HPA Update on family cluster of novel coronavirus infection in the UK

19 February 2013

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) continues its investigations into a family cluster of novel coronavirus infections in the UK. Three members of the same family have all tested positive for novel coronavirus. Two of these had no history of recent travel suggesting that transmission has occurred in the UK.

One person has sadly died. This patient had an underlying condition that may have made them more susceptible to respiratory infections. The first patient in this cluster, who had recent travel history to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, is still receiving treatment. The third case, who had a mild illness, has recovered.

Since September 2012, when an earlier case was diagnosed in the UK, there have been a total of 12 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus reported globally, with six deaths. Intensive work has been carried out in the UK to identify contacts of the UK cases. In total the HPA has identified and followed up more than 100 people who had close contact with the cases in this recent family cluster. Besides the identified secondary cases, all tests carried out on contacts to date have been negative for the novel coronavirus infection.

Professor John Watson, head of the respiratory diseases department at the HPA, said: "The routes of transmission to humans of the novel coronavirus have not yet been fully determined, but the recent UK experience provides strong evidence of human-to-human transmission in at least some circumstances.

“The three recent cases in the UK represent an important opportunity to obtain more information about the characteristics of this infection in humans and risk factors for its acquisition, particularly in the light of the first ever recorded instance of apparently lower severity of illness in one of the cases.

“The risk of infection in contacts in most circumstances is still considered to be low and 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 (6 deaths)
    Saudi Arabia: 5 (3 deaths)
    Jordan: 2 (2 deaths)
   
   UK: 4 (1 patient from Qatar – receiving treatment, 3 patients from UK; 1 receiving treatment,
   1 recovered, 1 death)
   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 the latest clinical update from the HPA, please visit:http://www.hpa.org.uk/hpr/infections/respiratory.htm
4. For further information, see the HPA website's coronavirus webpages which includes a Q&A on this topic.
5. 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.
6. 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.

Last reviewed: 19 February 2013

http://www.hpa.org.uk/NewsCentre/NationalPressReleases/2013PressReleases/120319Updateoffamilyclusterofnovelcoronavirus/

More than 100 tested for new Sars-like virus as first British victim dies

19 Feb 2013 22:00

The victim is thought to have caught it from his dad who is believed to have picked it up during travels to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan

More than 100 people have now been tested for the new Sars-like virus as it was revealedtoday that a man has become the first Briton to be killed by the illness.

The victim, 39, is thought to have caught the respiratory illness from his dad who is believed to have brought it back to the UK after picking it up during recent travels to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

The dad is still being treated in a Manchester hospital.

A third family member has also been struck down with novel coronavirus but has recovered well enough to be cared for at home in the West Midlands.

Bosses at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham said that the 39-year-old victim – who has not been named by officials – died in the critical care unit on Sunday morning.

He had a weakened immune system and was already being treated for an unrelated condition which experts say left him much more vulnerable to the infection.

There are now known to be four confirmed cases in Britain.

The fourth victim is a 49-year-old Qatari man who has been treated in a London hospital for five months after being flown here from his homeland for treatment.

In total 12 people worldwide have been struck down with the coronavirus – six of them are dead.

The Mirror revealed last week how the Health Protection Agency is scrambling to find everyone in the UK who sufferers here have been in contact with.

Family and friends of victims as well as medics and hospital administrative staff are among those who have now been tested for the virus.

At least six NHS workers are being “closely monitored” for signs of symptoms, sources have revealed.

Experts say evidence is mounting that the virus can be passed from person to person but the risk of the public being struck down is still said to be extremely small.

Professor John Watson, who is head of the respiratory diseases department at the HPA, said: “The routes of transmission to humans of the novel coronavirus have not yet been fully determined, but the recent UK experience provides strong evidence of human-to-human transmission in at least some circumstances.

"The risk of infection in contacts in most circumstances is still considered to be low and the risk associated with novel coronavirus to the general UK population remains very low.”

