From Flu Wiki 2

Forum: News Reports for November 8

08 November 2006

AnnieB – at 01:30

(If you want any of the links to open in a new window, hold down the shift key and then click on the link)

Summary from Indonesia Outbreak as at 7 November 2006

Cases DiscussedJun-06Jul-06Aug-06Sep-06Oct-06Nov-06Total
Died, no tests22437018
Died, tested positive43233015
Other tested positive0131005
Symptoms, tests pending424638334127
Tested negative0626198059
Totals10148164514224

Lookout Posts – here are the links (if no Lookout Post exists, it will not be highlighted)

Please visit these threads for latest information from these regions or to add news

NoRegion NameNoRegion NameNoRegion Name
1USA8East Africa15Arab Peninsula
2Canada, Greenland and the Arctic Circle9Southern Africa and Madagascar16Central Asia
3Central America and Caribbean10Northwest Europe and British Isles17Southern Asia
4South America and Surrounding Islands11West and Southwest Europe18Mainland East Asia and Japan
5Northern Africa12Central and Southeast Europe19Southeast Asia
6West Africa13Eastern Europe and Baltic Region20Australasia Melanesia and Micronesia
7Central Africa14Middle East and Caucasus Region21Pacific Islands and Antarctic

(Please see the thread Volunteers Needed as Lookouts Worldwide if you want to help)

Separate threads for India, Indonesia and Nepal – see links below

Summary of News for 7 November 2006

(From WHO as at 31 Oct - latest update) Total human cases worldwide 256, deaths 152 (2006 – 109 with 74 deaths)

Canada

France

Hong Kong

India

Indonesia

Jordan

Nepal

Russia

Turkey

United Kingdom

United States of America

Vietnam

General

Link to news thread for 7 November (link News Reports for November 7 )
(Usual disclaimer about may not have captured everything. Feel free to add your own where omissions have occurred.)
Please note that I copy the links directly from the thread so if they don’t work you may need to re-visit the Thread.

Thanks to all the newshounds for your efforts. Could I beg your assistance to make creating the News Summary a little easier - please try to create a TinyURL as a link and, if possible, identify the main news feature and country where applicable. Thanks in advance.

AnnieB – at 03:25

(USA) Flu epidemic guide advises businesses

BY KAREN SHIDELER The Wichita Eagle (link http://tinyurl.com/y6gfse )

About 9,000 businesses in Sedgwick County are getting advice to help them stay in business, even if 40 percent of their workers are out sick.

The Pandemic Influenza Business Continuity Guide, produced by the Sedgwick County Health Department, encourages businesses to think about and plan for the implications of a flu pandemic.

Health officials worldwide predict that a new influenza virus, to which people have no immunity, will appear sooner or later and cause serious illness and death worldwide. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says 500,000 Kansans could get sick and 2,500 could die during a pandemic.

The booklet for businesses has lots of the usual advice about preventing the spread of disease, such as reminding people to wash their hands and to cover coughs and sneezes, said Claudia Blackburn, director of the Health Department.

But it also has tips and questions that aren’t as obvious:

“We do want businesses to understand how critical they’ll be to preserving the infrastructure of the community if we have a pandemic influenza,” Blackburn said. Special efforts are being directed at businesses considered essential to the community, such as those that provide trash pickup or those that deliver food and drugs to stores, for example.

AnnieB – at 04:48

WHO tells bird flu scientists to stop squabbling Wed Nov 8, 2006 9:09 AM GMT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - The World Health Organization has urged Chinese and foreign scientists to stop squabbling and share information to figure out how to combat a new H5N1 bird flu virus strain that is spreading unchecked in poultry flocks.

“Instead of having a battle in the media … we encourage the scientists from the Chinese government and from Hong Kong and elsewhere to sit round a table and go over all these details,” said Henk Bekedam, WHO’s China representative. “This is an ideal opportunity to get a better idea what is happening in China and assess strategies that have been effective and develop even more targeted strategies if there is a need.”

Chinese officials and scientists rejected a paper published last week by Hong Kong and U.S. scientists who said a new vaccine-resistant “Fujian-like” H5N1 strain had emerged in poultry in China and may spread across Asia and Europe.

In an interview with Chinese media published on Tuesday, two Chinese scientists fired strongly worded rebuttals, saying there was “no scientific basis” for the views and conclusions in the paper. They accused the foreign researchers of “unscientific methods” and said China’s vaccination program was effective. But they gave no details or data, something that Bekedam says is badly wanting.

“Right or wrong, this goes to a level of details that you have to talk to scientists, people who look at gene sequencing and give us clues as to what is happening,” he told Reuters. “If viruses are substantially different, then it is very important for us to make some re-adjustment in the diagnostics, to consider if we might need to come up with a new vaccine.”

H5N1 remains a disease in birds although it has killed over 150 people since late 2003. However, experts fear it could start a pandemic and kill millions if it ever learns to transmit efficiently among people. Research so far into the Fujian strain shows it poses no heightened danger to people.

link http://tinyurl.com/ttgrb

anon_22 – at 05:03

Unconfirmed but broadcast on TV in Hong Kong.

Margaret Chan has won the final round of the WHO Director-General election.

The 2 candidates for the final round was Chan and Frenke from Mexico, who got 15 and 10 votes from the previous round, before the Japanese Omi (9 votes) candidate was eliminated

anon_22 – at 05:17

Confirmed now.

