Hong Kong Prison Homes Spur Virus Risk Decade After SARS

By Natasha Khan - Mar 7, 2013 11:00 AM ET

Daniel J. Groshong/Bloomberg

Members of the World Health Organization's Environmental Health Team walk out of the Amoy Gardens housing estate in Hong Kong on April 30, 2003. More than 40 residents of Amoy Gardens died and 329 were infected.

Chan Sung-ming says the coughs and sneezes echoing through the plywood walls of his windowless, 60- square foot Hong Kong apartment get him thinking: is there a bug going around and could it be deadly?

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The bathroom, right, and kitchen which Chan shares with his neighbors in Hong Kong. Photographer: Jerome Favre/Bloomberg

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A bed and an chair sit in Chan's subdivided flat in Hong Kong. Photographer: Jerome Favre/Bloomberg

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A woman crosses a busy road wearing a mask to protect against the severe acute respiratory virus in Hong Kong on April 18, 2003. When a fast-spreading germ takes hold in Hong Kong, the consequences for the city -- and the world -- can be devastating. Photographer: Peter Parks/AFP/GettyImages

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Masked commuters disembark from harbor ferry in Hong Kong on April 10, 2003. SARS infected 1,755 people in Hong Kong, killing 300, and caused economic losses totaling HK$3.8 billion ($490 million) in two months alone as tourist arrivals dwindled and businesses from restaurants to taxi cabs slumped. Photographer: Daniel Groshong/Bloomberg

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People head to the immigration counters at the Lo Wu border crossing between Hong Kong and mainland China wearing masks to protect against SARS on April 22, 2003. “Hong Kong acts as a transit point from China to Hong Kong, and Hong Kong to the world,” said Guan Yi, professor of virology at the University of Hong Kong. Photographer: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

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A worker wearing protective dress participates in the slaughtering of approximately 2,700 chickens at a market in the Kowloon district of Hong Kong on June 7, 2008. Hong Kong detected the H5N1 bird flu virus in a live poultry market in Kowloon, and stopped importing poultry from mainland China. Photographer: Jerome Favre/Bloomberg

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A passenger has her temperature taken at Chek lap Kok Airport on April 17, 2003. Last year, 56.5 million people transited the city’s airport-- 65 percent more than in 2002. By the time SARS petered out in August 2003, the virus had spread to more than two dozen countries and three regions, causing 8,096 cases and 774 deaths. Photographer: Christian Keenan/Getty Images

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A decade after SARS began a lethal odyssey via Hong Kong, which has the world's most-densely populated urban areas, Chan says his apartment -- one of eight in a space about the size of a squash court -- makes him feel more prone to airborne germs.

Even as the city spends HK$1.6 billion ($206 million) a year on a disease-tracking center to prepare for future contagions, a tripling in the price of homes in the past decade have forced its 7.2 million residents closer together. That’s stoking the potential for a rapid rise of bugs like the severe acute respiratory virus that exploded there in early 2003.

“In Hong Kong, we live vertically, not horizontally,” said Sian Griffiths, director of the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s school of public health. “It’s as if we’ve turned a village street on its end. People are so close together here, the risk of transmission is greater.”

Chan’s apartment is smaller than some of the city’s prison cells. The 36-year-old electricia...  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-07/hong-kong-prison-homes-spur-virus-risk-decade-after-sars.html

CDC Issues New Beta2c Coronavirus Guidance

Recombinomics Commentary 21:00
March 7, 2013

The CDC has put out an early release MMWR which updates the current situation for nCoVs.  Associated with the MMWR are guidance including a new case definition and travel updates.  These updates highlight the concentration of cases in the Middle East and request notification of PUI’s (person under investigation).

The new guidelines highlight symptomatic cases with recent travel to the Arabian Peninsula. 

