Forum: News Reports for Oct1st

Summary from Indonesia Outbreak tracking as at 30 September 2006

Summary of News for 30 September 2006

(From WHO as at 28 Sep)
Total human cases worldwide 251, deaths 148 (2006 – 104 with 70 deaths)

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

Indonesia

• Nineteen people infected with rabies from dog bites (link http://tinyurl.com/na4ll)
• Translation of news within the thread at 13:44
• Separate thread for outbreak discussion (link Indonesia Outbreak XII )
• Separate thread for Summary of cases (link Case Summaries )

Malaysia

• Chicken process go up again (link http://tinyurl.com/fker3)

Vietnam

• Hanoi set for opening of first ever international standard lab (link http://tinyurl.com/ztvhg)

Mongolia

• New bird flu outbreak identified in poultry (link http://tinyurl.com/z5ttu)

Singapore

• Software developed to gauge spread of diseases (link http://tinyurl.com/fe26a)

Philippines

• Bird flu more alarming than HIV/AIDS: Health official (link http://tinyurl.com/hvbg4)

United Kingdom

• Threat of ‘superflu’ rampage as mutant viruses resist drugs (link http://tinyurl.com/lomeu)

Canada

• Late antiviral treatment can help (regular seasonal) flu patients (link http://tinyurl.com/rpjpf)

United States of America

• NC boy dies of unknown virus (link http://tinyurl.com/luhzp)
• Recombinomics commentary on Illinois H5N1 (link http://tinyurl.com/jtv5r)
• Recombinomic commentary on Lakeport die-offs (link http://tinyurl.com/jvpbp)
• (Illinois) Wild bird samples undergo further avian flu testing (link http://tinyurl.com/k7zu4)
• (Alabama) Health officials stock up on flu vaccine: outbreak difficult to predict (link http://tinyurl.com/fr4zf)
• (North Dakota) Flu pandemic would take toll on healthcare system (link http://tinyurl.com/hm7je)
• Library Park, Lakeport (California?) – duck die-off (link http://tinyurl.com/nuk8u and http://www.spiritwild.org/)

General

• Regular flu shot might help fight bird flu (link http://tinyurl.com/j6qsw and http://tinyurl.com/os63z)
• Aerosol may be significant mode of flu transmission (link http://tinyurl.com/jbsz3)

Link to news thread for 30 September (link News Reports for Sept 30 )
(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.

Docs fear world not ready for bird flu pandemic [link http://tinyurl.com/ec6rk]

The specter of a bird flu pandemic haunts epidemiologists who said Saturday US and world preparedness falls short, should the H5N1 virus become transmissible between humans.

“I hope H5N1 won’t be able to acquire transmissibility because this is an extraordinary quagmire,” Robert Webster, a world-class expert on the virus, said at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy meeting this week in San Francisco.

“Don’t become complacent. We need to put into place every possible way to stop this virus from transmitting from human to human”, he said. “If it does happen, we have to be prepared for a pandemic. It would be a pandemic flu, it’s an absolute certainty,” said the epidemiologist from St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

He said that the extremely pathogenic H5N1 virus causes symptoms in humans similar to those of the H1N1 pandemic of 1918, including diarrhea, which is not a good sign.

“In 1918 at least a half million American died. With the current population structure in the US and nothing else different, two million would die,” said Arnold Monto, epidemiologist of the University of Michigan.

“We have learned a lot from seasonal influenza which is applicable to pandemic influenza. The basic thing that will happen is that we have to look very quickly once the pandemic has started to find out what the characteristics are like — like in 1918 where young adults were dying or if it’s like 1957 (and) 1968, which had more the characteristics of a very severe seasonal influenza.”

<snip>

“So with its huge distribution in the world,” Webster said, the virus could become transmissible “anytime.” Worse yet, Webster said, “We know surprisingly little of what constitutes the ability of the virus to transmit human to human.”

That said, “It makes sense to stockpile vaccines even though it doesn’t prevent infection, there is a lot of difference between infection and death,” he said. “There is an urgent need to increase the influenza vaccine manufacturing capacities in the world because the capacities are too low.”

David Bell of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not look to stopping the epidemic completely.

“The goal of these measures isn’t to stop a pandemic but rather to mitigate its impact on the community, to flatten the epidemic, to take the pressure out of the health care system by reducing the number of people getting sick,” he said

(USA - Fort Wayne) Public urged to stock up on items in case of pandemic [link http://tinyurl.com/jrolk ]

By Michael Schroeder The Journal Gazette

Based on historic precedent, a flu pandemic could circle the globe for 18 months.

During that time, individual communities such as Fort Wayne might experience three separate outbreaks, each lasting six to eight weeks. An estimated 40 percent of the workforce might be absent – either sick or caring for sick family.

Those assumptions form the bedrock of local planning and public preparation efforts by the Fort Wayne-Allen County Health Department that includes a campaign beginning this month to get consumers to stock up on everything from decongestants to canned goods and toilet paper.

Pharmacies and groceries haven’t loaded their shelves with excess goods but say they have been fine-tuning their own pandemic plans.

For chains, those include contingency plans to move items from stores in one region to another based on need <snip> The issue would not be supplies, Thain speculated, but workforce.

“If a pandemic flu hits, one of the problems … is that people may be too sick to go to work,” he said. Some stores could be forced to close if absenteeism is especially high.

The first draft of the health department’s pandemic flu plan includes an initiative to identify a handful of pharmacies, by geographic area, to remain open.

<snip> He thinks some people will heed health department advisories to stock up early. But another picture sticks in his mind as well – that of an impending snowstorm sending people scrambling to their grocery stores for last-minute items.

“Until something is imminent … (most) people are going to wait,” Sievers said. The problem is, “those supplies might not be there if they wait.”