I was surprised that Omi didn’t get to the last round. Wonder what happened.

Commonground – at 05:38

http://tinyurl.com/y8sycu
Commentary
H5N1 RBD Changes Increase Pandemic Concerns in China Recombinomics Commentary November 7, 2006

The recent H5N1 sequences from China include four sequences from geese in Shantou (A/goose/Shantou/2086/2006, A/goose/Shantou/239/2006, A/goose/Shantou/2104/2006, A/goose/Shantou/7775/2006) that have four non-synonomous changes in or near the receptor binding domain (V214M, K222R, V223I, and S227R). Changes at position 227 (S227N) have been associated with increased affinity for human 2,6 receptors and decreased affinity for avian 2,3 receptors. Although affinity chnages for this particular combination of chnages, the presence of this number of changes in or near the receptor binding domain.

These chnages appear to have been generated via recombination because two of the changes are circulating in northern China (K222R in A/goose/Jilin/hb/2203(H5N1)) or Japan (V223I in A/chicken/Yamaguchi/7/2004(H5N1)) and recombination between H5N1 in northern China nad Japan is not uncommon.

As the diversity in receptor binding domain sequences increase, the potential for additional chnages via receombination also increases. Thus, circulation of a large number of receptor binding domain sequences co-circulating in H5N1 creates a serious pandemic concern.

This concern is increased by the withholding of current sequences as well as a questionable surveillance system, since only one Qinghai sequences has been reported in eastern China.

The sequences from avian and human H5N1 isolates from China in 2005 and 2006 should be released immediately. H5N1 sequences from 1997–2004 demonmstrate frequent recombination in northern China, and a robust database is required to determine the likelihood of additional recombination.

Media sources

Phylogenetic Trees

anon_22 – at 05:39

They are saying the Chinese government is thanking the US government for supporting Chan.

Does that mean that that’s who the US voted for? I misjudged completely, then. I thought they would support Mexico over China. Oh well.

btw, I’m just analyzing, not giving my opinion. But that is usually how these posts are decided, based more on international politics and power-brokering than whether the candidate is the best person for the post.

LauraB – at 06:00

Aboslutely that’s how people get picked - usually it’s whoever is the “least objectionable.” Thank goodness most businesses are not run that way or we’d still be living in the stone age. My hunch is if the US supported her they figured it was good play to score some political points but for an issue that is relatively “safe” to give some ground on (well, in their eyes anyway, not us Wikians!).

mountainlady – at 06:02

Saw this on Yahoo about Chan:

Bird flu expert selected to head WHO

By ELIANE ENGELER, Associated Press Writer

GENEVA - Bird flu expert Dr. Margaret Chan was selected Wednesday as the world’s top health official, making her the first Chinese national chosen for such a high-ranking U.N. post, delegates said.

The victory for China, which had nominated Chan, indicated Beijing’s interest in playing a bigger role in global affairs.

Found here: http://tinyurl.com/yn54fw

FrenchieGirl – at 06:13

It’s confirmed on WHO’s front page

Pixie – at 08:28

Margaret Chan nominated as WHO director-general

Xinhua / www.chinaview.cn 2006–11–08 18:08:47 / http://tinyurl.com/y9dlt7

GENEVA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) — The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday nominated Dr. Margaret Chan, former health chief of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as its next director-general. 

    The nomination was the result of rounds of secret voting by the UN agency’s 34-nation Executive Board, during which four other heavyweight competitors were eliminated. 

    Chan, 59, joined the WHO in 2003 and has since been the agency’s top official for pandemic influenza as well as assistant director-general for communicable diseases. 

    Her challengers in the race included Shigero Omi, a Japanese who heads WHO’s operations in the Western Pacific region, Mexico’s Health Minister Julio Frenk, Kazem Behbehani, a senior WHO official from Kuwait and Spanish Health Minister Elena Salgado Mendez. 

    The five finalists were selected from an original list of 11 candidates, who had been recommended by their respective governments to head the UN agency following the sudden death of former WHO Director-General Dr. Lee Jong-wook in May. 

    Chan’s nomination by the Executive Board still needs to be approved by a final voting of the WHO’s full 193 member states. The voting, widely seen as a procedural step, will be held on Thursday, when the WHO’s governing World Health Assembly holds a special session.
Klatu – at 08:39

Two Hong Kong politicians resign in wake of SARS report

BMJ  2004;(17 July)

“The report strongly criticised Dr Yeoh for not being sufficiently alert when an outbreak of atypical pneumonia occurred in Guangdong province, China, in early 2003, and for poor communication with the public at the start of the outbreak.

He was also censured for failing to adequately supervise the head of the Department of Health, Dr Margaret Chan, and for failing to properly monitor the Hospital Authority.

http://tinyurl.com/y33aal

‘’‘Hong Kong: Legislative Council Select Committee to inquire into the handling of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak by the Government and the Hospital Authority’‘’

On March 15, 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) named the disease Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and issued the emergency travel advisory. Dr Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, however, did not see the need to addd SARS to the Firest Schedule to the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance (Cap.141) until March 26, 2003. While the Select Committee considers Dr. Chan should be held responsible for not seeing the need to amend the law on or immediately after March 15, 2003, Dr. Yeoh, being the policy scretary responsible for health matters and the immediate supervisor of Dr. Chan, should also be held responsible.” - excerpt

http://tinyurl.com/wtht5

Shape of things to com.

Nimbus – at 08:42

Some interesting comments on Chan from a New Scientist article.

