Kafr El-Sheikh -40 thousand dead chickens in last week

40 Thousand died from bird and poultry Kafr El-Sheikh as a result of bird flu

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Posted on: Saturday, February 23, 2013 - 1:25 PM
Last updated: Saturday, February 23, 2013 - 13:25

Mohammed Nassar

A state of terror severe انتابت people Kafr el-Sheikh; result of the return of bird flu in various hamlets and villages and cities of the province, which caused the deaths of thousands of birds and poultry and duck farms chickens and ducks, when peasants and farmers to maintain, also spread odors ways a number of villages centers "Qaleen, and Motobas, Riyadh, and Sidi Salem, "as a result of the spread of dead birds on the sides of those roads.

The official source Kafr El-Sheikh for "Sunrise" - who requested anonymity - that the disease has spread strongly into villages to maintain without any movement of officials, and confirmed that the disease during the past week the issue of more than 40 thousand birds losses exceeded one million pounds, and said there was no plan Directorate Veterinary Medicine to face catastrophic illness, which may eliminate a million birds to maintain over the coming months; pointing out that it needs an urgent plan of conservation and state officials; to eradicate the disease quickly before it turns into a plague kills all poultry. http://www.shorouknews.com/news/view.aspx?cdate=23022013&id=08dbf3c7-c689-4967-8d98-94f7c43622bb

Fever patient tested negative for novel coronavirus

I reported here of a rumor of a Corona patient. It was denied, but now they say they actually had somebody being tested for it.. lies again already.. http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.com/2013/02/chp-to-clarify-so-far-did-not-find.html


Hong Kong (HKSAR) - The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) received a report from Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) today (February 23) of a suspected case of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus.

The 40-year-old man, with good past health, presented with fever, cough, myalgia and runny nose since February 20. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of QEH on February 22 and was admitted to the isolation ward of QEH on the same day. His current condition is stable.

Investigations by the CHP revealed that the patient travelled to Dubai with his family from January 24 to February 1, then to Tehran from February 1 to 20, and returned to Hong Kong on February 21.

His family members travelled with him are all asymptomatic.

Preliminary laboratory test result for the patient's nasopharyngeal swab today showed that it tested negative for Novel Coronavirus associated with Severe Respiratory Disease but positive for influenza B.

"The CHP will continue its surveillance mechanism with public and private hospitals, practising doctors and the airport for any suspected cases of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus," a DH spokesman remarked.  

"No human infection with this virus has been identified so far in Hong Kong," the spokesman stressed.

The spokesman advised travellers returning from novel coronavirus-affected countries with respiratory symptoms to wear face masks, seek medical attention and reveal their travel history to doctors.

http://7thspace.com/headlines/432927/fever_patient_tested_negative_for_novel_coronavirus.html

Concerted efforts in enhancing surveillance and control measures for novel coronavirus

Hong Kong (HKSAR) - Representatives from the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA) met today (February 21) to discuss the updated global situation of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus and will work together in enhancing the surveillance and control measures for the disease. This is the fourth special meeting held between the DH and the HA on the issue.

The surveillance measures currently in place include statutorily notification of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronovirus and enhanced laboratory testing for novel coronavirus in severe respiratory cases with pneumonia with unknown causes, after ruling out common causative agents.

During the meeting, representatives from the DH and the HA agreed to further enhance the laboratory surveillance for novel coronavirus. For cases of pneumonia with unknown cause, pneumonia cases that require intensive care, clusters of pneumonia or health-care workers with pneumonia, routine testing for novel coronavirus will be carried out irrespective of travel history.

These enhanced measures will be carried out starting from tomorrow (February 22).

Speaking at a media session after the meeting, the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the DH, Dr Leung Ting-hung, expressed concern on the latest development of the disease in the UK. 

"The mortality of this disease is very high and several instances of human-to-human transmission are likely to have occurred in the Middle East and the UK. However, no sustained transmission or expanding clusters of infection have been identified in any country since the earliest cases traced back to April 2012," Dr Leung said.

