(If you want any of the links to open in a new window, hold down the shift key and then click on the link)
Please visit these threads for latest information from these regions or to add news
| No | Region Name | No | Region Name | No | Region Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 8 | East Africa | 15 | Arab Peninsula |
| 2 | Canada, Greenland and the Arctic Circle | 9 | Southern Africa and Madagascar | 16 | Central Asia |
| 3 | Central America and Caribbean | 10 | Northwest Europe and British Isles | 17 | Southern Asia |
| 4 | South America and Surrounding Islands | 11 | West and Southwest Europe | 18 | Mainland East Asia and Japan |
| 5 | Northern Africa | 12 | Central and Southeast Europe | 19 | Southeast Asia |
| 6 | West Africa | 13 | Eastern Europe and Baltic Region | 20 | Australasia Melanesia and Micronesia |
| 7 | Central Africa | 14 | Middle East and Caucasus Region | 21 | Pacific 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
(From WHO as at 31 Oct - latest update) Total human cases worldwide 256, deaths 152 (2006 – 109 with 74 deaths)
Canada
China
India
Indonesia
Malaysia
Nepal
New Zealand
Nigeria
Papua New Guinea
Turkey
United States of America
General
Link to news thread for 8 November (link News Reports for November 8 )
(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.
Volunteer(s) needed to prepare News Summary
I am going to be away for the next 3 days (taking a long golfing weekend - yippy) so I cannot prepare the News Summary.
Later today I will place a copy of my template in the Wiki Sandbox and a few ‘instructions’ for how I do it, if someone wants to give it a go.
From previous thread after summary completed …
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 .
Yahoo(Indonesia)- …”We are still far from a pandemic,” said Bayu Krisnamurthi, the chief executive of the Indonesian National Committee for Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (Komnas FBPI.)
However, he cautioned the possibility of a pandemic remained, as no one could predict how the H5N1 virus that caused the disease would mutate.
The Komnas FBPI, set up by presidential decree in March, coordinates government responses to cases of H5N1 bird flu…..The Komnas FBPI, a ministerial-level committee, was now prioritizing a public awareness campaign on the disease and what to do should infected poultry or individuals be found.
It would also work to promote active surveillance, and continuous vaccination of poultry.
Krisnamurthi said the public awareness campaign seemed to be beginning to bear fruit, with more rapid reporting of suspected infections as well as rising public initiatives to contain the damage, including the slaughtering of sick poultry…”
more… http://tinyurl.com/y536mb
Radio New Zealand- “ District health boards throughout the country have carried out an influenza exercise to test their readiness for a pandemic.
The drill was designed to make sure medical staff can stamp out a pandemic if and when such an international emergency hits.
Health Minister Pete Hodgson says it is all very well having Tamiflu stockpiled and handwashing signs around but that is not enough. He says if systems are not tested, the holes that inevitably exist will not be found.
Mr Hodgson says most health boards carried out their scenarios on paper on Thursday…”
http://tinyurl.com/yfgygv
Comment: Not Bird Flu News…but Good News. For those who have spent any amount of time researching articles for the Africa Look Out threads. It’s depressing! So much need, so little resources, so much conflict.
Institute for OneWorld Health Awarded $46 Million Grant to Combat Diarrheal Disease ’ iOWH to Develop New Treatments to Fight Neglected Killer of 2 Million Children
Forum 10: Global Forum for Health Research SAN FRANCISCO & CAIRO, Egypt(BUSINESS WIRE)The Institute for OneWorld Health (iOWH) announced today that it has been awarded a grant of $46 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand its unique research on new treatments to complement traditional approaches for fighting diarrhea. The announcement was made at Forum 10, the Global Forum for Health Research’s annual meeting in Cairo, Egypt. OneWorld Health is a non-profit pharmaceutical company headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Diarrheal diseases are a leading cause of death in children under the age of five worldwide, killing more than 2 million children and contributing to the deaths of an additional 4 million children each year. Diarrheal diseases are caused by a wide range of bacterial, parasitic and viral pathogens, some of which result in rapid fluid loss, and can lead to severe dehydration and death.