<snip>

Margaret Chan was director of health in Hong Kong from 1994 to 2003. She recommended the slaughter of all poultry in Hong Kong to stop the spread of H5N1 bird flu, and presided over the successful exclusion of the virus in poultry.

But her handling of SARS is more controversial. A government inquiry in Hong Kong accused her of not responding quickly enough to initial reports of a mysterious respiratory disease in southern China. But supporters note that this might make her less likely to soft-pedal any similar information emerging from China about flu. And, they say, as a Chinese citizen she may be more likely to establish good relations with China, the potential epicentre of flu evolution.

Her nomination has comes despite the fact that she is Asian – the UN abides by informal but strong rules dividing the plum jobs among world regions. A Korean was just made Secretary General of the UN, and a Japanese held the WHO post three directors ago.

Furthermore, the last director was Asian. Lee was elected as a compromise candidate when other front-runners did not command a consensus. That could happen again as Lee’s sudden death in May 2006 has precipitated an unusually rapid election.

Besides flu, the new WHO chief will have to deal with AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, the tricky end-stage of polio eradication, and perennial questions ranging from how to promote health care in poor countries, to how to distribute medicines.

<snip>

http://tinyurl.com/y45srf

MaMa – at 09:22

NEWS

Cinncinati.com(US, Ohio)- “Michael Greger, avian flu expert and director of public health and animal agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States, will present “Surviving the Next Pandemic: Bird Flu and Other Emerging Infectious Diseases” at 7 p.m. Thursday at Xavier University’s Kelly Auditorium…”

http://tinyurl.com/yeykft

admission is free

MaMa – at 09:25

NEWS

M&C- New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) “India Wednesday sounded a bird flu alert in all states as the season of migratory birds begins with the onset of winter.

‘We have given clear instruction to all our states to be on vigil. The alert will be in place till February next year,’ said Upma Chawdhry, joint secretary, department of animal husbandry.

‘The three states - Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh - where the disease surfaced in February this year have been instructed to send their monitoring teams to poultry farms,’ Chawdhry said in a conference on ‘Challenges for the Indian Poultry Sector - Post Avian Influenza’…”

…”Four regional laboratories in the country will be ready in a year’s time to deal with the situation, Chowdhry said.

Added H.K. Pradhan, joint director of the Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal: ‘India needs to improve its capacity in terms of emergency arrangements to deal with avian influenza. We have only one high quality laboratory for either testing samples or developing vaccines. This must be increased.’..”

http://tinyurl.com/yhtbwm

Klatu – at 10:06

Family’s four members in Tulungagung Suspect AI

(Software translation from Indonesian

On Wednesday, November 08 2006 11:48 WIB

‘’‘TULUNGAGUNG — MIOL: The virus threat H5NI or bird flu (avian influenza-AI) in Tulungagung, East Java, increasingly alarmed. Four citizens at the same time that lived in the Sambirobyong Village, the Sumbergempol Subdistrict, the Tulungagung Regency, was indicated suspect bird flu. On Wednesday early afternoon, the sample of the liquid tubuh

And their throat was at once taken and sent to the Big Hall the Health Laboratory (BBLK) Surabaya.

Four patients suspect AI that still one close and neighbouring family namely the older brother was siblings Siti Mukholifah, 3,5, and Edy Awaluddin, 20, as well as a father and his child of Karni, 38 and Sri Wigati,4.’‘’

http://tinyurl.com/whsr8

Kathy in FL – at 10:26

Not specifically avian influenza, but thought it very interesting under all the circumstances regarding China.

Beijing issues 1 dog per family rule

By SCOTT McDONALD, Associated Press Writer

BEIJING - First it was one child. Now authorities say Beijing families will be allowed only one dog.

The restriction is part of efforts to stamp out rabies, state media said Wednesday. It follows a campaign in August in which thousands of dogs were killed in order to fight the disease.

China’s capital will institute a “one dog” policy for each household in nine areas, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

“Only one pet dog is allowed per household in the zones, and dangerous and large dogs will be banned. Anyone keeping an unlicensed dog will face prosecution,” Xinhua said.

It said rabies killed 318 people nationwide in September.

Rabies is on the rise in China, with 2,651 reported deaths from the disease in 2004, the last year for which data were available.

Only 3 percent of China’s dogs are vaccinated against rabies, which attacks the nervous system and can be fatal.

Remainder of the article at the above link.

Klatu – at 10:57

The following is not new, but the message is consistent.

Killer pandemic ‘going to happen’ World must prepare for the worst, expert warns

 TORONTO SUN

Tue, November 7, 2006

“Bird flu may no longer make huge headlines but a killer pandemic is on the way and the world has to be prepared for the worst, an expert told a health conference yesterday.

Today, the H5N1 virus isn’t readily transmitted to humans, Dr. Michael Osterholm, director at the Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, told the Ontario Hospital Association conference (Canada).

“We have to worry about the next one that can make the jump (to humans),” Osterholm said.

“We don’t know when or how bad the mortality will be, but a pandemic influenza is going to happen and it’s going to be tough,” he said.

1 BILLION COULD DIE

“I can’t say what strain it will be, but I wouldn’t bet my family’s life that it won’t be H5N1,” Osterholm said.

Some experts predict the next pandemic could kill more than one billion people. The current influenza technology represents technology from the 1950s and the results are disappointing, Osterholm said.If the fight is against a new influenza strain, a vaccine wouldn’t be ready for six months and then it would be limited for the duration of the outbreak, he said.

