Tag Archives: virus

International

H7N9 update: 77 cases, 16 deaths! Wild birds infected!

16 April 2013 (11:38 UTC-07 Tango)/05 Jumada t-Tania 1434/27 Farvardin 1391/07 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

The number of human infections in China is now at 77, a result of 14 more people testing positive in the past 24 hours.  16 people now dead.

Two people died in Shanghai.  The UN’s World Health Organization is sending medical researchers to China, to help study the new killer virus.

Health officials are even disinfecting the homes of people who’ve tested positive.

Ministry of Agriculture officials say H7N9 was detected in one pigeon sample from Jiangsu Province, and four chicken samples from Zhejiang Province.  Reports say the pigeon is the first wild bird to test positive.  Last week pigeons tested positive in Shanghai, but they were domesticated. 

 

 

International

H7N9 update: Now 63 cases, 14 deaths!

15 April 2013 (11:26 UTC-07 Tango)/04 Jumada t-Tania 1434/26 Farvardin 1391/06 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

It’s now becoming routine that every 24 hours you can expect more human infections and deaths from H7N9.

Jiangsu Province reports another death, as well as a new infection.

Anhui and Zhejiang provinces reporting one new case each.

 

 

International

H7N9 update: China identifies human carrier, a four years old boy!

15 April 2013 (21:27 UTC-07 Tango 14 April 2013)/04 Jumada t-Tania 1434/26 Farvardin 1391/06 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention say they’ve identified a human carrier of the deadly H7N9 virus; a four years old boy!

The boy tested positive for the virus, but is not sick.  The boy is the neighbor of the seven years old girl that became Beijing’s first human case of H7N9.  She is sick in the hospital. The boy is now under quarantine in a hospital.

The four years old carrier was discovered after health officials tested 24 people who were in contact with the girl.  Apparently he was the only one who tested positive for the virus. The families all raise poultry.

Up until this discovery Chinese health officials said they had no proof of human to human transmission.

 

International, U.S.

Norovirus update, 14 April 2013: Test takers taken out by throwing up! Bioquell to the rescue?

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says one in 15 residents of the United States will get infected every year.

In North Carolina U.S.A., health officials are warning people that they could get norovirus by taking a hike!  Reports say that many hikers who’ve walked the Appalachian Trail near Hot Springs have become sick.  Officials say you should avoid the shelters along that stretch of the trail.

Officials with the Jerome Harrison Elementary school in Connecticut U.S.A.,  are pleading with parents to keep their sick children at home, after an outbreak hit the school.

In Florida U.S.A., schools in Alachua County are preparing to get hit after an outbreak at a local nursing home. The schools are sending flyers home to parents with tips to try and prevent spreading norovirus.

Outbreaks continue to hit Muskegon County, Michigan U.S.A. Classes were canceled on Thursday and Friday for the North Muskegon Public Schools. At least 100 elementary students were sick by Wednesday.  Clean up is bigger than you think: “If someone vomits in the room, you pretty much have to sanitize all the surfaces in the room.”-Ken Kraus, Public Health – Muskegon County

More outbreaks in the U.S. state of Alaska. Anchorage School District officials say the norovirus actually struck in the middle of standardized state exams, with several students suddenly throwing up.  State Health and Social Services workers confirmed it’s a norovirus outbreak, however they can not find the source.

In Denmark, the restaurant with the World’s longest reservation waiting list, is now having all shellfish tested for contamination before being cooked.  Elite restaurant Noma, which was the site of a norovirus outbreak recently, also provides a direct link to recent health inspection results on their website.

In New Zealand, Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton has imposed visitor restrictions due to an outbreak.   Apparently the Kiwis think they’ve come up with a way to kill norovirus bugs: Hydrogen Peroxide.

The Auckland hospital has been testing a new robot janitor, but this one cleans up little nasties that make you sick (and if you’re not careful it’ll clean your clock). It’s called Bioquell, and it sprays hydrogen peroxide.  It’s not for use around humans, the rooms have to be sealed off before it goes to work: “It basically kills every bug known to man, including the little spores of the nastiest bugs. This is a game changer. This is not just a better way of cleaning, this is fundamentally different.”-Mary Seddon, director for quality improvement

Several British hospitals have given the all clear, but many other hospitals are getting hit.  Poole Hospital, Dorset U.K., reported an outbreak last week. Two wards closed to visitors.  And in West Midlands the Sandwell General hospital closed two wards due to outbreaks. The Grantham Hospital in Lincolnshire also restricted visitation. In Cheshire, the Warrington Hospital closed ward A2 to visitors. In York, the York Hospital getting hit with a large outbreak, they blame the visitors: “We have had instances recently where visitors have vomited whilst on our wards, placing patients and staff at risk and causing us to close further ward areas at a time when the hospital is particularly busy.”-Libby McManus, chief nurse

Also in United Kingdom, a norovirus infection triggered a potentially deadly genetic condition in an nine years old girl.  Just hours after getting sick, she became confused. Somehow the stomach bug caused a condition where ammonia builds up in the blood.  She recovered despite doctors telling her parents she had only 72 hours to live, but now she must attend physical therapy sessions.

