WHO Novel coronavirus infection – update

Novel coronavirus infection – update

16 FEBRUARY 2013 - The United Kingdom (UK) has informed WHO of another confirmed case of infection with the novel coronavirus (NCoV). This is the third case confirmed in the country this month and is in the same family cluster as the two recently confirmed cases.

The latest confirmed case does not have recent travel history outside the UK. The case is recovering from mild respiratory illness and is currently well.

The confirmation with NCoV in this case with no recent travel history indicates that infection was acquired in the UK. Although this new case offers further indications of person-to-person transmission, no sustained person-to-person transmission has been identified.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is following up on all close contacts who may have been exposed to the recently confirmed cases.

As of 16 February 2013, WHO is informed of a total of 12 confirmed cases of human infection with NCoV, including five deaths.

Based on the current situation and available information, WHO encourages all Member States to continue their surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns. Testing for the new coronavirus should be considered in patients with unexplained pneumonias, or in patients with unexplained severe, progressive or complicated respiratory illness not responding to treatment.

Any clusters of SARI or SARI in healthcare workers should be thoroughly investigated, regardless of where in the world they occur.

New cases and clusters of the NCoV should be reported promptly both to national health authorities and to WHO.

WHO does not advise special screening at points of entry with regard to this event nor does it recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied.

WHO continues to closely monitor the situation.

fucked up reporting? UPDATE

the story is a mix of corona in England and a boy in Queensland Australia, that was scratched by a bat.. so it is still a fucked up report, unless an 8 yr old is confirmed in England, and we don't know 2 of the ages right now.

Sars-like Virus Contracts another Family Member

Submitted by Bilyana Petrinska on 2013, February 16

UK has come across third case of lethal Sars-like virus. An eight-year old boy is suffering from a new type of coronavirus, akin to Sars.

The boy was bitten by the bat, two and half months ago, but did not take any medical treatment. After he suffered fits and delirium, he was admitted to a hospital.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that another person who has contracted the virus has a travelling history. He had recently travelled to the Middle East and Pakistan. He is in an intensive care unit at a Manchester hospital after getting infected by the virus. With the latest case, the global mark for the disease has reached 12.

This patient has mild respiratory illness and has been kept in isolation considering person-to-person transmission of virus.

Earlier, contagious nature of the disease was not considered, but after a family member of another patient was found positive with the disease, doctors have started to consider the same.

"Although this case appears to be due to person-to-person transmission, the risk of infection in contacts in most circumstances is still considered to be low", said Professor John Watson, head of the respiratory diseases department at the HPA. Doctors are working to reduce the risk associated with the virus http://visitbulgaria.info/18796-sars-virus-contracts-another-family-member

Boy, 8, critically ill from bat attack

February 16, 2013AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy is in a coma after catching the bat lyssavirus - only the third ever confirmed case in Australia.

The boy was bitten or scratched by a bat in north Queensland about 2½ months ago but his parents did not know about it at the time, according to the state's chief health officer, Jeannette Young.

Dr Young said the case was ''very sad''. The boy was in hospital in Brisbane but the outlook was grim.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/boy-8-critically-ill-from-bat-attack-20130215-2eihq.html#ixzz2LAsrywQQ

Zhanjiang flock of ducks pathogenic non-avian flu deaths culling 30,000 live ducks nonproliferation

2013 02 16 16:40
Zhanjiang, February 16 (Liang Sheng INVENTORY) during the Spring Festival, the town of Lianjiang City, Guangdong Zhanjiang Hechun Kyrgyzstan Lishui Town, at the junction of the duck farms of thousands of ducks die-offs. After receiving the report, immediately sanitation, disease control, animal husbandry and other departments to set up a special working group stationed in the incident duck farm harmless treatment of an epidemic plan for the first time on a dead duck, and the affected areas to conduct a full investigation and control .It is the Lianjiang City Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Bureau official introduction in the 16th, in the morning, Zhanjiang, Lianjiang two immunization experts once again the scene anatomy, has been ruled out pathogenic avian influenza, the day, the livestock sector there is an outbreak of two duck farms remaining of 30,000 ducks culled all finished.

