Saturday, March 21, 2009

WHO expert to probe Matara Rubella death and catastrophe - Lankan Health Minister

By Ravi Ladduwahetty – Sri Lanka Editor – Asian Tribune

Colombo, 21 March, (Asiantribune.com):

The Government of Sri Lanka has requested the World Health Organisation to send a top expert to Colombo to probe how a 12 year-old St. Thomas Matara Girls’ College schoolgirl died yesterday morning and how 29 others were hospitalised following the administration of the Rubella injection for German Measles .

"I have personally ordered the WHO to sent and expert to probe this as this is the first and only time this happened in this country," Sri Lankan Leader of the House of Parliament and Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition Nimal Siripala De Silva told Asian Tribune.

The Sri Lankan Health Minister, who is also the incumbent Chairman of the Executive Board of the WHO, said that there were more that 300,000 school girls and apparel factory workers on whom the Rubella injection was administered and this was the only time that this injection had adverse effects.

He also denied the main Opposition party’s allegation in Parliament that the dosage of Rubella was bordering the expiry date.

"These are baseless allegations coming from a bankrupt Opposition which is virtually crying and dreaming to come to power", the Minister charged.

Meanwhile, the Government has also already dispatched a two pronged and 5 member team of Medical Specialists from the Ministry of Health and also from the Epidemiological Department of the Department of Health which is expected to report to the Health Minister the basis of their findings tonight.

The two teams headed by Health Ministry’s Director-General Dr Palitha Mahipala told Asian Tribune that the Epidemiological Department will probe the Technical aspects while the Ministry team will go into the Administration aspects.

"The 29 students who are yet "Dr. Mahipala assured.

Use Reserves All Beat Livelihood

On Saturday, March 21 2009
Impact Pandemic Bird Flu in middle Citizens

Several inhabitants of a village raged, because in several of their last weeks did not have economic access. The social life and economics in the village were paralysed, including the world of tourism and art that became the income mainstay of the government and the community. The piece of the film that was turned to the workshop berteme the "Simulation" of the "Pandemi Influenza response", that was spread out in the Batu City not yet for a long time, has shown the impact of the bird flu pandemic in an area that caused the social disorder. The film said that bird flu if has been the status of the pandemic, only did not have an impact on the problem of the health, but also in non-the health.

The activity that was spread out by the Service of Kesehatan East Java by being supported by Unicef, Komnas Pengendalian of Bird Flu and Menghadapi Pandemi Influenza Preparedness (FBPI) that, was followed by the envoy and private enterprise of the government agency.

In the simulation, participants who consisted of the element of the government and private enterprise was divided into several groups in accordance with his task field to identify various possibilities if East Java to exist in the condition for the bird flu pandemic.

In the presentation of the transport group, the telecommunications and tourism that were presented by Endah showed, an area will be chaotic because all the sectors were affected by his impact. "Economic access was disrupted because of the restriction" on the "social interaction happening, the restriction" on the "distribution" of the "thing, and the service as well as the disturbance" of the "business world," Endah words. If the bird flu pandemic happening, then the government will restrict the community in order to not go out of the house so as to not have the activity of economics. Moreover if the area must be isolated, then will not be food supplies from outside.

"In the situation like that, the situation will happen was uncertain in the community." The community will fight for the foodstuff so as to have to involve Republic of Indonesia State Police and TNI apparatus, said Hendy, from the speaker's group with the theme of the defence and the security. Therefore, he said, in the situation like that, needed the existence of efficiency in all the fields, including the utilisation of the foodstuff outside the rice to guarantee continue to the fulfilment of the requirement for the community's food. Vice Chairman Pelaksana Harian FBPI, Emil Agustiono, also proposed that the bird flu pandemic was indeed very influential in various aspects. "All of the community's services will be paralysed." Nevertheless, we were not possible to be able to overcome 100 percent impact, but we could reduce his impact, he said.

The deputy the Kesra Co-ordinating Minister, suggested that in handling this problem needed the co-ordination that was good from all the available sides in an affected area the bird flu pandemic. Therefore, according to him, at this time was very urgent to be formed by the FBPI regional committee so that if the bird flu pandemic happening immediately could be taken by the step that spread everywhere by involving all the components in various sectors of the government, private enterprise, and the community.

He suggested, because the deadly virus came from the poultry, then the regional government preferably made the regional regulation about poultry breeding. Through the Regional Regulations could be arranged by the poultry traffic that went out entered his area. "With the Regional Regulations existence could be arranged so that the poultry that was sent to the other area really free from the illness, including the poultry that entered his area," he said.

Moreover, he said, also must be prevented so that the poultry does not leave an area beyond the port was unofficial. If through the port was unofficial, then the poultry that contained the illness will not be monitored. "Indeed was not easy to make the Regional Regulations because of must have the agreement between the government and the people through his delegation in DPRD," he said.

About the simulation workshop of the handling of this influenza pandemic, said Emil, that was one of the efforts to ask all the elements of the community in order to be on the alert faced the possibility of the bird flu pandemic. Moreover, he said, the cycle of the bird flu pandemic happened between 20 and 40 years. In accordance with the note, the influenza pandemic the first time happened the year 1918-1919 by the name of Spanish flu that caused the death 40 million as far as 50 million people.

Afterwards, 37 years afterwards emerged Asian flu, that is during 1957 that claimed fatalities of two million until four million people and afterwards Hong Kongese flu emerged 1968 with casualties 1 million people. By seeing the pandemic cycle, then did not close the possibility of the pandemic of happening in these years. "To readiness this, Komnas FBPI will carry out the skills exercise comprehensively to deal with the spread" of "inter-island bird flu in East Java with involved TNI Al, TNI AD, Dinas Kesehatan and other in May 2009 in Surabaya and the Madura Strait," he said. While Unicef Perwakilan East Java and NTB also placed the interest in handling efforts if the bird flu pandemic in East Java by carrying out the socialisation and the simulation happening.

The "socialisation activity and the simulation this 2009 we budget for around 300 thousand US dollar in order to protects children from the danger of the influenza virus," Delegation's headword of Unicef Perwakilan East Java and NTB, Sinung D. Kristanto. According to him, last year his side also held the simulation activity by the fund that hamir same. The area that became the focus of attention was Tulungagung, Kabupaten and Kediri as well as the Regency and the Mojokerto City. "This has because of the five areas had the case" of "bird flu that fell on humankind." We gave the training to teachers, the organisation of the woman but also involved the artist, namely Kartolo that was asked to make the 'aphorism' (the Javanese language song) with the message of influenza of the problem, he said.

He proposed, his side gave attention in the problem because the community's Indonesian culture still often was leaving children playful with the poultry without having the protection. "We informed so that children avoid the poultry and always wash the hands with soap." We also reported that the soapy water could be made the material to clean the poultry pen, he said. Moreover, he said, the data showed that from 119 bird flu sufferers in Indonesia that died, 60 to 70 percent him was children. "Since 2005, the case" of "bird flu in Indonesia totalling 145 cases and that died 119 people," he said. (fay,an)

Hong Kong imported back processing poultry from Thailand

Updated: 20/03/2009 14:39

Safety Center Food Hong Kong (CFS) recently announced decision to allow import again and poultry products poultry processing from 6 administrative regions of Thailand, mainly the area west and center, the decision take effect immediately.