“We don’t know which will emerge as the pandemic strain,” Osterholm said.

An outbreak won’t be anything like a natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina, where other areas can send relief.

IN THE SAME SOUP

“We will all be in the same soup “… no military troops will come in to help,” he said.

To do nothing to battle the next pandemic is unacceptable, but to promise protection against an outbreak is irresponsible, Osterholm said.

http://tinyurl.com/y3bbg6

Klatu – at 11:17

anon_22 – at 05:39 wrote:

‘They are saying the Chinese government is thanking the US government for supporting Chan. Does that mean that that’s who the US voted for? I misjudged completely, then. I thought they would support Mexico over China. Oh well.’

The American economy is deeply in debt and Chinese banks are happy to keep lending money, right up until the next 2008 Olympic$ in China .

anon_22 – at 11:27

The Americans backed Omi till he was out. Then all 9 votes for Omi went to Chan. That’s a bloc vote. If they’d gone to Frenk, he would have won. So yes, the Chinese definitely needed to thank the Americans.

FrenchieGirl – at 12:11

NEWS - OIE - H5N1 Bird Flu virus is changing - FAO and OIE recommend increased surveillance when vaccinating - http://tinyurl.com/ydmftw - Courtesy of Russell Family at CE

8 November 2006, Paris/Rome - According to a report in last week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on the identification of a new H5N1 virus sublineage in poultry, the spread of this new virus sublineage , called Fujian virus, appears to have become the dominant one of the H5N1 avian influenza circulating in parts of Asia . If the report is confirmed, this does not come as a surprise, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said today.

While there is a wide variety of Avian influenza strains in animals, and influenza viruses in general have a high rate of change from season to season and from year to year, OIE Director-General Bernard Vallat and FAO’s Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech warn that with new antigens developing continually in avian influenza viruses, vaccines currently in use for poultry need to be assessed regularly. The two organizations continue to recommend that vaccination control measures need to be accompanied by surveillance and post-vaccination monitoring . They also stressed the need to immediately report to veterinary authorities any unexpected poultry deaths.

FrenchieGirl – at 12:30

‘’‘NEWS - FAO - Same report as above just appeared on FAO Web Site - http://tinyurl.com/yxzr6s

Comment - Yeah, I know, it’s a joint release. This PR coming after the last few days of increasingly “concerned” stuff published, I’d say something is really afoot. Ms. Chan is going to have a lot of work from Friday morning… Let’s just hope that since her appointment gives her a diplomat’s status, she will be immune to judicial proceedings in her country for words she may speak in the exercise of her duties. And that she does speak to the world as we expect her to, that she has positively learned from the SARS experience.

Sniffles – at 12:32

Foam OK’d to kill bird flu-infected poultry By LULADEY B. TADESSE, The News Journal

Posted Tuesday, November 7, 2006

“It was an act of desperation to see what we might be able to employ not knowing that we can bring this under control,” said Bud Malone, UD poultry extension agent. (was printed under his picture in the article) 

 A foam may be used nationwide to kill commercial poultry infected with bird flu thanks to a brainstorm by an agricultural extension agent at the University of Delaware.

The foam is a faster way of controlling the virus and puts fewer workers at risk than the conventional method of using carbon dioxide. Experts say it will help Delaware’s $844 million poultry industry protect workers trying to contain the virus on infected farms.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the water-based foam, similar to the one used by firefighters, is an acceptable method of killing poultry. <snip>

http://tinyurl.com/ybe5zv

MaMa – at 12:38

another article regarding the OIE/FAO report from the UN News Centre…

http://tinyurl.com/to5h5

heddiecalifornia – at 12:40

RE: dogs in China — 

  many American Humane groups have been very successful in reducing the number of unhomed dogs in many of the larger metropolitan areas to the point where they can not meet adoption requests from local people.  Therefore, in the case of LA and Seattle, and some east coast cities, they are ‘importing’ homeless animals for adoption from other places/other countries (Mexico, China, some carribean islands, etc.)  in order to meet demand, and to carry on with their current staff and overhead.  
   While I hope I don’t begrudge pets getting caring homes, I worry that these animals may contribute to the ‘germ pools’ available to domestic pets in unforseen ways, since they are not screened as carefully as we might hope to come here, and few vets specialize in exotic diseases for pets should they arrive. 
    A recent group of dogs arrived from Beijing that included a lot of small dogs (Pekingese, terrier mixes, etc.) and also very large dogs (German Shepherds, Maloise, Bernese, etc.) all of which will make premium pets.  One drawback, they only understand Mandarin. 
     I hope that this program will procede with great caution in adopting more animals, to be sure they are indeed healthy.
heddiecalifornia – at 12:46

Oh, more on above, Chicago Tribune: 

   “Residents in the Chinese capital face strict rules on dog ownership - including a prohibition on 40 breeds. As a result, the shelter now holds about twice the number of dogs and cats that it can comfortably accommodate. In stepped the Cape Cod, Mass.-based International Fund for Animal Welfare, which arranged for the dogs to be relocated to New York, where the North Shore Animal League will arrange for them to be adopted by local families”
MaMa – at 13:37

NEWS

New Zealand Herald- “ Health authorities around the country will stage an influenza pandemic exercise today to practise containing and stamping out outbreaks of the virus before they spread.