　　It is understood from the 8th, of Lianjiang City Hechun town and guitar Lishui Town, at the junction of multiple duck duck death. The 10th, which the the two duck dead duck large area, within 3 days dead duck, a total of over 2000.

　　On the morning of the 14th, the animal husbandry and veterinary department in Lianjiang City organization specialized personnel on a duck farm in neighboring disinfection epidemic prevention, restrict vehicles and non-essential personnel out of the affected areas, and the organization of local animal husbandry and veterinary experts to spot dead duck anatomy, initially identified as infected with E. coli and Salmonella.

　　15, 2009, the city has a special working group in conjunction with the Hechun town Kyrgyzstan Lishui Town cadres Intensive farming households to stabilize their emotions and panic, and proceeded to conduct an inventory of surviving ducks only, in strict accordance with state regulations, culling and compensation.

　　On the morning of the 16th, Zhanjiang, Lianjiang two epidemic prevention experts again anatomic site pathogenic avian influenza has been ruled out. (End) http://www.chinanews.com/jk/2013/02-16/4567137.shtml

Guiyang Medical observer of avian flu has been reduced to 39

Guiyang, February 16 (reporter Yang Qian) reporter learned from the Guizhou Provincial People's Government Office of Emergency Management on the 16th, at 16, 110 people in close contact with the two cases of bird flu patients, 71 people have been lifted Medical observation, the remaining 39 continue to receive medical observers were not abnormal clinical manifestations such as fever.  　

　　Good prevention and control work, Guizhou 省农委, emergency notification, poultry farms to carry out a comprehensive investigation and asked Guizhou Province cities (prefectures). The province gone through 88 counties (cities, districts), 723 of 1,415 towns, 9,048 villages, investigation and live poultry market, the scale of farms in 1163, 388,800 colonization households, poultry feathers over 16,220,000, farming field, trading places disinfection area of ​​over 3.53 million square meters, the collected sample test results were negative. (End)

Guizhou confirmed avian influenza in patients with a history of close contact with poultry

http://www.chinanews.com/shipin/2013/02-16/news173940.shtml

Beta Coronavirus Umrah Link Raises Concerns

Recombinomics Commentary 01:00
February 16, 2013

The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK a National Hajj/Umrah specific organization has expressed it’s deep concerns about the risk of a new Sars-like virus known as the ‘Coronavirus’ that is posing a potential threat to Hajj/Umrah pilgrims.
After returning from the performance of Umrah, a person is fighting for his life in a UK hospital after having contracted an infection from this virus. This incident raised an alarm when his son also caught the infection from him which shows evidence that the virus can spread from person to person.
The above comments indicate the index case (60M) for the UK cluster was infected while performing Umrah, raising concerns that the novel coronavirus is widespread in Saudi Arabia.  The export of an infectious disease always raises concerns that the disease in the exporting country is widespread.  The concerns were increased when the virus was confirmed in two relatives who had not traveled outside of the UK.  Most concerning was the presence of the virus in a contact who recovered without hospitalization or medical treatment, confirming mild or asymptomatic cases who would not seek medical attention.

The current surveillance for the novel coronavirus targets severe hospitalized cases.  Prior to the most recent case, all prior confirmed cases had severe disease.  However, even in cases with severe disease, such as the surviving members of the cluster in Jordan, as well as two of the four cases in the Riyadh cluster, detection of the virus was problematic.  The false negatives, as well as the targeting of severe cases have raised concerns that the confirmed cases represented a small fraction of the human cases.

In addition to the index case for the UK cluster, the other case in the UK, a Qatari national (49M) who was transported to England last September by airbus also developed symptoms while preforming Umrah in Saudi Arabia.  Although his symptoms subsided, they reappeared in Qatar prior to transport to England.  Moreover, the first confirmed case, a Saudi national (60M) was diagnosed in Jeddah, which is close to Mecca.

This geographic clustering, as well as the Riyadh cluster and case (45M) raises concerns that the virus is common in Saudi Arabia, but largely missed due to testing protocol.  A recent paper on French Haaj attendees cites testing of nasal swabs, which were negative.  However, the WHO recommendations for testing cite a lower concentration of virus in the upper respiratory tract and recommends testing samples from the lower respiratory tract.