OneWorld Health’s research aims to develop new treatments for secretory diarrheal disease, particularly anti-secretory drugs that inhibit the loss of fluid in the intestine. These drugs are designed to be used as an adjunct to oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for the treatment of life-threatening enterotoxigenic E. Coli (ETEC) and cholera, which are responsible for nearly 40% of reported cases of diarrheal disease.
“Our novel approach to reducing dehydration with new medicines for diarrheal diseases could save many lives,” said Dr. Victoria Hale, Founder and CEO of OneWorld Health. ‘’‘“This is an essential part of our goal of developing safe, effective and affordable drugs for neglected diseases in developing countries.”’‘’
<snip>
I am guilty of not following some threads Africa in particular, because I do get so depressed. I have been following the BnM Gates foundation-they do incredible work! Hurray- And thanks, Tiger Lily, for posting Good News! We really need some!
Nigeria govt warns against bird flu vaccinating
“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.
…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. …”
Suspected Indonesia death
Earlier this week an Indonesian teenager died of what appeared to be avian influenza, but tests have yet to confirm the exact cause of death. The 17-year-old, who has only been identified as Juwanto, came from the village of Kalimandi, in Banjarnegara, which is in the country’s Central Java province….
Initial blood tests performed on Juwanto indicated that he had been infected with avian influenza, the director of Margono Soekarjo Hospital said, but confirmation of bird flu as the cause of death is awaiting further WHO testing….
They do not know how he contracted the disease…
Measures to fight flu pandemic considered
By Andrew Jack, Financial Times
Published: November 6 2006 02:00
New measures to help fight a future flu pandemic, costing up to £3bn over the next three years, could be approved by the government within the next few weeks.
Later this month Patricia Hewitt, the health secretary, will consider proposals to buy substantial extra quantities of protective masks, antibiotics, antiviral drugs and vaccines, say people with knowledge of the plans.
The options are a tough political choice in balancing resources between current health service operations and new measures to curb the deaths, hospitalisations and economic disruption from a pandemic about which much remains unknown. The decision will come as the UK braces itself for the annual peak of seasonal flu cases this winter, and the possibility of fresh migratory birds’ deaths in Europe from the H5N1 bird flu, which will stoke fears of a new human pandemic.
Very good article, and its free.
The goodies include masks, antibiotics, quadrupling tamiflu stockpile to cover ‘post-exposure prophylaxis’.
More controversial is pre-pandemic vaccines.
“The increase is based on computer modelling, which suggests that such measures - combined with the closure of schools and other “social distancing” actions - could sharply reduce the impact of the pandemic as it spreads across the country over the course of several weeks.”
Thank you, Neil (Ferguson)!
Schools in US closed due to flu:
NEWS
11M Bottles of Acetaminophen Recalled
[snip]
[snip]
[snip]
On the web here
Okay, I think I screwed up the tinyurl thing. This is the actual link. Sorry.
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?id=8334&lang=eng
They are listing is as reaching an epidemic stage. It seems awfully early and awfully severe
Nova- I’m so glad to see somebody else using this site! There is a wealth of info on it, and it’s all right there. All we have to do is follow up. I posted the Winnipeg situation on the Not Birdflu But Close News, that I found there. Then my silly screen went white, and I couldn’t get the site back.
good to see it being used.
Cottontop: The world map does take forever to load. I discovered by accident the USA map which usually loads much more quickly.
USA Map: http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/usa_alert.php?lang=eng
World Map: http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert.php?lang=eng
If no one elso is interested I’ll try my hand at doing the ‘’‘News Summary’ tonight, but on one condition…
you all promise to laugh heartily if I totally screw it up:-)
Nova- I’ve never accessed the U.S. map, just the world map. My goodness, all those airplane incidents/accidents!! Really makes me not want to fly, and I really don’t mind it. Hubby is the Big Baby!
MaMa- you go girl! And may the Gods smile upon you!
Drudge Report:
Bush to make statement with his cabinet in Rose Garden at 11:35 AM…
JWB- I just posted this on Rumors thread-Im guessing its due to politics this weeek but the fact that the President is meeting with his Cabinet Just before caught my attention.