CFS pause imported processed poultry from Thailand after avian influenza outbreaks in Thailand have been published relating to the H5N1 vaccine virus in 11/2008.

CFS has annulled banned import of poultry processing in Thailand from 1 / 2009 (excluding the area of management 6) while continuously monitoring the situation at the No. 6 this.

According to the language of CFS, consider measures that Thailand implemented and practical results show that no course of avian influenza have been developed in this country in recent years. So CFS decision chp allowed to import from the entire Thailand.

A more deaths and other influenza A/H5N1 infection

21/03/2009
Add one more case has been fatal Hospital Bac Lieu (Soc Trang) is notified of the influenza A/H5N1 virus infection. It is the patient is Ly Thi Hang, born 1983, resident in village 23, Chau Hung Commune, Thanh Tri district, Soc Trang province, died on 20 / 3.

Hang her new born child is 3 months, ago almost a month eat ducks sick and sick and just go heavy and treatment in general hospitals Bac Lieu from 16 / 3. After 4 days of treatment, more patients with severe symptoms of headache, tired, or ... and 20 am to 3 is death.
-snip-

Swine fever fears

The Food Administration has temporarily closed the Danish Crown slaughterhouse in Horsens.

- Foto: Finn Frandsen
Danish Crown's slaughterhouse in Horsens has been temporarily closed following fears that a pig sent to slaughter may have been suffering from highly contagious swine fever. The pig was from a farm near Århus.

Tests are due to determine today whether the slaughterhouse can reopen, or whether the swine fever diagnosis is confirmed.

Swine fever is not dangerous to humans, but confirmation of the disease could seriously affect Denmark's multi-billion pork exports.

There are relatively frequent swine fever fears in Denmark, but the country has not seen an outbreak of the disease since 1933.

Suspected bird flu patient dies in Soc Trang

4:34 PM, 03/21/2009
Veterinarians have quarantined and disinfected hamlet 23 in Chau Hung commune, Thanh Tri district, Soc Trang province, after a female villager suspected of contracting the deadly H5N1 virus died in hospital on March 20.

According to Vo Ngoc Linh, head of the Chau Hung commune medical centre, Ly Thi Hang, 26, ate sick ducks nearly a month ago. She was admitted to the general hospital of nearby Bac Lieu province on March 16 with symptoms such as headache, exhaustions and coughing. The unfortunate patient died early in the morning of March 20.

The result of blood tests will be announced in the coming days.

Meanwhile, another suspected case in the southern province of Dong Thap has tested negative for the deadly virus, according to doctors from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City.

The four-year-old patient Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen has been isolated and given intensive care around the clock at the hospital. Doctors said that she is showing signs of recovery.

Mittinh Week in response to national safety sanitation workers, fire prevention

20/03/2009
20/03 Morning, JSC processing services and products combined Ca Mau and Ca Mau in the port organizations in response mittinh Week national safety sanitation workers and fire prevention.

More than 200 workers mittinh participants provided information about the cause of labor accidents, and fire prevention. Board of Directors, Union leaders set out the tasks required to implement in the manufacturing process to ensure hygiene and safety work, fire prevention. Prohibits workers lack the protection of workers in production, conducting safety training sanitation workers and regularly check all equipment and machinery before the operation, increase investment and equipment fire prevention; achieved motto: "Safety for production, production must be safe". /.

Soc Trang: The deaths of H5N1 infection

Thứ Bảy, 21/03/2009, 13:59 (GMT+7)


According to report of Hospital Bac Lieu, 8g at 20-3 days, the patient Ly Thi Hang (SN 1983) resident in the village 23, Chau Hung Commune, Thanh Tri district (Soc Trang) were deaths of H5N1 infection.

Talking to us, Mr. Vo Ngoc Linh, chief clinics Chau Hung said Ms. Hang new birth 3 months ago almost a month eat ducks and sick patients only and the heavy going treatment at the Hospital from Bac Lieu 16-3. After 4 days of treatment, more patients with severe symptoms of headache, tired, or ... 20-3 pm and then to death.

According to the patient record is infected with H5N1 should be considered in 20-3 days after receipt of the notice, Medical Center for provincial, district and sector veterinary quickly to local area organizations fold, spray drug targets in khử same area around the victim Ly Thi Hang. Accurate results with her death was due to H5N1 or not is still pending by the qun expertise.

Patients have died of H5N1

[new case]

Saturday, 21/3/2009, 15:26 GMT +7

After 4 days in the hospital female patient, 26 years old live in Thanh Tri, Soc Trang has been with the same manifestations of the avian influenza. Patient samples have been subject to tests to determine the exact cause of death.


Talking to VnExpress.net, doctor Tran Van Khanh, Director General Hospital Bac Lieu province, said, the patient died at 20 / 3, after 24 hours of hospitalization. The disease manifests from time to hospital mortality is respiratory failure, fever, cough ... be similar H5N1.

However, according to Mr. Khanh, must wait for test results from the Pasteur Institute HCMC can affirm patients infected with avian influenza or not.

Epidemiological investigation by Chau Hung Commune, Thanh Tri district, Soc Trang, where the patients live, to see, how about 20 days ago, you eat food made from meat ducks died, but only to first feel uncomfortable, to the fever in a few days ago again.

16 / 3, the patient was transferred to the commune clinics to treat the disease more severe the family moved to General Hospital Bac Lieu.

Although not yet confirmed the cause of death of patients, to prevent the spread of disease, the Medical Center for Soc Trang province has xịt chemical spray khử same area in living patients.
-snip-
Chuong Thien

Friday, March 20, 2009

TPHCM: infection of H5N1 avian influenza deaths

Excerpt:
Afternoon 19 / 3, Hospital Tropical Diseases, HCMC continue to receive one of the adults in the manifestations of disease suspected avian influenza. Patients also live with local children with the disease has died.
-snip-
Presently, the Department of Health and Environment has directed HCMC Pasteur Institute in collaboration with the Medical Center for Dong Thap urgently clean environment, samples of exposed patients and influenza network test.

Diseases of children infected with influenza A H5N1 test results negative

Diseases of children infected with influenza A H5N1 test results negative
View all items on www.nld.com.vn
(NLDO) - On 20-3, PGS-TS Nguyen Tran Chinh, Director of Hospital Patients TPHCM tropical diseases for the Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen (born in 2005 - in Tan Hoa commune, Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap) 19-3 days hospitalized due to infection of influenza A H5N1 had test results negative PCR with influenza A H5N1 virus.

At a patient's signs and survive well, have regional lung damage, are still tracking to active treatment and treatment TTXVN ly.Theo way, the same day, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has written petitions of Medicine in guiding the province should retain all of the infected or influenza A H5N1 to treatment for the current provinces have this capability. If you need assistance, Department of Health TPHCM will guide the hospital counseling, treatment distance, or moving on to group. So will reduce the cost and the risk of spreading disease ....