Therefore, more testing of samples from the lower respiratory tract in severe cases, as well as expended testing of milder cases, as well as those infected with influenza is dictated by the results obtained for the latest cluster in the UK.

Mexico: Bird flu outbreak hits 582,000 chickens

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's animal health agency says a bird flu outbreak at seven farms in central Mexico has affected as many as 582,000 chickens.

The Agriculture Department says more than a half million birds were exposed, but the number that will have to be slaughtered has yet to be determined..

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/15/3237315/mexico-bird-flu-outbreak-hits.html

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/15/3237315/mexico-bird-flu-outbreak-hits.html#storylink=cpy

Mild Beta Coronavirus UK Case Raises Pandemic Concerns

Mild Beta Coronavirus UK Case Raises Pandemic Concerns
Recombinomics Commentary 20:30
February 15, 2013

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) can confirm a third case of novel coronavirus infection in a family cluster, following the confirmed diagnosis of two cases announced earlier this week. The patient, who is a UK resident and does not have any recent travel history, is recovering from a mild respiratory illness and is currently well.

The above HPA confirmation expand the latest novel beta coronaviruscluster to three, which includes the first confirmation of mild case, significantly increasing the pandemic risk.  This cluster clearly signals human to human (H2H) transmission, because the index case (60M) developed symptoms while performing Umrah in Saudi Arabia.  Therefore, the confirmation of the virus in his son in England, who has no recent travel outside of the country, confirms the H2H transmission, which also applies to the third family member.

However, the fact that the latest case was mild, suggests that thesymptomatic health care workers associated with the first case treated in the UK (a Qatar resident who also developed symptoms while performing Umrah last August) were also infected, but tested negative due to less than ideal collection dates.  Similarly, the cluster in Jordan was also likely significantly larger that the 2 confirmed fatal cases and the many contacts with severe cases of pneumonia, who also tested negative.

The lab confirmed mild case also suggests that many of the symptomatic cases linked to the Haaj were also infected, even though nasal swabs were negative.

Expansion of testing of milder cases is now warranted, as is testing of cases that are H1N1pdm09 positive, which was found in the index case of the most recent cluster. http://www.recombinomics.com/News/02151302/nCoV_Mild_Pandemic.html?

Nepal Bird flu on rise, farmers resist vets, stop reporting outbreaks

KATHMANDU, Feb 16: With the growing incidence of bird flu in the Valley, vet officials and technicians have been encountering intense resistance and threats from poultry farmers, the Directorate of Animal Health (DoAH) said. Due to the resistance and threats from farmers, efforts to control the disease have becoming a serious challenge for the officials. According to DoAH officials, poultry farmers have even stopped reporting the death of fowls to veterinary offices, which they said is a dangerous trend and a great threat to public health.  The office said that strains of H5N1 virus have been spreading rapidly in the poultry farms of the Valley and adjoining districts. This week alone, the capital witnessed four outbreaks of the virus, in which over 12,000 chickens were culled. In the last one-and-half months, a seventh outbreak has occurred in the district. Rapid response teams comprising vets destroyed thousands of chickens in Dhading, Nuwakot, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur during this period. "The disease has been spreading rapidly and we have been encountering more resistance from farmers," said Dr Narayan Prasad Ghimire, senior veterinarian at DoAH, adding, "They tried to dare the rapid response teams to destroy the infected chickens." The office had to seek the assistance of police to carry out disinfection in several farms.  Ghimire, who is also spokesperson of DoAH, said that the trend of obstructing vet officials disinfecting the tainted farms is dangerous.  "Had we not intervened on time, they (farmers) would sell all the ailing chickens in the market," he added. He said that due to the resistance of farmers, the office could not assure that all the chicken in the market is safe for consumption. DoAH-deployed surveillance officers have been complaining that the farmers do not even let them enter their poultry farms for inspection."We cannot take the police to each and every farm for inspection," Dr Ghimire added.  In recent outbreaks, several farmers have themselves dumped the dead chicken without informing veterinary officials.  Veterinary doctors said that farmers are at high risk of contracting the disease. They urged the farmers to exercise high alert and inform vet officials if chickens start to die in huge numbers. Fowls avoiding feed, standing still with the head down and excreting saliva could be symptoms of infection by the H5N1 virus, vet officials said.
Published on 2013-02-16 05:00:35 http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=50051