The coronavirus family ranges from colds to Sars, which stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome. A global Sars outbreak in 2002 killed around 800 people.

This new strain causes pneumonia and sometimes kidney failure though it is not known exactly how the British man died.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital said: “The patient who died was immuno-compromised and is believed to have contracted the virus from a relative who is being treated for the condition in a Manchester hospital.”

The new strain, which emerged in the Middle East, has killed three people in Saudi Arabia and two in Jordan.

The World Health Organisation is trying to find the source of the strain which has been linked to bats.

Easy to spread, hard to treat

Coronavirus is spread by people coughing or sneezing and can cause fever, breathing difficulties, ­pneumonia and even kidney failure.

There is no specific vaccine or treatment for people unlucky enough to contract it.

It is unknown how the British victim died on Sunday, but the virus has now killed six of the 12 people exposed to it.

Fortunately, it is fragile outside the body and can live for just 24 hours.

It can also be killed by detergents and cleaning agents. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/coronavirus-first-british-victim-sars-like-1719234

Novel coronavirus: ECDC updates its risk assessment

Novel coronavirus: ECDC updates its risk assessment

19 Feb 2013

ECDC As of 16 February 2013, twelve laboratory confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (novel CoV) have been reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). Six of the cases have been fatal and two others remain very ill. ECDC has published an update of its risk assessment on the novel coronavirus, providing a number of conclusions and recommendations as well as background information: Of the total of these 12 cases, three recently confirmed cases have been diagnosed in the UK. The second and third cases were infected through human-to-human transmission although the exact route of transmission is still under investigation by the UK authorities. No sustained transmission or expanding clusters of infection have been identified in any country. Close follow-up of approximately 200 health care workers, family and other contacts of cases in Europe and the Middle-East have not yet found other demonstrated instances of human-to-human transmission. The most recent UK case, a relative of the other two UK cases, had only a mild disease and has recovered quickly. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is undertaking intensive follow-up of close contacts of these three recent cases. ECDC supports recommendations of laboratory investigation for novel-CoV of patients with severe acute respiratory infection returning from the Arabian Peninsula and neighbouring countries as defined in the current WHO guidance. Health professionals engaged in receiving medical evacuated patients from the Arabian Peninsula and neighbouring countries with any infectious respiratory condition should be particularly vigilant concerning the possibility of infection with novel-CoV. Healthcare workers caring for patients under investigation for novel-CoV should exercise infection control measures following national or international guidance. See the updated ECDC risk assessment for more information.  http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/press/news/Lists/News/ECDC_DispForm.aspx?List=32e43ee8-e230-4424-a783-85742124029a&ID=847&RootFolder=/en/press/news/Lists/News

Recent developments

RAPID RISK ASSESSMENT
Severe respiratory disease associated 
with a novel coronavirus
19 February 2013

Recent developments
On 11 February 2013, the HPA published details of a male UK resident (Case 10) with confirmed novel coronavirus
infection who had travelled to Pakistan and the Middle-East, developed respiratory symptoms on 24 January 2013
and then had arrived unwell in the UK on 28 January 2013 [1]. While staying with his family at home his condition
deteriorated and he was admitted to hospital where he is in intensive care. On 6 February 2013, a male household
member (Case 11) who had contact with Case 10 from his arrival until hospital admission fell unwell. This patient
had an existing medical condition that may have made him more susceptible to a severe respiratory infection. His
respiratory condition deteriorated and he was admitted to hospital, where he was in intensive care but
subsequently died.
The third confirmed case is a younger female family member, who only had exposure to the original index case 
while he was in hospital. She became ill on 5 February 2013 with a typical flu like illness, which did not require 
hospital admission and from which she has now fully recovered. Unlike the source case (Case 10), neither Case 11
nor 12 have travelled abroad recently. HPA is actively investigating the possible route of infection. Infection control
measures around the three cases are following national UK guidance and case-finding is on-going for those who
may have been exposed. Active follow-up of contacts of the three confirmed cases had not detected any further
confirmed secondary cases by 18 February 2013.
....Only the most recent case (Case 12) has shown mild influenza-like symptoms. All other confirmed patients have 
presented with severe lower respiratory tract infection such as pneumonia. A number of cases have also developed 
renal failure during the course of illness. The proportion of deaths is high; six out of twelve with two others still 
receiving high level care. The age range is from 25 to 60 years and a noticeable feature is that only two cases are 
female...
  http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/novel-coronavirus-rapid-risk-assessment-update.pdf