"Doctors are advised to be vigilant and report any suspected cases to the CHP.

Health-care workers should exercise appropriate infection control measures at all times. As with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) experience, the public should pay particular attention to personal and environmental hygiene and avoid direct contact with animals, birds or poultry," he said, adding that the virus may remain viable in the environment for some time and can be inactivated by 1:99 household bleach.

Dr Leung also advised travellers returning from novel coronavirus-affected countries with respiratory symptoms to wear facial masks and seek medical attention and reveal their travel histories to doctors. The CHP will closely monitor the situation and update the surveillance criteria and testing strategies accordingly.

Also speaking at the media session, the Chief Infection Control Officer of the Hospital Authority, Dr Dominic Tsang, added that public hospitals will continue to closely monitor, promptly isolate and perform rapid diagnostic testing of patients based on defined criteria and risk factors identified.

"Such cases will also be notified to the CHP through existing channels. Health-care workers will be updated once again on the current situation and reminded to adhere to proper infection control measures. Treatment guidelines will be provided to front-line doctors in guiding patient clinical management," Dr Tsang said.  http://7thspace.com/headlines/432761/concerted_efforts_in_enhancing_surveillance_and_control_measures_for_novel_coronavirus.html

as the death of the woman was an individual case... .

JEDDAH – An old woman admitted to a hospital in Riyadh with a new virus from the same family as SARS has died, taking the global death toll from the previously unknown disease to seven...
..Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Public Health Dr. Ziyad Meimish reassured the public that there was no cause for concern, as the death of the woman was an individual case. 

He said that a prevention plan is being carried out by the Ministry of Health for coronavirus and all influenza viruses in the Kingdom  http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130223154240

MoH confirms death of woman from rare form of coronavirus

Saturday 23 February 2013

Last Update 22 February 2013 9:15 pm

A Riyadh resident has died from a rare form of a coronavirus, according to the Saudi Ministry of Health (MoH).
Undersecretary to the Ministry of Health for Public Health, Dr. Ziad Al-Memish, told Arab News yesterday that the victim was a 61-year-old Saudi woman. The cause of death was confirmed by a laboratory test.
It is the third such fatality in the Kingdom and the constitutes the 13th confirmed case of a coronavirus infection. It is the seventh death blamed on the virus worldwide.
The Saudi patient was hospitalized on Jan. 29 in a hospital in Riyadh and died there on Feb. 10.
The woman had recently returned from abroad with symptoms of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the official said. She did not respond to treatment.
In September last year, the ministry reported three cases of the virus, two of whom were Saudis while one was from Qatar. Two of the patients died in Saudi Arabia.
Prior to becoming ill, the Qatari patient had traveled to Saudi Arabia. He was placed in intensive care in Doha before being transferred to the UK. The sixth death attributed to coronavirus was a patient in the UK. That man, who is one of three people in the same family with the virus, is believed to have contracted the illness from a relative. It is the first case of human-to-human transmission of the virus in the UK.
One of the family members appeared to have contracted the virus from a family member during a recent visit to the Middle East and Pakistan. The virus, known as novel coronavirus, or NCoV, was unknown in humans until it emerged in the Middle East last year. There have now been 13 confirmed cases worldwide.
WHO first issued an international alert in September 2012 after the virus infected a Qatari man in Britain who had recently been in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Memish said that people need not worry about the virus as it is believed that it cannot be transmitted from person-to-person. Still, he cautioned people to take measures to avoid the virus.
"We are also monitoring the virus in all parts of the Kingdom through the regional directorates of the MOH,” he said.
Al-Memish, who is also the chairman of the National Scientific Committee for Infectious Diseases, said that only a few people had been found positive in the world.
Coronaviruses are considered to be one of the common agents of the common cold. Symptoms of the virus include runny nose, general feeling of illness, mild sore throat, cough, headache, low fever and chills. It can also cause respiratory, intestinal and neurological illness.
The official said coronaviruses are well-known and most of those infected recover completely with no complications after receiving the needed supportive therapy.
WHO urged countries to consider testing for the new virus when patients appear with unexplained pneumonias or with severe, progressive or complicated respiratory illnesses that do not respond to treatment — especially if those patients have recently traveled to or come from parts of the world where infections have occurred. http://arabnews.com/moh-confirms-death-woman-rare-form-coronavirus?

Latest NCov death was elderly woman

But you already knew that.. didn't you? http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ar&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alazd.net%2Fnews.php%3Faction%3Dshow%26id%3D28298

Health: the death of Saudi woman Corona virus ??

Health: the death of Saudi Corona virus new style

Did not respond to the treatment ..

    Ministry of Health announced the death of a Saudi woman proved results of laboratory tests diagnosed to be infected with HIV Coruna new style (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

The citizenship have entered a hospital in the city of Riyadh after returning from a trip outside the Kingdom, where diagnosed with bird flu symptoms, acute respiratory and gave her appropriate supportive therapy like viruses that cause respiratory infections such as seasonal flu but she did not respond to treatment.

The ministry has shown that it continues to follow the developments in the situation about this new virus in coordination with international organizations and international medical bodies and regional markets where it has taken preventive measures and epidemiological investigation of Mkhaltin and hospital staff.

Also been informed stakeholders including the World Health Organization by the International Health Regulations (IHR), and it should be noted that this case of death (13) at the level of the world because of this virus.  http://www.alriyadh.com/net/article/812366

Early quarantine best way to avert Sars-like outbreak: health chief

Swift isolation of suspected cases is at the core of the government's strategy to prevent another epidemic, the health minister says

It was a dreaded scene from years ago: people clad in full protective gear entering and exiting a quarantined hotel in a city caught in the grip of a fatal virus.

That scene, which emerged in 2003 and then again in 2009, may return to haunt Hong kongers if another epidemic strikes.

Ten years from the dark days of the 2003 Sars crisis, the health chief who battled the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus says the government still considers an early quarantine strategy the best way to avert an outbreak.

Food and Health Bureau Secretary Dr Ko Wing-man was responding to concern that a new Sars-like coronavirus had surfaced in the Middle East and that the city's overloaded public hospitals lacked the capacity to deal with another such crisis.

"This is a lesson we learned from Sars," said Ko, who was at the forefront of the battle as the Hospital Authority's acting chief executive at the time. "We must cut off the transmission chain at a very key moment to stop suspected cases from spreading."

The government might use hotels or holiday campsites to isolate people should the need arise to undertake a large-scale quarantine at the community level, he said. When Sars took hold of the city, an entire block at Amoy Gardens, the Kowloon Bay estate where 42 victims eventually died, was isolated. About 240 residents were taken to quarantine camps.

The most recent memory of the practice was in 2009, when nearly 300 employees and guests at the Metropark hotel in Wan Chai were quarantined for seven nights after a Mexican guest was found infected with swine flu. All were released in good health.

Back then, the government faced criticism that it had overreacted. "But the [quarantine] policy is necessary … We have to put emergency measures in place at a very early stage, even if it comes before the scientific evidence," Ko said. "Still, it is always hard to decide who and when to isolate."

Ko said the city had not seen any serious suspected or confirmed case of the new virus, but now the government was better prepared. "Our stored emergency resources … can be used for a month," he said.

Doctors would isolate and run tests on patients displaying Sars-like symptoms, he said. Public hospitals have increased their number of isolation beds to 1,400. Five hundred of those beds can be used immediately, with the rest ready for use within 72 hours.

Ko said the isolation wards should be reserved for infected cases who showed serious symptoms and needed treatment. Their close contacts would be quarantined in the community.

"[The hospitals' overall lack of capacity] is a problem we are facing as we cope with huge local and overseas demand," Ko admitted. "The government has to work hard to expand the service in the public and private sectors."