Bocah condition with a suspected Avian Flu


[update on R(2) from Ngawi in East Java]

Oxygen assisted breathing tube
Thursday, 19-03-2009 13:51:24
Bocah condition with a suspected Avian Flu
Gradually improved
Ngawi-After undergoing the intensive maintenance in RSU the Regency Ngawi,kondisi Tadi Riyanto, the child who was expected terjangkit the bird flu virus, yesterday (18/3) began to improve. The temperature of the pre-school body was 2 years old villagers Sidokerto Karangjati gradually got normal. The sign of the high fever that had been with him since entering the hospital also has abated. Hot 'as well as feverish him has been lost',' said Rina, one of the nurses. Nevertheless, Tadi was not yet freest from the cough as well as pilek. The cute child from time to time still terbatuk-cough and issued nasal mucus from his nostrils. To speed up the process of recuperation from the sign of the cough that descended on him, the hospital side provided the tube of pure oxygen to help breathing.

Casualties were yesterday placed in special space the maintenance of this hospital child with the hands still tertancap the infusion hose. Necessarily the space could be occupied by several of the child's patients. However to maintain matters that not cool down as well as to isolate so that the other patient not infected, he was placed was alone in the room. Parmi, the mother Tadi, said that the condition for his child has begun to improve. Hot him has 'been lost remained at the cough and pilek', said Parmi. Through to kemarin, Tadi did not yet want to eat rice. Although being forced to eat, the child reluctantly. So as his condition was still being seen weak. Suspected by the influence of medicine, all day he finished the time by sleeping. Although getting up only asked to drink to his mother.

Now, the test laboraturiun to know whether positive casualties terjangkit the bird flu virus or not till yesterday did not yet go out. We 'just wait results, if saw gejalan him casualties were affected suspek but hopefully not', said Dr Harun Al Rasyid, the doctor that handled Tadi.
hat-tip Mojo

Egypt: 3 women in detention on suspicion of Monoufia positive b «avian flu»

.. And treatment of «the situation 59» in Assiut

3-20-2009

Infected with bird flu in hospital in Assiut

Detained hospitals and fevers Shebin Mnov, Saturday, 3 women on suspicion of bird flu positive.

Dr. Hisham Al-Atta, Deputy Minister of Health Menoufia, the situations of women Madiha Mohamed Badawi «54-year housewife» Alpajur City resident, and Subhiyah Muawwad Badawi «55 housewife year», the village resident come Mnov Center, six sisters «50 years housewife », based on the Bazbp Alhraivp Alhamul Mnov Center, was being held in hospital after they reported symptoms, high temperature, sore throat, and was taking blood samples from infected and sent to labs central Ministry of Health, to ascertain the extent of breast disease.

In the same context, "said Dr Ahmed Abdel-Moneim, Under-Secretary, Ministry of Health and Population in Assiut, the No. 59 of human infection from bird flu, which was discovered, the day before yesterday, is the second injury in the county, and is currently the subject of intensive treatment at a hospital in Assiut, fevers, and they leave the hospital, Once the treatment and give them a dose of assessments for such injuries.

He added that the infected woman called Zainab Mustafa Abdel Rahman «37 years» and had been transferred to the hospital for 4 days, samples were taken for examination, and sent to labs central Ministry of Health, which confirmed the validity of the disease by contact with infected birds, breeding, the dose was given special treatment, During the early hours of the suspected bird flu symptoms, and a thorough medical examination of members of her family and neighbors, have been placed under quarantine area.

Said Zainab Al «Egyptian today» It is a housewife from a poor family Almasrp status of the village of Al Fatah, which is paid to education and contact with birds, referring to last Saturday it was surprised by the death of all the «chicken», which raised the roof of the shanty house, and disposed of off-site from home, and then I felt the heat stroke.
hat-tip Sally

Add 1 case of influenza A infection

20/03/2009
(VOV) - At present, in Chau Thanh district (Dong Thap) have 1 case of infection influenza A.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son, Director of Medical Center Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap has confirmed information 1 case of infection of influenza A. The patient was Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen, age 4, at An Hoa hamlet, Tan Hoa, conterminous with the Phu Long-where recent cases have you been baby deaths due to influenza A H5N1 infection.

According to Mr Son, on the last (19 / 3), you indicate Tuyền have difficulty breathing, was taken to hospital in Sa Dec. After conducting initial tests, the hospital notified the baby you are serious pneumonia. Immediately thereafter, the department functions local verification conducted around the area you Tuyền families live, conducted in target area, the epidemic prevention work. According to initial verification, you can not eat baby birds and no contact with poultry around the area. However, the area of about 100m baby you have 3 children dead poultry unknown causes. Therefore, the department functions include local poultry samples to test in the areas of Animal Health 7. Also, through 15 pm, Sa Dec hospital transfer patients: Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen to the Tropical Diseases Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for treatment.

On active prevention at local, Nguyen Thanh Son, Director of Health Center for Chau Thanh district of the health clinic to see patients with diseases that fever, cough, chest pain, difficulty breathing that ... have previously exposed to influenza, the need to move up the line of treatment in time ... We xịt spray chemicals, conducted for samples processed immediately. In addition, advocacy for people active measures to prevent avian influenza outbreaks.

Before that, you baby Tran Cong Phuc, 3 years old, in Long Phu, Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap transferred to hospital Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City on 16 / 3 late death rate (19 / 3) infected by influenza A H5N1. /.

Dong Thap: Chau Thanh district of owners against avian influenza

20/03/2009

Agencies also concluded local owners in the active preventive. The rate of vaccination on poultry is low, 1 new nasal vaccine reached 60%.

Currently, besides the deaths were due to influenza A H5N1 infection in Long Phu, Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap, in conterminous Mix, appear in the infected patients is Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen and are treatment in hospital Tropical HCMC. Before this situation, Dong Thap promote preventive influenza A on people.

Along with preventing a person, animal health sector and local targets in the same khử where occur cases.

In an emergency meeting this morning, Chau Thanh district and sector functions of Dong Thap, that are 2 causes of death. One is that victims must eat infected birds, infected with influenza is after access to the regional concentration of bầy duck running to the area this way about 2 weeks ago.

Agencies also concluded local owners in the active preventive. The rate of vaccination on poultry is low, 1 new nasal vaccine reached 60%. In communes with 2 deaths due to infection and infection of influenza A H5N1, the nasal vaccination 1 not out half the total. In addition, flocks of ducks to run you more than 1 week and from which the function is local or not know.

Nguyen Van Cong, Committee Secretary Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap acknowledges: "The role of local authorities are limited, especially agencies in the prevention of disease. So now it is important that we find out ducks have to run this contract to conclusions more accurate. /.