<snip>

In October and into the first week of November, participating pharmacies will be displaying items for a pandemic flu kit. Each week will be devoted to a different category of supplies.

<snip

Talks about other major chain stores and what they are planning. Then gives a list of suggested supplies

“Health Experts Urge EU to Prepare for More Bird Flu Cases -

Current supply thought, cover 2 % of the world population.”

01.10.2006 (excerpts)

“Previous outbreaks have been contained in Europe, but more are predicted.[/b] Health experts met to review how well the EU is prepared for an outbreak of avian influenza and what can be done to limit the damage if this happens.

Health professionals meeting at the 2006 European Congress on Disaster Management in Bonn all agreed that it is not a question if an outbreak of bird flu will happen, but when.

They recommended establishing a common EU position and making sure there are clear communication channels between member countries. They also addressed stockpiling of Tamiflu, one of the only known drugs that can cure bird flu symptoms.

Vaccination priorities

Kurth hopes a pandemic could be avoided if birds are vaccinated Fatalities are inevitable, and that the key to limiting the number of deaths is planning for an outbreak and having enough vaccinations for the whole population, said Reinhard Kurth, the president of Germany’s Robert Koch Institute. Kurth added that priority for vaccinations should be given to health workers and infants “who are more susceptible to death.’

“Four million dosages can be produced in a week, so it would take 20 weeks to inoculate the entire German population,” he said. “The (German) federal government has said it is willing to invest a lot on money in vaccinations on a mass scale.”

Of the $1.9 billion (1.49 billion euros) the international community has pledged to management of avian influenza, the EU has contributed 211 million euros. The European Commission has collaborated with member states and the World Health Organization to develop EU preparedness planning. Kurth said he is hopeful that one of the solutions to minimizing the outbreak will be getting farmers to vaccinate all of their birds.

Boosting Tamilflu orders?

Tamiflu is regarded as the most effective drug to couteract the H5N1 virus Hoffmann-La Roche, the sole supplier of Tamiflu has quadrupled its production capacity over the past two years. However, current supply is thought to cover just two percent of the world population.”

World-wide warning systems

Communication is key —experts at a conference in early 2006 Massimo Ciotti of the EU center for disease and prevention control response unit said EU countries should not be spending all the money on just one drug, like Tamiflu, but there should be a range of measures implemented.

“Would it be the policeman or the child?” he asked. “There are issues of closing borders if Tamiflu is distributed in some countries and not others. But one thing is clear: We need to distribute vaccination quickly after an outbreak.

“There are over 480 million people across the EU and there are substantial differences across different countries with demographics, geography and available services and health systems,” he said. Now there is free movement across borders. This means there will be free movement of diseases.

http://tinyurl.com/e93ba

“That said, “It makes sense to stockpile vaccines even though it doesn’t prevent infection, there is a lot of difference between infection and death,” he said. “There is an urgent need to increase the influenza vaccine manufacturing capacities in the world because the capacities are too low.” lAnnieB 4:49

It makes sense to stockpile broadspectrum antibiotics, oral electrolyte powders, and anti-fever medications and distribute them before the fact to families with young children…

…No one action would do more to demonstrate and protect, and without doubt save lives or improve the quality of life for survivors.

Tom- this is true. If there is a severe pandemic.

So what? I think there will be a pandemic, and so do you. But what does our opinion mean to a Bcrat?

Keeping the Iron Law in mind, and the threat that such a budget expenditure poses to various Bcratshow do you propose to go about making the change?

Hint- One possible way is the appeal to national security….

LMW. Thanks. You are absolutely right. I think that is my problem. I think that has always been my problem…

…I did not take the Bureaucratic Science 100 at university.

I have been reading bureaucrats for nine years now. Believe me, I think the process of understanding for them began with Q. lake and ended with Karo.

LMWatBullRun – at 09:20 Tom DVM – at 09:29

All it would take would be for the Leader of any country to say to the Bureaucrat’s is “You will take all prudent actions to prepare for the coming storm and those that do not will be terminated on the spot” and then mean it. You would see a change in the approach which would make us blush. The top dog would demand plans and reports to insure action is taken and all down the food chain each department would be falling over themselves trying to out prepare the other departments.

Ducks “Trojan horse of influenza.”

“humans can breathe these (duck) viruses and not just pick them up on their shoes,”

Friday, September 29, 2006

“A leading flu expert says an encouraging but small study in mice gives more reason to hope that ordinary flu shots might help protect people if bird flu starts spreading among humans and causes a pandemic.

Half of the mice given an ingredient from the regular flu shot survived infection with bird flu in the first experiment of its kind, Dr. Robert Webster of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., said Friday at an infectious diseases conference.

Experts said the work supports the wisdom of getting regular flu shots, but cautioned against too much optimism that they would protect against bird flu.

“We need a lot more data from humans” before saying that might work, said Dr. Frederick Hayden, a University of Virginia virologist on special assignment with the World Health Organization.

The experiment on about a dozen mice was led by Webster’s colleague, Richard Webby.

Regular flu vaccine contains the same ‘N’ ingredient as the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain, and many people also have been naturally exposed to it from seasonal flu outbreaks over the last several decades. Some scientists think that might help people survive bird flu, even though it wouldn’t prevent infection because the ‘H’ parts are so different.

The mice results “suggest there is some basic cross-protection,” Webster said, and that it makes sense for countries to stockpile ordinary vaccine while those against bird flu are being developed.

However, the type of vaccine ingredient the mice were given does not work as well in people, so it’s unclear how well the results would apply, said Dr. Wendy Keitel, a vaccine expert at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Dr. Kathy Edwards, a vaccine scientist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, said routine flu shots still make sense because they cut the risk people will become infected with multiple flu strains.

She said that would help people avoid what can happen in pigs, which can get two viruses “that have the ability to reassort” and form a killer strain.

‘’‘Webster also told scientists at the conference that ducks increasingly look like a potential “Trojan horse of influenza.”

Increasingly, ducks are not dying once infected with bird flu. That leaves them better able to spread it. Research also suggests they now can shed the virus through respiratory secretions, not just droppings. That means that in live poultry markets “humans can breathe these viruses and not just pick them up on their shoes,” he said.’‘’

http://tinyurl.com/g6tj9

LMW and Anon 451. I was just listening to the Canadian Broadcasting Corportation’s public radio broadcast about a small problem of the security service sending several Canadian citizens for a short holiday to Syria.

The experts said that there is a principle by which bureaucrats operate to best look after their’s and the agencies interest…

    Lie…Deny…and Then Act Surprised…

…sounds like something from the introductory lecture.

 Whoah…all I expected was a “Pinch and a Punch”!

China

New bird flu outbreak reported in Inner Mongolia

An outbreak of bird flu has been identified in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).

The national avian influenza laboratory confirmed that the H5N1 virus was found in samples of the dead poultry in Xincheng village, Baotou City.

The H5N1 strain of bird flu had killed 985 chickens. Another 8,990 chickens had been culled to control the outbreak.

http://tinyurl.com/kjhcb

WHO

WHO task force on Bird flu up and running

The temporary task force meant to inform and advise the UN health agency about bird flu and possible pandemic influenza held its first meeting in Geneva last week.

The Influenza Pandemic Task Force (IPTF) will operate until the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR) come into force on 15 June 2007. Then an emergency committee will be created if and when needed to advise bigger catastrophes.

Dr Guenael Rodier, WHO Director responsible for IHR, said: “By bringing this group of experts together and ensuring that we have established effective means of working together… we can ensure that we are getting both the best advice for WHO and building a platform of shared knowledge.

http://tinyurl.com/h6bnm

Australia

Man cleared of bird flu after scare in Adelaide

There has been a bird flu scare in Adelaide, with a man reporting flu-like symptoms after returning from China.

The 50-year-old man was taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital this afternoon complaining of flu-like symptoms.

He had returned from China yesterday and had a fever and breathing difficulties.

[snip]

But the Health Department has now issued a statement saying the man was not carrying the potentially fatal virus.

http://tinyurl.com/hyq8r

USA

Researcher looking for 1918 flu survivors

People who lived during the 1918 influenza epidemic may hold secrets in their blood that could help fight a future outbreak, but finding them now is a race against time.

Those who were toddlers at the end of World War I — when the epidemic swept the globe and killed 50 million — are in their 90s now. Nearly a lifetime after the notorious outbreak, researchers are hoping survivors will come forward and donate a vial of blood, which then will be analyzed for antibodies to the virus.

[snip]

“If we can examine their blood and antibodies, maybe we can solve the great mystery of this virus,” said Eric Altschuler, a researcher at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. “Why was it so much more lethal than all other flu?”

http://tinyurl.com/fps47

Maryland, USA

County officials plan for flu season, possible pandemic

“It’s not a matter of if it will happen, it’s a matter of when it will happen,” Kathy Morrisey, director of Infection Control at the hospital and a registered nurse, said of a flu pandemic. “We want to get across that, really, every family, every citizen, every business, every work group needs to plan for what they’re going to do in the event of a pandemic.”

In that vein, officials with several agencies, including the hospital and Health Department, are holding a roundtable discussion Oct. 12 at Robinwood Medical Center. The preparations that are in place for dealing with a pandemic will be discussed, and audience members can ask questions.

[snip]

A postcard mailed to all county households gives advice on how to prevent the spread of germs and the flu, as well as what is needed in the event a pandemic forces people to stay home.

The card recommends people stock a two-week supply of food and water — 1 gallon per person per day; a supply of prescription and other medications; flashlights, batteries and a portable radio; and extra soap, tissues and a thermometer. It also suggests people make plans for elderly or disabled family members.

http://tinyurl.com/lq5n4

Florida, USA

Chambers, hospitals plan annual expo

The Lake Eustis Area Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly contact breakfast at 7:15 a.m. Oct. 12 at the Eustis Community Center, 601 Northshore Drive. The cost is $7 in advance or $8 at the door. Eustis City Commissioner Frank Royce will talk about “Community Involvement — Giving Back to Your Community. Tommy Carpenter will talk about “Pandemic Flu Business Continuity.’‘

http://tinyurl.com/n23ro

What You Should Know About Avian (Bird) Flu

6 p.m. Boiling Springs Library, “What You Should Know About Avian (Bird) Flu.” Pat Elliott of the American Red Cross will give information about the possible bird flu pandemic and how to prepare for such an emergency. Call 578–3665

http://tinyurl.com/ghujt

Post at 11:16 refers to South Carolina, USA

North Carolina, USA

Government Meetings

Monday

Gaston County Board of Education: 6 p.m., board room, 943 Osceola St., Gastonia. Agenda: Safe School proclamation; pandemic flu planning; Nation School Lunch week; approval of recommendation for the schools advisory committee; Mint Museum Partnership; resolution supporting dismissal of lawsuit N.C. School Boards Association vs. state of North Carolina; bond resolution; closed session to discuss personnel. 704–866–6209.

http://tinyurl.com/knk6a

 There has been a bird flu scare in Adelaide, with a man reporting flu-like symptoms after returning from China. 

The 50-year-old man was taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital this afternoon complaining of flu-like symptoms.

He had returned from China yesterday and had a fever and breathing difficulties

 TOO CLOSE…Sheesh!