Guizhou 52 close contacts with the bird flu has not been lifted seen

[Guizhou confirmed human case of bird flu and the birds have a history of close contact with the 52 close contacts has not been lifted observed】 Guizhou recently diagnosed two cases of human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza now confirmed that a history of close contact with poultry, 52 people still did not release medical observation is in close contact with the two patients. A 21-year-old female patient in critical condition in the 13th rescue died, another 31-year-old male patient is still in the emergency treatment. http://news.ifeng.com/mainland/detail_2013_02/15/22153556_0.shtml

10 000 animals are killed flu virus detected in ducks Brandenburg...

10 000 animals are killedflu virus detected in ducks Brandenburg...


dpa experts have the H5N1 bird flu virus detected first time in years in Germany - with ducks in Brandenburg

Experts have the H5N1 bird flu virus detected first time in years in Germany - with ducks in Brandenburg. It is, however, a less dangerous option. Nevertheless, now more than 10 000 animals are killed.
Ducks in a fattening farm in Brandenburg, the H5N1 avian influenza has been detected. The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI) on the Baltic island of Riems confirmed Friday evening the bird flu laboratory findings of the country Berlin-Brandenburg. "However, it was only the low pathogenic, less dangerous variant verified by the Institute," said ministry spokeswoman Alrun Kaune-Nüsslein. Yet on Saturday, the more than 10,000 ducks will be culled at the farm Seelow (Märkisch Oderland). The radius of one kilometer now a blocking circuit is drawn around the operation that applies to at least 21 days.

"There are all the necessary measures to contain and control have been initiated," said Environment Minister Anita Tack (left). In the context of self-monitoring of poultry growing operations were discovered antibodies against the H5N1 virus and reported immediately. The stock had otherwise shown no clinical abnormalities. Samples were sent to counter-check the FLI. Meanwhile, the country has set up a crisis center to coordinate the disease control measures in Brandenburg. All counties, states and the federal government have been informed of the H5N1 case.

Transmission from wild animals conceivable
Recently the dangerous virus in Brandenburg in 2007 was detected in poultry in highly pathogenic form. County veterinarian Ralph Bötticher pointed out that the cause of the infection in the duck still not clear. Also, the FLI-counter check could not prove the origin of the virus.

A transmission from wild animals would be considered Boetticher said. In the wild, bird flu come more often, without the workers thereof mitbekomme any of it. "For waterfowl, a H5N1 infection also occur without symptoms," said Boetticher. In any case, there is a risk to humans, said the veterinarian.

In Germany, the H5N1 virus had been detected by FLI information from the beginning of January not more than three years. A few years ago for severe avian waves hundreds of thousands of fattening birds were killed. The disease is most common in Asian countries like China, Cambodia and Indonesia. Only in rare cases, it can spread to humans. Disease experts fear the formation of highly pathogenic mutations of the virus that people could be dangerous.




http://www.focus.de/wissen/natur/tiere-und-pflanzen/10-000-tiere-mit-h5n1-getoetet-vogelgrippe-virus-bei-brandenburger-enten-entdeckt_aid_920825.html

Sacrifice almost half a million birds from influenza in central Mexico

February 15, 2013

Celaya, Mexico | AFP
Sacrifice almost half a million birds from influenza in central Mexico

Bud does not affect the production of meat or eggs, because infected animals are fattened for meat production


A total of 486,000 broilers from five farms in the Mexican state Guanajuato (center) belonging to avicultor Bachoco, will be sacrificed after detecting H7N3 avian influenza, official sources reported Friday.

