and prevent the spread of epidemic in poultry and poultry-to-human ...  On the same day, at Km102, Highway 37, travel through the town of Huong Son, Phu Binh (Thai Nguyen), when inspecting cars brought BKS 98C-008.20, Police forces, crime prevention and environmental , Thai Nguyen Provincial Police found the car carrying more than 7,000 birds of unknown origin. Drivers fail to produce documents related to the bird carrying the car and claimed on poultry transport from Ta Lung gate, Cao Bang province of Bac Giang province for consumption. Also in the morning 20/9, Binh Tan District Veterinary Station seized a batch of more than 100 chickens have the eye-catching blue, red, pink sold on Tan Ky Tan Quy bring medical waste treatment plant and hazardous waste disposal. A veterinarian said the chicken was imported from China and been dyed so can cause toxic. To be blocked from the original sources of spread Mr. Hoang Van Nam, right Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said of avian influenza virus H5N1 appeared, but still attached branches old, but already there is a difference with the virus in both groups A and B disease in Vietnam in 2011. This group of viruses capable of causing bird flu continues to spread in the future is very high. According the Central Veterinary Diagnostic Center, the new virus appeared in July, August has spread rapidly and over a wide range from the North Central Region.   This new virus is relatively close to group A, but much higher virulence. Dr.Long Thanh, director of the Central Veterinary Diagnostic Centre - Animal Health Department said that the risk is that this strain highly lethal than the old strain. Currently, the authorities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has begun to clarify the threat analysis of new strains. According to the Department of Animal Health, the country was eight provinces with avian bird deaths, the destruction of more than 180,000 children. However, the Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Department Nguyen Thanh Son fear, new branches virus can from chicken culling of China, especially chickens smuggled into Vietnam in recent years.Therefore, to prevent the spread of large-scale, MARD has has urgent send Committees of provinces and cities, ministries and agencies, proposals to strengthen prevention and control of avian influenza; pause operation live poultry from the north to the south until control the current avian influenza outbreaks.    http://www.baohoabinh.com.vn/219/73746/Tuon_giong_gia_cam_lau_vao_noi_dia_Nguy_co_lay_lan_va_bung_phat_dich_benh_tren_dien_rong.htm

Information for professionals - novel corona virus September 2012

On 21 September 2012 a novel corona virus was identified in lower respiratory tract specimens of a Qatari national who was receiving treatment for a severe respiratory illness in London. The virus is the same as a novel corona virus recently identifed by Dutch researchers in lung tissue from a national from Saudi Arabia who was ill previously with pneumonia. These are currently the only two known cases where this virus has been isolated.

There are a variety of corona viruses and these include viruses causing common cold symptoms and other types causing the much more serious illness of SARS. In light of the seriousness of the illness in these two patients and the unknown nature of the novel coronavirus, the current patient is being managed in strict respiratory isolation and any staff caring for them must wear full personal protective equipment - FFP3 respirator (staff should be fit tested), goggles, gown and gloves. Anyone who was in close contact with the patient while the patient was ill is being followed up - this includes healthcare workers who provided direct clinical or personal care or examination of the case while they were symptomatic.

The incubation period is currently considered to be up to seven days and therefore any respiratory illness occuring in the seven days following last contact with this case is considered relevant and staff should alert their manager / occupational health service as soon as possible. Symptoms would include fever, cough, or other respiratory symptoms.

At the current time any person recently returning from Saudi Arabia or Qatar with a serious respiratory illness should be managed in strict respiratory isolation (ideally a negative pressure room) and all staff should wear PPE as described above.
Clinicians who think they may have a patient meeting the above criteria should call the fever service on 0844 7788990.

Individuals with health concerns or queries should contact their occupational health department.


Last reviewed: 23 September 2012http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HP.../1317136202801

Museveni explains why he stopped shaking hands

Publish Date: Sep 24, 2012

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By Vision Reporter

President Yoweri Museveni has called on Ugandans to be more careful with their health saying most of the diseases in Uganda are preventable and can be managed if people were more sensitized.

“Am now 68 years and one of the things I don’t have a budget for is sickness. This is because am a very determined person and I don’t want a situation where I can’t do anything because am sick,” he said.

The President said unlike flue which is airborne, AIDS is a sickness people hunt for and spread to others.

“AIDS you already know where it is and alcohol. You wonder why people should drink until their cheeks are swollen. If I was drinking alcohol, I would not serve you for all this time. You may wonder why I don’t shake hands but wave,” Museveni said.

He explained that he no longer shook hands as a precaution against the deadly Ebola virus. The recent Ebola outbreak in Kibaale district in Western Uganda killed nineteen.

“When it appeared, I made broadcasts because I take sickness very seriously and told people to stop shaking hands. With Ebola you just shake hands and you get it. Fortunately this was managed and it stopped spreading, many people would have died. The last patient was discharged two weeks ago and the health workers are under quarantine until they are cleared. WHO sets these regulations to manage the disease. The Ministry of Health will announce the end of Ebola on October 4. I want people to learn the same. It is not bad manners if I wave,” he said...

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/635546-Museveni-explains-why-he-stopped-shaking-hands.html

Patient at London hospital has new virus found in Saudi Arabia

Posted on 09-24 at 07:26:40 CST

[As released by the UK's Health Protection Agency]

ACUTE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS ASSOCIATED WITH A NEW VIRUS IDENTIFIED IN THE UK

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) can confirm the diagnosis of one laboratory confirmed case of severe respiratory illness associated with a new type of coronavirus. The patient, who is from the Middle East and recently arrived in the UK, is receiving intensive care treatment in a London hospital.

In recent months, this new human coronavirus was also identified in a patient with acute respiratory illness in Saudi Arabia, who subsequently died.

Coronaviruses are causes of the common cold but can also include more severe illness, such as the virus responsible for SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). This new virus, however, is different from any that have previously been identified in humans. Preliminary enquiries haverevealed no evidence of illness in contacts of these two cases, including healthcare workers. Based on what we know about other coronaviruses, many of these contacts will already have passed the period when they could have caught the virus from the infected person.

We are also aware of a small numb  http://www.bnowire.com/inbox/?id=1119&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter