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 forum threads for India, Indonesia and Nepal
link to Indonesia wiki page
(From WHO as at 13 Nov - latest update) Total human cases worldwide 258, deaths 153 (2006 – 111 with 76 deaths)
China
Indonesia
Egypt
Austalia
Vietnam
USA
General
Link to news thread for 16 November (link News Reports for November 16 )
(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 of the newshounds!
originally posted on Nov.16 news thread by Klatu, after the summary was completed
‘GOVERNMENT SIGNALS SHIFT IN AVIAN FLU COMBAT POLICIES AS DISEASE RETURNS’
The Daily Star Egypt
First Published: November 15, 2006
Talib Ali, regional animal health and production officer for the Food and Agriculture Organization, a United Nations organization, says the actual number of bird flu cases in poultry may be higher.
http://tinyurl.com/tgehs
I get an email from the dept of homeland sec and this was one of their links today. http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1163518483290.shtm Homeland Security Launches New Ads to Demonstrate Importance of Family Emergency Planning
Release Date: November 14, 2006
For Immediate Release Office of the Secretary Contact (202) 282–8010 Ellyn Fisher, Ad Council (212) 984–1964
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and The Advertising Council unveiled new public service advertisements (PSAs) today to support the Ready Campaign. Ready is a national public service advertising campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies.
The new PSAs unveiled today include television, radio, print, internet and outdoor versions created pro bono by BBDO New York. Also released today is a television ad featuring First Lady Laura Bush discussing emergency preparedness. All of the new PSAs highlight the fact that many families have not yet taken the steps needed to prepare for emergencies including getting an emergency supply kit, making a family emergency plan and learning more about different emergencies and their appropriate responses.
“These new ads will encourage all Americans to take some basic steps to prepare their families for emergencies,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “By simply taking a little time to sit down together and make an emergency plan, families can help answer important questions, such as where to meet, how to communicate with each other and what to do in the event of an emergency.” more at link
Looking at Confirmed Cases Updated … We link to graphs, where the first chart shows “Cases by onset date and country”.
I have two concerns with that chart:
What’s the smallest step in that direction? Where should I/we look?
Cross posted to Lookout for North Africa and New Cluster in Egypt - I felt it should be here too.
New Bird Flu Cases Discovered in Egypt
Four Egyptians were admitted to hospital Thursday in the southern governorate of Sohag on suspicion of contracting the bird flu virus, according to newspaper reports Friday.
The victims ranged between nine months and 18 years and were sent to the Sohag general hospital and the regional university hospital.
Blood samples were taken from the four and sent to be tested in the central labs of the ministry of health.
Nursing home illness ‘not bird flu’
Austalia- “ACT Health has confirmed the respiratory disease outbreak at a Canberra nursing home is not bird flu, as some had feared.
Six people have died and there have been 57 other reported cases of the influenza at the Jindalee Nursing Home in Narrabundah.
The ACT’s acting chief health officer Dr Charles Guest says they hope to have all residents and staff on the anti-viral medication Tamiflu today.
“The current outbreak is not related to bird flu or pandemic influenza in any way,” he said…”
http://tinyurl.com/yyjxh2
OK, that’s really good. What is it then?
Indonesian leader calls for contingency plans to deal with possible bird flu pandemic
HANOI, Vietnam: “Indonesia’s president Friday urged Pacific Rim countries to intensify efforts to fight bird flu and draw up contingency plans to cope with an economic backlash if the disease becomes pandemic.
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, speaking to business executives at a conference ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meetings this weekend, warned that the bird flu virus has the potential to spread from human to human although there were still no signs of such transmission.
“We must develop comprehensive national preparedness plans, strengthen surveillance systems, build laboratory networks and intensify regional and international cooperation,” Yudhoyono said in his speech…”
…”Leaders from the 21-member APEC, gathering in Hanoi for their annual summit, are expected to endorse a plan to fight bird flu and cooperate in improving regional pandemic preparedness with enhanced surveillance, improved infrastructure and expanded technical collaboration, according to a draft of the final statement to be released this weekend.”
http://tinyurl.com/ym9p87
Four Deadly Epidemics Plague North Korea
Scarlet fever, typhoid, whooping cough and a mysterious leprosy
Recombinomics Commentary
November 17, 2006
“The number of H5N1 positive samples in the United States continue to grow, as H5N1 migrates to the south. The latest samples are from hunter killed Northern Shoveler in Stodard County, MO, collected on November 4, 2006. H5N1 was also detected in Stanley County, SD in hunter killed Northern Shoveler. H5N1 Mallard duck samples from three locations in Grundy County, IL, two locations in Niagara County, NY, and two counties in MI signal the widespread distribution of H5N1 in the United States.” - excerpt
‘’‘LOW PATHOGENIC “NORTH AMERICAN” H5N1 AVIAN INFLUENZA STRAIN IN WILD BIRDS PRESUMPTIVE AND CONFIRMED TEST RESULTS’‘’
Friday, November 17, 2006
San Fransico Chronicle
A multimillion dollar national effort to screen North American migratory birds for potentially deadly strains of avian influenza has so far come up empty — and if the United States is lucky, things will stay that way. - excerpt
Hmmmm…..