On Wednesday night, the poultry farmer alerted authorities of possible outbreak on their farms and early Friday were ready the results confirmed the presence of the H7 strain of avian influenza, said at a press conference Silverio Rojas Villegas, in behalf of the Department of Agriculture, and Javier Usabiaga Arroyo, president of the local Rural Development Commission...

http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/internacionales/277715-sacrificaran-casi-medio-millon-de-aves-influenza-centro-de-mexico

Bird flu outbreak confirmed in Guanajuato

February 15, 2013  •  16:08 pm  •  updated 16:12 hs

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This Friday, after samples were taken yesterday, confirmed the outbreak of bird flu Photo: Archives

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Usabiaga Arroyo said steps have been taken to prevent the outbreak from spreading in Guanajuato territory

Celaya. - Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development of Guanajuato, Javier Usabiaga Arroyo, and the office responsible for the delegation of SAGARPA, Silverio Rojas Villegas, confirmed an outbreak of H7N3 influenza affects five farms Bachoco Industries located in Dolores Hidalgo .

At a press conference, the state official said that 486,000 birds are infected with the virus and that will be sacrificed.

Usabiaga Arroyo said steps have been taken to prevent the outbreak from spreading in Guanajuato territory.

It was Friday, after samples were taken yesterday, confirmed the outbreak of bird flu.

"This outbreak does not affect the production of meat or eggs, because infected animals are fattened for meat production and their number is not so significant," said Arroyo Usabiaga.

Agricultural Development Secretary said that already has identified the strain, allowing faster combat the virus and prevent it from spreading.   http://economia.terra.com.mx/noticias/noticia.aspx?idNoticia=201302152208_REF_82009329

Bird flu confirmed on farms in Guanajuato

Mexico, DF.-The Secretary of Agriculture ( SAGARPA ) technicians reported that high-security laboratory of the National Service of Health, Food Safety and Quality (SENASICA ) confirmed the presence of a virus H7 avian influenza  in seven farms in the company Bachoco located in two municipalities of Guanajuato , which are kept under restraint by the health authority.

Since last Wednesday night, a report from the SENASICA of increased mortality with clinical suspicion of avian influenza in poultry units of the company located in the towns of Dolores Hidalgo and San Luis de la Paz, in the state of Guanajuato , activated the Emergency Operations and Prevention, said in a statement.

Preliminary data show that the population exposed to the virus stands at 582,000 birds.According to the diagnoses, indicates the number of susceptible poultry slaughter to eradicate the outbreak, he said.

The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA ) handed over to representatives of the company one million 911 thousand doses of vaccine against avian influenza to implement preventive breeder and commercial position, located in surrounding farms and and establish a buffer zone to mitigate the damage and isolate the source of infection.

In a statement, the SENASICA reported that in a period no longer than 48 hours will have the result of the sequencing of the virus located on farms, in order to determine if it is the same that hit the states of Jalisco and Aguascalientes, although said that being a " H7 "is the same strain, and consequently, the corresponding notification will be made ​​to the World Organization for Animal Health.

Based on available information, stated the SENASICA , this outbreak does not affect the national supply of poultry products. http://www.aztecanoticias.com.mx/notas/finanzas/145531/confirman-gripe-aviar-en-granjas-de-guanajuato

Coronavirus Patient in Isolation as Fourth Sars-Like Case Confirmed in UK

The HPA has announced that another member of the same family has caught the disease and was being treated in isolation. The patient was said to be recovering.

Four out of the 12 confirmed global coronavirus cases have been diagnosed in Britain.

Prof John Watson, head of the respiratory diseases department of the HPA, said: "Although this patient had a mild form of respiratory illness, as a precaution the HPA is advising that the patient self-isolate and limit contact with non-household members.

"Follow-up of other household members and contacts of this case is under way.

"Although this case appears to be due to person-to-person transmission, the risk of infection in contacts in most circumstances is still considered to be low. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/435849/20130215/third-case-deadly-sars-virus-confirmed-hpa.htm

Philippine DOH issues warning on new SARS-like virus

By Philip C. Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

8:25 pm | Friday, February 15th, 2013

MANILA, Philippines–An official of the Department of Health on Friday urged hospitals to be on the lookout for patients with signs of the new SARS-like virus, which had already killed five persons abroad.