Do we have any OFFICIAL news that M Chan has been approved by the World Health Assembly? I’ve seen some pieces in media from AP but still othing on the WHO site
On Thursday, November 09 2006 Indonesian Archipelago
Indonesia Online (software translation)
TULUNGAGUNG
— MIOL: “The Condition suspect Siti Mukholifah bird flu, 3,5 that was treated in space of the patient’s isolation avian influenza (AI) the Public Hospital Dr Iskak Tulungagung since the last two days, on Thursday (9/11) was seen began to improve.
RS public relations Dr Iskak Tulungagung, Tri Basuki’s Echo said the temperature of villagers’s body Sambirobyong, the Sumbergempol Subdistrict has approached normal namely 37 levels celcius. So also the cough and breathless him seldom subsided.
“First time was handled by us till yesterday his temperature was stagnant namely 39 levels celcius.”
We must also handle this patient by extra hard and be careful, said Tri the Echo while saying in a forthcoming Siti week still must continue to get the maintenance in isolation space. The similar matter also happened to three suspect other bird flu that was the close Siti family namely Edy Awaludin (the full sibling), Sri Wigati, 4 (the cousin) and Sukarni, 38 (the uncle).
Kasubdin the Prevention and the Control of the Illness of the Tulungagung Bahruddin Regency of the Health Service said from observation of the official of the health in the residence three suspect in the Sambirobyong Village since yesterday afternoon found the temperature of the body the three of them also began to be normal.
Because of this, explained Bahruddin his side has still not yet brought three AI suspects to the hospital.
“But we will monitor continued, while being waiting for results of the sending of the sample of the nose liquid and their throat of the Big Hall the Health Laboratory (BBLK) Surabaya,” said Bahruddin.
Since being maintained as the alert area 1 bird flu in the last three months up to now already 15 citizens Tulungagung that could be stated suspect bird flu.
Eight among them the negative, three positive. Two from three that positive died whereas that other was stated recovered after getting the intensive maintenance in isolation space of RS Dr Soetomo Surabaya.
Now four suspect AI finally still was waiting produced by BBLK Surabaya.” - excerpts
Have to go, will be off keyboard till pretty late. Will someone stay on the WHO site and refresh regularly to record when exactly Margaret Chan is confirmed by the World Health Assembly on the WHO site? Many thanks.
FrenchieGirl – at 11:42
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2006/pr66/en/index.html
“Dr Chan was nominated as Director-General on Wednesday by the WHO Executive Board and her appointment was confirmed on Thursday by the World Health Assembly.”
Dennis in Colorado – at 11:53
Thanks for the link.
I will watch her action based on this quote:
She also addressed the challenges ahead of the Organization: “As we know, not all of the problems faced by WHO in its efforts to improve world health are subject to scientific scrutiny, or yield their secrets under a microscope. You know the ones I mean: lack of resources and too little political commitment. These are often the true ‘killers’.”
Don’t know if anyone has already posted this.
APHA Calls for Improved Coordination and Funding to Prepare for Pandemic Influenza
To: National Desk
Contact: APHA Press Office, 617–954–3820 or 617–954–3822
BOSTON, Nov. 7 /U.S. Newswire/ — 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.
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, or to create a different multi-party response framework to ensure that all actors at the federal, state and local levels are coordinated in their response to pandemic flu.
“With the rising threat of an influenza pandemic, we must protect the health of Americans by implementing the appropriate funding and resources,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, APHA executive director. “Our nation’s public health workers and institutions must be able to rapidly scale-up their efforts to respond to pandemic flu, and we strongly support an associated rise in funding to make that happen.”
Cottontop at 11:00: Those airline incidents on the map come directly from the FAA. It is another confirmation of what the mainstream media choses not to report…
Dennis in Colorado – at 11:53 - Thanks. Just popped in an Internet Café and saw your message. It did take them very long to publish it. Have to go now or I’ll be late. FrenchieGirl.
MaMa – at 10:56
I respect you too much to laugh MaMa. [ at least in open ridicule 8^) ]
Bird flu report reveals failings
from the BBC
A report into how an outbreak of bird flu in Norfolk was dealt with has exposed a number of shortcomings. Norfolk County Council reviewed the response to the H7N3 outbreak at three farms in North Tuddenham in March.