The exercise will be led by the Ministry of Health and involve all 21 district health boards, ESR and the National Health Co-ordination Centre.”

 http://tinyurl.com/yfsrbu
Klatu – at 13:51

Bush, Susilo to discuss investment, avian flu

www.chinaview.cn 2006–11–07 18:31:43

JAKARTA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) — U.S. President George W. Bush is to hold talks with his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and a number of Indonesian officials during his visit on Nov. 20 to the biggest Muslim country, focusing on the efforts to boost investment and combat bird flu in Indonesia, the Indonesian presidential spokesman said here Tuesday.

 On avian influenza, the issue will be discussed due to a concern on Indonesia’s top position in terms of the number of victims, 55 out of 72 contracted people have died of bird flu in Indonesia, according to the health ministry. The United States has promised to assist Indonesia with tens of millions of U.S, dollars to help prevent avian influenza from spreading in the vast archipelago country, whose most parts have been infected by the highly pathogenic H5N1. But until now, the promise has not been realized.” - excerpt

http://tinyurl.com/yydv9p

FrenchieGirl – at 17:07

‘’‘NEWS - Hong Kong, China - THE STANDARD - Opinion - The politics of survival - Michael DeGolyer - Thursday, November 09, 2006 - http://tinyurl.com/swy5e - Interesting read about the State Department’s email to US citizens in HK…

… However, it was genuinely from the consulate, informing US citizens that the State Department had sent them a cable of the same title. They were passing on tips and directing us to the pandemicflu.gov Web site. I got it as one of 60,000 Americans in Hong Kong on the consulate’s e-mail list. The message basically implies that if a bird flu pandemic hits, you’re on your own. …

FrenchieGirl – at 17:11

NEWS - General - From Livescience dot com - Human Deaths from Animal Diseases on the Rise - http://tinyurl.com/y52use

An estimated 50 million people caught diseases from animals such as dogs, cattle, chickens and mosquitoes between 2000 and 2005, according to a new study. Some 78,000 of them died. … The finding reveals the global urgency for doctors to stay vigilant when it comes to zoonotic illnesses—those transmitted by non-human animals. … By reviewing past studies, virologist Jonathan Heeney of the Biomedical Primate Research Center in The Netherlands found the diseases responsible for the majority of zoonotic illnesses seem to be increasing.

Jane – at 17:12

Japan-2005 Has there been any more on this?

Nov. 13, 2005: Japan’s health ministry says it plans to reissue a warning of dangerous behavioral side effects linked to the anti-influenza drug Tamiflu. This comes amid reports that several children in Japan died after taking the medication. <snip> They suspect serious side effects, including 64 cases of psychological disorders, including suicides, in young people.

Tamiflu danger]

Tom DVM has posted about side effects, especially in long-term use, if I remember correctly.

diana – at 17:15

Here in N.J. A lot of New Orleans dogs were adopted and we have more heart worm problems. I wonder what health issues come with Chinese dogs, if any. Will have to check with my local Animal Shelters. Thank you Heddie. This is worrying that the Chinese are doing this at all.

FrenchieGirl – at 17:17

NEWS - United Nations World Tourism Organization - UN agency unveils web portal to help tourism industry respond to disasters - http://tinyurl.com/y4owpq

Expanding its effort to help international tourism respond to natural or man-made disasters, a United Nations agency has unveiled a new Internet portal in collaboration with Microsoft that will eventually provide round-the-clock tracking of emergencies such as bird flu or conflict from the travel perspective.

Now wouldn’t that be useful too for tracking BF for health purposes, or, forgive the paranoia, for border closings… Betcha that some governments would give their gold reserves for such software! Do you think the info would be passed on with “extreme urgency” to the WHO, to fill their knowledge gaps in spreading pandemic patterns?

FrenchieGirl – at 17:22

NEWS - TURKEY - Turkey Allocates $55 Million to Bird Flu Prevention - http://tinyurl.com/yybrnh

Turkey launched a new $55 million initiative to combat the bird flu over the next four years.

Over $34 million in funding for the Bird Flu Preparation and Prevention Project came from the World Bank through a long-term loan, with the European Union donating $12.7 million and an additional $1 million from the United States.

The Turkish government and the private sector will contribute to the project with $7 million. An advertising campaign is planned under the project as well as intensive studies over the 2006–2010 period.

LauraB – at 17:29

From Klatu earlier: The following is not new, but the message is consistent. Osterholm says “ 1 BILLION COULD DIE” Nope, not news to us, but seeing that number does give make you pause and take a big gulp. Problem is, no one is listening. Eventhough he may be right (let’s pray he’s way off base!), that figure is very difficult to swallow and it’s easy for people to dismiss it as extreme paranoia. You’d think the press would pick up on that number, but I guess the impending Spears/Federline divorce is more important.

FrenchieGirl – at 17:31

NEWS - India - Indian poultry exports to pick up by Dec - http://tinyurl.com/ycvqgq

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Demand for Indian poultry exports should pick up by December as the country has told trading partners it was free of bird flu, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

She said the government would study the demands of the domestic poultry industry for a cap on maize exports and lower import duties on the feedstock to ensure easy availability.

Demand for feedstocks has been steadily rising after the outbreak of bird flu, which mainly affected the western state of Maharashtra, was contained.

I’ve posted this because this shows what is the impact of a BF outbreak on world economy - here maize/duties/feedstocks. How can TPTB just say they’ll deal with such realities when they start seeing BF (whether avian or human) hitting their country? Just imagine this shuffle in economics with this one instance, multiplied by the 190 or so countries in the world, each one having different requirements in agriculture… And now, I wonder why it is some countries just do not want to investigate if BF has arrived on their shores on duck wings… or do I? Off to bed now… ‘Night y’all.

DennisC – at 17:43

LauraB – at 17:29 1 billion

1 billion out of 6 billion is 16.6..% that would equate to 50 million in the USA.

Klatu – at 17:45

LauraB – at 17:29 wrote:

‘From Klatu earlier: The following is not new, but the message is consistent. Osterholm says “ 1 BILLION COULD DIE” Nope, not news to us….. Problem is, no one is listening.

You can only help those that want to listen.

Jane – at 19:18

Why a flu virus kills some and not others-(Research on mice)

<snip>”Both studies show clear and dramatic differences in the pulmonary inflammatory response of the Type B strain of mice, as compared with Type C strain, after infection with the same dose of influenza virus,” Trammell said. “These distinctive responses to the identical virus challenge suggest that the genetic control of the inflammatory response differs between these two strains.” <snip>

<snip>”Our long-term goal is to identify genomic regions, genes, and alleles that control variation in inflammation during infection with influenza virus” <snip>

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=55974

http://tinyurl.com/y5o4qk

Jane – at 19:31

Minnesota (where CIDRAP is)

State epidemiologist Harry Hull is resigning after 6 years in the position.

<snip>Hull also said the state is on the right track in planning for pandemic flu, but there’s always more to do.

“If we are in a true pandemic, we’re going to run out of supplies of most everything in that worst-case scenario,” he said. “We won’t have enough hospital beds, we won’t have enough ventilators, we won’t have enough IV fluids, we won’t have enough medical people to take care of everyone.” <snip>

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=138571 http://www.tinyurl.com/y2ufu2

Oremus – at 20:22

For those searching the news for this thread and other threads, this site may help:

Today’s Front Pages

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AnnieB – at 21:49

PNG not prepared for bird flu

PAPUA New Guinea is not prepared for an avian or bird flu outbreak. And there is not enough public awareness and response preparedness for the threat of the bird flu and a pandemic influenza at all levels of Government, Health and Bougainville Affairs Sir Peter Barter said yesterday.

He said he was concerned about this and despite the efforts of a small number of committed senior human health and animal quarantine officers, and key UN organisations, the country was not doing enough to prepare itself to handle mass casualty, whether it be poultry or human.

<snip>

Sir Peter urged all sectors and the community at large to be made aware that response preparedness so far undertaken by the Health Department and the National Quarantine Inspection Authority (NQIA) were limited and not able to launch “the massive campaign required to show what people should know about this disease and how to prevent it’’.

He said “ a limited effort’’ had been made to step up surveillance along the PNG/Indonesian border and at the international quarantine ports and “some training’’ had been undertaken with public human health and agriculture extension officers from provinces.

“Not much has been done in preparations for mass casualty, whether it is animal or human disease outbreak. The measures will include restrictions of movements of people and animals and mass destruction of poultry,’’ he said.

More at http://tinyurl.com/y45u44

Klatu – at 22:13

Oremus – at 20:22 wrote:

For those searching the news for this thread and other threads, this site may help:

Today’s Front Pages

Thanks for the tip Oremus, look what I found, plenty of food for thought….

Thu, 09 Nov 2006

(excerpts)

Malaysia braces for flu pandemic

Sun2Surf Malaysia

“Besides stockpiling on Tamiflu, the strategy includes early detection and eradication with veterinary teams on high alert

A BIRD sneezes and the whole world jumps. The avian influenza or bird flu is putting countries on edge as they struggle to stop the deadly H5N1 virus from triggering a human pandemic that could kill millions.

Appropriate to sound early warning, say virologist

Asia Pacific Society for Medical Virology president Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Lam Sai Kit provides some food for thought on a possible bird flu pandemic.

theSun: How do we know a pandemic is looming? What are the signs? How worried should we be?

A pandemic or global epidemic, by definition, implies a severe disease which appears on multiple fronts, affecting many countries, with high morbidity, i.e. infecting a large population and high mortality or increased number of deaths. Since influenza historically has been known to cause pandemics (three in the last century) and is a virus known to undergo frequent antigenic changes, it is anticipated that the present avian influenza strains, especially H5N1, are likely to be the candidate for the next pandemic strain. It has been over 30 years since the last pandemic and we are due for another one!

The latest data on avian flu affecting humans in several countries in the region with high mortality is therefore a cause for concern.

It is appropriate to sound the early warning of an impending pandemic since influenza viruses, being RNA viruses, are known to mutate and undergo genetic reassortment to give rise to new strains. One of these genetic changes could lead to a strain that will spread easily among humans. It will be too late to take action once the pandemic starts.

As to being worried or not, it depends on the day-to-day situation through global monitoring. If the situation remains as it is today over the next three to four months (the northern winter months), with very few human cases and deaths, then we can remain hopeful that the pandemic will not take place. Let us remain hopeful but vigilant. However, should a pandemic happen, it will spread much faster than in 1918 during the first flu pandemic because of the speed of travel. We are looking at days instead of months.

How do we know that it is the H5N1 virus which will be the cause of the pandemic?

Any of the avian influenza strains (H5, H7, H9) which have shown evidence of being capable of infecting humans can pose as a candidate for pandemic flu although the evidence to date points to H5 being the most likely candidate. The high mortality rate due to H5 (over 50% of infected cases die) makes this a much feared candidate compared to other avian strains.