Florida, USA

City to manage security funding

Miramar will manage $9.98 million in federal grant money earmarked to fight terrorism in South Florida.

[snip]

Payton said the city will use the money to buy traffic devices, such as battery-operated traffic lights, for $200,000, radio equipment for about $200,000, and about $50,000 for computers and software for the city emergency operations center.

Leftover funds may be used to install a security system at the water plant.

[snip]

Also, governments may use the money to purchase medical supplies in the event of a major pandemic. Regionally, $400,000 of the grant will be spent on a mobile alternative care site, a trailer that would serve as a temporary triage center to help mass casualty victims.

http://tinyurl.com/j3nw2

Tom DVM – at 10:40 wrote:

“LMW and Anon 451. I was just listening to the Canadian Broadcasting Corportation’s public radio broadcast about a small problem of the security service sending several Canadian citizens for a short holiday to Syria. The experts said that there is a principle by which bureaucrats operate to best look after their’s and the agencies interest… Lie…Deny…and Then Act Surprised…”

Maher’s Story in Brief - Rendition / Torture

Maher Arar is a 34-year-old wireless technology consultant. Arar was born in Syria and at the age of 17, came to Canada with his family. He became a Canadian citizen in 1991 and in 1997 moved to Ottawa.

September 26, 2002

Arar boards an American Airlines flight from Zurich to JFK airport in New York, en route to Montreal. He arrives in New York at 2:00 p.m., and lines up at the immigration counter. When his name is entered into the computer he is pulled aside. (Canadian officials contacted the US and provided bad intel)

Officials from the New York Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations say they will question him and then let him catch his connecting flight to Montreal. Arar asks for a lawyer, and is told he has no right to a lawyer because he is not an American citizen.

October 8, 2002

Arar is woken at 3:00 a.m. and is told he is leaving…., the INS Director has decided to deport him to Syria. (CIA charters a private jet for transport)

Arar protests, saying he will be tortured there. He is ignored. He is chained and taken to a waiting car, and driven to an airport in New Jersey.

In Syria, he was held in a tiny “grave-like” cell for ten months and ten days before he was moved to a better cell in a different prison. He was beaten, tortured and forced to make a false confession.

http://tinyurl.com/powse

Monotreme – at 11:03

Have they manned the flu bunker at the U.N. yet?

Par for the course.

Poultry, Cats & Goats Suddenly Die.

01 Oktober 2006

(Software translation from Indonesian)

Metrotvnews.com,

‘’‘Semarang: the Plague of bird flu again spread in several areas.

In Semarang, Central Java, was reported a pre-schooler was two years old seven months already two days were treated intensive in the special room of the doctor’s Karyadi Hospital after experiencing the sign similar to bird flu.

The unfortunate baby experienced the high fever was accompanied by coughs and breathless. When it was confirmed the reporter Metro the TV, the doctor Diwastoro Dadianto from RS the doctor Karyadi said, up to now the condition for this child is stable.

However, the medical team was still continuing to monitor the condition for this baby remembering the other fact, that is the existence of the poultry that died suddenly in the village of the patient’s residence, that is the leaves Village, the Kedungpane District, of Semarang.

According to Diwastoro, in the leaves Village had several tails of the chicken as well as four cats also six goats that died suddenly without being known by his cause.

These chickens were thrown away to the time without being burnt as it should be the flattest assumption of bird flu.

Whereas the goat that died could disembelih and was consumed by the local citizen, including the patient.

Diwastoro said, his team took the sample of the patient’s blood to be sent to the Research And Development Laboratory (Research And Development) the Department of the Health in Jakarta. However, results were just known next week. Followed up the report about the sudden death of several chickens, earlier today, the official of Semarang City Agriculture of the Service visited the leaves Village and took the sample of poultry blood in this region.

According to the Section Head Agriculture Semarang Toto Sutanto, sejuh this was not yet known by the existence of the chicken that was infected by bird flu. Moreover, the agricultural Service co-operated Officially the Health of the Semarang City gave counselling to the citizen concerning anticipation of bird flu. The official also sprayed disinfektan to pens of the citizen’s poultry.

http://tinyurl.com/q6chz

Semarang Map:

http://tinyurl.com/q6chz

According to Diwastoro, in the leaves Village had several tails of the chicken as well as four cats also six goats that died suddenly without being known by his cause.

Klatu Thanks.

If true, this would indicate a localized mutation to significantly increase transmissibility while maintaining virulence in more than one mammal at the same time…

…H5N1 continues to amaze me.

Many reading flu wiki, may no understand just how unprecedented this behavior truely is.

Just trying to damp down my total comprehension just enough so I can keep functioning/ warning/ prepping/ sleeping, Tom. (Others locally need to understand there *is* danger coming at all.)

“It makes sense to stockpile broadspectrum antibiotics, oral electrolyte powders, and anti-fever medications and distribute them before the fact to families with young children…

…No one action would do more to demonstrate and protect, and without doubt save lives or improve the quality of life for survivors” - Tom DVM

Indonesia: Dead Goats, cyanide?

Jawa Post.com

Oct 1/06

“According to the data that succeeded in being assembled, for the last week before Bimo fell ill, several animals belonging to the neighbour around the Eko house indeed were encountered died suddenly. And strangely, the animal that died this not only the poultry kind then. According to the note was gotten by 6 chickens, 7 goats and 4 cats that died suddenly dalams eminggu finally that.

Moreover a goat that did not yet be sick but die, could disembelih the citizen and his meat were distributed including the Eko family. And Bimo was some that took part in enjoying this goat meat…..

He said that the death of these goats resulting from cyanide poisoning that came from cassava that gave the owner of the livestock for goat food. So, according to him, there were no of his relations between the death of the goat and the AI assumption that was contracted by Bimo.

It did not yet have the spread of the AI virus through the goat. The goat died because of cyanide poisoning from poison cassava,” he explained.

http://tinyurl.com/q6chz

Oremus – at 11:32

Have they manned the flu bunker at the U.N. yet?

To my knowledge, no. I’m hoping FrenchieGirl will be able to give us a head’s up on that, but I’m not sure. She lives and works in Geneva.

For those who don’t know what Oremus is referring to, here’s the most recent mention I can find.

UN envisages flu-caster in bird flu fight

The WHO’s Geneva bunker, a $A6.6 million facility built in a former cinema, is the world’s nerve-centre for tracking bird flu and other deadly diseases.

The room will become a global command centre if the H5N1 bird flu virus, which has killed at least 83 people in Asia since 2003, mutates into a form which spreads easily among humans and sparks a flu pandemic which could kill millions.

The screen-filled bunker could link the “flu-casters” with TV networks via satellite feeds.

grgrgrgrgrgrgrggrgrrgrgr

Sponsored Links (Ads by Google)

Pandemic: What You Need Meet US Gov. Guidelines for Flu Protection, Sanitation, Food, Water

“Like the Spanish flu, if (the bird flu is) going to acquire transmissibility, it has been estimated it will take something like 10 critical mutations,” Webster said.

“So with its huge distribution in the world,” Webster said, the virus could become transmissible “anytime.”

Worse yet, Webster said, “We know surprisingly little of what constitutes the ability of the virus to transmit” human to human.

These comments were made by Dr. Webster at a conference this weekend.

I don’t know how to do the tiny URL thingy…the full article is on Crofsblog today.

to do a tiny all you do is copy and paste the link into the little space and yippe its there and you copy and paste it to where you want to put it. http://tinyurl.com/create.php I havent tried the markup myself yet, I like tiny url so far

Kim Thanks…I’m afraid I would blow-up my computer…or flu wiki./:0)

re tiny url - they have a neat feature that allows you to insert the ‘tiny url’ button on your taskbar (in the ‘Links’ section of your toolbar) then all you need to do is hit that and it makes the tiny url without even having to copy and paste the address!!!

Totally amazing and EASY!!!!! Even for the computer impaired like me!!!

George C. Scott (Buck) strides into the bunker slaps the table, “We ain’t got them birds corraled yet! Where’s that Tamiflu blanket! You know my Baby back at the ranch needs to go shopping. This can’t go on much longer. I say it’s time for the neutron bombs. Just tumble a few over and either side of Indonesia, but watch out for those Chicoms! Don’t piss them off. You watch, they’ll take care of their own”. Buck gives a sly little smirk and starts munching on the buffet.

Peter Sellers (Dr Strangelove) wheels in, crashes into the buffet table, Buck lurches to the side and the Doctor exclaims, “Thees ees it!! His hand leaps spasmodically and a vial flies through the air, and Buck dives and catches it behind his back.

Buck, wiping his brow, “Where in lower Saxony have you been??!!”

to be continued………

I am posting this on both the Indonesia thread and the Daily News thread due to the nature of the content of the article relating to H5N1 in cats, dogs and pigs.

The cat & the Dog was expected the Adaptor of the Flu Virus Burung

Bandung, (HOMEWORK). -

with the existence of the positive patient bird flu in Kel. Kebonwaru Kec. Batununggal the Bandung City, the Centre of the tropics Illness and the Infection (TDIC) the Airlangga University will take the cat specimen and the available dog in the Bandung City and the Handsome Sadikin Hospital (RSHS) Bandung. The two animals were expected as the adaptor of the bird flu virus, apart from the pig. “Pengambilan the cat specimen will be done in wet market or the traditional markets and reconciliation hospitals, one of them RSHS that prepared gave izin,” said the Head of the Centre of the tropics Illness and the Infection (TDIC) the Airlangga University, Dr. drh. C. A. Nidom, when being contacted via telephoned, on Sunday (1/10). But, the Managing Director RSHS Bandung, Dr. Cissy R. Sudjana the officer rejected this matter. He did not feel he had given permission to any side to take the available cat specimen in RSHS. ”Gak knew, I gak could the written request for permission from anywhere. If gak with permission, yes, gak could. Moreover the cat that mana,” he said. The research that has gone for the last two week, continued Nidom, was based on the cat fact to the virus adaptor through the poultry was infected that was eaten by him. Moreover, he had found the virus H5N1 on the cat body in several areas in Indonesia.

“Memang, was based on results of the research beforehand, just the proven pig could as the virus adaptor and afterwards spread him to manusia,” he said. According to him, the cat and the dog became the animal that was expected strong at could become the virus adaptor H5N1 as in the case of the pig. Added, the spread of the bird flu virus could not be only seen from the poultry to humankind, like that uptil now was carried out by the Department of the Health. The bird flu virus, added he, could be spread through the other animal, that is the pig that has been proven in Tangerang, last year. “Selama this often the distortion in the handling of the case of bird flu has happened because that was seen by only spreads of the poultry to manusia,” he said. The government he thought immediately did not follow up the discovery about the pig. The spread from the poultry to humankind, small his possibility because of two obstacles. Firstly, the place of attachments to the virus receptor between the poultry and the humankind were different. “Ayam that spesifitas his receptor 23, whereas humankind 26. Now, the pig had the two receptor kinds tersebut,” he said. Secondly, the temperature of the chicken body with the humankind was different far. The temperature of the revolving poultry body 40 to 41 Celsius levels, whereas humankind only 36 Celsius levels. “Oleh because that, the virus needed the adaptor. Until this just the pig that could because he had two receptors that were the same as the poultry and humankind and the pig had the temperature of the body that be the same as manusia,” he revealed.

The handling of the patient Was based on the data in the Health Service of the West Javanese Province, the patient that was stated positive terjangkit the bird flu virus had 23 people, 19 including dying. Now, the patient that had been treated in RSHS Bandung from eight positive people, six including dying. Uptil now, the monitoring of the patient who was stated positive, but did not die, was handed over to the hospital that reconciled him. “Memang did not have the provisions how long they must the control. Usually three months berturut-turut,” said Dr. Cissy. On this, Dr. Nidom suggested that the Department of Health carried out the monitoring continually against positive patients who still were living. “Saya was sure he brought the virus, but recovered. I worried the virus did not yet form antibodies et cetera could unload blood cells putih,” he said.

Dipindah

In the meantime, the patient suspect bird flu, A (41), has been moved from Poinciana Tree Space to Internal Disease Space of RSHS Bandung. “Ia positive was attacked by dengue fever and the flu negative burung,” said Dr. Cissy. Now, the IM situation (15) continued to improve. The laboratory test totalling three times showed results of the negative. The big possibility, today IM is returned to his house. Twice the laboratory test also showed results of the upper negative the sample from suspect San (18) that still relatives IM. While Az (9), the reconciliation patient of RSUD Tasikmalaya that arrived in RSHS, on Saturday night (30/9), at this time was still feverish but breathless decreased. “Kemungkinan him was negative, because of his leucocytes tinggi,” said Dr. Cissy.

Membaik

In the meantime, the condition for the health of two patients suspect bird flu that was treated in Isolation space RSUD the Tasikmalaya City on Sunday (1/10) increasingly good. Atg (50) or his child, Mus (13), has not been feverish and again breathless. “However, for the patient Mus still had his cough.” But, his cough not often. Generally the condition both of them improved, the temperature of his body was also normal, said Lusi, the nurse that handled the two patients. According to Lusi, the two patients were on Sunday morning examined by the condition for his health by the internal disease specialist, Dr. Dendi. Results of the inspection showed the condition for his health improved. “But, they were not yet allowed to come home and continue to in observation,” he said.

The chairman Tim the Handling of Bird Flu RSUD the Tasikmalaya City, Dr. Dedi Riswandi said, because of entering the room of the isolation so as the treatment of the two patients as in the case of was given to the patient suspect bird flu. They were minimal for a week was in this isolation space. If his condition improved and results of the test that was carried out the health laboratory in Jakarta the bird flu negative, they could come home.

http://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/cetak/2006/102006/02/0102.htm

Question:

I have noticed this extremely long toggletext articles from Indo both here and in the Indo threads. Are they being posted in their entirety as a service to readers so they don’t have to translate them themselves? They are really long and I know the wiki has been having speed problems of late. Are these treated/seen in a different light than regular English language news articles where only a couple of paras are posted with a thread?

Thank you.

I meant to end by saying posted with a link…

From the article above:

The bird flu virus, added he, could be spread through the other animal, that is the pig that has been proven in Tangerang, last year. “Selama this often the distortion in the handling of the case of bird flu has happened because that was seen by only spreads of the poultry to manusia,” he said. The government he thought immediately did not follow up the discovery about the pig.

Now…this along with positive dogs and cats…destroys the thought that you have to have sick chickens in the area to indicate a patient might have bird flu. Sounds like Dr. Nidom is kicking up some dust. Let’s see what happens when the dust settles.

anonymous – at 14:43

This long article was posted due to it’s importance. The Pikiran-Rakyat is given credit, and my personal thanks for the gumption to print and post it on the their website.

Oh, by the way…get a name. Thanks.

Tom DVM at 13:39 - calm … calm …. it is okay, those quotes from Webster are also part of the item I posted at 04:49 (while you were sleeping??). You don’t need to learn tinyURLs just yet - we can make that part of prepping 201 - considering you still have 101 to pass yet ;-)

Okieman at 14:54:

That’s good news and you should post as you did. Thank you.

Thanks Okieman

AnnieB (0:/(upside down smiley)

Anyone who has NewsNow as their source of monitoring BF will now see this

Flu Stories: Announcing Pandemic Flu Awareness Week Oct 9–15

by DemFromCT Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 12:07:39 PM PDT

The link to the story is http://tinyurl.com/ebvrs

http://www.centralchronicle.com/20061002/0210102.htm

Kids down with pneumonia

Chronicle News Service Raisen, Oct 1: As the weather is changing so children are suffering from pneumonia and half a dozen children have died till now at pediatric ward in the district hospital.

However, there are only 16 beds at the pediatric ward but on Sunday 45 children have been admitted in this ward. There were 25 children who were found affected with pneumonia. These children are being treated with nabulizer machine giving them steam treatment. The patients have also been admitted in Dhanvantari Dhamashala. The children who have been admitted earlier not being discharged as their treatment is going on. Every day 5–6 new patients are being admitted here.

Malaria patients have also not decreased but the number of malaria patients are increasing continuously.

In this connection the pediatrics Dr Dinesh Saxena and Dr Priti Bala Silawat said that the bacteria of pneumonia spread through air and if healthy child comes into contact with ill child then he also falls sick. Patient feels suffocation with high fever. Many children become very weak and look blue. The affected children also feel problem in drinking milk. In this situation the patients should be taken to doctor then and there.

Doctors said that the mosquito which bites today it may affect after 15 days.

Precautions-

The affected child should be kept away from other children.

The children should be prevented from smoke and dust.

The patient should be given boiled drinking water.

Keep away them from the air of cooler and fan.

The affected child should be given liquid intermittently.

Flu Stories: Announcing Pandemic Flu Awareness Week Oct 9–15

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/10/1/15739/6557

Sorry AnnieB you must have posted it while I was working on my tinyurl. I didn’t mean to double post.