Indo, Re: Kaila Nabila (2): The location of the Spreading of the Bird Flu Virus In Cilenggang was not yet known

[This is regarding Kaila Nabila, a previous patient. I did not have a Date of Death.]
20 March, 2009 oleh redaksi
The team of the Cepat Movement of Dinas Pertanian Bird Flu and Livestock Breeding of Kabupaten Tangerang, Zaifiwar admitted to continuing to pursue the spreading of the bird flu virus in the Cilenggang territory that killed a Pre-schoolers some time before. His article, results of the sample inspection of the poultry in the resident Kp cilenggang RT 02/04, the Serpong Subdistrict, the Tangerang City South did not find the existence of the poultry that terjangkit the bird flu virus "Hail the inspection of dozens of poultries like the chicken, the goose and the duck negatif,"kata him." Zaifiwar again said the inspection of this poultry was carried out following the existence of a pre-schooler who was named Kaila Nabila (2.9) that was killed because terjangkit the bird flu virus, (22/2) then. Despite this he admitted to continuing to intensify the prevention towards the spreading of the bird flu virus by carrying out spraying against pens with disinfektan and the vaccination against the poultry. "This must be done to interrupt the spreading link" of the "virus H5N1," he said.

Apart from passing by the inspection of the poultry, Zaifiwar also claimed checked terhapa the available waste water around casualties's house. However after being carried out by the inspection produced by the sample again showed the negative. Nevertheless he claimed still continued to find out the spreading of the bird flu virus in the Cilengang territory. "Until this we were still continuing to find out the spreading" of the "bird flu virus tersebut,"pungkas him."

3-year-old patient infected with H5N1 have died

March 19, 2009
Tran Cong P. (3 years old, live in Long Phu, Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap) patients were infected with the H5N1 strain has death at 14h on 19 / 3 at the Tropical Hospital (Vietnam).

Employees of the Medical Center back to HCMC Emergency Department Children, Hospital for Tropical and sanitation, the same.

They can test P. transferred to a hospital morgue jobs kill the micro-organism and mental integrity here.

At 16h on the same day, he P. was moved to his home in Dong Thap to family burial.
Dr. Tran Huu Ngoc, Director of the Institute re Pastuer confirmed test results patient's P. results for H5N1 positive.
The health workers are monitoring the situation why the health of a baby 20 months old, the children how P. 500m, and ducks eat porridge.

3-year-old baby was infected with H5N1 deaths

Thứ Sáu, 20/03/2009, 09:17

According to information from BV Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City Tr.C.Ph. sick children, 3 years old, in Chau Thanh, Dong Thap has died at 13g on 19/3.Benh of this hospital on 16 / 3 in critical condition, with symptoms of severe respiratory failure. Tests showed that the baby positive for avian influenza virus H5N1. According to a family member, Ph. do not eat chickens, ducks near the baby with the raising of poultry, it can, Ph. infected while playing with chickens ducks.

Pm the same day, emergency ward adults Tropical Diseases BV has received a patient transferred from Dong Thap, with similar symptoms. Doctors suspect this is an infection of H5N1.

Dong Thap: Baby H5N1 virus infection has died

20/03/2009
excerpt:

Duong Nghia Quoc also for the entire family was reversible medication to prevent avian influenza and industry tracking feature special. Where there is any manifestation of any flu infection will even speed up the transfer TPHCM treatment and isolation!
-snip-
Department of Animal Health said yesterday, just continue to detect 1 in new HPAI is half Thanh district, Dien Bien (Dien Bien province). Total poultry were destroyed in the 818 children, including 716 children and 102 ducks chickens. Up to now, the province of Dien Bien district has 24 households in 8 villages under 5 communes with HPAI. Presently there are a total of 5 provinces are: Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Quang Ninh, Dien Bien and have HPAI not last 21 days.

Three-year-old dies from bird flu

Three-year-old dies from bird flu
A poster warns people about bird flu in Ho Chi Minh City in late February.
A three-year-old boy from the Mekong Delta Province of Dong Thap died Thursday after testing positive for bird flu on Wednesday.

Tran Cong Phuc, the country’s third human victim of this disease this year, was admitted to the city's Tropical Diseases Institute on Monday where he tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus.

His condition worsened on Thursday morning and he died in the afternoon, said the director of the institute, Nguyen Tran Chinh.

According to local online newswire VietnamNet, the boy had been on a respirator.

Phuc's family raised chickens in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap and local doctor Nguyen Thi Thu Huong said some of the birds had died earlier this month.

A local doctor told Thanh Nien the boy’s family members said he had not eaten any poultry recently. But the doctor said he might have been in contact with the animals while playing.

However, doctor Huong told AFP that “his parents cooked soup with the meat from the dead chickens for the boy to eat.”

She added that the boy's parents also ate chicken but showed no signs of illness, according to AFP.

A doctor from the municipal Pasteur Institute said before the boy's death that his sample would be tested again to confirm the infection.

Tran was the third person to have died from the H5N1 strain of bird flu in Vietnam this year, according to official figures. The two others had both slaughtered and eaten sick poultry before they died, Vietnam News Agency cited the Health Ministry's Preventive Medicine and Environment Department as saying.

The three-year-old Mekong Delta boy was the fourth human infection reported this year and so far the youngest patient.

Also Thursday, another adult patient from Dong Thap was transferred to the Tropical Diseases Institute displaying the same symptoms.

Five of Vietnam's 63 provinces are currently battling bird flu outbreaks, according to the Animal Health Department.

The H5N1 virus typically spreads from birds to humans via direct contact, but experts fear it could mutate into a form easily transmissible between humans, with the potential to kill millions in a pandemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said last month that Vietnam should monitor the bird flu situation closely to prevent more deaths.

“The message is: stay aware the virus is still out there and we must not be complacent,” Shelaye Boothey, WHO spokeswoman in Hanoi, said prior to the latest death.

According to the WHO, H5N1 has killed more than 250 people across the world since 2003. Vietnam has the world's second-highest bird flu death toll after Indonesia, with 55 deaths.

Toddler dies from bird flu

(20-03-2009)

HCM CITY — A patient in HCM City’s Hospital for Tropical Diseases who tested positive for the H5N1 avian influenza virus died yesterday afternoon, the Department of Health announced.

Nguyen Van Chau, director of the city’s Health Department, said the patient, a three-year-old boy from Phu Long Commune’s Phu Hoa Hamlet in the Mekong Delta Province of Dong Thap, was hospitalised on Monday with fever, coughing and breathing problems.

It was the the first case of avian flu in humans reported so far this year in the south of the country.

The boy was isolated and treated aggressively but his condition became critical and he later died, doctor said.

Some neighbouring households breed poultry, and his parents had eaten a duck a few days before.

Dr Nguyen Ngoc An, director of Dong Thap Province’s Preventive Medicine Centre, said the centre was working with agencies to disinfect the area in an attempt to contain the spread of the dreaded virus.

"We have sent samples from the boy’s family members and poultry breeders at Phu Hoa Hamlet to the Pasteur Institute in HCM City for testing," An said. — VNS

Many patients with influenza A H5N1 has died

9h 35 '- 20/3/2009

13H approximately 19.3 days, the disease many TCP, three years old, live in Phu Hoa Hamlet, Long Phu district, Chau Thanh (Dong Thap) has died after three days of hospitalization Vietnam tropical disease with symptoms pneumonia and respiratory failure severity.

According to the home, weeks before baby P. signs are fever and treatment at local medical. Because not all patients, 13.3 on the baby is transferred to the provincial hospital treatment. Up to 16.3 days, show signs of doubt it is an infection of avian influenza, hospital professional to the Vietnam treatment. At the hospital of tropical disease, baby P. be checked and PCR results positive for influenza A H5N1 virus. To the last, Dr. Tran Huu Ngoc, Director of Pasteur Institute, confirmed PCR test on samples of this patient by the hospital does well for positive results with H5N1. According to sources from the hospital, through the hospital also received a large of people infected with H5N1 since moved to Dong Thap who live with local disease with many deaths.

Meeting report Saigon Marketing yesterday afternoon, Ms. M., the mother the baby P, confirmed child does not eat poultry disease, and death around the home also does not have the poultry disease, death. According to a doctor treatment, can you have children playing with chickens, ducks previous round because the birds are breeding drop rong lot. Known baby P. child in the family, living with the way her parents house about 500 meters. Baby 1 child in 20 children, living with parents. After Baby P. Death, Health Center for Vietnam has been in place to spray the medication killed khuẩn the emergency ward, where treatment of disease. The two baby P. transferred to a hospital morgue, and after staff processing techniques, the two are tons of integrity to his implicit at 16 hours the same day.

Mr. Nguyen Ba Thanh, director of Animal Health centers region VII (Can Tho), that night in 18.3, this unit has collected six samples (three samples xiem ducks, three ducks often form) out on the ducks victims died due to H5N1 infection in Long Phu, Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap, negative results for H5N1.

According to official recognition by the World Health (WHO) to 11.3 days, from the known avian influenza in 2003 to now, we have 109 of the influenza A H5N1 infection, of which 54 death. Own beginning in 2009 to 11.3 days, WHO confirmed Vietnam 2 of influenza A H5N1 infection and 2 of them fatal. Diseases of the death yesterday of the first influenza A H5N1 infection in the southern provinces. /.

One patient died because of H5N1

07:39 '20/03/2009 (GMT +7)
excerpt:

This afternoon 19 / 3, with pioneering online, Mr. Duong Quoc Nghia, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Dong Thap province, said: On 13 / 3, high fever she should raise a family disease Sa Dec hospital treatment.

However, do see unusual symptoms should Sa Dec hospital decided to move them to hospitals TPHCM Tropical Diseases. Test results quickly here that he was infected with H5N1 virus.

According to the National survey in the family know, 12 / 3, the grandchildren P. detected by the chicken family breeding operation had been dead meat to eat. Besides, how the children in An Thanh hamlet a duck out of the running of local people and before they were exposed.

"However, we are still waiting for official results from the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City and announced new" - the National, he said.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Add a H5N1 infection

Date 20.03.2009 Time 07:40




Many patients with influenza A H5N1 has died

Ảnh: LHT Photo: LHT

. 13H approximately 19.3 days, the disease many TCP, three years old, live in Phu Hoa Hamlet, Long Phu district, Chau Thanh (Dong Thap) has died after three days of hospitalization Vietnam tropical disease with symptoms pneumonia and respiratory failure severity.. Patients in hospitals tropical, Baby P. . be checked and PCR results positive for influenza A H5N1 virus. According to sources from the hospital, through the hospital also received a large of people infected with H5N1 since moved to Dong Thap who live with local disease with many deaths.

. Mr. Nguyen Ba Thanh, director of Animal Health centers region VII (Can Tho), that night in 18.3, this unit has collected six samples (three samples xiem ducks, three ducks often form) out on the ducks victims died due to H5N1 infection in Long Phu, Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap, negative results for H5N1.

Theo ghi According to official records held by the world health (WHO) to 11.3 days, with 54 deaths.

Patients infected with influenza A H5N1 in Dong Thap has died

Department of Health and Environment - Ministry of Health said patients of 3 years have indicated influenza A H5N1 in Long Phu, Chau Thanh district - Dong Thap province have died on 19-3, in Hospital Patients tropical TPHCM
Patients of this disease started from 12-3. Before cured 10 days, many patients have died just eat sick birds. At the Department of Health and Environment has proposed agencies handle a flu outbreak H5N1 in Dong Thap, while steering the health sector to strengthen local monitoring to detect early cases of influenza A infection H5N1 to measure processing time thoi.Cung day, a patient at the same residence where the patient has died has been moved to hospital TPHCM tropical disease emergency, with the manifestation of influenza A H5N1 infection .. ..

Children 3 years old child dies of H5N1

Updated at: 8:36 PM, 19/03/2009

Also by information from hospital Tropical, an adult suspected H5N1 infection in the local child Tran Cong Phuc was transferred from Dong Thap on this basis to emergency.

Dr. Tran Huu Ngoc, Director of HCMC Pasteur Institute said test results he's sick in the hospital also positive for H5N1 virus. According to Dr. Huu, you most likely infected by influenza playing with chickens, ducks sick.

Afternoon 19 / 3, the reverse Tran Phuc, live in Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap, death in hospital in Ho Chi Minh City Tropical Disease by H5N1.

3 Additional patients in Vietnam

one may be from the earlier post -

Children 3 years old child dies of H5N1
Cập nhật lúc : 8:36 PM, 19/03/2009 Updated at: 8:36 PM, 19/03/2009
Afternoon 19 / 3, the reverse Tran Phuc, live in Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap, death in hospital in Ho Chi Minh City Tropical Disease by H5N1.

Patients transferred from Dong Thap Hospital on Tropical on 16 / 3 states in fever, respiratory failure, and avian influenza. Bệnh viện lấy mẫu bệnh phẩm xét nghiệm và phát hiện cháu nhiễm virus H5N1. Hospital patient samples tested products and found them infected with H5N1 virus.

Dr. Tran Huu Ngoc, Director of HCMC Pasteur Institute said test results he's sick in the hospital also positive for H5N1 virus. According to Dr. Huu, you most likely infected by influenza playing with chickens, ducks sick.

Medical Center for HCMC to the Hospital for Tropical khử same area khuẩn due process procedures A/H5N1 flu. The two patients was processed and taken to a local at 16h this afternoon.

Also by information from hospital Tropical, an adult suspected H5N1 infection in the local child Tran Cong Phuc was transferred from Dong Thap on this basis to emergency.

Avian Influenza Research Center (2) Use the monkey, the International Drag Attention

[Google Translation]
Thursday, 19 March 2009

By: Reny Mardiningsih

For the purposes of research, Avian Influenza Research Center using a monkey, chicken, mouse and Ferret (a kind of civet cat, Red.) As the experimental animal. Rat was selected because the animals have a normal one so this animal experiment. Chicken taken because bird flu-related research. While monkeys and Ferret characteristics selected as most relevant people.

The use of mice, chickens and Ferret as experimental animals do not have a problem because the lab-lab most others also use it. But once the monkey, the reaction appears. Moreover, the bird flu lab at the Campus C Unair Primate using this in a number of quite large.

Meanwhile, the new bird flu lab has four containers that each contain two monkey cage.
In each enclosure can be filled with a monkey or two, depending on the needs of research. So, if counted, the monkeys required more than 10 head. That is if there is no additional enclosure.

"We have 20 stalls inginnya monkeys here. But help is coming down because the new container 4, so we receive. If there is an opportunity to get a pen, we will take, "said Chairman of the Laboratory of Avian Flu Tropical Disease Center (TDC), Dr CA Nidom, drh, MS, who also led the Avian Influenza Research Center.