Crony stuff

So now the immuno compromised patient has died. The first is still in bad shape and the "MILD" case is under house arrest. How long do you think that will be? Also there is a new medical report declaring the new crony can infect you faster than sars did. It also seems to be more powerful. There is a careful orchestration of "Good news, Bad news."
 There is no widespread outbreak as of now, but with all the new reports coming in, it's a case of "Don't panic just yet, we are watching it."
 Hard to say definitively, what it will do. I am inclined to think that it will get going. There are too many unknowns about it, but the more we are finding out, the worse it looks like it could be. No way to stop it, really. We will be reading about this crap for a lotta long time.. UNLESS  IT DROPPED OFF THE RADAR AND MAGICALLY WENT AWAY.. hahah
 As we are watching one thing, H5N1, another new threat surprises us again.
No, it's not a big conspiracy or gov't designed disease. They are worried as much we are, no matter WHAT you read. Shit looks stupid, and they are playing funny with all the actual facts. Notice the  "Don't be surprised when it's in the U.S." stories we were getting yesterday.You are starting to see it on TV now..So stay informed. The are about to tell you something..and they HATE to do that. 10 Days Grace is down to 8.

HK bans imported poultry products from Germany

(02-19 14:40)

Import of all poultry and poultry products, including poultry eggs, from the states of Brandenburg and Berlin, Germany, has been banned with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public and animal health amid an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu in the northeastern part of the country, the Centre for Food Safety said today.
A CFS spokesman said about 10,000 tonnes of frozen and chilled poultry meat, as well as about 2.8 million poultry eggs, were imported into Hong Kong from Germany last year.
The CFS has banned the import of all poultry and poultry products, including poultry eggs, from another state of Germany, Schleswig-Holstein, since December 22 last year due to an outbreak of avian influenza H5.
   http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=31969&icid=3&d_str=

New Coronavirus Infects Human Airways Faster Than SARS

By Simeon Bennett on February 19, 2013

 

A new pneumonia-causing virus that’s killed five people in the last year can infect the lining of a person’s airways faster than the SARS bug, a study found, though researchers still don’t know how easy it is to spread.

The so-called novel coronavirus, which is related to the pathogen that killed 774 people in 2002 and 2003, can penetrate cells that line the entry to the lungs and reach its peak ability to replicate in two days, compared with as much as four days for the SARS virus, researchers from the cantonal hospital in St. Gallen, Switzerland, wrote today in the journal mBio, which is published by the American Society for Microbiology.

Twelve cases of the virus have been confirmed, including eight in the Middle East and four in the U.K., where three members of the same family were diagnosed last week, suggesting human-to-human transmission. Still, the discovery that the virus can easily get into respiratory cells doesn’t mean it can easily get out again and spread through the air to other people, said Volker Thiel, who led the research.

“We don’t know whether the cases we observe are the tip of the iceberg, or whether many more people are infected without showing severe symptoms,” Thiel said in a statement.

Testing for the new virus should be considered in patients with unexplained pneumonia, the World Health Organization said in a Feb. 16 statement. Although last week’s cases suggest person-to-person infection, no sustained transmission between people has been identified, the Geneva-based agency said.