Thailand latest update for end of Sept.

Avian Influenza surveillance in human As at September 30, 2006.

“Cumulative number of patients under surveillance are 5,085 cases … There are 19 cases under investigate reported, of which waiting for laboratory result.”

http://tinyurl.com/n56sh

again, newbies are cautioned not to be alarmed at the 5000 + “surveillance cases”. That is just the number whose body temperature is more than 38°C,have trouble breathing, and have contacted poultry or a pneumonia patient but haven’t had a sample yet. It does not mean that they have H5N1 - just the ones they are checking.

In conjunction with Goju’s post at 16:44 -Emergency meet on dengue in India. Twenty doctors and students and 11 othe staffers are under observation.I am not computer savvy,so please just go to Goju’s link and clink on nation.Since health care workers are involved, I think it’s worth looking at. Maybe someone else could post it.

Article concerning dengue in India that witness – at 17:11 mentions. Dengue and bird flu have been confused more than once. Makes one wonder how many of the sick are doctors.

<snip>

Hospital officials said that of the 35 people, 18 were resident doctors and students and the rest outsiders.

<snip>

Around 448 dengue cases were reported in the capital’s hospitals by Sunday, as the number rose from 327 cases registered by Sep 24. Thus, the spread has already crossed last year’s 445 cases.

<snip>

http://indiaenews.com/2006-10/24495-13-dengue-cases-delhi.htm

Sadly, I have a fool-proof way to determine whether a “mystery disease” outbreak is bird flu or something else. Do at least 30% of the people die within 2 weeks? If yes, H5N1 is a distinct possibility. If no, it’s something else.

Dengue Fever

“There is no specific treatment for classic dengue fever, and like most people you will recover completely within 2 weeks.”

http://tinyurl.com/mxftd

http://tinyurl.com/cvww5

The article also says one of the doctors is fighting for his life in the ICU.In conjunction with the children’s pneumonia cases(45 admitted just on Sun.)it’s a little frightening.If those two things were happening here,I’d be really nervous.

Tom DVM – at 14:05

Kim Thanks…I’m afraid I would blow-up my computer…or flu wiki./:0)

ROFLOL!! ahhh, the clean-up crew will straighten it out! (Not that I’m willing to do something to have to have them called in either.) :0

I just checked the OIE site for where reports of BF were notified from India. This was the only notification from the same province but, without some research, I am not sure how close this village is to the current spate of illness.

Madhya Pradesh, Burhanpur village, Icchapur, outbreak 28 March 2006

Don’t know if this has been reported

Tamiflu prevents pneumonia in kids, study finds

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Children with flu who are given Tamiflu, Roche AG’s influenza pill, are 53 percent less likely to develop pneumonia than untreated children, the company reported on Friday.

And a second study showed that giving Tamiflu to very sick adults with influenza reduced their risk of death by 71 percent.

The studies, presented at the Interscience Congress on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, held in San Francisco, bolster earlier studies that show the drug can prevent the most serious consequences of influenza.

Researchers studied the health insurance records of more than 15,000 children aged one to 12. About 2.6 percent of them came down with pneumonia.

Children who received Tamiflu within one day of an influenza diagnosis were 53 percent less likely to develop pneumonia, compared with children who were not given the drug.

“This study suggests that early treatment with Tamiflu can have a significant impact on pneumonia, one of flu’s most serious complications, which takes a considerable toll on children,” said Dominick Iacuzio, medical director at Roche.

 second study presented at the same conference showed Tamiflu could reduce deaths in severely ill adults with flu. “Treatment of infected adults was associated with a 71 per cent reduction in mortality,” the company said.

A report on peramivir:

New drug boosts bird flu survival in animals

A single injection allowed 70 percent of the mice to survive, and five days of injections boosted survival to 80 percent. Only 36 percent of untreated mice survived, the researchers told the meeting.

Among the ferrets, 86 percent survived when injected for five days, versus 43 percent of untreated animals.

“They found at blood levels that we can achieve very easily in humans, the drug is very effective at protecting animals from death,” Dr. Charles Bugg, chairman and chief executive officer of BioCryst, said in a telephone interview.

On Friday the company showed the drug could be safely given to people in high doses, although there is no ethical way to infect people with H5N1 and see how well they survive.

Comment

Pulled this off RSOE Havaria Emergency Disaster Info Service. Not exactly bird flu, but the number that they have now of this rare disease in New Zealand is interesting. They have 11 now; they’ve only had 25 in the past; why does the doctor think that there might be more people with this out there if it’s so rare?

New Zealand

A potentially fatal disease, previously a rarity in New Zealand, has hospitalised 11 people in the Waikato since May. The Waikato Times reported yesterday 11 cases of rickettsia typhi, a close relative of typhus, have been identified this year, with doctors concerned other cases could be going undiagnosed. The disease was usually transmitted by fleas from rats, sometimes from bites, or from inhalation of airborne flea faeces. Before this year, there have only been 25 cases recorded in New Zealand. The disease, also known as murine typhus, causes severe fever, headache, muscle pain, dry coughs, nausea, vomiting, and often a rash, and can sometimes be confused with flu. All 11 patients were hospitalised with the disease, but doctors said there were possibly a lot more people in the Waikato who had the disease and did not yet know it. All 11 Waikato cases were in rural areas or on lifestyle blocks.

http://tinyurl.com/kvnfm

Blue Ridge MM - the reason they think there might be more cases out there in NZ is because some sufferers may have thought they just had the seasonal flu.