In 2003, Ko took over from Hospital Authority chief William Ho Shiu-wei after Ho contracted Sars. Ko resigned in 2004.

 http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1156406/early-quarantine-best-way-avert-sars-outbreak-health-chief

Efficient Replication of the Novel Human Betacoronavirus EMC on Primary Human Epithelium Highlights Its Zoonotic Potential

1. Eveline Kindler^a, 
2. Hulda R. Jónsdóttir^a, 
3. Doreen Muth^b, 
4. Ole J. Hamming^c,
5. Rune Hartmann^c, 
6. Regulo Rodriguez^d, 
7. Robert Geffers^e,
8. Ron A. M. Fouchier^f, 
9. Christian Drosten^b, 
10. Marcel A. Müller^b,
11. Ronald Dijkman^a, 
12. Volker Thiel^a,g

+Author Affiliations

1. Institute of Immunobiology, Kantonal Hospital, St. Gallen, Switzerland^a;
2. Institute of Virology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Bonn, Germany^b;
3. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Centre for Structural Biology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark^c;
4. Institute of Pathology, Kantonal Hospital, St. Gallen, Switzerland^d;
5. Genome Analytics Group, Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany^e;
6. Viroscience Lab, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands^f;
7. Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland^g

1. Address correspondence to Ronald Dijkman, Ronald.Dijkman@kssg.ch, or Volker Thiel, Volker.Thiel@kssg.ch.

1. Editor Michael Buchmeier, University of California, Irvine

ABSTRACT

The recent emergence of a novel human coronavirus (HCoV-EMC) in the Middle East raised considerable concerns, as it is associated with severe acute pneumonia, renal failure, and fatal outcome and thus resembles the clinical presentation of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) observed in 2002 and 2003. Like SARS-CoV, HCoV-EMC is of zoonotic origin and closely related to bat coronaviruses. The human airway epithelium (HAE) represents the entry point and primary target tissue for respiratory viruses and is highly relevant for assessing the zoonotic potential of emerging respiratory viruses, such as HCoV-EMC. Here, we show that pseudostratified HAE cultures derived from different donors are highly permissive to HCoV-EMC infection, and by using reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and RNAseq data, we experimentally determined the identity of seven HCoV-EMC subgenomic mRNAs. Although the HAE cells were readily responsive to type I and type III interferon (IFN), we observed neither a pronounced inflammatory cytokine nor any detectable IFN responses following HCoV-EMC, SARS-CoV, or HCoV-229E infection, suggesting that innate immune evasion mechanisms and putative IFN antagonists of HCoV-EMC are operational in the new host. Importantly, however, we demonstrate that both type I and type III IFN can efficiently reduce HCoV-EMC replication in HAE cultures, providing a possible treatment option in cases of suspected HCoV-EMC infection.

IMPORTANCE A novel human coronavirus, HCoV-EMC, has recently been described to be associated with severe respiratory tract infection and fatalities, similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) observed during the 2002-2003 epidemic. Closely related coronaviruses replicate in bats, suggesting that, like SARS-CoV, HCoV-EMC is of zoonotic origin. Since the animal reservoir and circumstances of zoonotic transmission are yet elusive, it is critically important to assess potential species barriers of HCoV-EMC infection. An important first barrier against invading respiratory pathogens is the epithelium, representing the entry point and primary target tissue of respiratory viruses. We show that human bronchial epithelia are highly susceptible to HCoV-EMC infection. Furthermore, HCoV-EMC, like other coronaviruses, evades innate immune recognition, reflected by the lack of interferon and minimal inflammatory cytokine expression following infection. Importantly, type I and type III interferon treatment can efficiently reduce HCoV-EMC replication in the human airway epithelium, providing a possible avenue for treatment of emerging virus infections.