Potential Treatment

The new coronavirus is susceptible to proteins called interferons, suggesting a potential treatment, Thiel and his colleagues wrote. Interferons are commonly used to fight infection with the hepatitis C virus.

Genetic evidence suggests the virus is most closely related to a coronavirus found in bats, the WHO said in November. That makes it surprising the pathogen can so quickly infect human cells, Thiel said.

“There’s a certain phase of adaptation, like we have seen for SARS,” Thiel said in a telephone interview. “This is obviously not needed, at least not in the epithelium,” or lining of the lungs, for the new virus.

The research was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, the 3R Research Foundation Switzerland, the German Ministry of Education and Research, the German Research Foundation, the Danish Cancer Society and the Danish Council for Independent Research.  http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-02-19/new-coronavirus-infects-human-airways-faster-than-sars

Coronavirus cases may be 'tip of the iceberg'

7:30AM GMT 19 Feb 2013

The deadly new coronavirus replicates faster than SARS and the four British cases so far may be the tip of the iceberg, scientists have warned.

Research on the new strain of coronavirus, which has killed almost half of those who have caught it, has found that it breeds in the human body faster than SARS and can evade the immune system as easily as the common cold.

There have been 12 cases reported worldwide and five have died.

The new findings published in the journal mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology found similarities between the new coronavirus and the common cold.

Co-author Volker Thiel of The Institute of Immunobiology at Kantonal Hospital in St. Gallen, Switzerland, said: "We don't know whether the cases we observe are the tip of the iceberg.

"Or whether many more people are infected without showing severe symptoms.".. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9877604/Coronavirus-cases-may-be-tip-of-the-iceberg.html

First UK victim of Sars-like virus dies at a hospital in Birmingham

06:55 EST, 19 February 2013

• The patient, who was being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, died on Sunday
• Was a relative of patient being treated in Manchester after bringing back coronavirus from Middle East
• Hospital says patient was already receiving treatment for long-term, complex health condition
• A new Sars-like illness has claimed its first UK victim, health officials confirmed today. 
  The 39-year-old man, who was being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, died on Sunday after becoming infected with the novel coronavirus, the hospital confirmed today. 
  Of the 12 confirmed cases worldwide four have been British and five have died as a result of the virus...
  'QEHB is working closely with the Health Protection Agency which is currently following up other household members and contacts of this case.
  Professor John Watson, head of the respiratory diseases department at the HPA, said: ‘This case is a family member who was in close personal contact with the earlier case and who may have been at greater risk of acquiring an infection because of their underlying health condition. 
  'To date, evidence of person-to-person transmission has been limited. Although this case provides strong evidence for person to person transmission, the risk of infection in most circumstances is still considered to be very low.'
  Infected patients have presented with serious respiratory illness with fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
  

  The lining of the lung, or epithelium, represents an important first barrier against respiratory viruses
  Today, experts suggested the virus could potentially be treated by targeting the immune system.
  The coronavirus (NCov) belongs to the same family as the coronavirus SARS, which surfaced in China more than a decade ago and infected 8,000 people worldwide, killing around one in 10 of them.
  It's thought the virus can penetrate the lining of the passageways in the lung and evade the immune system as easily as a cold virus can.
  The research also reveals that the virus is susceptible to treatment with interferons, components of the immune system that have been used successfully to treat other viral diseases, opening a possible mode of treatment in the event of a large-scale outbreak.
  Now scientists at the Institute of Immunobiology at Kantonal Hospital in Switzerland, have tested how well the virus could infect and multiply in the entryways to the human lung using cultured cells manipulated to mimic the airway lining.
  
  The lining of the lung, or epithelium, represents an important first barrier against respiratory viruses.
  But, said co-author Dr Volker Thiel, this part of the body does not put up a big fight against NCoV.... 
  