Too much monkey used to make automatic Avian Influenza Research Center of attention from the international world. Animal protection agencies will clearly have a voice if a large-scale exploitation in the use of monkeys as experimental animals. Especially abroad, lab-lab research rarely utilizes guard because of the price per ekornya expensive, pemakaiannya also limited.

"Attention on the biggest job we will use is to the monkey. Therefore, we must be careful, "said Nidom.

To avoid protests and criticism from the activists, and all the staff Nidom researchers mengantongi license from Kyoto Primate Center. License give permission to the use of monkeys as the object of research animals.

However, there is the positive use of the guard in bird flu lab. Researchers from abroad definitely interested in doing research on Avian Influenza Research Center due Primate used. Abroad, researchers can not freely use monkeys as much as possible for research purposes. The price of a very expensive monkey.

In Japan, the price of one monkey tails reach Rp 10 million. In the U.S. much more expensive. The State of Wisconsin, the price can be up to Rp 180 million per head. Meanwhile in Indonesia, the price of Rp 2-3 million, a monkey can take home.

Nidom sure will be many researchers from abroad to come to Avian Influenza Research Center to take advantage of the primates that are as experimental animals. This is so the opportunity for Indonesian researchers to gain or share knowledge with them.

"Clearly there are a lot of knowledge that can we can from them. Either with the direct learning through exchange opinions or "steal" without them, "said Nidom.

In addition, Pamor Indonesia in international eyes will also be picked up. The Avian Influenza Research Center to sit in line with other lab-lab in the world. Lab results of bird flu cooperation the Ministry of Health and Unair this does not make Indonesia more inferior in the international eye.

"With the existing equipment and the number of foreign researchers who came, not only the name Unair the exposure in the international world, but also Indonesia. This is clearly improving Pamor Indonesia. We are so flush with researchers from other countries who may be more advanced, "said Nidom.

According to Nidom, many researchers from outside of a mengantre to participate can take advantage of Avian Influenza Research Center as a research site. One of the Universiti Sains Malaysia recently made visits to Unair. The position of an independent lab and not under the wing TDC or create FKH Avian Influenza Research Center researchers receive free the country from which you want to do any research in this lab.

"Avian Influenza Research Center not only shows the seriousness in handling the cases of Indonesia bird flu. But also the bargaining position in Indonesia before the other countries. Besides Malaysia, the researchers from Japan also plans participate utilize this lab, "Nidom demolished.

Government Provide Rp200 Billion For Bird Flu Research

[google translation]

19/03/09 17:54
Surabaya (ANTARA News) - The government provides funds Rp200 billion to finance various research on the disease bird flu (Avian Influenza / AI), as well as prevention efforts and protecting/controlling.

"Already the funds provided Rp200 billion per year for that. Help is also overseas, but we remain in control," said Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari after speaking international symposium on bird flu at the University of Airlangga (UNAIR) Surabaya, on Thursday.

He added that his side have a basic mechanism related to the provision of government funds and the use of foreign assistance funds to research bird flu disease.

"There is selection, the only quality approved. Research with assistance from abroad also have their own mechanism," he said.

Separately, Head of Research and Development of Health Department of Health Agus Purwadianto has explained his side have a plan of research on bird flu disease.

"It has been mapped based on the needs, the implementation is coordinated so that does not overlap," he said.

He explains, research on bird flu primarily focused on search techniques and detection diagnosis disease bird flu in humans and the development of bird flu vaccine for humans.

"The point of all that is required for the effort and prepandemik pandemic. For that there must be detection and diagnosis technique that quickly and accurately," he said.

He added that the government has begun research to develop bird flu vaccine production in humans.

"Research and development of vaccines done in the BSL-3 laboratory in the UNAIR and in Jakarta," he said.

According to him, there are currently three units with laboratory safety standards Bio-Safety Level 3 (BSL-3), ie, in a laboratory owned UNAIR, University of Indonesia, and the Eijkman Institute Biomolekuler.

Laboratory BSL-3 Research and Development Agency Health Department of Health, he said, will also be completed and start operation this year.

"That's enough. Tinggal maintenance only, soalnya expensive maintenance costs," he said.

The four BSL-3 laboratory and several regional laboratories in the region are expected to support research activities on infectious diseases, especially bird flu disease.

"In the future, we are no longer left behind and could only follow, but can be parallel or step further from the other," said Minister of Health. (*)

Because Expensive the Government of the Production Personally the Bird Flu Vaccine

Health News Wed, 18 Mar 2009

The increase in the number of patients of the bird flu sufferer in Indonesia that was not matched by the number of bird flu vaccines that must in import from Japan, made the government initiating to produce personally the bird flu vaccine.
These efforts were carried out by the government also to press the high price of the bird flu vaccine from the Japanese country.

According to RI Health Minister, Siti Fadilah Supari said in the near future the government will erect the building in the campus of Unair Surabaya as the centre for the production of the vaccine of the bird flu illness. “ at this time has begun the production of the bird flu vaccine. With developed site the virus to be known the number of mulberrys of the bird flu vaccine that would dibuat” he said.

Siti Fadilah Supari explained production efforts of the local vaccine for the bird flu sufferer were government efforts that at this time must receive the support of all the sides, because this was the first time Putra the nation made the flu vaccine burung” we must be proud of could make this vaccine kind. Because beforehand for the production of the bird flu vaccine always in the domination by Jepang” he continued. Technically, at this time has been developed site the vaccine (the cause) bird flu where from site this vaccine could be known by the method and the vaccine kind that will be made in accordance with the condition for the sufferer. ” was this vaccine was adapted to the condition for the sufferer. Compared with belonging to Japan this vaccine kind got along well with the Indonesia community" he added.

In the meantime, in his visit to East Java, RI Health Minister, Siti Fadilah Supari praised pemProv East Java that budgeted especially for the allocation of the fund of APBD East Java in 2009, for the handling of the flu sufferer burung” this ought to be copied by the area lain” he said. Moreover, the Health Minister praised the side of RSUD Dr. Soetomo was the only hospital that provided the special room for the sufferer of the bird flu illness. “ I the salute was the same East Java, for his care for the bird flu sufferer. Moreover will be heard by me from the East Java governor apart from RSUD Dr. Soetomo eventually the room of the bird flu sufferer will also be made all over the community health centre in East Java. This showed the East Java Provincial Government was indeed serious to wage war on the illness kind ini” he stated.