In Canada, Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit reporting two outbreaks in nursing homes:  “We hope to lift visitor restrictions by Sunday. The problem started about three weeks ago.”-Lorrie Hornick, public health inspector

 

 

International

H7N9 update: Spike in cases and deaths!

14 April 2013 (09:53 UTC-07 Tango)/03 Jumada t-Tania 1434/25 Farvardin 1391/05 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

Overnight the number of infected humans has jumped from 51 to 60!  13 people now dead.

Shanghai reported three new cases, as well as two deaths.

Jiangsu Province reported two new cases.

Zhejiang Province reports four more people infected, all in critical condition.

 

International

H7N9 update: Spreading, two new cases!

14 April 2013 (22:48 UTC-07 Tango 13 April 2013)/03 Jumada t-Tania 1434/25 Farvardin 1391/05 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

Henan Province joins Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces, as well as Shanghai and Beijing cities, in reporting H7N9 infections in humans.

Henan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 34 years old cook and a 65 years old farmer hospitalized with the new flu.  The cook is in critical condition.

Since the end of March at least 51 human cases, 11 of them died.

International

H7N9 update: Possible first human to human cases!

13 April 2013 (12:06 UTC-07 Tango)/02 Jumada t-Tania 1434/24 Farvardin 1391/04 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

Reports from Shanghai of possible human to human H7N9 infections.    As well as new cases in Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces.

In Shanghai a man whose wife died from H7N9, is now confirmed sick with the same virus.  At this point medical officials say they have no proof of human to human transmission.

Chinese media says there are now 49 cases.

Influenza

H7N9 update: Spreads to Beijing! Worse than first thought!

13 April 2013 (22:45 UTC-07 Tango 12 April 2013)/02 Jumada t-Tania 1434/24 Farvardin 1392/04 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

“It is possible that these severely ill patients represent the tip of the iceberg and that there are many more as-yet-undetected mild and asymptomatic infections.”-Human Infection with a Novel Avian-Origin Influenza A (H7N9) Virus, NEJM

A seven years old girl is now hospitalized in Beijing, with H7N9.  44 cases, 11 deaths since the end of March.

The girl developed symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat and headache on the morning 11 April.  By the evening she had been unsuccessfully treated with Tamiflu, her condition worsened and she was hospitalized.  Doctors say oxygen treatment reduced the severity of her symptoms.  Test confirmed H7N9.  Her family is involved in the poultry business.

This follows warnings from Chinese and international health officials, that H7N9 is much worse than first thought.

In a report published in NEJM researchers warned the H7N9 virus is more virulent than first thought, and they warned of global spread: “…the pandemic potential of these novel avian-origin viruses should not be underestimated……..We are concerned by the sudden emergence of these infections and the potential threat to the human population. An understanding of the source and mode of transmission of these infections, further surveillance, and appropriate counter measures are urgently required.”

  The report confirmed claims made earlier in the week by health official in Thailand, it’s new to continental Asia, and it’s never infected humans before:  “The transmission of H7 viruses to mammals has been reported only rarely in Asia. Human infections with N9 subtype viruses had not been documented anywhere in the world.”

Of interest is the first three people to die were treated with lots of anti-biotics, which is odd because anti-biotics don’t work on viruses, and “Antiviral therapy was initiated 6 to 7 days after the onset of illness.” 

 

 

International

H7N9 update: Human carriers spreading the disease?

12 April 2013 (12:08 UTC-07 Tango)/01 Jumada t-Tania 1434/23 Farvardin 1391/03 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

The Beijing Municipal Health Bureau is warning residence that the H7N9 virus is being spread by humans.  They are warning that they have reason to believe people traveling from China’s east coast are carriers.

The Beijing Ditan Hospital and Beijing Youan Hospital are now designated H7N9 treatment centers.

Beijing health officials are also warning that this is the time of year when many birds migrate south, which could spread H7N9, if the birds are infected.

 

 

 

Technology

H7N9 update: 11 dead! 43 confirmed cases! New testing will increase reported cases!

12 April 2013 (12:00 UTC-07 Tango)/01 Jumada t-Tania 1434/23 Farvardin 1391/03 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711

In their daily updates, Shanghai health officials say another person has died and two more people are sick.  Zhejiang Province reports three new cases as well.

Medical reports indicate the common symptom in the early stages of infection is fever.  Then symptoms vary from chills to coughing to muscle aches.  The final stage is pneumonia.  The average time is five to ten days from contact to the pneumonia stage.

So far no body related to the infected people have tested positive for H7N9, although several have shown symptoms then recovered on their own.  A Japanese researcher said H7N9 is not detectable until the pneumonia stage.  Yesterday, Chinese health officials distributed 160000 new test kits in hopes of detecting the virus early on.

With the new testing kits you can expect reported cases to increase.