There is no certainty that it will be H5 and this makes it a dilemma for vaccine manufacturers and early preparation and production for a pandemic vaccine.

Indonesia says culling would be an economic disaster and so it has stuck to disinfecting potential areas. Would that be adequate? Can disinfectants kill viruses?

The main reason why Indonesia is not following strictly international guidelines of culling is because of economics as they cannot afford compensation of culled birds. Disinfection is part and parcel of the fight against this disease whether culling is done or not.

What is so great about Tamiflu? What about the side effects? If every country stockpiles now and the pandemic does not occur, would it be a waste?

Tamiflu is the front line drug in the fight against H5N1 and is very much part of the national plan of preparedness in the face of the pandemic threat. Tamiflu (and the chemically related zanamivir known as Relenza) belong to a class of drugs known as neuraminidase inhibitors. They do not eliminate the virus, but they reduce its release from infected cells by blocking a key viral enzyme. If taken within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms - the earlier the better - they reduce the duration of symptoms and and also limit the severity such as pneumonia. Side effects to Tamiflu are generally mild and the drugs have a long shelf-life for at least 10 years without losing their activity.

Even if you manage to get a supply of this scarce and expensive drug, do you know when to take it? It is not a vaccine which gives protection for several months. How long can you afford to take this expensive drug?

What can people do to minimise the effects of a pandemic or avoid being infected by the flu virus?

We have heard the WHO recommending various preparedness plans. These plans, which include stockpiling of tamiflu and building up infrastructure and surge capacity eg increasing hospital beds, equipment, etc, are varied based on national resources but serve as useful guidelines.

However, individuals must also have what I call individual preparednes plans. Do we, as individuals, know what to do when a pandemic is declared? Don’t leave it only to the government to fight the pandemic. Every individual should help to reduce the chance of getting infected by this wily virus and thus contribute to reducing morbidity and mortality. We must start thinking about individual preparedness, just in case. Many lessons were learnt during the SARS outbreak and these lessons must be put to use to prevent ourselves from getting infected with pandemic flu.

For example, during a worse case scenario of a pandemic, there will be panic and social upheavel and advice will be given not to go to crowded places. We should therefore, as part of our individual preapredness plan, stock up on essentials to reduce trips to markets as soon as a pandemic is declared. We should have a list ready and the list should include a supply of face masks, for example.

Any other advice?

Stay optimistic! “

http://tinyurl.com/yjvawj

AnnieB – at 22:27

Nigeria govt warns against bird flu vaccinating

afrol News, 8 November - In a somewhat surprising move, the Nigerian government asked poultry farmers and veterinary doctors to desist from vaccinating poultry against the avian influenza better known as “bird flu”. Nigeria’s poultry industry has over 140 million domestic birds and the sector contributes 9 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

<snip> The committee warned that vaccination of poultry was against the policy of Nigeria’s federal government. Believing that such acts were capable of jeopardising the health of poultries and consumers of poultry products, the Nigerian government asked for the vaccination of poultry to stop.

The possibility of a large-scale and nation-wide vaccination of poultry was discussed in Nigeria already in February, only weeks after the disease broke out. Estimated at a cost of US$ 15 million only in vaccines, the idea was rejected. This also was in line with recommendations from the UN’s agriculture agency FAO, which noted that tests could not differentiate between vaccinated poultry and infected poultry, causing new risks if the vaccination scheme stopped short at reaching a 100 percent coverage.

The Nigerian government this week thus repeated its established advices to national poultry farmers on the disease. Nigerian Information Minister Frank Nweke issued a statement advising poultry farmers to patronise only qualified and registered veterinary doctors in their respective states or communities.

“It is important for the public to note that avian influenza is a notifiable disease and the Animal Diseases Control Decree of 1988 makes it mandatory that its discovery or suspicion in poultry/birds is reported immediately to government veterinary officials for appropriate action,” added the statement signed by Minister Nweke.

<snip> The disease has already taken its toll on China, Vietnam, Nigeria and Cameroon. The UN observed that Africa grapples with major challenges to curb the disease mainly because of its incessant political and economic instability and lack of funding.

The national professional officer of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Nigeria, Chijoke Osakwe, said Nigeria has culled at least 700,000 birds since the outbreak of bird flu in February this year. This had cost over US$ 4 million.

The West African bird flu outbreak, which started in Nigeria due to illegal imports of poultry, earlier this year spread to around half of Nigeria’s states, and further into Niger and Burkina Faso. The feared virus did not jump over from poultry to wild birds, and so far no humans have died from bird flu in sub-Saharan Africa. The only African country to record deaths from the disease is Egypt.

More at http://www.afrol.com/articles/22461

Jane – at 22:40

APHA conference resolution 

 The American Public Health Association (APHA) today voted to adopt new policy that supports comprehensive national planning for an influenza pandemic and recommends key changes to the current response strategy, including ensuring care for vulnerable populations.

The resolution asserts that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), not the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), should be the lead federal agency on issues related to domestic preparedness for and response to pandemic influenza, and HHS should have wide authority to plan for a national response to annual flu epidemics.