  
  He and his colleagues found that human airway epithelial cells are highly susceptible to NCoV infection and that the virus is able to multiply at a faster initial rate than the SARS virus.
  He said: 'Surprisingly, this coronavirus grows very efficiently on human epithelial cells.'
  The researchers asked themselves whether boosting this weak immune response might diminish the virus' ability to infect airway epithelial cells. 
  They found that pre-treating the cells with proteins that are released in response to infection, significantly reduced the number of infected cells.
  But he added:'We don't know whether the cases we observe are the tip of the iceberg, or whether many more people are infected without showing severe symptoms.'
  The findings were published in the online journal mBio.
  
  video
  Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2280676/Sars-like-virus-claims-UK-victim.html#ixzz2LLW98ePv
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Novel coronavirus an effective infector, study shows

A new coronavirus found in 12 patients worldwide can infect people’s respiratory tracts as easily as SARS or even the common cold, according to a study published Tuesday.

But at the same time, the virus — which still cannot spread easily from person to person — is susceptible to immunotherapy, “providing a possible avenue for treatment,” the study’s authors say.

“These are things that needed to be demonstrated,” said microbiologist Dr. Malik Peiris with the University of Hong Kong, a leading SARS and coronavirus expert who was not involved with the study. “It can have important implications.”

Little is known about the novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the Middle East and belongs to the same viral family as SARS. The virus has infected a dozen people since April 2012 — five of them fatally — and can cause severe pneumonia and kidney failure.

The virus likely comes from bats but no one knows how — or when — it crossed into humans. In a paper published in the scientific journal mBio, researchers used cell cultures to test how easily the virus penetrates the lining of the entryways into the lung — “an important first barrier” against viral invaders.

“Is it just a wimpy virus on those cells? Or is it just as good as viruses known to replicate very well?” asked Dr. Volker Thiel, one of the paper’s two lead authors, who works at the Kantonal Hospital’s Institute of Immunology in Switzerland. “We found that it’s very similar to SARS coronavirus and also to a very common cold virus. So that tells us that the virus can easily replicate in these cells.”

The coronavirus is still not adept at spreading from person to person. But Thiel said his study suggests it is already well adapted to humans, despite having only recently jumped over from another species.

And once the virus takes hold inside the airways, it multiplies even faster than SARS, his study found.

Just like SARS and other coronaviruses, the virus knows how to sneak past the immune system, the study showed. It does this by suppressing interferons, which are proteins sent out by infected cells to signal danger and trigger an antiviral attack.

For coronaviruses, this is their “stealth mechanism” — it allows them to infect while staying under the radar, according to Peiris. “This provides one explanation why these coronaviruses are successful at infecting humans,” he said.

But the researchers also found another similarity to SARS that exposes a possible weakness in the virus: although it initially blocks interferons, it can also be weakened by them.

“The good news is this virus is not different to other coronaviruses in terms of its vulnerability to interferons,” Thiel said. “Interferon treatment should work — to some extent, at least,” Thiel said.

Thiel said interferon treatment has shown potential for SARS, although drug development stopped once the outbreak ended. He estimated it would take at least a decade to develop drugs for this new coronavirus.

Dr. Matthew Frieman, a microbiologist with the University of Maryland who was not involved with the study, said he was unsurprised by the paper’s findings.

Coronaviruses have several proteins that block the immune system’s ability to detect them, he said. The flu — a less complex virus — only has one of these proteins; SARS has at least six, said Frieman, who is also now studying the new coronavirus.

“It looks like it doesn’t matter if (the coronavirus) is in bats or civet cats or humans — these proteins work the same,” he said. “So they’ve probably evolved to be very general in their abilities.”

Thiel said basic information is still needed on the novel coronavirus; scientists don’t know how people are getting infected, for example. Malik said researchers should also now determine whether the virus can infect the nose and throat — as the common cold virus does — or deep inside the lungs, which would explain why it causes such severe pneumonia.

There is still no need to panic over the novel coronavirus, he said. Compared to the seasonal flu or other viruses, its impact thus far has been small.