Also in NZ recently there have been two ‘outbreaks’ in schools of active TB, so our health facilities are getting a good testing ;-)

AnnieB - Thanks! I’ve been trying to track cases of flare ups of flu-like diseases and this came up along with the meningococcal disease flaring up in Australia. The meningococcal diseases have been 5 patients, not abnormal with 670 cases per year. It looks like the rickettsia typhi has been giving you guys problems since 1991. I just didn’t like the only 25 cases in the past, and they’ve got 11 of them now. Sorry, just twitchy, I guess!

I am about to create the News Summary for today then I will start a new thread so please give me about 30–40 minutes.

The Cat & the Dog was expected the Adaptor of the Flu Virus Burung Bandung.

02 Oktober 2006

Pikiran-Rakyat.com (Software translation from Indonesian)

- with the existence of the positive patient bird flu in Kel.

“Kebonwaru Kec.Batununggal the Bandung City, the Centre of the tropics Illness and the Infection (TDIC) the Airlangga University will take the cat specimen and the available dog in the Bandung City and the Handsome Sadikin Hospital (RSHS) Bandung.The two animals were expected as the adaptor of the bird flu virus, apart from the pig.

“Pengambilan the cat specimen will be done in wet market or the traditional markets and reconciliation hospitals, one of them RSHS that prepared gave izin,” said the Head of the Centre of the tropics Illness and the Infection (TDIC) the Airlangga University, Dr. drh.

C. A. Nidom, when being contacted via telephoned, on Sunday (1/10).But, the Managing Director RSHS Bandung, Dr. Cissy R. Sudjana the officer rejected this matter.

He did not feel he had given permission to any side to take the available cat specimen in RSHS. ”Gak knew, I gak could the written request for permission from anywhere.If gak with permission, yes, gak could. Moreover the cat that mana,” he said.

The research that has gone for the last two week, continued Nidom, was based on the cat fact to the virus adaptor through the poultry was infected that was eaten by him.

Moreover, he had found the virus H5N1 on the cat body in several areas in Indonesia.

“Memang, was based on results of the research beforehand, just the proven pig could as the virus adaptor and afterwards spread him to manusia,” he said.

According to him, the cat and the dog became the animal that was expected strong at could become the virus adaptor H5N1 as in the case of the pig.

The bird flu virus, added he, could be spread through the other animal, that is the pig that has been proven in Tangerang, last year.

“Selama this often the distortion in the handling of the case of bird flu has happened because that was seen by only spreads of the poultry to manusia,” he said.The government he thought immediately did not follow up the discovery about the pig.”

http://tinyurl.com/ja7jo

On September 30 06

Bird Flu in DS - Concern About Children Witnessing Culling

Especially to the Citizen That witnessed the Extermination of Unggas Medan

The bird flu threat in Deli Serdang began to be worrying especially against the citizen who witnessed the extermination of the poultry too close.

The threat will be attacked by the bird flu began on Tuesday (26/9) when the official from the related agency destroyed thousands of tails of the chicken livestock belonging to the citizen in one of the villages in the Pakam The Deepest Part, the Deli Serdang Regency.

Moreover finally the incident that equally occurring happened in the Perbarakan region, Kec.The Merbau fence, Kab. Deli Serdang.

‘’‘At the same time, belasan the citizen that most children witnessed the extermination of the poultry from the distance that too close in fact less than one metre.

Kasubdin the Eradication of infectious diseases and North Sumatran Sanitation of the Environment of the Health Service Dr. the Dharma Sun that it was confirmed was on the alert, on Friday (29/9) said, the community that too close witnessed the extermination of the poultry that was infected by bird flu, the danger tertular the deadly illness.’‘’

The sun explained, the person that was close to the location of the extermination of the poultry especially the official who carried out the extermination, was obliged to put on the individual’s protective equipment took the form of the mask, plastic clothes, gloves, shoes boot, the spectacles google and the hat.

If being not supplemented with the individual’s protective equipment, then this person must avoid the location of the extermination of the minimal poultry five metre.

This aimed at preventing the occurrence of the spread of bird flu from the poultry to humankind.

“Saw, the poultry that will be destroyed that usually always threw the waste away and whacked his wings so as to be worried by the available bird flu virus to this poultry spread around it.” If this virus was inhaled by humankind, then the spread will happen, said the Sun.

Therefore, the Sun appealed to the citizen to not approach the location of the extermination of the poultry that was infected by bird flu.

The “extermination of this poultry not the show.”

It is best to, the community avoided the location, he added.

http://tinyurl.com/moxv2

Avian-flu samples on the way to CDC - from China

THE WASHINGTON TIMES October 2, 2006

GENEVA — After 18 months of stalling and repeated calls for cooperation by international health officials, China is expected to deliver a batch of animal virus samples of the lethal avian influenza virus H5N1, senior global health officials say.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laboratory in Atlanta expects the samples to arrive “in the coming days,” said Mike Purdue, head of a team that is studying how influenza moves from animals to humans on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr. Purdue told The Washington Times that the necessary paperwork was completed by Chinese authorities last week, but one carrier did not want to haul the samples, so they will be shipped by another company for WHO.

 WHO first asked China to share the samples in the spring of 2005, after thousands of migratory birds died in the province of Qinghai. The 10 samples expected by the CDC are from Qinghai and other regions, Dr. Purdue said. International health officials and diplomats have long been frustrated by Beijing’s failure to send the samples promptly, despite its public pledges of full cooperation after its reluctance to share information aggravated a crisis over severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003.

Despite its dynamic economy and huge foreign reserves, China offered only $10 million at a pledging conference in Beijing in January aimed at strengthening global preparedness against a human avian influenza pandemic. Senior Western diplomatic sources said China initially offered no contribution at all and only came forward with the $10 million pledge when pressure was put on its political leaders. However, diplomats are cautiously optimistic that China is moving in the right direction on global health issues. “ - excerpt

http://tinyurl.com/z4ryt

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