<snip>The policy also urges federal agencies to rework the National Response Plan, a strategy developed by DHS to enhance the nation’s ability to manage domestic emergencies<snip>

<snip>-- Increasing funding for states, localities, hospitals and public health labs to expand their capacity to respond to pandemic flu;

<snip>-- Increasing investment in the public health work force, so there are enough employees necessary to serve on the frontlines in preparing for and responding to a pandemic and annual seasonal epidemics;

<snip>-- Creating guidelines for the use of non-pharmaceutical interventions, including handwashing, “snow days,” isolation and quarantine;

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=75860

http://www.tinyurl.com/up4rq

Klatu – at 22:46

Wednesday 08 November 2006 | 10:37 PM

GOVERNMENT DENIES PRESENCE OF AVIAN INFLUENZA

“Akwa Ibom government has confirmed that the State has not recorded any incidence of the avian influenza even as the bird disease has affected 14 states in the country. At a recent workshop organized by the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom deputy governor, Sir Michael Udofia, represented by the commissioner of agriculture and natural resources, Dr Trenchard Ibia, therefore advised farmers to be watchful and take all precautionary measures to maintain the non-availability status in the State. Sir Udofia who is the chairman, Steering Committee on the Control of Avian Influenza in Akwa Ibom, said all preventive measures known by farmers should be applied in the approaching vulnerable dry season regarded as the peak period for the bird disease. “ excerpt

http://tinyurl.com/y39vpb

Klatu – at 23:29

‘You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know’

Oct. 23, 2005

MSNBC

“A veteran of Asia’s first bird flu outbreak now leads the World Health Organization’s global drive to stave off an epidemic.  She’s struggling to strike a balance between informed concern and panic.

What’s your plan?

Our strategy, they need to control the poultry problem, at the source, right up on the farm, so we can reduce the risk of exposure to the human population.  Already, tremendous sacrifices are being made by many farmers who raise ten or 20 chickens as a protein and an income source and are losing them all [particularly in Asia].

We need to educate farmers. Poultry droppings are very rich in virus so they shouldn’t be handled without cleaning their hands. There are places where people drink the blood of chickens; this and other high-risk behaviors need to be addressed. The small farmers especially, we need to educate them.”

http://tinyurl.com/y5ufzb

Education is difficult on an empty stomach.

AnnieB – at 23:40

Migrating birds free from flu, ministry says

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor (link http://tinyurl.com/y373oa)

None of a sample of migratory birds flying to Indonesia have tested positive for the deadly bird flu virus, a Forestry Ministry official says. Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Committee meeting here Monday, Arman Mallolongan said the ministry had tested 695 migratory birds this year. All were found to be free from the virus, he said.

The meeting was attended by 40 participants from Australia, the United States, India, Japan, China and Russia. It discussed possible ways to protect migrating birds and monitor their health. Scientists have theorized that wild birds may help spread the H5N1 strain of avian flu.

Indonesia is a destination for between 15,000 and 20,000 migrating birds from around 60 different species every year, government data says. The birds, are regularly seen stopping at Tanjung Benoa in Bali; Gresik in East Java; Semenanjung Sembilan in South Sumatra; Pantai Cemara in Jambi; Belawan in Medan and Wonorejo in Central Java.

Arman said the government had set up a national committee to monitor the spread of bird flu in wild and migratory birds. 

 <snip> Pete Wood of Birdlife Indonesia said large flocks of  birds from Siberia, Mongolia, China, Korea and Japan came to Indonesia  and other warmer countries in the south to escape the northern winter.

Wood said many migratory birds usually stopped here before flying on to Australia and New Zealand. Most flew back using the same route, he said.

Klatu – at 23:43

Dr Chan Confident About Running for Director-General Job

Aug/06

china.org.cn

(photo) Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi ® shakes hands with Margaret Chan, during their meeting in Beidaihe, a summer seaside resort in north China’s Hebei Province on July 29, 2006.   Dr Chan said she felt a bit nervous having secured the backing of the central government in her bid to become Director-General. However, at the same time their support and assistance from the government of HKSAR had heightened her confidence.   She stressed she’d do her utmost to live up to everyone’s expectations. She would become “an international civil servant” if elected to the post. “I’ve to demonstrate that I’ll be fair, open and transparent and deal with issues on their merits,” said Dr Chan. “ excerpts

http://tinyurl.com/y9rvby

Map Heibi Province

09 November 2006

AnnieB – at 00:19

I am just starting the News Summary then I will start a new thread so hang fire for about 30 minutes with your posting please

Bird Guano – at 01:00

Political heavyweights talk bird flu http://tinyurl.com/yx548u // 08 Nov 2006

Bird flu will be high on the agenda when US President George W Bush talks with his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono later this month.

Indonesian Presidential spokesperson Dino Pati Djalal said that President Bush will arrive in Bogor, a town on the outskirts of Jakarta, after his visit to Hanoi and Singapore.

Avian influenza is reportedly an issue of concern for the Indonesian President, who is worried about the number of victims of the disease in Indonesia.

Fifty-five out of 72 contracted people have died of bird flu in Indonesia, according to the cumulative tally provided by the World Health Organisation .

The United States promised to assist Indonesia with tens of millions of dollars to help prevent avian influenza from spreading in the vast archipelago country, where bird flu has been discovered in 30 of 33 provinces. But Indonesia says the pledge has not yet been realised.

International experts are concerned that the disease continues to be found in Indonesia. One such commentator is United Nations bird flu expert Dr David Nabarro, who recently said AI could be a problem for the next decade .

In the wake of recent deaths from the disease, Indonesia has defended its bird-flu fighting efforts .

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