“It’s just 12 cases,” he said. “I think here we have to stay rational . . . It’s certainly not frightening at the moment.”  http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/02/19/novel_coronavirus_an_effective_infector_study_shows.html?

Sars-Like Coronavirus Claims Life of First British Patient

By HANNAH OSBORNE: 

February 19, 2013 10:59 AM GMTA patient has died from the Sars-like coronavirus infection in a Birmingham hospital.

The patient, who was being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, died from the disease. The victim, who has not been identified, was admitted last week.

The patient had caught the infection from a family member, who had developed the disease while travelling in the Middle East and was admitted to hospital in Manchester.

A statement from the hospital said: "The patient passed away on Sunday morning in the hospital's critical care unit.

"The patient was already an outpatient at QEHB, undergoing treatment for a long-term, complex, unrelated health condition. The patient was immuno-compromised and is believed to have contracted the virus from a relative who is being treated for the condition in a Manchester hospital." http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/436777/20130219/first-coronavirus-uk-death-sars-respiratory-birmingham.htm?

UK patient dies from SARS-like coronavirus

Associated Press – 11 mins agoLONDON (AP) — A British hospital says a patient being treated for a mysterious SARS-like virus has died.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham says the coronavirus victim was an outpatient being treated for "a long-term, complex unrelated health problem" who had a compromised immune system.

A total of 11 people in Britain have been identified with the disease, which was first identified last year in the Middle East. Most had traveled to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan or Pakistan, but the person who just died is believed to have caught it from a relative in Britain.

Of 12 cases around the world to date, six people have died.

The coronavirus is part of a family of viruses that cause ailments including the common cold and SARS, which killed about 800 people worldwide in 2003. http://news.yahoo.com/uk-patient-dies-sars-coronavirus-110739376.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

H5N1 outbreaks in two districts of Cambodia

Cambodia The network reported on 18/2 AI news broke out in
the districts Stueng Page and Prey Chor Province Kongpong Cham, the
country's capital, Phnom Penh is about 120 km to the east.

Alert on quoted health officials said there were 385 birds died in the
past few days.

Experts have warned local people about the disease after
test results showed that three ducks infected. A man in this province has been 
conducting tests after being suspected of contracting the H5N1 virus from eating dead duck. If the
test result is positive, this will be the eighth person in Cambodia H5N1 
virus since the beginning of 2013 to date.

Deprived week, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Cambodian Ministry of Health said there were 6
deaths from bird flu since the beginning of this year.

According to the WHO, since the first bird flu outbreak in the world in the 
January / 2004, Cambodia had 29 cases with 25 deaths.

Cambodian Health Minister Man Bunheng confirmed bird flu still a "
serious threat to the people of Cambodia, especially children 

Guanajuato installed AI patrols with veterinary

In three days the virus spread to other five farms in two municipalities, and reached one million 80 thousand the number of diseased birds in twelve producing The state government installed eight animal health patrols on roads upstate to stop moving birds and poultry products, after three days in bird flu spread to five other farms, in two municipalities, and came 80,000 to one million the number of diseased birds in twelve producing.

The Secretary of Agriculture and the State Agricultural Development, Javier Usabiaga Arroyo, said that efforts are being strengthened control measures for the disease no further spread to other municipalities, or other states.

The affected farms are established influenza in Dolores Hidalgo, San Felipe, Santa Cruz de Juventino Rosas and Dolores Hidalgo, all company property Bachoco, ten broiler and two commercial laying, egg for sale.

Usabiaga said neighboring states, Michoacan, San Luis Potosi and Queretaro-implemented security mechanisms to prevent influenza virus reaches them, caring for the transit of poultry products and live animals.

Given the urgency of the expansion of the outbreak, on Monday placed eight patrols to strengthen monitoring and mobilization of birds standing and by-products that come out of the rooks poultry, the official said.