It is worth noting that this notice coincides with the timing of the SARS-CoV international outbreak 10 years, which began at the Metropole Hotel on February 21, but the confirmation of the outbreak happened in March, as guests began appearing at hospitals in Hong Kong, Singapore, Hanoi, and Toronto.  That initial spread was followed by the spike in reported cases from mid-March through mid-May.
Although the current nCoV is beta2c and SARS CoV is beta2b, the similarities in the disease presentations are striking as is the high case fatality rate for adults age 40 and above.  http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03071302/nCoV_CDC_Update.html

cdc- Update: Severe Respiratory Illness Associated with a Novel Coronavirus — Worldwide, 2012–2013

Update: Severe Respiratory Illness Associated with a Novel Coronavirus — Worldwide, 2012–2013

Early Release

March 7, 2013 / 62(Early Release);1-2

CDC continues to work closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners to better understand the public health risk posed by a novel coronavirus that was first reported to cause human infection in September 2012 (1–3). Genetic sequence analyses have shown that this new virus is different from any other known human coronaviruses, including the one that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) (2). As of March 7, 2013, a total of 14 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection have been reported to WHO, with eight deaths (4). Illness onsets have occurred from April 2012 through February 2013 (4,5). To date, no cases have been reported in the United States.

Three of the confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection were identified in the United Kingdom (UK) as part of a cluster within one family (6). The index patient in the cluster, a man aged 60 years with a history of recent travel to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, developed respiratory illness on January 24, 2013, before returning to the UK on January 28 (5,7,8). He was hospitalized on January 31 with severe lower respiratory tract disease and has been receiving intensive care (5,7,8). Respiratory specimens from this patient taken on February 1 tested positive for influenza A (H1N1) virus and for novel coronavirus infection (8). The second patient was an adult male household member with an underlying medical condition who became ill on February 6, after contact with the index patient, and received intensive treatment but died with severe respiratory disease (5,9). This patient's underlying illness might have made him more susceptible to severe respiratory infection. The third patient is an adult female who developed a respiratory illness on February 5, following contact with the index patient after he was hospitalized (5,10). She did not require hospitalization and had recovered by February 19 (5,6). Only the index patient had traveled recently outside the UK. Based on their ongoing investigation of this cluster of illnesses, the UK Health Protection Agency has concluded that person-to-person transmission likely occurred in the UK within this family (6).

This recent cluster provides the first clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of this novel coronavirus, coinfection of this novel coronavirus with another pathogen (influenza A), and a case of mild illness associated with this novel coronavirus infection. In light of these developments, updated guidance has been posted on the CDC coronavirus website (http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/ncv). Persons who develop severe acute lower respiratory illness within 10 days after traveling from the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries* should continue to be evaluated according to current guidelines. Persons whose respiratory illness remains unexplained and who meet criteria for "patient under investigation" should be reported immediately to CDC through state and local health departments. Persons who develop severe acute lower respiratory illness of known etiology within 10 days after traveling from the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries but who do not respond to appropriate therapy may be considered for evaluation for novel coronavirus infection. In addition, persons who develop severe acute lower respiratory illness who are close contacts†of a symptomatic traveler who developed fever and acute respiratory illness within 10 days of traveling from the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries may be considered for evaluation for novel coronavirus infection. Testing of specimens for the novel coronavirus will be conducted at CDC.

Recommendations and guidance on case definitions, infection control (including use of personal protective equipment), case investigation, and specimen collection and shipment for testing, are available at the CDC coronavirus website. Additional information and potentially frequent updates will be posted on the CDC coronavirus website. State and local health departments with questions should contact the CDC Emergency Operations Center (770-488-7100).

Novel (New) Coronavirus in the Arabian Peninsula and United Kingdom

This information is current as of today, March 07, 2013 at 16:57 EST

Updated: March 07, 2013

What Is the Current Situation?

From April 2012 to February 2013, a total of 14 people in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Kingdom (UK) were confirmed to have respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus; 13 cases were severe and one case was mild. Eight of these 14 people died.

In the UK, an infected man likely spread the virus to two family members. He had recently traveled to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and got sick before returning to the UK. This cluster of cases provides the first evidence of person-to-person transmission. The UK’s Health Protection Agency is continuing to investigate this. Also, clusters of cases in Saudi Arabia and Jordan are being investigated. For more information, see CDC’s novel coronavirus update.

CDC does not recommend that anyone change their travel plans because of these cases of the novel coronavirus. CDC recommends that US travelers to countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula* monitor their health and see a doctor right away if they develop fever and symptoms of lower respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath. They should tell the doctor about their recent travel.  

What Is a Coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a cause of the common cold. A coronavirus also was the cause of the severe respiratory illness called SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). SARS caused a global epidemic in 2003, but there have not been any known cases of SARS since 2004. This novel coronavirus is not the same coronavirus that caused SARS.

What Is Known About Novel Coronavirus?

The novel coronavirus is different from any other coronavirus that has been previously found in people. In the UK, the virus likely spread from an infected person to two family members. Symptoms of novel coronavirus infection have included fever, cough, and shortness of breath. CDC is working with WHO and other partners to understand the public health risks from this virus.

How Can Travelers Protect Themselves?

Taking these everyday actions can help prevent the spread of germs and protect against colds, flu, and other illnesses:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Be sure you are up-to-date with all of your shots, and if possible, see your healthcare provider at least 4–6 weeks before travel to get any additional shots. Visit CDC’s Travelers' Health website for more information on healthy travel.
• If you are sick
  • Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Avoid contact with other people to keep from infecting them.

When Should Someone See a Health Care Provider?

You should see a healthcare provider if you develop a fever and symptoms of lower respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath, within 10 days after traveling from countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula*. You should tell the healthcare provider about your recent travel.

Clinician Information:

Health care providers should be alert to patients who develop severe acute lower respiratory illness (e.g., requiring hospitalization) within 10 days after traveling from countries in the Arabian Peninsula* or neighboring countries, excluding those who transited at airports.

• Consider other more common causes of respiratory illness, such as influenza.
• Evaluate patients using the CDC’s case definitions and guidance
• Immediately report patients with unexplained respiratory illness and who meet CDC’s criteria for “patient under investigation” to CDC through the state or local health department.
• Consider evaluating patients for novel coronavirus infection who:
  • develop severe acute lower respiratory illness of known etiology within 10 days after traveling from the Arabian Peninsula,* but who do not respond to appropriate therapy
  • develop severe acute lower respiratory illness who are close contacts of a symptomatic traveler who developed fever and acute respiratory illness within 10 days of traveling from the Arabian Peninsula.*
• See additional recommendations and guidance on CDC’snovel coronavirus website.
• Contact your state or local health department if you have any questions.

Additional Information:

• CDC Novel Coronavirus
• WHO Novel Coronavirus Infection—Update
• Novel Coronavirus 2012, Health Protection Agency
• ECDC: Novel Coronavirus update to Rapid Risk Assessment
• Update: Severe Respiratory Illness Associated with a Novel Coronavirus—Worldwide, 2012–2013 MMWR March 7, 2013/62 (Early Release); 1–2
• Severe Respiratory Illness Associated with a Novel Coronavirus — Saudi Arabia and Qatar, 2012 MMWR October 12, 2012/61; 820–820.

*Countries in and near the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestinian territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/in-the-news/coronavirus-arabian-peninsula-uk.htm

CDC-Novel (New) Coronavirus in the Arabian Peninsula and United Kingdom

Novel (New) Coronavirus in the Arabian Peninsula and United Kingdom

This information is current as of today, March 07, 2013 at 16:57 EST

Updated: March 07, 2013

What Is the Current Situation?

From April 2012 to February 2013, a total of 14 people in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Kingdom (UK) were confirmed to have respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus; 13 cases were severe and one case was mild. Eight of these 14 people died.

In the UK, an infected man likely spread the virus to two family members. He had recently traveled to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and got sick before returning to the UK. This cluster of cases provides the first evidence of person-to-person transmission. The UK’s Health Protection Agency is continuing to investigate this. Also, clusters of cases in Saudi Arabia and Jordan are being investigated. For more information, see CDC’s novel coronavirus update.

CDC does not recommend that anyone change their travel plans because of these cases of the novel coronavirus. CDC recommends that US travelers to countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula* monitor their health and see a doctor right away if they develop fever and symptoms of lower respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath. They should tell the doctor about their recent travel.  more http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/in-the-news/coronavirus-arabian-peninsula-uk.htm

No corona in Kuwait

Wrote Jamal Al Rajhi:  @ Jamalalrajhi new director of public health in the Ministry of Health. Yusuf Mndkar Ttminh for citizens and residents, stressing that the virus «Corona» still not a real concern to public health, adding that until this moment had not officially registered any case of HIV Coruna health hospitals or primary care centers (clinics).  said Dr.. Mndkar for «home» health monitor actively and accurately new information HIV-cooperation with the regional office in the Middle East of the World Health Organization. added Mndkar: We apply the plan organization approved by about virus, which provides for filling the gaps in knowledge about the virus, through close cooperation among all countries in the region to control and early detection and verification of injury of any group of people ARI in the Kuwaiti society or between professional groups (workers). confirmed Mndkar that the FAO report last had recommended not to impose any restrictions on travel to countries that recorded injuries, reducing the risk of spread, the fact that the virus does not spread easily among humans according to the report. In the same context, experts said in the health sector (an ILO) said progress has already been achieved in relation to specify the nature of the new virus and its composition genetic and develop diagnostic tests accurate and specific, and the organization said it was working with laboratories in several countries to make these tests available as soon as possible, for the definition of the disease, which belongs to the group of viruses coronary called «Pkorona» due to its shape under a microscope, which is similar to a Crown.  http://alwatan.kuwait.tt/articledetails.aspx?Id=258777&YearQuarter=20131

SARS ruled out in death cases

By Cai Wenjun  |   2013-3-8 

HEALTH authorities have ruled out SARS, bird flu or a new SARS-like virus in the deaths of two people from the same family at Shanghai No. 5 People's Hospital.

The hospital said three members of the Li family had been admitted between February 14 and 24 for symptoms including a high fever and coughing. 

All three, aged 55, 69 and 87, were diagnosed as having pneumonia. 

Since they were from the same family, the hospital reported the case to the Minhang District Center for Disease Control and Prevention for investigation. The pneumonia diagnosis was confirmed.
However, microbloggers raised fears that they might have been infected by SARS. 

The Shanghai Public Health Center, the city's designated facility for infectious disease diagnosis and treatment, did checks and ruled out the disease.

Officials from the Shanghai Health Bureau said the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention investigated the case and it, too, ruled out SARS.

The 55-year-old Li died of severe pneumonia and respiratory failure last week. The 87-year-old suffered multi-organ failure and died on Monday. 

The 69-year-old is still in hospital, in isolation and receiving treatment.

Doctors said they were seeing a rising number of patients suffering from pneumonia due to the changing seasons. None of the other patients had any connection with the Li family.

SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, is a serious and potentially life-threatening viral infection that mostly affects the lungs. It is caused by a family of viruses known as coronaviruses which can vary in their severity.

In the SARS epidemic in China 10 years ago, Shanghai had eight SARS patients, two of whom died. The Chinese mainland had 5,327 SARS patients during the epidemic, of whom 349 people died. http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=525501&type=Metro

U.S. warns health officials to be alert for deadly new virus

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday warned state and local health officials about potential infections from a deadly virus previously unseen in humans that has now sickened 14 people and killed 8.

Most of the infections have occurred in the Middle East, but a new analysis of three confirmed infections in Britain suggests the virus can pass from person to person rather than from animal to humans, the CDC said in its Weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report on Thursday.

The virus is a coronavirus, part of the same family of viruses as the common cold and the deadly outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that first emerged in Asia in 2003. The new virus is not the same as SARS, but like the SARS virus, it is similar to those found in bats.

So far, no cases have been reported in the United States.

According to the CDC's analysis, the infections in Britain started with a 60-year-old man who had recently traveled to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and developed a respiratory illness on January 24, 2013. Samples from the man showed he was infected with both the new virus and with H1N1, or swine flu.

This man subsequently passed the infection to two members of his household: a male with an underlying illness who became ill on February 6 and subsequently died; and a healthy adult female in his household who developed a respiratory illness on February 5, but who did not need to be hospitalized and has recovered.

The CDC said people who develop a severe acute lower respiratory illness within 10 days of returning from the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries should continue to be evaluated according to current guidelines.

The health agency said doctors should be watchful of patients who develop an unexplained respiratory infection within 10 days of traveling from the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries. The CDC has set up a special website with updates on the infections at http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/ncv/ .

Symptoms of infection with this new virus include severe acute respiratory illness with fever, cough and shortness of breath. Neither the CDC nor the World Health Organization has issued travel restrictions related to the virus.  http://news.yahoo.com/u-warns-health-officials-alert-deadly-virus-230251928.html

Pok Oi Hospital in Hong Kong 2 transfected human metapneumovirus

The spokesman for the Hong Kong Pok Oi Hospital in Hong Kong announced the hospital a nursing male ward and then a 59-year-old patient and a staff of fever and respiratory symptoms. The test results show that the two positive reaction for human metapneumovirus.

The spokesman said that The patients are being treated in isolation and in stable condition; staff concerned is now on leave.

The spokesman stressed that the virus is not SARS or novel coronavirus (commonly known as "SARS").

