Tag Archives: virus

Influenza

H7N9 update: Vietnam bans poultry imports from China! Two more cases reported, one person dies!

03 April 2013/22 Jumada l-Ula 1434/14 Farvardin 1392/23 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

“If we don’t eradicate it pretty quickly, this virus will become endemic and spread across China and beyond China.”-Malik Peiris, University of Hong Kong.

Vietnam has been dealing with H5N1 bird flu outbreaks, now Vietnam’s Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry is banning all poultry from China, because of the new H7N9 bird flu.

This after China reported that a third person has died.  A man in Zhejiang Province died.  He was a cook working in Jiangsu Province. Just before the reports of his death health officials in that province revealed they had two cases of H7N9.  Zhejiang borders the other provinces that are also reporting human cases of H7N9.  All people infected are in critical condition.

International

H7N9 update: Japanese researchers say it can jump human to human, sounding warning!

03 April 2013/22 Jumada l-Ula 1434/14 Farvardin 1391/23 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

Japanese researchers at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) have been studying the H7N9 virus, they’ve concluded it is possible for it to jump human to human!

Chinese health officials supplied H7N9 samples from the two people that died, and one woman in critical condition.

NIID researchers concluded that all three samples had mutated to infect humans.  The samples came from two different areas, but researchers say they were identical indicating the same strain of H7N9 had rapidly spread over a large area.

They also point out that normally H7 strains are not considered deadly, but humans have no immunity to the new H7N9, and there is no vaccine, so they believe health warnings should be issued.

International

H7N9 update: It’s spreading! Getting pneumonia for no apparent reason might be a sign of H7N9!

02 April 2013/21 Jumada l-Ula 1434/13 Farvardin 1391/22 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

Health officials in Jiangsu Province reporting one man and three women now infected with H7N9.

Jiangsu Province borders Shanghai, where two men died from the new bird flu.  Anhui Province, where a women infected with H7N9 is in critical condition, also borders Jiangsu Province.

Chinese national health officials have now ordered emergency monitoring.  Of concern is a growing number of pneumonia cases that seem to have no cause. The city of Shanghai has ordered that all unexplainable pneumonia cases be reported!

To show you how big this could be, Jiangsu Province has designated 16 hospitals as H7N9 hospitals. The four people who are sick are all in critical condition.  They all live in different areas of the province.  Health officials suspect they got infected sometime in the middle of March.  They were hospitalized by the end of March.  Test results were in by 01 and 02 April, confirming H7N9.

One woman is known to be a poultry culler.  Health officials are also monitoring people who’ve been in recent contact with the four new cases.

 

International

H7N9 & pigs in river update!

02 April 2013/21 Jumada l-Ula 1434/13 Farvardin 1391/22 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

After two people in Shanghai died from a new H7N9 bird flu, the Shanghai Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center tested 34 of the thousands of dead pigs that filled the Huangpu River.  No bird flu was found in the tested pigs.

Of more concern is that the three human cases of H7N9 are not related.  The two men that died in Shanghai were not connected.  One was 87 years old, the other was 27.

The third person, a 35 years old woman now in critical condition, lives in a different province (Chuzhou city of Anhui Province).  This means the H7N9 jumped from birds to humans in different locations at about the same time.  The fear is that it will start jumping human to human.

Back in Shanghai city, 100 monitoring operations are located in hospitals and clinics, to report any new SARS or human bird flu cases.  Since November last year the only cases have been the two H7N9 deaths.

H7N9 in humans is so new that little is known about how it works.

 

Influenza

Influenza update, 31 March 2013: New killer H7N9! More people dying of Swine Flu! Government cover up! Flu season twice as long as last year’s! Preps underway for pandemic! More studies say vaccine is bad for you!

China is reporting two people dead, caused by the latest type of bird flu, H7N9.  The UN World Health Organization (WHO) says the human deaths in China are the first in the world for this type of bird flu.  Two men in Shanghai (the same place where thousands of dead pigs were pulled from the river, some reports say as many as 3300) became the first people known to get infected with H7N9 bird flu, and it killed them fast.  A third person is infected, a woman, and she in in the hospital in critical condition.