European lab accidents raise biosecurity concerns

19 Mar 2009 17:39:12 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Bird flu and Ebola virus accidents raise biosecurity fears * European states urged to improve lab accident disclosure * Northern Europe reports most lab-acquired infections
By Laura MacInnis and Debra Sherman GENEVA/CHICAGO,

March 19 (Reuters) - Lab accidents involving bird flu and Ebola viruses have increased biosecurity fears in Europe, where public health experts say research on dangerous pathogens needs to be more strictly monitored. A scientist in Germany last week pricked herself with a needle that was believed to be contaminated with a strain of the Ebola haemorrhagic virus with a mortality rate of around 90 percent. She is still under observation in hospital. That accident added to public health concerns following the recent disclosure that deadly H5N1 bird flu virus samples were mixed with seasonal flu samples at a Baxter International contracted laboratory in Austria. Health authorities and industry groups reviewing European lab safety standards concluded in a new report that scientists and managers needed to be better trained in ways to prevent, handle and report such incidents. While stressing that research on viruses and pathogens is important for vaccine, drug and diagnostic development, the group Biosafety Europe said "it also represents a risk to the population in case those organisms may spread in the environment due to a laboratory accident, poor laboratory practices or intentional removal and subsequent release (terrorist attack)." "Adequate technical and physical containment measures and best biosafety and biosecurity practices must be implemented in those facilities to prevent accidental or intentional release of dangerous pathogens," it said in the recommendations, published on www.biosafetyeurope.eu/FinalConsiderations_PDFs.html

Security experts say viruses and other biological agents could be used as weapons, as occurred in 2001 in the United States when envelopes containing anthrax were sent to media outlets and U.S. lawmakers, kiling five people.

HUMAN ERROR Baxter spokesman Chris Bona said the Illinois-based company learned in February about the H5N1 contamination, which was due to "a combination of process, technical and human error." The flu virus samples were meant only for testing and not vaccine or product development, according to the spokesman, who said Baxter has "put corrective measures in place" after the accident but declined to give details "for proprietary reasons." All 37 people exposed to the mixture at subcontractor sites in Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovenia, and at AVIR Greenhills Biotechnology, an Austrian company that bought the samples, tested negative for H5N1 bird flu, Bona said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) fears that virus, which has killed 256 people since 2003, could trigger a deadly flu pandemic if it mutates and starts to spread more easily.

Biosafety Europe's project coordinator Kathrin Summermatter said that better training and more collaboration on safety standards could help reduce pathogen risks in European labs. "We found that even though there are European guidelines concerning biosafety, the awareness, the implementation and the control was not the same in the different European countries," she told Reuters by email. The group's report, compiled before the recent bird flu and Ebola accidents, said that Northern European countries disclosed more laboratory-acquired infections than other parts of Europe, "which in part may reflect reporting differences." Summermatter said greater transparency about incidents that do occur was essential to help identify and reduce risks: "It is important to learn from the experience of other laboratories." (Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

Dayeuhkolot: 20 chickens died Suddenly Terjangkit Bird Flu

[NY Ai (60) is "Ai Hasanah (56)" mentioned in the first article I posted on this. No mention of anyone symptomatic in this article].

Excerpt:
Bird flu was contagious in Kab. Bandung. From Monday (16/3) to Thursday (19/3), 20 chickens in Kp. The group of Kel/Kec. Dayeuhkolot died suddenly, and was stated positive terjangkit the bird flu virus. Up until Wednesday late afternoon (18/3), 19 chickens belonging to NY Ai (60) in Kp. The group died because of the bird flu virus. Whereas on Thursday (19/3) of a chicken belonging to Baron Kadarusman, that the place was adjacent to the NY place. Ai also died, with the strong assumption because of bird flu.
-snip-
"On Thursday morning, the CIRAI team (Community-based Integrated Research ounce Avian Influenza) --a joint team from RSHS and the Unpad School Of Animal Husbandry -- visited Kp. The group. The CIRAI team carried out the inspection of the poultry in a radius of 200 metre from the NY place. Ai. They also went round, to check about the possibility of the existence of the resident that terjangkit bird flu. "

The chicken died in Dayeuhkolot Positive Bird Flu

A continuation of this story posted here:

Tetelo, Causes Death in the Chicken Dayeuhkolot
March 18th...Posted by Commonground at 9:09 AM

...the story of the town that decided to burn their own chickens because they were worried, the local garbage collector burnt them without any PPE...but the next story said the authorities came in, and took the tests, and discovered it was New Castle disease....now they claim it's bird flu...and...a resident that "did something wrong" has symptoms. Did something wrong....like culling with no PPE something wrong?.....This is particularly upsetting because they contacted the authorities, to no avail. From the 1st article posted on this situation:
Because worried that was the sign of bird flu, the resident then at once burnt the poultry carcass without could be ascertained by the cause of his death.

According to RW public relations 09 of Deni Kartiwa, the guidance to burn this chicken carcass came from the Dayeuhkolot Community Health Centre after giving the report.

This decision was chosen because, after reporting to the government of the subdistrict, there was no assurance that was given. "There was no clear and certain solution, we at once burnt the chicken carcass," said Deni, on Wednesday (18/3).





KESRA--19 MARET: The sample that was taken from the chicken carcass died suddenly in RW 9 villages and the Dayeuhkolot Subdistrict, Kabupaten Bandung, by the official from the Peternakan Service and fisheries, on Wednesday (18/3), evidently positive bird flu. When being checked struck 15,30, results rapid test showed results of the significant negative the chicken suffered Newcastle disease. Cecep Hendriyadi, the official Partisipatory Disease Surveillance Respondent, at that time spoke that the cause of the death was raging Newcastle disease. However, not old at intervals of evidently results rapid test positive.

One of the residents, Deni Kustiwa, on Thursday, said, this morning again was found by one chicken that died suddenly. Moreover, did something wrong a resident was named Jajang Wijaya that suffered the sign like bird flu like hot and coughs. Until the news was filed, the team from Community-based & Integrated Research of Avian Influenza (CIRAI) combed the territory in and around the chicken died suddenly was found. This team was bisected, that is combing the sample of the animal and surveying the resident. (kp/hr).

HK: Man ill with Dengue fever

March 19, 2009
The Centre for Health Protection has confirmed the year's fourth case of Dengue fever involving a 59-year-old man who fell ill after travelling to Indonesia.

He came down with a fever and headache on March 5 and was admitted to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on March 9. He was discharged from hospital March 17.

BANGLADESH: Unusually early outbreak of diarrhoea in Dhaka

Previously reported from March 3rd:
BANGLADESH: Drive to stem bird flu in backyard farms
DHAKA, 3 March 2009 (IRIN) - The Bangladesh authorities, with assistance from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), have employed 300 field volunteers since October 2008 to strengthen surveillance of bird flu in rural areas.
-snip-
“The coming three months are crucial. Then the [June] monsoon rains will ease the situation,” said Mohammad Abu Bakr, a livestock worker at Jibika-CLP (Char Livelihood Programme), an NGO funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID),...
-snip-
Scientists concerned
Some scientists, however, are particularly concerned about the risk in backyard farms.
“Backyard farms are in the rural areas where people are poor and ignorant. They also have very poor access to the media. They do not know much about bird flu or preventive practices,” said Habibur Rahman of Bangladesh Agricultural University.
Cases of bird flu in backyards often go unreported, posing a risk not just to birds but also humans, say scientists and government experts.
“The increasing outbreaks in backyard farms are disturbing. Human infections occur mainly from backyard farms,” said Rahman.
-snip-
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=83265


DHAKA, 19 March 2009 (IRIN) - As temperatures climb and power outages continue, a lack of safe drinking water has resulted in an unusually early outbreak of diarrhoeal diseases across Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Compared with the same period of last year, the number of patients has trebled. At least three tents have been set up in the ICDDR,B car park to cope with the influx.