Health Assistant Secretary Enrique Tayag said hospitals should immediately inform the DOH if they have patients who show signs of the novel coronavirus or NcoV.

“We are calling on the hospitals to inform us if they have patients in their Intensive Care Units (ICU) who have severe pneumonia but is negative for influenza or bacteria,” Tayag said in an interview.

“They should send an extra sample to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM),” he added.

Tayag issued the warning after a third patient in the United Kingdom was infected with the new virus, bringing the number of infected persons to 11.

“We think it is not really easily spread because if it were, we would have more than 11 patients,” Tayag said.

“It was first reported in September but (the cases) are not many because these patients are brought to the ICU. If you’re in the ICU, who else can you infect?” he added.

Tayag said the first cases were reported in September and were detected in persons who had just visited Saudi Arabia.

“Since then, the World Health Organization and all countries have been on the watch because the WHO believes that there is now person-to-person transmission,” Tayag said.

“That means it can’t be said now that it is starting in Saudi. Maybe it can already be found in other parts of the world but these have yet to be detected,” he added.

Tayag said hospitals should be on the lookout for senior citizens or persons “with medical conditions “who have difficulty breathing.

“There might be kidney failure. They don’t have to have a history of travel. If we get a sample here, it has to be sent to the RITM,” he said.  http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/359249/doh-issues-warning-on-new-sars-like-virus

Taiwan on alert against SARS-like virus http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?ID=201302150015&Type=aTOD
2013/02/15 22:44:55

AUSTRALIAN AUTHORITIES WATCH DEADLY OVERSEAS VIRUS

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/16157179/australian-authorities-watch-deadly-overseas-virus/

Third family member has 'Sars-like virus'

By James GallagherHealth and science reporter, BBC News

Scientists have sequenced the infection's full genome

Continue reading the main story

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A third member of a family in the UK has been infected with a new respiratory illness similar to the deadly Sars virus, officials say.

It strengthens evidence that the virus can spread between people, however experts say the risk to the general population remains small.

Of the 12 people confirmed to have the virus, five have died.

This case appears to be a milder form of the infection and the patient is not being treated in hospital.

The infection is thought to come from contact with animals. However, if the virus can spread between people it poses a much more serious threat.

This is the fourth case identified in the UK. The first was a patient flown in from Qatar for treatment. The second was linked to travel to the Middle East and Pakistan.

The virus is then thought to have spread from the second patient to his son and another member of the family...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21478320

New virus hits 12 globally with new British case

"The patient ... is recovering from a mild respiratory illness and is currently well," it said in a statement.

John Watson, the HPA's head of respiratory diseases said that despite this, the HPA was advising the patient to self-isolate and limit contact with other people. Health officials are currently following up other household members.

Coronaviruses are typically spread like other respiratory infections such as flu, travelling in airborne droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

"We would like to emphasise that the risk associated with novel coronavirus to the general UK population remains very low," Watson said.

When a second case in this cluster was found on Wednesday, Tom Wilkinson, a senior lecturer in respiratory medicine at Britain's University of Southampton, said that if NCoV turned out to be like the previous SARS outbreak, it may prove quite slow to spread from one human to another.

"But it's early days to make any definite statements because viruses can change and mutate very rapidly, so what is right today may be wrong tomorrow," he said.

Among the 12 laboratory-confirmed cases of NCoV to date, five are in Saudi Arabia, with three deaths; two are in Jordan, where both patients died; four are in Britain, where three are receiving treatment and the latest one is described as well; and one was in Germany in a patient from Qatar who has since been discharged from medical care.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/0...medium=twitter

Third case of novel coronavirus infection identified in family cluster

15 February 2013

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) can confirm a third case of novel coronavirus infection in a family cluster, following the confirmed diagnosis of two cases announced earlier this week. The patient, who is a UK resident and does not have any recent travel history, is recovering from a mild respiratory illness and is currently well. This latest case brings the total number of confirmed cases globally to 12, of which four have been diagnosed in the UK.