This Article

1. doi: 10.1128/​mBio.00611-1219 February 2013 mBio vol. 4no. 1 e00611-12

1. All Free via Open Access: OA
3. » Abstract
4. OA Importance
5. OA Figures
6. OA Full Text
7. OA PDF
8. http://mbio.asm.org/content/4/1/e00611-12

New deaths Department of Health to closely monitor overseas novel coronavirus caused severe respiratory disease

February 22, 2013

Department of Health (DH) today (February 22) is closely monitoring the health department reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Saudi) to add a new coronavirus infection deaths.

The patient was admitted to hospital on January 29, subsequently died on February 10. The case on February 18, after laboratory tests confirmed. Saudi health authorities are further investigating the cases.

The number of new cases around the world has confirmed infection novel coronavirus caused severe respiratory disease cases increased to thirteen (including seven deaths), six of which came from Saudi Arabia (including four deaths).

Department of Health spokesman said: "The response to the latest development, the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will be more information to follow up cases to WHO and the health sector. Addition, the CHP will remain vigilant, continue to work with the WHO and overseas health departments work closely monitor the latest development of this new type of infectious disease. "

In addition, Hong Kong has been implemented to strengthen the monitoring of the measures of the new type of coronavirus, from today to further strengthen the monitoring of the laboratory tests of a new type of coronavirus.Required to undergo intensive treatment for unexplained pneumonia cases, cases of pneumonia, pneumonia group cases or cases of health care workers infected with pneumonia, regardless of their travel records, authorities the novel coronavirus constancy laboratory.

The spokesman said: "The CHP will continue with various public and private hospitals, medical practitioners and the airport set up monitoring mechanism to monitor any novel coronavirus caused severe respiratory disease suspected cases."

The spokesman stressed: "Hong Kong has found no cases of human infection with the virus."

The spokesman advised travelers to Hong Kong, such as from the countries affected by the new coronavirus and respiratory symptoms should wear a mask and seek medical attention to the doctors to report their travel history.  http://www.dh.gov.hk/tc_chi/press/2013/130222-2.html

Goats: potential carriers of the new coronavirus?

02/22/2013

A Saudi man sits next to his sheep at an animal market in Riyadh in December 2008. (Fahad Shadeed/Reuters)

Scientists still have no idea how people are getting infected by the novel coronavirus, or which animal might be spreading it to humans.

But yesterday, Eurosurveillance published a paper detailing the investigation of a Qatari patient who was treated in Germany in October and November. And it had this interesting tidbit:

"The patient owned a camel and goat farm and reported a large number of casual contacts (approx. 50 persons per day) on a regular basis. He remembered that before his disease onset some goats were ill and had fever. He did not have direct contact with the goats or any other animals especially falcons or bats, but said he had eaten goat meat. He also reported to have had contact with one of his animal caretakers who was ill with severe cough and was hospitalised."

Since April 2012, the virus has infected 13 people and killed seven — cases so far have been linked with Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Evidence strongly suggests the new coronavirus originated in bats — and since people don't tend to hang around bats too much, scientists are also considering the possibility that the virus is passing to an intermediary animal which, in turn, is infecting humans.

In a previous Eurosurveillance paper, we learned that one of the first known coronavirus patients spent time on a ranch where there were camels and sheep — although he apparently didn't contact them directly. 

But in this latest report, one detail leaps out: the sick goats. When it comes to zoonotic diseases, unusual animal illnesses or deaths can act as warning signs for human outbreaks. Case in point, avian flu: when there is a human infection, chances are there will also be a lot of dead chickens nearby.

Dr. Anthony Mounts, the WHO's technical lead on the novel coronavirus, said goats — and camels — are definitely among the animals investigators are poking and prodding in their search for the virus.

"We don't really know where this virus is lurking, what kind of animal it might be circulating in," he said. "But certainly, if you had a sick animal that someone had been exposed to, that would really raise a red flag."

But he points out that there are multiple routes a virus could take to get into people. Nipah virus, for example, is a bat virus that can infect pigs, which have caused human outbreaks in Malaysia and Singapore; but in Bangladesh, studies have suggested that people there are getting infected by drinking raw palm date juice collected in clay pots -- which fruit bats like to slurp from at night.