The health fence remains from Friday which confirmed the outbreak, but as the flu problem has accelerated further expanded surveillance operation on various roads, said State Secretary of Agriculture.

"This is precisely why they were put in place these new patrols had already referred to the urgency and are launched today," he said.

The patrols work in a circle on the stretches of Juventino Rosas, Comonfort, San Miguel Allende, San Luis de la Paz and on sections of the municipalities that recorded farms with the problem, said Usabiaga.

Bird flu was detected on Wednesday night in Dolores Hidalgo farms and San Felipe and by Friday had 486,000 sick birds.

Agriculture Secretary admitted that in the coming weeks could resent the deficit in the chicken and egg shortages resulting from destruction of more than a million sick animals. He estimated that stop producing one million to two million eggs and birds were sacrificed.

He insisted not to increase the prices of these animals. "We hope that does not lend itself to speculation, does not have to be speculation," he said. http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/904146.html

Mexican authorities say bird flu affects more than one million birds

Mexico - The outbreak of bird flu was detected in the state of Guanajuato, central Mexico, is limited to 12 farms with more than one million birds, said the National Service of Health, Food Safety and Quality (Senasica) .

The agency said in a statement that there are 12 production units with the virus, of which ten of these farms are producing chickens for broiler production and two eggs for human consumption.

The Senasica, an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that all the affected farms, with a total population of one million birds, are owned by Bachoco.

Last Friday, health officials originally confirmed the presence of avian influenza virus in seven farms in Guanajuato Bachoco company with 582,000 infected birds, so that was declared a health emergency.

CONASICA estimators confirmed the presence of avian influenza virus AH7N "high pathogenicity, as was the case in the states of Jalisco and Aguascalientes" in 2012.

In June last year there was an outbreak of the same virus that led to the authorities and producers to slaughter more than 22 million birds affected, sparking a shortage of egg and chicken meat and the consequent rise in prices.

Since the new outbreak was detected, Senasica staff established a sanitary cordon and control and preventive vaccination performed tasks on neighboring farms to prevent infection.

He indicated that activities have been "washing, cleaning and disinfection of facilities and equipment for each of the affected farms, same that were quarantined as set international health protocols".

The agency said that the virus is "exclusive of birds, so there is no risk to public health."

On Saturday, the Governor of Guanajuato reported that over 400,000 birds slaughtered to contain the virus. http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2013/02/18/1411186/autoridades-mexicanas-dicen-que.html

Read more here: http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2013/02/18/1411186/autoridades-mexicanas-dicen-que.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2013/02/18/1411186/autoridades-mexicanas-dicen-que.html#storylink=cpy

H5N1 Virus Implicated Pekanbaru and Sukabumi

Released on Monday, 18 February 2013

Deadly Virus named H5N1 strain of bird flu, better known re-emerged in the city of Pekanbaru, Riau Province. Local poultry that died suddenly a lot lately.Entering February 2013 has been found in cases of poultry deaths allegedly caused by the H5N1 virus. Of the few cases of sudden death of poultry are reported by the public, one of whom turned out to be positive for bird flu. This case says he found for the District Tenayan Kingdom, while for some other cases of chickens died suddenly happened in District Handsome and negative Kubang. With the discovery of the deadly virus it performs mass culling of poultry which is a chicken coop with positive bird flu.Preventive measures also include spraying disinfectant into a residential neighborhood, especially those who raise poultry. Also raids on cars and vehicles leading to Pekanbaru.