Professor John Watson, head of the respiratory diseases department at the HPA, said: "Although this patient had a mild form of respiratory illness, as a precaution the HPA is advising that the patient self-isolate and limit contact with non-household members. Follow up of other household members and contacts of this case is currently underway.

“Although this case appears to be due to person-to-person transmission, the risk of infection in contacts in most circumstances is still considered to be low. If novel coronavirus were more infectious, we would have expected to have seen a larger number of cases than we have seen since the first case was reported three months ago. However, this new development does justify the measures that were immediately put into place to prevent any further spread of infection and to identify and follow up contacts of known cases.

“We would like to emphasise that the risk associated with novel coronavirus to the general UK population remains very low. The HPA will continue to work closely with national and international health authorities and will share any further advice with health professionals and the public if and when more information becomes available."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. Laboratory confirmed cases to date: 12

• Saudi Arabia: 5 (3 deaths)
• Jordan: 2 (2 deaths)
• UK: 4 (1 patient from Qatar – receiving treatment, 3 patients from UK, 2 receiving treatment, 1 recovered)
• Germany: 1 (patient from Qatar – discharged)

2. Coronaviruses are causes of the common cold but can also include more severe illness, such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). This new coronavirus was first identified in September 2012 in a patient who died from a severe respiratory infection in June 2012. The virus has so far only been identified in a small number of cases of acute, serious respiratory illness who presented with fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties.

3. For further information, see the HPA’s coronavirus webpages which includes a Q&A on this topic. 

4. The Health Protection Agency is an independent UK organisation that was set up by the government in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards. In April 2013 the Health Protection Agency will become part of a new organisation called Public Health England, an executive agency of the Department of Health. To find out more, visit our website: www.hpa.org.uk or follow us on Twitter @HPAuk.

5. For more information please contact the national HPA press office at Colindale on 0208 327 7901 or email colindale-pressoffice@hpa.org.uk. Out of hours the duty press officer can be contacted on 0208 200 4400.

http://www.hpa.org.uk/NewsCentre/NationalPressReleases/2013PressReleases/1302153rdcaseofcoronavirus/

Coronavirus Infects Third U.K. Family Member, Health Agency Says

British health authorities identified an additional case of a new respiratory virus in a relative of a person diagnosed this week, bringing the global tally of cases to 12.

The patient, who doesn’t have any recent travel history, is recovering from a mild respiratory illness, the Health Protection Authority said in a statement today, without specifying the patient’s gender or age. Officials on Feb. 11 said a British resident who traveled to the Middle East and Pakistan was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, and on Feb. 13 they said a family member had been infected.

Today’s announcement that another family member has contracted the virus brings the number of cases in the U.K. to four. Of the 12 cases globally, five people have died. While person-to-person transmission may have occurred in some other cases in the Middle East, the risk of infection is considered low, the agency said.

“We would like to emphasize that the risk associated with novel coronavirus to the general U.K. population remains very low,” John Watson, the HPA’s head of respiratory diseases, said in the statement. “If novel coronavirus were more infectious, we would have expected to have seen a larger number of cases than we have seen since the first case was reported three months ago.”

Coronaviruses are a family of pathogens that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, which sickened more than 8,000 people and killed 774 in 2002 and 2003, according to the WHO. While the new virus is related to the one that causes SARS, it appears far less transmissible, according to the World Health Organization.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-15/coronavirus-infects-third-u-k-family-member-health-agency-says.html

Avian influenza H5N1 in Brandenburg showed no abnormalities

Avian influenza H5N1 in Brandenburg 15.02.2013

In Brandenburg district Märkisch Oderland the virus of avian influenza H5N1 was detected, such as the Ministry of Environment, Health and Consumer Protection (MUGV) Brandenburg tells. Affected is a duck fattening. The tests for the presence of the virus had been introduced after self-monitoring of the operation contained indications that the virus in the operating could rife. However, the animals showed no clinical abnormalities. As further reported by the Ministry, a crisis center has been set up to coordinate further action at the country level. Still need to determine the pathogenicity of the virus.This is done at the time of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI). The results are expected today. http://www.vetion.de/aktuell/index.cfm?aktuell_id=17446&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter