Category Archives: Influenza

Influenza

H3N2: Kills family in U.S., Hong Kong reports sudden jump in cases, big hit on old folks homes in U.K., Australia gets hit early

On March 1 and March 2, 2012, in the U.S. state of Maryland, three people died from H3N2 influenza.  They were members of the same family. Two other family members are recovering.

Calvert County Health officials say those who died did not get vaccinated.  Two of those who died also had complications due to MRSA. U.S. health officials say the flu season is off to a late start.

Health officials in Hong Kong are reporting a sudden jump in H3N2 cases.

At the end of January, 2012, they reported 196 total flu cases. At the end of February they reported 465 cases.  Now, for the end of March they have 579 new cases!  At least 50 people have died.

H3N2 is the dominate influenza in Hong Kong, accounting for 48% of all flu cases!  Health officials say it is similar to influenza A/Perth/16/2009, which is a sign that current vaccines should help prevent it.

Here are some tips from Hong Kong health officials: “Build up good body immunity by having a proper diet, regular exercise and adequate rest, reducing stress and avoiding smoking. Maintain good personal and environmental hygiene. Wash hands after sneezing, coughing or cleaning the nose. Maintain good indoor ventilation.  Avoid visiting crowded places with poor ventilation.”
Also: “Members of the public, particularly young children, elderly people and those with chronic diseases, should wear face masks [hopefully you won’t violate any Homeland Security rules] and consult their doctors promptly if they develop influenza-like symptoms.”

In the United Kingdom, old folks homes are getting hit hard.  In just one care center six people died within days of each other.  Officials are seeing a jump in H3N2 cases: “We have been getting outbreaks involving 20 to 30 people at a time. When this happens local health protection unit staff go into the homes and take swabs.”-Nick Phin, U.K.’s Health Protection Agency

The same official said flu deaths that occur in nursing homes are not required to be reported to the public: “…a mandatory scheme whereby anyone admitted to a hospital intensive care unit who dies from flu is reported to the Department of Health. But we don’t formally record flu deaths of people dying in care homes.”

In other words it could be worse than what has been reported!  The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is admitting that nursing homes have the highest cases of influenza A (which includes H3N2). Schools are the next hardest hit, with hospitals coming in third.

British health officials confirm what U.S. health officials are saying: “Flu has circulated late this season….The most common flu strain we are currently seeing circulate this season is H3N2, which can cause more severe illness particularly in older people….”

While some of us in the Northern Hemisphere are getting a late start to the flu season, Australia is reporting an early start.

Officials in New South Wales, Australia, are reporting that Australians returning from vacations in Europe and the United States are bringing H3N2 with them: “…people shouldn’t be complacent! We’ve had two confirmed cases in the Hunter from people who have been overseas.”-David Durrheim, Hunter New England Local Health District

Normally the flu season starts in April in the land Down Under.  Officials there are actually telling people with symptoms to stay away from hospitals, as well as nursing homes, schools and other crowded areas, in order to prevent spreading the virus.

 

 

 

Influenza

H1N1: Swine Flu spreading through India, local governments failing the public, oil rich North Dakota hit, death in Texas, Mexico more than 200 deaths

“There is a ‘sudden and sharp’ rise in the transmissibility of the swine flu virus this month. Usually, the virus transmission is not more than 1 or 2% during March. It is something unusual.”-A C Mishra, India’s National Institute of Virology

Indian health officials now reporting 211 cases from 5 states, and 16 deaths so far this year.

Some doctors say the virus is mutating fast: “…the virus itself has developed a new strain, which helps it to survive in warmer temperatures. While human beings develop immunity to the virus, the virus itself keeps transforming…”-Vijay Kumar Pawar, Aundh Civil Hospital

Some Indian states lack funding for health care, and as a result are actually ignoring cases of H1N1.

In the state of Ashok Gehlot the H1N1 death rate jumped from 5.87% in 2009-2010, to 27% for the 2011-2012 flu season!  Even though the state has finally set up facilities to monitor cases of H1N1, they have no vaccines available!

On March 19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 172 cases of H1N1 in the United States.

In the U.S. state of North Dakota, health officials say H1N1 has made itself known. Until two weeks ago flu cases were sporadic, now they are steady.

As of March 26, North Dakota has 365 influenza cases, four of which have been confirmed as H1N1.

“The good thing is the two viruses circulating most in the communities are in the vaccine. People that have been vaccinated would have protection against these viruses.”-Lindsey VanderBusch, North Dakota Health Department

In Corpus Cristi, Texas, a Nueces County woman died from H1N1, the first death since 2010.   She died on March 2, 2012.  She spent ten days in the hospital.  Apparently the information wasn’t made public until March 20.

In Mexico, health officials report 200 deaths from H1N1.  The Mexican state of Sonora reported its 6th death on March 14.  So far there are 274 H1N1 cases in Sonora, but that’s only 9th place compared to other Mexican states.

Guatemala is reporting 55 H1N1 cases, with four deaths.

Symptoms include sudden fever, running nose, sore throat, cough, problems in breathing, diarrhea or upset stomach, loss of appetite.  These are typical with many types of flu, however, if you have other health problems, or a weak immune system, you should see a doctor right away.

 

Influenza

H1N1: Swine flu killing people in India, affordable vaccine shortage, services forced to cut back on care due to lack of money

H1N1 is hitting one Indian city hard & fast, partly due to a shortage of vaccines.  In one week four people have died!  Five are in critical condition.

Pune officials had to destroy their stock of nasal spray vaccines because they had expired.  But there’s no shortage of other forms of more expensive H1N1 vaccines, just a shortage of cash to pay for them!

As of March 18, 2012, 58 people are confirmed infected with H1N1, with 15,000 people being tested for H1N1.  However, to cut costs officials have decided to restrict who gets tested for H1N1: “Only patients down with influenza like symptoms but having associated illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and other chronic illnesses as well as those falling in category A, irrespective of whether they have other co-morbid conditions or not, will be tested for swine flu infection.”-Pravin Shingare, Medical Education and Research (DMER)

On March 17, 2012, Mumbai state health officials called an emergency meeting.  They are trying to figure out the cause of such a sudden, and deadly outburst of H1N1.

So far they’re blaming lack of immunity caused by a new mutant strain of H1N1, and other medical conditions of the patient: “The last outbreak was reported over a year and half ago. The herd immunity people developed after that is on the decline hence people with compromised immunity due to pre-existing morbidities like diabetes, hypertension, cardiac illness, cancer etc are more susceptible.”-Pradeep Awate, state health surveillance officer

They also blame unusually cold weather for India: “The sudden cold wave in February following by the current transition period and difference in diurnal temperatures are favorable conditions for influenza infections like swine flu.”-Pradeep Awate, state health surveillance officer

Influenza

H5N1: Bird flu kills more than 15,000 in Nepal, Hong Kong finds more victims, yet more human cases in Indonesia

Nepal’s Animal Health Directorate reported that bird flu is spreading like wild fire in their country.  So far 15,160 chickens have died on just one farm.

Test results have finally come in, and confirmed it was bird flu. Now officials will begin killing off the rest of the poultry on farms that have had cases of bird flu.

This is devastating to Nepal’s poultry industry, and could result in a food shortage.

In Hong Kong, another wild bird was found dead.  The crow tested positive for H5 avian influenza.  Hong Kong has seen a number of wild birds dying from the virus, normally it’s domesticated poultry.

The wild birds had not been found near poultry farms.  The crow was found in a planter at a gas station.

Indonesia continues to have more human cases.  According to the UN’s World Health Organization, 18 people have become sick, with ten dying in the 2011-2012 flu season.

The latest death was a 24 year old woman who got sick with fever on February 23.  She died on 01 March 2012.  She worked at a poultry farm where chickens were infected.

 

 

Influenza

Pale Green Horse & H5N1: Korea hit by bird flu, wild birds die in Hong Kong, more cases in Vietnam, more human deaths in Indonesia, can be transmitted through your eye

South Korea officials reporting that bird flu has hit their country.  45 chickens died from bird flu, however, they are conducting more thorough tests to determine which strain of bird flu it was.

In Vietnam, officials thought they got things under control after more than 400 poultry died in February, but now, a new outbreak has been reported to the UN’s World Health Organization.

Bangladesh is reporting a fourth case of human H5N1 infection. The man was found to be infected, on February 26, after government mandated testing for live poultry market workers.  So far no deaths.

Indonesia has seen another human death from H5N1.  A 12 year old boy died on 21 February 2012.  He was in contact with poultry, but investigators say none of the birds are showing any sign of H5N1.

As of the beginning of March, farmers in Bhutan have killed off more than 1,300 poultry to stop the spread of H5N1 there.

Officials in Hong Kong are reporting an increase in the number of wild birds dying from H5N1.  Normally H5N1 attacks domestic birds.  It’s believed that wild birds can get it from eating contaminated chicken feed.  However, most of the dead wild birds in Hong Kong were not near any poultry farms.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says H5N1 can be spread by rubbing your eyes after handling sick birds.  The CDC said several types of flu viruses can travel through your eye and cause upper respiratory infection.

I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

PALE GREEN HORSE & H1N1: MEXICO HAS 166 DEATHS SO FAR FOR 2012, COSTA RICA SAYS FLU “UNUSUAL” THIS YEAR

Influenza

Pale Green Horse & H1N1: Mexico has 166 deaths so far for 2012, Costa Rica says flu “unusual” this year

Mexican health officials are reporting a 23% increase in H1N1 deaths, just in the past week!

So far 166 people have died from H1N1 swine flu, since January 1, 2012!  Mexican officials claim that 89% of the deaths involve people who did not get vaccinated.

U.S. health officials are encouraging people to get vaccinated.

In Costa Rica, officials there say they are seeing an increase in all kinds of flu cases.  At the end of January more than 419 people were hospitalized. At least three have died specifically from H1N1.

The Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (Costa Rican Social Security) said the behavior of the various flu viruses has been “unusual in recent weeks”.

  I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

PALE GREEN HORSE & H5N1: ANOTHER DEATH IN INDONESIA, MORE CASES IN VIETNAM AND BANGLADESH

Influenza

Pale Green Horse & H5N1: Another death in Indonesia, more cases in Vietnam and Bangladesh

05 March 2012, Indonesian officials announced the death of the fifth 2012 victim of H5N1 bird flu.

A 48 year old man died on 03 March, after being treated at a local hospital.  Doctors at the hospital say the man died from multiple organ failure. They are conducting tests to confirm the H5N1 infection.  The man had already been to two other hospitals.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Health says another man is sick with H5N1.  He got sick on 17 February, went into the hospital on February 21.  The H5N1 was confirmed on 25 February.  The 22 year old man is still in the hospital.

Vietnamese officials confirmed the man worked with domesticated ducks.

In Bangladesh, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) said it confirmed three more H5N1 cases. The three people both work in poultry markets. They say one of the workers has already recovered.

Bangladeshi officials say that you should not only fully cook poultry meat and eggs, but wash off the egg shells (and your hands) before cracking them open.

I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Influenza

Vietnam claims success with new H5N1 & H1N1 vaccine

A Vietnamese company is claiming to have created a successful vaccine, to fight the latest mutations of H5N1 bird flu, and H1N1 swine flu.

VABIOTECH officials say they developed the vaccines by using people who were already infected. The first batch of vaccines showing positive results on volunteers.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Health is praising the company’s efforts.

Influenza

Pale Green Horse & H5N1: U.S. media says Bird Flu not that deadly. Tell that to Indonesia, they just had their fourth human death caused by Bird Flu

“He suffered shortness of breath and eventually died on February 21. Laboratory test confirmed he died from H5N1 virus.”-Rita Kuriastuti, Indonesian Health ministry

While more people in southeast Asian countries die from H5N1 the U.S. media is spreading reports that bird flu isn’t as bad as first thought.  The February 21 death of a boy was the fourth for the 2011-12 flu season.  He died about one week after showing symptoms of flu.

Indonesian health officials say 154 people were confirmed to have died of H5N1 since 2005.

The first 2011-12 flu season death, caused by H5N1, was reported in China in December.

A new study, by Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, says the UN’s World Health Organization’s death rate of 60% for H5N1, is based on severe cases and doesn’t count mild cases.  But if your a family member who lost someone to H5N1 that doesn’t matter.   The fact is that there seems to be a lot of severe cases of H5N1 in Asia.

I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Influenza

Pale Green Horse & H3N2: CDC says H3N2v Pandemic likely, potentially more virulent than H5N1, WHO says Vaccines must be changed

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study says H3N2 swine flu virus is potentially more virulent than H5N1 bird flu.

Unlike the H5N1 flu, in which a U.S. taxpayer funded study showed that humans could manipulate the virus to make an even more deadly version, H3N2 does not need to be manipulated by humans.  The CDC study shows that Mother Earth is already mutating H3N2 rapidly and towards a more deadly version.

At the same time, the UN’s World Heath Organization has issued a warning, saying vaccines need to be adjusted for the rapidly changing H3N2 strains.

The WHO says the influenza A/H3N2 component, along with influenza B component, of vaccines should be changed.  Also, for the 2012-13 flu season, look out for H1N1 California, H3N2 Victoria and influenza B Wisconsin.

Back to the CDC.  The 2011-12 flu season started late, in fact the CDC says it’s the latest start to the U.S. flu season in the past 29 years!  The CDC warns that a late start does not mean it won’t be bad.

“While most indicators of seasonal flu activity are currently low, we expect them to increase in the coming weeks….In addition to starting late, flu season can also peak late. In fact, in the past 35 seasons we have seen peak activity….four times in March and two times in April….nor can we predict how severe the season will ultimately be.”-Joseph Bresee, CDC

I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.