In the recent past health officials were concerned with H5N1 bird flu, but H7N9 looks to be more lethal, now that it’s jumping to humans.

On top of the dead pigs in the Huangpu River, Chinese have also been pulling thousands of dead ducks out of the Pengshan/Nanhe River.

In Australia, two people died at a old folks home in Queensland. There was an outbreak of flu.  14 people were infected with flu A.  Seven were hospitalized and 15 employees became sick as well.  This is just the beginning of the flu season Down Under.

In Pakistan, flu has made an appearance by killing a doctor.  Recently a surgeon at the Holy Family Hospital died.  Nurses at the hospital complain that only doctors are given gloves and masks, while they and ward boys go unprotected.  Pakistan’s National Institute of Health said the doctor’s death was the result of his being treated for allergies with steroids which weakened his immune system.  There have been five deaths related to other types of flus as well.

In the country of Georgia, health officials reporting 22 deaths connected to both versions of H1N1 bird and swine flu.

In India, more deaths being reported.  A woman just died from H1N1 swine flu in the state of Gujarat.  Gujarat and Rajasthan are dealing with the most cases of swine flu.  In all of India, from 01 January to 24 March there have been at least 445 human deaths caused by swine flu!  But wait, there’s more!  Gujarat is expecting thousands of religious pilgrims for two days of religious celebrations, and the fear is swine flu will spread like wildfire.  They’ve even called up 2500 law enforcement/health personnel: “Following the alert we have in all set up 16 stalls of which 6 will be in Dakor while 10 will be on the routes leading to the holy place. We will keep an eye on people who may have swine flu like symptoms and will convince them to return.”–HF Patel, district health officer of Kheda

Despite the obvious epidemic in India, the Indian Council of Medical Research actually ordered state health officials to treat swine flu as a normal seasonal flu.  This brought condemnation and accusations of government cover up from the High Court in Gurjarat, the hardest hit state.   The Gurjarat High Court is basing their case on the number of prisoner requests to visit sick and dying relatives, which has skyrocketed, and the fact that even doctors are dying.  The court gave local health officials until 09 April to present a detailed report of cases.  A judge blasted the poor conditions of government run hospitals: “Even for patients there are no beds in hospitals, what rain basera [guest beds?] for their relatives? This is an eye-wash! They are sleeping outside the Civil Hospital. And health and hygiene are worst in government hospitals.”

In United Kingdom, reports say swine flu is resistant to treatment with Tamiflu. A study done in collaboration with UN WHO and Australian researchers, shows a small increase in swine flu that is resistant to Tamiflu.  But the big worry is that most of the patients in the study had never been treated with Tamiflu before, which means they caught a swine flu that had become resistant to Tamiflu on its own.

In Sweden, researchers confirmed that the swine flu vaccine, Pandemrix, causes narcolepsy.  The government ordered the Swedish Medical Products Agency (Läkemedelsverket) to do the study, when more than a hundred people developed the sleeping disorder after getting the flu shot.  The study found that the younger you are the more chance of getting narcolepsy from Pandemrix.

In Republic of Ireland, people are protesting the Health Minister, because of increased cases of narcolepsy in children. Last April the Minister issued the results of their own study which showed swine flu vaccine causes narcolepsy. Some Irish families are now suing GlaxoSmith-Kline, the maker of Pandemrix.

Speaking of vaccines, in Texas U.S.A., A&M University announced it’s joining with pharmaceutical companies to help prepare for a influenza pandemic.  They are helping to create and run a $91 million USD vaccine factory. The goal is to be able to produce 50 million doses within four months of a pandemic outbreak!

In Belgium, health officials announced the worst of their flu season has past. They said the epidemic lasted 12 weeks, compared to only six weeks last year.  At the peak of the epidemic 1083 people sought medical help.

The U.S. Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention says the dominate strain of influenza is now flu B.

 

 

 

International, U.S.

Measles making a come back, new Rubella virus attacking adults? Japan sees 22% increase in cases! Vaccine proves to be temporary!

31 March 2013/19 Jumada l-Ula 1434/11 Farvardin 1391/20 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

More than 12 months ago Japanese media warned of the growing number of Rubella/German Measles cases.  Reports said that there were significant increases in the previous three years involving adult cases, and most people who got sick were men.  Now, Japanese media reporting a 22% increase in adult cases in the first eleven weeks of Gregorian year 2013.

In January 2012 there were 19 reported cases in Japan, in January 2013 there were 254 cases!  Compare that to the yearly average, between 2008-2011, of 288.

Rubella can be spread through the air, by coughing, sneezing or just simple breathing.

Rubella will cause birth defects in pregnant women, and there have been increased cases of pregnant women in Japan getting sick and giving birth to children with defects, such as holes in their hearts or deafness and/or blindness.

Rubella/3 Day Measles is often thought of as a childhood disease, but what’s been happening in many Asian countries is that more and more adults are getting infected. People in Japan are being told to get vaccinated before they travel outside of their country, even if they got vaccinated as children, because it turns out that the vaccine is only temporary: “For some people, the concentration of antibodies may decrease even if they’ve been vaccinated in the past…”-Katsuhiro Komase, Japan’s Infectious Disease Surveillance Center

The problem in Japan is that the vaccine is not free, people wanting the shot must pay $50 to $100 per shot.  Some local governments are trying subsidize the vaccinations.

Another problem is that back in 1993 Japan banned the three shot MMR (mumps, measles, rubella combo) vaccine, because many children had severe reactions to it, such as non-viral meningitis.  Japan uses a vaccine specifically for rubella.

Japanese health officials have traced most virus samples back to Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines.  Vietnam has ordered a major eradication program.

Since 2011 Vietnam has been dealing with the new rubella.  By the end of 2011 50% of all abortions performed were because of severe birth defects as a result of rubella infection.   A recently published study by Vietnamese health officials said: “Rubella virus identified in Vietnam belonged to the genotype 2B. Importantly, the infection rate of rubella virus in fetuses/newborns was 100%….”

The Philippines started having trouble with rubella in 2010.  By 2011 the government started a door to door vaccination program. Recently the British Colombia Centre for Disease Control, in Canada, reported cases of rubella that were all “…compatible with acquisition during travel to the Philippines.”

In 2012, a rubella/measles outbreak in several European countries was blamed on people coming back from trips to Thailand.

In India, health officials there are now telling women who plan to get pregnant to get vaccinated at least three months prior.

In the United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that there were three cases of newborns affected by rubella in 2012, the first time since 2008.   The U.S. was even declared rubella free in 2004.

The biggest risk is for the unborn children of pregnant women.  U.S. health officials say women should not get the vaccine while pregnant.  Women should wait at least 28 days after getting the shot before getting pregnant.  If adults are not sure if they’ve been vaccinated, they can have their blood tested to see if they have immunity to rubella.

Business/Economics, International

Vietnam pigs dying by thousands! Two people dead! Blame ol’ Blue Ear!

26 March 2013/14 Jumada l-Ula 1434/06 Farvardin 1391/15 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

While China is dealing with more than 16000 dead pigs in the Pengshan River, to the south, in Vietnam, pigs have been dying of Blue Ear.

Back in February, Vietnamese officials began operations to combat the spread of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV).  Thousands of pigs were infected at that point.  So far thousands have died or been killed.

Officials blamed the virus on the deaths of two butchers, however they died of a swine bacteria, not a virus.

A year ago Vietnam’s Agriculture Ministry declared their country free of Blue Ear disease. But as is the case for famous last words, new cases popped up just a few months later.

Recently officials in Long An and Quang Nam provinces stated they had the disease contained.

However, entire herds have been wiped out in Dien Kim and Dien Thai Communes of Dien Chau District, as well as Quynh Thach, Quynh Van and Quynh Xuan Communes in Quynh Luu District, and five communes in Yen Thanh District.

New outbreaks are being reported in Dien Chau District.

 

 

Influenza

Influenza update, 26 March 2013: More than 100 children in the U.S. die! Infected chickens sold to public! Naproxen turning out to be anti-flu? More proof vaccines don’t work! Swine flu killing hundreds in the past two months! Warning about Super Flu!

The U.S. CDC says 105 children have died so far this flu season.  They also claim that 90% did not get vaccinated.

In Minnesota U.S.A., deaths have hit 180!  Four in the past week.  compare that to last last flu season when 33 Minnesotans died.

In Pennsylvania U.S.A., doctors are concerned about increasing cases of flu B: “I think the reason it surprises me in March is that it was an early season too. So this season has been going on a long time. This has been a bad flu season.”-Scott Tyson, Pediatrics South Mount Lebanon

In Licking County, Ohio U.S.A., health officials report 2378 flu cases as of 09 March. They expect more.

In South Dakota U.S.A., the state Department of Health says 36 people have died so far.  11% of deaths are Native Americans.

In the world of professional baseball and basketball several players are out sick with flu.

In New Hampshire U.S.A., pet owners are being warned about the new H3N8 dog flu. The new to dogs disease has hit Vermont and Massachusetts.

North Dakota U.S.A. reporting cases of dog flu.

In New Zealand, doctors are urging people to get flu shots.  There have already been some flu cases in Kiwiland, but the official flu season hasn’t started yet.  Kiwi docs say it takes two weeks after getting a flu vaccine before it’s effective.

In Canada, health officials in the Province of Alberta are whining about the lack of people getting flu shots.  The provinces have mandated vaccination goals, and Alberta has reached only half its goal.  Health officials are also complaining about the lack of infants being vaccinated, but one family that got their baby vaccinated says it did no good:  “Even with the vaccination, he has been sick every month. So whether the vaccination worked or not, I’m not sure, but we did it as a precaution.”-Binod Pouyal, father of 19 months old who’s been sick ever since getting the shot

A Canadian company says tobacco protein can be used to grow cultures for flu vaccines.  Currently vaccines are made using chicken eggs, and some people are allergic.  Then there’s the recently approved way using bug guts.  Medicago says their new tobacco based system can grow more cultures in less time.

Researchers in France say naproxen is showing promise as an anti-flu viral medication.  The study was published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.  Apparently naproxen interferes with flu A viruses’ ability to bind with your cells.

In the state of Gurjurat, India, as of 23 March 149 people have died from swine flu! Local media reporting that the swine flu epidemic is so bad that the state government refuses to release anymore health data to the public. Public officials are currently debating how to handle the release of health data.

In the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Indore district, six new H1N1 swine flu cases were reported, four are in critical condition.  So far 31 people are confirmed infected and 12 have died.  And in the state of Maharashtra, Pune district, health officials say 25 people got infected with H1N1, and six of them died, all in the past two and a half months!

In Netherlands, bird flu hit poultry farms in Flevoland province. 24000 chickens were destroyed.

Vietnam reporting bird flu outbreaks across the country.

Bird flu is infecting poultry farms in Bangladesh, and some of the thousands of infected chickens were sold to the public: “We came to know that a large number of poultry farms have been affected by bird flu virus in the northern districts include Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha…..we fear the authorities have allowed the farmers to market the sick chickens.”-Khandokar Mohsin, Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association

At the University of California Los Angeles, researchers have discovered that if you combine bird flu and human flu you’ll get killer “super” flus. This is based on research in Bangladesh, China and Egypt: “The mixing of genetic material between the seasonal human flu virus and bird flu can create novel virus strains that are more lethal than either of the original viruses.”-Thomas Smith, UCLA

 

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International

New Bird Flu? First pigs now thousands of dead ducks pulled from river! Pigs in river now past 16000!

26 March 2013/14 Jumada l-Ula 1434/06 Farvardin 1391/15 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

In Sichuan Province, China, locals have been pulling dead ducks from the Pengshan River.  At least 1000 so far.

Health officials are not able to determine what killed the ducks, as most were too decomposed.  Officials say there is no concern over the water in the Pengshan as it’s not used for drinking.

However, over in Zhejiang and Shanghai provinces the Huangpu River is used for drinking, and that’s where the number of dead pigs has hit 16000!

A week ago health officials blamed weather, government cuts and the economy for the pig deaths.