But so far no one we found for the transport carrying the chicken virus. Unlike other regions, the DVO Sukabumi said there were at least 250 ducks belong to the traditional farmers in Sub Cisaat, died suddenly due to contracting the H5N1 bird flu virus. Information of ducks suddenly died since the beginning of January, the death of these birds are not simultaneously but one after terjunkan team to the location and take a blood sample through the duck carcass rapid test or rapid test turns out some of them positive for the bird flu virus. In the near future will come from the poultry team West Java provincial government, to examine blood samples of poultry in finding the location of the ducks died suddenly. The goal is to determine whether there is other bird infected with the H5N1 virus.Furthermore, the carcass of dead ducks culled directly concerned the virus spreading to other birds. Besides being infected with the virus, hundreds of ducks that died were allegedly caused by factors as well as bad weather. In addition to hundreds of ducks, exerting official Sukabumi also getting reports there are about 100 chickens died suddenly land in District Bojong tiles.

Chickens that died belonged to traditional ranchers happened just as the death of the test results quickly ducks officers also found no positive chickens infected with bird flu. Mapping done it there beberada prone districts of bird flu that is closest to the area district that found cases of bird flu. For anticipation, it also applies bio security every poultry farm in Sukabumi like to give bird flu vaccine and spraying against the cage. Additionally, do outreach to people who have poultry being released on thefield, because it will be especially susceptible to the disease is currently the rainy season, the potential for its spread is quite high. If it finds any poultry that died suddenly in order not to hold with bare hands and immediately report to the nearest related organizations. And the carcass must be destroyed by fire not be discarded in any place.

health confirms readiness .. No injuries ... measures that respond to HIV «Corona

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The Ministry of Health does not appear any case infection Coruna after information on this (coronavirus new) cause since April 2012 injury of 12 people, nine of them in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and died, five of them, in addition to three cases in Britain.

http://alwatan.sy/dindex.php?idn=133405

Taiwan-H1N1 virus not detected in local animals: council

CNA
February 19, 2013T

TAIPEI--The influenza A (H1N1) virus that has left more than 100 people dead in India since January has not been detected in animals in Taiwan, the Council of Agriculture (COA) said yesterday.The flu strain, which carries both avian and swine influenza virus genes, has not been found in migrant birds or in any fowl in Taiwan, said Huang Kuo-ching, deputy director general of the COA's Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine.“We have consistently kept a close eye on avian flu,” Huang said, “Despite the presence of the H1N1 virus in poultry, it is not the strain that has caused the outbreak in India,” Huang said. The new strain of H1N1 virus, most commonly known as swine flu, caused a global pandemic in 2009 and has shown signs of returning in India. The country's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare confirmed over the weekend that there have been 708 confirmed swine flu cases across India since January and that 132 people have succumbed to the infection. In the Delhi area alone, 154 H1N1 cases have been reported, with four deaths, the Indian health ministry said.http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2013/02/19/370612/H1N1-virus.htm

Prevent Bird Flu, Thousands of Chickens Destroyed

haluankepri.com

Batam - At least two thousand chickens owned by residents of villages Galang District Water King, was destroyed by the Government of Batam City, Monday (17/02/2013). Culling is related to the outbreak of the H5N1 virus (bird flu) in recent weeks...

http://sindikasi.inilah.com/read/detail/1959450/cegah-flu-burung-ribuan-ayam-dimusnahkan

blue ear disease,H5N1

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Long An Province, the province appears blue ear disease in seven households in the Hiep Thanh Phu Ngai Tri Binh Quoi (Chau Thanh) and Lac Tan (district Tan Tru), with 238 infected pigs; which killed 12 and destroyed 59 children. The local was quick to handle the outbreak, disinfection breeding areas and risk areas. Meanwhile, according to the Department of Animal Health of Tay Ninh province, after three weeks of hard avian influenza H5N1 in backyard flocks Pham Van Rua (Hamlet Bau Tep, Tien Thuan, Ben Bridge District) and after two weeks similar outbreak of influenza in households Phung Thi Thuy (the 3, incubation motives, Binh Minh City, Tay Ninh), basically control the disease, not bird flu outbreak new.

http://www.nhandan.com.vn/cmlink/nhandandientu/thoisu/doi-song/i-s-ng-tin-chung/hom-nay-mi-n-b-c-on-khong-khi-l-nh-1.392145