Aside from this latest Eurosurveillance report, Mounts said he is not aware of any other reports of unusual animal illnesses or deaths that might be linked to the novel coronavirus.

The goats — they "could just be a red herring," Mounts said. "It could be that there are different sources, different routes of transmission."   http://thestar.blogs.com/worlddaily/2013/02/goats-and-camels.html

Epidemiological update: additional case of severe lower respiratory tract disease associated with a novel coronavirus in Saudi Arabia

Epidemiological update: additional case of severe lower respiratory tract disease associated with a novel coronavirus in Saudi Arabia

22 Feb 2013

ECDC On 19 February 2013, the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed the World Health Organization (WHO) about an additional confirmed case of novel coronavirus (NCoV) infection. The patient was admitted to hospital on 29 January 2013 and died on 10 February. An investigation by the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia is on-going. This case has been notified through the International Health Regulation (IHR) on 20 February 2013. Since April 2012, thirteen cases of NCoV have been confirmed, including seven deaths. In the United Kingdom, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) is actively investigating the recent family cluster of cases to identify the possible route of infection and detect any additional secondary cases. Active follow-up of contacts of the three confirmed cases of the family cluster have not detected additional confirmed secondary cases by 22 February 2013. On 19 February, in light of the NCoV family cluster in the United Kingdom, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has updated its risk assessment. This 13th case reported from Saudi Arabia does not change the ECDC assessment of the situation. ECDC is closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with WHO and the European Member States. http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/press/news/Lists/News/ECDC_DispForm.aspx?List=32e43ee8-e230-4424-a783-85742124029a&ID=851&RootFolder=/en/press/news/Lists/News

Guizhou another bird flu death

Guizhou another bird flu death the Government to strengthen the prevention and control of infectious diseases

Feb 22, 2013 8:47 PM

 Guiyang, February 22 (Reporter Wang Chao Yang Qian) 22 afternoon, Guizhou Province, another human cases of avian influenza were due to disease progression, the Second People's Hospital of Guiyang rescue died. Guizhou Province did not report new human bird flu prevention and control work into the norm.

　　February 10, Guizhou Provincial Health Department Bulletin, Guiyang confirmed two cases of human infection of highly pathogenic avian influenza cases. Patients Shuai Peng months, female, 21 years old, February 2, transferred to Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital intensive care unit treatment. Patients Cai as a mountain, male, 31 years old, the February 3 disease drugs, self-serving healed, from 8 am to Guiyang City People's Hospital for treatment and later transferred to the hospital intensive care ward for treatment. February 10, after a review of detection of two respiratory specimens confirmed positive for human avian influenza virus H5N1 nucleic acid.According to the survey, case history of close contact with poultry.

　　Two of the patients, respectively, at 13 and 22 days after she died.On the 17th, in close contact with the two patients 110 close contacts all the lifting of medical observation, none of fever and other abnormal clinical manifestations. Far, Guizhou not received a report of a new outbreak of avian flu.

　　22, the Guizhou provinci.. http://www.chinanews.com/jk/2013/02-22/4589092.shtml

Guizhou, a male human bird flu patients died from

February 22, 2013 20:53:33
Source: Xinhua


　　Guiyang, Xinhua, February 22 (LI Jing Asia) Guizhou recently confirmed two human cases of avian flu patients, female patients died on the 13th, another male patient died on the 22nd death.

　　Reporter learned from the Guizhou Provincial Health Department, 31-year-old male patient Cai, before his death in Guiyang City, a KTV waitress, February 3rd onset to Guiyang Jinyang hospital on the 8th, the 10th, the expert group confirmed human infected with the highly pathogenic avian influenza. At 16:40 on the 22nd, due to multiple organ failure, died in the hospital of Jinyang death.

　　It is understood that the two patients were alive with birds history of close contact, and are at ..
http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/..._114772091.htm