One fault highlighted was a breakdown in communication between the government and local authorities which led to the wrong wording used on warning signs.
However, the report concludes that communication improved and the overall response was effective.
The wording for the 1km restriction zone had to be changed from “protective zone” to “restricted zone” after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) decided to use legislation which was about to be brought into place.
Concerns were also raised that the Government News Network was not immediately available at the scene to help co-ordinate the media response.
“Defra needs to place more trust in local agencies to not mis-use any information passed in confidence to local agencies,” the report stated.
Another issue was that police officers at the scene of the incident did not have any protective clothing at the start of the outbreak.
They were on occasions exposed to feathers and dust being thrown up into the air when culled birds were being bagged.
Let’s see:
I hope these were not listed by order of priorities.
MaMa at 10:56
Thank you so much for volunteering - I know how important the News Summary is to so many Wikians, so any attempt is better than no attempt!
If it helps, copy the template from the Sandbox into a Word document and do your updates in that - might be easier than flicking to the Sandbox? The only thing I find is that you have to re-mark all the quote-marks to get the bolding etc once you copy from Word to the Wiki page …
Thank you, thank you.
If all else fails, have pogge on standby to fix it ;-)
anon_22….What is the ‘Government News Network’ mentioned in your post above at 12:29, do you know? I’ve never heard of a GNN.
blam – at 13:37 GNN
blam – at 13:37
USA Today cover story on BF— compares Indonesia and Vietnam.
“With the rising threat of an influenza pandemic, we must protect the health of Americans by implementing the appropriate funding and resources,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, APHA executive director. “Our nation’s public health workers and institutions must be able to rapidly scale-up their efforts to respond to pandemic flu, and we strongly support an associated rise in funding to make that happen.”
Then I suggest the most cost-effective thing is to tell the media and the public we’ve been in a pandemic alert period for over a year, tell them how long a whole pandemic can last, and, that the local community level had an unfunded mandate ages ago to meet their own needs, and the public better just start getting ready to cope without vaccine nor regular medical care before pandemic breaks out. We can’t keep gambling with so many lives, and go back and rework plans, or order more ventilators or something at this late stage. Power grid, food, ORS, morphine, and mass fatality planning; but public education as to the real scope of the situation they may be facing has to happen first or nothing else will get done if they think it is “just another issue”.
Comment: I am posting this here as cerebral malaria news has been making the rounds on various Look Out Post threads.
Africa: Simple Eye Test Can Diagnose Severe Malaria
SciDev.Net (London)
November 8, 2006 Posted to the web November 9, 2006
Zablon Odhiambo Nairobi
Cerebral malaria can be diagnosed by a simple eye examination, a method that is both quick and cheap and could save thousands of lives in malarial regions, a new study shows.
Diagnosing cerebral malaria — a severe complication of malaria in which the Plasmodium falciparum parasite infects capillaries that flow through the tissues of the brain — can be difficult, as patients can be unconscious and have a number of other illnesses.
Now researchers have found that certain changes on the retina, the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, are unique to severe forms of malaria.
This will enable doctors to determine whether a child is suffering from cerebral malaria or some other, unrelated illness, and prescribe immediate treatment accordingly.
The findings are published this week (6 November) in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
The team led by Nick Beare of the UK-based Royal Liverpool University Hospital analysed the retinas of 45 children admitted to hospital in Blantyre, Malawi with cerebral malaria.
They found that white opaque patches and whitened blood vessels on the retina were unique signs of cerebral malaria. Other signs include bleeding of the retina and swelling of the optic nerve.
The diagnosis only requires an instrument called an ophthalmoscope, which is commonly used in Africa for studying eye disease.
“Diagnosis requires special training in eye examination, but is relatively straightforward and cost effective, which is essential in resource-poor settings such as Africa,” says Beare.
His team suggests that the malaria parasites stick to the linings of the small blood vessels in the brain and eyes where they disrupt oxygen and nutrients supply, causing the unique whitening of blood vessels in the eye.
<snip>
crfullmoon-
When is this dated, exactly who is Georges Benjamin, and where did you find this?
now I will say, WOW!
here you go folks-
WHO MEMBERS ELECT BIRD FLU EXPERT CHAN AS CHIEF
Reuters Alertnet
FACTBOX-New WHO chief Chan to focus on Africa, women
Thu 9 Nov 2006 12:39 PM ET
GENEVA, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Margaret Chan, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) top bird flu official, was elected on Thursday to lead the United Nations agency.
Here are five priorities the director-general outlined in her acceptance speech:
AFRICA - “The people of Africa carry an enormous and disproportionate burden of ill health and premature death. The health of the people of Africa must therefore be the key indicator of the performance of WHO.”
WOMEN - Chan said women are vulnerable to health problems from indoor air pollution, infectious diseases, and violence, but can also be agents for change. “Reducing health problems in women and empowering them will result in a dramatic increase in health-promoting behaviours, right where it counts most.”
INFECTIOUS DISEASES - “Infectious diseases have staged a dramatic comeback. HIV, Ebola, SARS and avian influenza will not be the last bad surprises delivered by the ever-changing microbial world.”
PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS - “For outbreaks, the international community will not be securely defended until all countries have core surveillance and response capacities in place. The global surveillance system must have no gaps or weak spots.”
HEALTH WORKER MIGRATION - “As Director-General I will address, as a matter of urgency, the problem of outward migration of health staff. The problem is critical, but not insurmountable.”
(sorry cottontop, that’s just me ranting in bold at the article anon_22 –posted and linked at 12:17. )
crfullmoon-
Thank heavens. I’m sitting thinking “do what? Huh? OMG!” I was getting ready to head out to Wally World!
(India) Global bio-pharma conference 2006 commences
Friday November 10 2006 00:00 IST PTI (link http://tinyurl.com/yb6m53 )
HYDERABAD: The bio pharma industry should concentrate on tackling the emerging tropical and viral diseases, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said here on Thursday.
Inaugurating the four-day global bio-pharma conference 2006 –‘synergies in global bio technology industry’, Reddy said, in recent Times most parts of the country are facing life-threatening diseases like chikungunya, dengue and bird flu and the biopharma industry should focus on curing these diseases and help eradicate them. … more
Tiger Lily – at 16:07 wrote:
FACTBOX-New WHO chief Chan to focus on Africa, women
Thu 9 Nov 2006 12:39 PM ET
GENEVA, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Margaret Chan, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) top bird flu official, was elected on Thursday to lead the United Nations agency.
SARS and avian influenza will not be the last bad surprises delivered by the ever-changing microbial world.”
Based on an internal memo generated from an insider following a WHO meeting this past spring - which dropped into my laptop, “not be the last bad surprises delivered by the ever-changing microbial world”, is accurate.
In retrospect it appears this same message has been communicated to other WHO insiders.
NEWS
Yahoo news- New WHO chief Chan vows to use leverage on secretive China
GENEVA (AFP) - “The new chief of the World Health Organisation, Margaret Chan of China, pledged to put her nationality aside and to use her leverage on Beijing to combat major threats such as bird flu.
“Now I’m elected as the WHO’s Director General I no longer carry my nationality on my sleeve. I leave it behind,” she told reporters after her nomination was endorsed by more than two-thirds of the 193 member states.
It is the first time that a Chinese national has headed a United Nations agency. Chan’s candidacy was officially sponsored by Beijing.
However, the former Hong Kong health chief insisted she had taken an oath to serve the world and signalled her determination to wipe out weak spots in global disease surveillance.
“I will speak up if some members states need to strengthen their effort and in this case if you are referring to China I will definitely speak out and urge China… to share information,” Chan told journalists.
Her nomination had prompted calls for independence and transparency at the top of the global health agency, following concern about China’s secrecy in tackling infectious disease inside the nation of 1.3 billion people.
“Being a Chinese national appointed by the WHO as Director General, of all people I hope I will have better access to various senior levels of the government and (tell) them what are issues of importance to the world,” Chan explained…”
more… http://tinyurl.com/yj4jgl
NEWS
BEIJING(ChinaDaily) - “The Chinese mainland has stressed Taiwan was not entitled to join the World Health Organization, a day after a former Hong Kong health chief was nominated as the health body’s new director general.
“Our position is very clear, the WHO constitutes sovereign states and Taiwan, as part of China, has no right to participate in this organization,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a regular press briefing Thursday.
Jiang was responding to reporters Thursday on whether there would be any change on the policy after Margaret Chan, a former health chief of Hong Kong, was nominated as WHO’s next director general…”
…”Taiwan said it should join the WHO, as it needed the cooperation of the other countries to cope with bird flu and other possible epidemics in the region.
But Jiang said there were already established mechanisms through which Taiwanese health officials could participate in WHO affairs…”
http://tinyurl.com/y22wwb
Advertisement
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The ivy-covered Fairmont Empress Hotel is seen in this May file photo in Victoria, Canada. Associated Press
Senior Chinese official says Beijing didn’t buy new U.N. post for Hong Kong doctor
Associated Press 2006–11–09 09:08 PM China did not use its political influence to help its candidate become the new head of the U.N. health agency, the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s top official in Hong Kong said Thursday. “We used our sincerity to ask the Third World and developed countries for support. We don’t have any kind of political transactions,” the official, Lu Xinhua, said in a speech at Hong Kong University. <snip>
from Taiwan Times. This page disappeared when I tried to copy the url. I found it under Health at etaiwannews.com, but I don’t know if I’ll find it again. I could not recover yesterday’s story of the Chinese saying, no, we did not buy the office of Director General of WHO.
MaMa – at 17:10 “Chinese mainland has stressed Taiwan was not entitled to join the World Health Organization”
It is sad that China is more concerned about politics than saving lives. A virus cannot see “lines on a map”.
Sorry, I guess that was the story I lost and couldn’t find after it disappeared yesterday. (Sometimes it really is paranoia. :) Or lack of computer skill? )
DennisC, ‘A virus cannot see “lines on a map”.’
Exactly, wherever it starts it won’t recognize a particular nationality. IMO that’s part of the problem with many officials in goverments regarding dealing with a possible pandemic and what might be done to prevent it or at least lessen it’s impact. Political expediency and what makes sense for them to do in the current climate is mostly what they see, they can’t really wrap their minds around how very different the world could be at some point- how small and unimportant some things ban be when you look at the big picture. Same mind-set as those who don’t/won’t prep..’this is the way it is and it’s not likely to change too much- so why would I change the way I deal with things/live?’.
(Montreal, Canada) Vaccines, bird flu and the media
McGill hosts inaugural gathering of immunology experts Cynthia Lee |
Some of North America’s top immunologists are gathering at McGill on Nov. 17 to promote the importance of immunology as flu season starts. Foremost on the agenda is to introduce Immunology Montreal to the public and to researchers. The group will be comprised of researchers from McGill, INRS-Institut Armand Frappier and Univérsité de Montreal. Marianna Newkirk, professor of Medicine and director of the Research Institute McGill University Health Centre Grants Office, co-founded Immunology Montreal based on her strong belief in educating people about public-health issues.
“An educated public is a prepared public, and that’s what Immunology Montreal is about,” said Newkirk. The inaugural symposium, which is open to the public, will take place at 8 am on Friday, Nov. 17, 2006 in Ballroom B, New Residence Hall. Speakers will include Robert Seder, of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one of the world’s experts on vaccination; McGill Professor Brian Ward, a well-recognized infectious-diseases expert and leader in vaccines in developing countries; Danuta Skowronski, an epidemiologist from the British Columbia Center for Disease Control and one of Canada’s experts on the preparedness for an influenza pandemic, among others.
“Vaccines, Bird Flu and the Media,” the inaugural Immunology Montreal Symposium, is open to the public and takes place on Nov. 17 at New Residence Hall. Link http://tinyurl.com/yht43q
I hope some local Wikians can get to this? I’ll volunteer to go if someone pays my airfare …
Jane at 17:29, a link to an article such as you mentioned in your post, but not from Tapei Times. It’s from the International Herald Tribune, Asia-Pacific.
http://tinyurl.com/y64cbe
MaMa – at 17:10 NEWS BEIJING(ChinaDaily) - “The Chinese mainland has stressed Taiwan was not entitled to join the World Health Organization
Is Tibet a member of the WHO?
Dennis in Colorado, not according to this list http://www.who.int/countries/en/
193 member states(countries), Tibet is not listed as a member state.
According to wikipedia Tibet is…’a province-level autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’…
So I would say it is likely included in China’s status as a member state.
Manual eyed to help Japanese abroad in bird-flu pandemics
Japan plans to compile a manual by year’s end to address a possible outbreak of a new bird flu-mutated human influenza, Foreign Ministry officials said Wednesday.
The manual will include measures for the dispatch of a medical team abroad to protect Japanese nationals in the event they cannot flee an affected area, they said….. In case of an outbreak of human-to-human infection, the ministry will issue a warning for Japanese nationals to evacuate the afflicted area.”
http://tinyurl.com/y9vahc Japan plans to compile a manual by year’s end to address a possible outbreak of a new bird flu-mutated human influenza, Foreign Ministry officials said Wednesday. snip
APEC leaders are expected to agree to strengthen joint efforts against bird flu and other infectious diseases at their Nov. 18–19 summit in Hanoi after the Nov. 15–16 meeting of their foreign and economic ministers there.
The government is considering sending a medical team to any country hit by an outbreak that compels it to restrict travel overseas, thus making it impossible for Japanese nationals to leave, according to the officials.
snip
With the situation deteriorating chiefly in Indonesia, a global pandemic is currently feared, the officials said.
The envisaged measures will center on the provision of information to Japanese nationals abroad up to the third stage of bird-to-human infection, but the Foreign Ministry would urge nationals to consider a possible evacuation at the third level if such infections become widespread.
Has anyone read niman today? (I’d post the commentaries but Klatu always makes them look so good!) Small but significant changes at or near the receptor binding domain in latest chinese sequences. This might be what all the fuss is about.
Anon for this post - at 20:21
It’s definitely what all the fuss is about, IMHO.
NEWS
Terra Daily- “CSIRO Livestock Industries is involved in a two-year collaboration to help strengthen Indonesia’s defences against the avian influenza virus. With $1.6 million funding from AusAID, veterinarians at CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) in Geelong will work to increase the capacity of Indonesian researchers to diagnose and monitor outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 strain…”
…”The secure laboratory at Geelong is internationally recognised as an OIE reference laboratory for avian influenza.
The Indonesian project aims to ensure that the country’s laboratory network can rapidly diagnose the bird flu virus - an essential step in mounting effective management and control strategies.
Indonesian laboratories will be provided with training in laboratory tests and their use in surveillance programs. Reagents and reference materials will also be supplied.
Dr Daniels will travel to Indonesia next month to meet with staff from the seven Disease Investigation Centres and the Research Institute for Veterinary Science at Bogor..”
http://tinyurl.com/y8grvt
NEWS
New US bird flu report lacks evidence base
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006–11–10 08:22
Editor’s note: The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America published “Emergence and predominance of an H5N1 influenza variant in China” last week.
The paper contains “ungrounded statements,” Chen Hualan, director of the National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory, and Shu Yuelong, director of the National Influenza Centre under the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, told China Daily in an interview. The following is the transcript of the interview….”
http://tinyurl.com/y9l7ll
NEWS
Claims of new bird flu variant rejected
By Zhao Huanxin (China Daily)
“Claims in an international scientific journal that a new bird flu variant is prevalent in China, and that it has been transmitted to neighbouring countries, have been refuted by Chinese scientists.
Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and two leading bird flu control experts are scheduled to hold a news conference Friday to rebut the findings of a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States last week…”
..”I have read the article and found its viewpoints and conclusion on the ‘Fujian-like variant’ lack scientific evidence,” Director of the National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory Chen Hualan said…”
…”The Ministry of Agriculture isolated only one new mutated virus strain of avian influenza during a surveillance campaign earlier this year in Shanxi Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northern China, but no new virus was discovered in southern China, she said.”
http://tinyurl.com/yj9u3z
This is a very long article so I won’t post it here in its entirety, but it is worth reading for the information it gives about the nuanced nature of the politics behind the new WHO DG appointment.