Human metapneumovirus infection is common in the early spring, 2001, was found in the Netherlands for the first time. The virus is a single-stranded RNA virus, classified as a paramyxovirus genus (including parainfluenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus)

转载请注明出处与链接，原文网址: 香港博爱医院再有2人染人类偏肺病毒 - 国内新闻 - 古汉台网 http://news.guhantai.com/2013/0307/214225.shtml#ixzz2MrkNDNS8

Another Beta2c Coronavirus Cluster In Riyadh?

Recombinomics Commentary 12:00
March 7, 2013

He had no travel history outside Riyadh, but had been in contact with one of his children who had a mild cold.

He was in his usual state of health until October 9, when he presented to a local private clinic for the first time with a complaint of fever of 38oC and a cough that had become productive.

The above comments are from a publication in the Saudi Medical Journalentitled “Recovery from severe novel coronavirus infection,” which describes the 3rd confirmed nCoV case, who is the first confirmed case from Riyadh.  This case has not been reported as a familial cluster, but the above description raises concerns that the nCoV is widespread in Saudi Arabia, but testing and detection is largely limited to severe cases who are hospitalized with pneumonia, and milder cases, such as the child cited above, are considered as cases with a “mild cold” and are not tested.  Since the infection of the first confirmed case, all but one of the confirmed and probable cases has links to Saudi Arabia (in multiple locations), but only one series has been classified as a confired cluster.
The first confirmed case (60M) was from Bisha, but was hospitalized and died in Jeddah.  The second confirmed case (49M) was from Doha, Qatar, but developed mild symptoms while performing Umrah in Saudi Arabia, as did several travel companions.  His initial symptoms resolved after he returned to Qatar, but two week later the symptoms returned and his deteriorating condition led to air ambulance transport to the UK, where he has been hospitalized for five months.  13 contact health care workers (out of 65) developed mild symptoms, but tested negative. 

The third case is the one described above who had contact with one of his children who had a “mild cold”. 

The fourth confirmed case (31M) was part of a familial cluster.  His father (70M) and brother (39M) died and were also confirmed, while another family member (M) had similar symptoms, but tested negative. 

The fifth confirmed case was from Qatar and is the only case infected since the summer of 2012 with no link to Saudi Arabia.  Contact health care workers with mild symptoms tested negative.

Two additional confirmed cases with no linkage to Saudi Arabia died in April, 2012 and were part of a large cluster (including approximately 10 probable cases) linked to an ICU in Jordan (probable cases included 6 nurses and a doctor).  None of the surviving cluster cases were confirmed, although several were hospitalized with severe pneumonia and WHO has classified the epidemiologically linked patients as probable cases.
All of the 2013 cases have links to Saudi Arabia.  The first confirmed case (60M) also developed symptoms in Saudi Arabia while performing Umrah.  After he returned to the UK he was nCoV confirmed, as were 2 family members with no recent travel outside of the UK.  His son (39M) died, but another family member (30F) had milder symptoms and recovered without treatment. A fourth symptomatic family member tested negative and also recovered without treatment.  The first confirmed 2013 in Saudi Arabia (61F) was said to have developed symptoms abroad, but was confirmed and died in Riyadh.  The most recent confirmed case (69M). died in the province of Al-Qassim in Saudi Arabia and had not recently traveled outside of the country.
The strong linkage to Saudi Arabia coupled with linkage to milder cases who either tested negative or were not tested, raises concerns that the nCoV is common in Saudi Arabia, but the sensitivity of the assay largely limits detection to samples collected from the lower respiratory tract, including sputum samples.  Consequently, almost all confirmed cases develop severe pneumonia and most die.  However, these severe cases represent a small fraction of the infections, due to heavily biased testing and a strong requirement for samples from the lower respiratory tract.

Although the negative results in symptomatic contacts of confirmed cases increases concerns that more extensive testing will produce more false negatives, an expanded testing, particularly of sputum samples from milder cases, is long overdue, as similarities with the 2002/2003 SARS-CoV outbreak continue to increase.

Your 10 days grace period is over

WHO continues to closely monitor the situation.
That is very nice of them. What is not so nice, is that we have to wait so long to hear about it.
He was hospitalized on 10 February 2013 and died on the 19th. That was over 2 weeks since his death. Same as the last case. Do you see the time lapse we are getting? Your 10 days grace period is over. From now on you get no warning. Nothing. You will just get up and see on tv, that something big is going down.
 WHAT?  A new disease from Saudi Arabia?  
Well, Kiddies, you are now, officially, not getting any warning from the WHO, the Saudi's, or any U.S. gov't officials. There are no warnings, alerts or even travel notices. EVERYBODY  continues to closely monitor the situation. Hell, we already knew that too.
You can wait around for one, write about how special it is to be told of a case, or even retweet the same story 47 times..but you are still 2 weeks behind what is really happening.
Channie says don't stigmatize any countries that may have a new disease, to keep the info flowing in..Funny that it comes from the place where more outbreaks are hiddin from people, even more than Cambodia. Keep the info flowing to the WHO, who then sits on it.  WHO continues to closely monitor the situation?
 The total lack of specifics in these recent reports is amazing. I know more about when the president is going golfing than I know about this threat!
If the WHO is monitoring so closely, then why are they so late to report on it? Why are the Saudi's, who claim to be adhering to IHR, waiting for weeks to report them to the WHO?
Somebody is not being truthful on reporting what is happening there. Do you see any American airports taking special precautions against this new coronavirus, compared to other countries and their statements?  Funny that HK and China are saying something  about it every day. Denying rumors, closely watching travelers, even giving out H5N1 vaccines to people going to or working  in risky bird flu areas. 
How can we judge the threat, when we are not told of cases or clusters? The latest death has no travel history, so this nails down Saudi Arabia as the main country of spread..and we don't know yet, the who, what, where he caught it from? Maybe I am being too suspicious of all these gov't agencies and countries. Maybe they will really tell us when it is out of control and spreading through casual contact. Maybe it already is.

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.

If this is the case, then why is China doing it?..And since Channie is from China and leader of the WHO, do I think she doesn't know about or control it?  Yeah, it sure does remind ME of a case of "de ja vu." Pay no attention the man behind the curtain. Don't stigmatize anybody?..What she meant to say was "Don't YOU stigmatize anybody." Your 10 days grace period is over.

..The DOH called on Taiwanese nationals with plans to visit the Middle East to take precautions, maintain their personal hygiene and avoid close contact with individuals with respiratory illness.

It also urged travelers arriving in Taiwan from the Middle East with similar symptoms to report to airport officials and receive an examination or be quarantined if necessary. http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aLIV&ID=201303070018

 guard against the novel coronavirus in incoming

2013-03-07 15:09

　　Reporter WASHINGTON (Reporter Baoshu Ling) yesterday from Yinchuan Airport Inspection and Quarantine Bureau was informed that the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine has released "into China on the Prevention novel coronavirus Notice requirements, inspection and quarantine agencies to strengthen in the next three months from the United Kingdom, the Arabian Peninsula, the body temperature monitoring, medical inspections, etc., in order to prevent new coronavirus into China.. http://news.enorth.com.cn/system/2013/03/07/010714745.shtml

Our region will strengthen the detection of unexplained pneumonia

 2013-03-06 21:26

　　WASHINGTON (intern reporter Zhansi Jia Li Xia) yesterday, the reporter learned from the regional health department emergency office, for the the novel coronavirus epidemic situation, the regional health department will pay close attention to the epidemic situation, strengthen the monitoring of unexplained pneumonia cases..　　

　　According to the World Health Organization Bulletin, since mid-February, the world's new four cases of laboratory-confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, from Saudi..

http://news.enorth.com.cn/system/2013/03/06/010710851.shtml

AQSIQ issued a notice to prevent new coronavirus into China

Published :2013 -03-04 23:34:04 edited: Shares urban network stock channel

AQSIQ has issued a notice to prevent new coronavirus into China.

http://stock.gucheng.com/201303/2325893.shtml

New Valley infected with bird flu

2013 - 12:06:47 Thursday 07 - March

Objective picture

New Valley - Khaled Ezz Eddin said General Manager Directorate of Veterinary Medicine, New Valley d. Mohammed Bashir that since the emergence of bird flu preservation were executed 3 thousand birds on level 9 hotbeds major cities Kharga and Dakhla. added Bashir, to whom 2700 birds in one farm in the village Zayat citizen has the establishment of a farm without an official license. explained that the Directorate continues the work of finding the disease at the level of all the villages after the analysis showed a higher incidence of homes people especially in villages and causes injury due to the hawkers selling chicks small age of one month and distributed to homes on the level the entire province. For his part, Dr.. Mohammed Bukhari Director General Health Directorate that so far did not prove injury citizens infected with bird flu and preventive medicine directorate doing home visits continuing to clients with bird areas that have occurred by the injury to continue and in case of any emergency may occur.

Ten Years After

10 years after SARS outbreak, WHO boss shares lessons learned

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/10-years-after-sars-outbreak-who-boss-shares-lessons-learned-1.1182058#ixzz2MqqlO38r

SARS 10 years later: How are survivors faring now?

Beatrice Politi and Carmen Chai, Global News : Wednesday, March 06, 2013 2:15 PM

Read it on Global News: Global News | SARS 10 years later: How are survivors faring now? 

Alvin Lee dies at 68; guitar virtuoso with Ten Years After

The British blues-rock band became a top act after its blistering performance of 'I'm Going Home' at Woodstock. Lee was called 'the fastest guitar in the West.'

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-alvin-lee-20130307,0,2836455.story

Cambodia-Bird-flu cases scare villagers-42 are tested negative

• 
• 

Last Updated on 07 March 2013

By Khoun Leakhana and Claire Slattery

Consumed by fears about the spread of bird flu in Cambodia, dozens of people in Banteay Meanchey province descended on the provincial hospital on Tuesday, worried they had caught the disease, only to find they were suffering from common colds.

The scare apparently took hold after several chickens grew sick and died in the area last month, according to a Malai district villager, Ly Khlei, 38, who said many people were suffering flu-like symptoms, including high fevers and coughing.

Director of Mongkal Borie Cambodian-Japanese Friendship hospital Chan Vuthynavuth said 42 people were tested for H5N1 on Tuesday evening, but none of them had caught the virus, nor were their conditions serious.

Heng Bun Hor, director of the provincial agriculture department, said authorities had sent samples of local poultry to Phnom Penh to test for the virus and the results would be known by Friday.

The Kingdom is facing its worst-ever outbreak of bird flu, with eight deaths out of nine cases in less than two months. None of the cases was in Banteay Meanchey.

Officials deny their treatment of the outbreak has created unnecessary panic.

Banteay Meanchey provincial health department director, Kao Sopheak said the latest incident showed people were being cautious.

The World Organisation’s Sonny Krishnan said it showed that the education and information campaign was getting through.

“This is what we want, people to start reporting death of poultry,” he said.  

After the latest death last week of a 35-year-old Kampong Cham man, authorities beefed up their communications cam-paign, including doubling television and radio advertising from two slots per evening to four.

Krishnan said the campaign would last until at least Khmer New Year in mid-April. http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2013030761811/National/bird-flu-cases-scare-villagers.html

Health»: The disease is not transmitted to the children of the deceased

The death illness seventh case Coruna in the Kingdom The spokesman «Health»: The disease is not transmitted to the children of the deceased 

..For his part, the spokesman of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Khaled Marghalani that the infection status was discovered five days ago, It is citizen elderly in Qassim, he did not move the virus to one of his children. 
between Marghalani told «Middle» that the genetic makeup of the disease is not yet known. ,,

Another Fatal Beta2c Coronavirus Case In Saudi Arabia

Recombinomics Commentary 20:15
March 3, 2013

The patient, a 69-year-old male, was hospitalized on 10 February 2013 and died on 19 February 2013. Preliminary investigation indicated that the patient had no contact with previously reported cases of NCoV infection and did not have recent history of travel.

The above comments from the March 6 WHO update describe another 2013 fatal beta2c case from Saudi Arabia, which increases the similarities between the current novel coronavirus outbreak and the SARS-CoV outbreak in 2002/2003.  The fatal cases raise concerns that the current surveillance is missing the vast majority of nCoV cases, which are not fatal.

All cases in 2013, as well as almost all 2012 cases since the summer, when the first confirmed case was infected, have been linked to Saudi Arabia, including one cluster of four (3 confirmed, 1 probable).  The detail on the 2013 cases in KSA has been limited.  The MoH indicated the earlier case (61F) developed symptoms abroad, but the country was not cited.  Similarly, media reports indicated WHO was trying to confirm two additional cases, but it is unclear if those cases were linked to the prior case, or if they included the case described today.

In 2002/2003 the explosion of cases was reported between mid-March and mid-May, including the global spread linked to the Metropole Hotel, which began in February, but not confirmed / reported until March.

More detail on the two most recent cases, as well as more sequences from the cases confirmed in 2012, would be useful.