November 17, 2006 12:21 PM
World Bank Plans For Second Bird Flu Operation In Vietnam
BANGKOK, Nov 17 (Bernama) — The World Bank is now planning a second phase operation to assist Vietnam overcome the reoccurrence of the deadly avian influenza or bird flu that saw more than 45 million birds killed or culled in just three months in 2004 in the country.
Laurent Msellati, the World Bank Manager, Portfolio and Operations in Vietnam said the new programme would be a move from the short term responses to the more medium term consolidation phase.
In a statement released by the bank, he said within three months of the avian influenza outbreak in Vietnam, the World Bank had a project prepared to help the Government of Vietnam quickly respond as more than 57 provinces out of 64 were affected.
“At that stage, it was really an animal health issue. We supported Vietnam through improved diagnostic facilities and improved surveillance systems and also worked with the government on bio-security measures and on public awareness and information,” he said.
A veterinarian by training, Msellati said the new plan would include funding for a more targetted vaccination campaign for a third round in about 33 provinces, as well as surveillance in what’s called the hot spots like live bird markets or areas along the country’s long border.
“Funding will also be given to help Vietnam prepare to deal with a possible pandemic among humans,” he added.
The bank said although Vietnam managed to contain the virus and has not had an outbreak since December last year and no human cases since November 2005, officials there are worried that with avian flu already detected now in neighbouring countries, and with winter approaching, the country was now at a high risk of another outbreak.
About 100,000 people across Vietnam have been mobilised for vaccination campaign, which began last year, in all the country’s 64 provinces.
Now there are nine laboratories across the country, including the laboratory of Veterinary Research in Hanoi provided through World Bank funding which allows for testing of samples from provinces.
World Bank said one of the reasons for Vietnam’s success was its community-based surveillance campaign, as well as educating its people to recognise the symptoms of avian flu and adopting new habits in raising poultry.
This was implemented in the Ha Tay province which is the biggest chicken breeding region in the whole country. It has a toll free number and offers a US$3 reward to people who report cases of avian flu among animals.
— BERNAMA
Great video to watch from ABC with Dr. Robert Webster. Also might want to send it to friends and family since most people respond so much better to video than words. Sad but true…
Please read below. Has anyone seen this previously - it has been up for a few days but I am trying to find out how recently it was posted.
STATE DEPT SITE re/info if Phase 4 declared
Pandemic Influenza
The purpose of this section is to ensure that foreign missions, international organizations and their members have a source dedicated to providing current information on issues related to the U.S. Government’s response to threat of pandemic influenza.
In the event the Director General of the World Health Organization announces that the world has entered “Phase 4″ of the Global Influenza Preparedness Plan (Small cluster(s) with limited human-to-human transmission but spread is highly localized, suggesting that the virus is not well adapted to humans), information will be posted on this site specifically addressing the measures the United States is taking to address pandemic influenza. This information will describe issues that may arise regarding such measures and the privileges and immunities enjoyed by some members of the foreign mission community.
In accordance with the Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, the Department of State hopes to ensure that the foreign missions, international organizations and their members are aware of the U.S. Government’s efforts and resources that will be brought to bear in a coordinated manner against the threat of pandemic influenza. Such efforts require (or will require) the participation of, and coordination by, all levels of government and segments of society. State and local governments will be prepared, with information and guidance from the federal government, to take actions to best protect individuals residing in the United States.
Greece finds bird flu virus in wild duck
Posted: 18 November 2006 0323 hrs (link http://tinyurl.com/ymj5af)
ATHENS - Greece said Friday it had found bird flu in a wild duck shot by a hunter, adding that more tests were underway to establish whether the virus was the strain that can kill humans. The H5 virus, most of whose sub-types are only lethal to birds, was confirmed in the migratory duck killed in a coastal area of the central prefecture of Fthiotida, the agriculture ministry said in a statement.