Chan sets out goals for WHO
Friday, November 10, 2006 / The Standard (Hong Kong) / http://tinyurl.com/yzdkfd
Anti-clotting drug may hinder action of Tamiflu
“Nov 9, 2006 (CIDRAP News) – A laboratory study indicates that the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel (Plavix) may limit the action of the antiviral oseltamivir (Tamiflu), which could mean trouble for cardiovascular disease patients who contract influenza.
The study by a team from the University of Rhode Island suggests that people taking clopidogrel to prevent heart attack or stroke may get little benefit from oseltamivir. …”
AP Nov 9 http://tinyurl.com/y95rt9 BEIJING: China’s top veterinary official on Friday rejected as groundless a study that reported a new strain of bird flu in the country, saying it had no basis in science.
The findings, released last week in an international scientific journal, said the strain — called H5N1 Fujian-like — was found in almost all poultry outbreaks and some human cases in southern China, and was now also the dominant version in Hong Kong, Laos, Malaysia and Thailand.
“There is no such new Fujian-like virus variant at all. It is utterly groundless to assert the outbreak of bird flu in Southeast Asian countries was caused by AI (avian influenza and that there would be a new outbreak wave in the world,” Jia Youling, director of the Chinese Agriculture Ministry’s veterinary bureau, said in a statement. ______________________________________________
Gives a whole new meaning to the expression ‘righteous indignation’ doesnt it??
It is utterly groundless to assert the outbreak of bird flu in Southeast Asian countries was caused by AI (avian influenza) and that there would be a new outbreak wave in the world
Is Jia Youling a Chinese cousin of Baghdad Bob?
gharris – at 23:07 about China’s claim that “it had no basis in science”
Comment
Now that China has Chan in place, I guess they think they can ignore the sequences and also write off Taiwan. Some how I just trust the 590 samples tested by Webster more than the nothing but words from China. Words or sequences- which to believe?
notice CIDRAP News “The research team, including Yi Guan of the University of Hong Kong and Robert Webster of St. Jude’s, tested more than 53,000 birds from live-poultry markets in six southern Chinese provinces from July 2005 through June 2006. About 2.4% of the birds (1,294 of 53,220) tested positive for the H5N1 virus, more than double the 0.9% positive rate in the preceding 12 months, according to the report.
The researchers analyzed the genomes of 390 (30%) of the 1,294 virus isolates and found that 68% (266 of 390) of them were in the new Fujian-like lineage. The prototype of this lineage was detected in March 2005, and few viruses like it were found in the ensuing few months. But the prevalence of the strain increased dramatically starting in October 2005, until it constituted 103 of 108 isolates tested from April through June of this year. …”
http://tinyurl.com/ul5ae Jakarta - Indonesia, which has the highest number of human bird flu infections and fatalities, was unlikely to be hit by a pandemic of the disease in the immediate future, an official has claimed.
“We are still far from a pandemic,” said Bayu Krisnamurthi, the chief executive of the Indonesian National Committee for Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (Komnas FBPI).
However, he cautioned the possibility of a pandemic remained, as no one could predict how the H5N1 virus that caused the disease would mutate.
The Komnas FBPI, set up by presidential decree in March, coordinates government responses to H5N1 bird flu cases, which experts fear could mutate into a form that spreads easily between humans, setting off a global pandemic.
The vast majority of bird flu cases in Indonesia and elsewhere have occurred after contact with infected poultry.
Indonesia now has 72 confirmed cases of human bird flu infection, 55 of them fatal.
But Krisnamurthi said the ratio of confirmed cases compared to reported suspect cases was decreasing, from about 30 to 35 percent six months ago to currently about 14 percent.
He said although bird flu had been found in 30 of the country’s 32 provinces, human infections were contained to nine provinces.
He said the ratio between confirmed cases and fatalities remained largely unchanged at about 75 percent, due to late treatment following late diagnosis, and limited health facilities. - Sapa-AFP