Samples from the bird will be sent to the EU Reference Laboratory for avian influenza in England to determine whether the virus is in fact H5N1, the highly pathogenic strain that has killed 152 people in the Far East, the Middle East and China since 2003.
The relevant European Union authorities have also been informed, the ministry said.
This is the first H5 case reported in Greece since the summer. Earlier this year, the Greek authorities confirmed 33 cases of H5N1 between February and March, all in wild birds.
Yet even though no domestic poultry cases turned up, demand for chicken in the country took a serious blow for weeks. Local authorities in Fthiotida have been advised to ban the transport of live poultry near the area where the duck was hunted. Poultry owners have been warned to keep their flocks indoors, and the public advised to alert the authorities to all bird carcass finds, the ministry said.
Swine fever spreads in Croatia
Some 5,500 pigs will be slaughtered at a farm in eastern Croatia which was hit with a new outbreak of classical swine fever, the worst so far in the country, the agriculture ministry said. . “The farm where the presence of swine fever virus was confirmed earlier this week is located only some 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) away from the farm which was hit by the disease in October,” agriculture ministry spokesman Mladen Pavic told AFP. At the time 3,600 pigs had to be slaughtered.
<snip>
Swine fever is a highly contagious disease which is passed on through excrement or saliva. It does not affect other animal species or humans.
Outbreak sickens 170 at Manchester school
MANCHESTER , IA - State health officials were investigating the source of an outbreak today at Lambert Elementary in the West Delaware School District.
Four staff members and 166 of about 500 students of the Manchester school called in sick this morning, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.
Symptoms reported included vomiting and diarrhea, which could mean any number of illnesses, health department spokesman Kevin Teale said, including flu or a food-borne illness.
Manchester is about 30 miles north of Cedar Rapids.
Health officials determined norovirus, a highly contagious virus, caused an outbreak that sickened more than half the students at Longfellow Elementary in Iowa City in March.
http://www.crgazette.com/2006/11/17/Home/manchesteroutbreak.htm
Associated Press 11.17.06, 5:32 PM ET
“Some of the first doses of bird flu vaccine in the nation’s stockpile are growing weaker with age. If the shots are needed anytime soon, there will be enough for a million fewer people than previously thought.
More up-to-date vaccine is being brewed to supplement the supply, which today has enough full-strength shots to vaccinate about 3 million people, according to an update issued this week by Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt. Last summer, HHS officials were estimating that the stockpile had enough vaccine for 4 million people.
All vaccines lose potency if they spend enough time sitting on the shelf unused. Sure enough, routine testing uncovered that that has begun to happen with some of the first-brewed vaccine against the deadly Asian bird flu known as H5N1, HHS spokesman Bill Hall said Friday.
The government is stockpiling antiflu medications and a small amount of H5N1 vaccine in case the bird flu or some other super-strain sparks the next influenza pandemic. Here’s the rub: If such a super-flu began circulating, it would take several months to begin brewing vaccine that was an exact genetic match. But the hope is that if H5N1 were the culprit, health workers and certain other people at high risk might get some protection from shots made against earlier strains of that virus.”
One of the sick children from Floyd County is now in critical condition on a ventilator.
“Health officials now say the mysterious illness seems to be pointing to signs of a flu outbreak.”
For more info please google: Mystery Illness Sweeps Through School
This is Floyd County, Georgia
CDC Weekly Report: Influenza Summary Update Week ending November 11, 2006-Week 45
Influenza-Associated Pediatric Hospitalizations
“Laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated pediatric hospitalizations are monitored in two population-based surveillance networks†: the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) and the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN). No influenza-associated pediatric hospitalizations have been reported from the EIP. NVSN estimated rates of hospitalization for influenza will be reported every 2 weeks, beginning December 2006.”
CDC Weekly Report: Influenza Summary Update Week ending November 11, 2006-Week 45
Influenza-Associated Pediatric Hospitalizations
“Laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated pediatric hospitalizations are monitored in two population-based surveillance networks†: the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) and the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN). No influenza-associated pediatric hospitalizations have been reported from the EIP. NVSN estimated rates of hospitalization for influenza will be reported every 2 weeks, beginning December 2006.”
Nebraska
CDC is looking for pandemic planning guidance-
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is looking for 100 Nebraskans who would like to offer comment on the extreme measures under consideration. Those measures include closing schools, canceling public events and asking people to stay in their homes. The meeting will be tomorrow. There’s a phone number in the article.
Thankyou for posting the link Average Concerned Mom.
Here’s some additional info from another article.
The child tested negative for the influenza B strain.He has no prior history of respiratory illness or asthma.