More severe cases are being treated with intravenous rehydration treatments and oral rehydration therapy (ORT) accompanied by zinc supplements, while those less severely affected are getting ORT and liquid food.

Since 11 March, an average of 700 patients have been admitted to ICDDR,B each day, and health workers are struggling to cope.

"Usually we don't have more than 250 patients admitted at a time. But this season, as the situation worsens every day, we have had to set up temporary wings. We admitted 811 patients on 14 March and 747 on the 18th,” Shahadat Hussein, head of ICDDR,B’s Longer Stay Unit, told IRIN.

“Usually diarrhoea breaks out in late April. But this year, the diarrhoea season seems to have started early. In mid-March, we are admitting more patients than [in] the average April-peak season,” Hussein said.
-snip-
Power shortages to blame?

ICDDR,B sources blame increasing temperatures and chronic power outages as the primary cause.
Load shedding is nothing new in this city of 12 million, but with an increase in population and the number of industries, demand for safe drinking water has increased exponentially over the last decade.
-snip-
Vaccine
Regarding ICDDR,B’s development of a vaccine for rotaviruses - described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a leading cause of severe diarrhoeal disease and dehydration in infants and young children throughout the world - Shahadat Hussein said that although the vaccine was available in retail outlets, it had not yet been included in the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).

Both WHO and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) have declared rotavirus vaccination a public health priority.
-snip-

Recombinomics: Mild H5N1 Cases in Egypt Raise Concerns


Commentary

Mild H5N1 Cases in Egypt Raise Concerns
Recombinomics Commentary 14:30
March 19, 2009

Woman, age 38, began experiencing fever and headache March 14. She was admitted to Assiut Fever Hospital and given Tamiflu on March 14. Infection with avian influenza was confirmed March 18. The woman reported contact with dead and sick poultry. She was reported clinically free and in a good general condition on March 18.

Girl, age 1½, began experiencing symptoms March 6. She was admitted to Menouf Fever Hospital upon showing symptoms of high fever and cough, and was given Tamiflu. Infection with avian influenza was confirmed March 10. The child was reported in a good general condition on March 10.

The above comments describe the two most recent confirmed cases in Egypt (see updated map). As seen in the description of the most recent case, the disease course is short and the patient was only symptomatic for four days, which is less than most season flu courses. Moreover, all eight confirmed cases this year have recovered. There is no indication that the two patients above developed pneumonia and only one of the eight cases this year was described as being in critical condition. The last fatal confirmed case in Egypt died in December.

The mild H5N1 cases this year are similar to the Egyptian cases in the spring of 2007, when 16/17 cases survived. Most of those cases were in children from upper Egypt. However, this year the cases are spread over a wide area and are likely infected with the vaccine resistant strain first described in late 2007.

Although NAMRU-3 has not released any sequences from this season, two of the human isolates from this year, A/Egypt/0001-NARMRU3/2009 and A/Egypt/0585-NARMRU3/2009, appear to be somewhat related to the vaccine-resistant strain, but may be recombinants, with additional genetic information from earlier Egyptian isolates. Release of sequences from these cases would be useful.

However, the recent mild cases raise concerns that the level of H5N1 cases in Egypt is markedly higher than reported. Many cases who do not develop pneumonia and have mild cases similar to the most recent case likely do not seek medical attention, while others may be treated for seasonal flu and recover untested for H5N1. Moreover, all seven confirmed cases in Egypt this year, prior to the most recent case were 1 ½ to 2 ½ years old. The confirmation of this number of toddlers, also suggests that there are more cases in older children and adults.

These mild cases in Egypt also raise concerns that the level of H5N1 in countries which report high case fatality rates, like Indonesia, Vietnam, and China also have a high number of mild cases that are untested or test negative, especially on samples collected after the start of Tamiflu treatment.

Media Links

Bird flu kills 3-year-old boy in southern Vietnam

19 Mar 2009 14:27:28 GMT
Source: Reuters

HANOI, March 19 (Reuters) - A three-year-old boy infected with the H5N1 bird flu strain has died in southern Vietnam, a state-run online newspaper reported on Thursday, the country's third human fatality from the poultry virus this year. The boy was admitted to a Ho Chi Minh City hospital early this week suffering from coughing, headaches and vomiting and doctors there confirmed he had contracted the H5N1 virus, Vietnam Net (www.vietnamnet.vn) said. The boy, who had fallen sick after his family in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap ate duck congee, died on Thursday afternoon, the report quoted a relative and doctors at the hospital as saying. The World Health Organization, which often waits for official announcements from Vietnam's Health Ministry before confirming bird flu cases, has yet to report the boy's death.

Prior to the boy's death, Vietnam had reported 109 cases of human infections, of whom 54 had died, the WHO's tally showed. The Animal Health Department in Vietnam says there are bird flu outbreaks among poultry stocks in five provinces, but Dong Thap province is not on the government's watch list.
-snip-

Vietnam confirms 3rd human case died of bird flu this year



HANOI, March 19 (Xinhua) The three-year old Vietnamese boy from Southwestern province Dong Thap of Vietnam confirmed of being infected H5N1 virus died, a local doctor from the Ho Chi Minh Hospital of Tropical Diseases told Xinhua Thursday.

The infected patient named Tran Cong Phuc died this afternoon because of severe breathing difficulty caused by H5N1 virus tested by the hospital, said the doctor.

The boy was taken to the Ho Chi Minh Hospital of Tropical Diseases on Monday with symptoms similar to bird flu patients.

He contacted with ducks raised by nearby farms before developing bird flu symptoms, said his family member.

-snip-


Egypt: New bird flu Assiut Governorate

44663 ‏السنة 133-العدد 2009 مارس 19 ‏22 من ربيع الاول 1430 هـ الخميس
أعلن الدكتور عبدالرحمن شاهين المتحدث الرسمي لوزارة الصحة مساء أمس ظهور الإصابة البشرية رقم‏59‏ بمرض إنفلونزا الطيور لسيدة تدعي زينب مصطفي عبدالرسول‏38‏ سنة من قرية المعصرة مركز الفتح بمحافظة أسيوط‏,‏ وقال شاهين إن بداية ظهور الأعراض المرضية عليها كانت يوم السبت الماضي‏,‏ دخلت علي أثرها مستشفي حميات أسيوط في اليوم نفسه‏,‏ وهي تعاني ارتفاعا في درجة الحرارة وسعالا عقب تعرضها لطيور نافقة يشتبه في إصابتها بمرض إنفلونزا الطيور‏.‏
Dr.


Abdel Rahman Shahin, official spokesman for the Ministry of Health yesterday the emergence of human infection No. 59 of bird flu, a woman claims Zeinab Abdel Rasul Mustafa, aged 38, from the village of Al Fatah Almasrp Center Assiut Governorate, Sahin said that the onset of symptoms, they were on Saturday the past, entered admitted to hospital in Assiut, the same day, which is experiencing a rise in temperature and coughing after exposure to dead birds suspected of being infected with bird flu.

hat-tip Florida1

Vietnamese boy dies of bird flu

HANOI: Health officials say a Vietnamese boy has died of the H5N1 virus. It is the country's third human bird-flu death this year.

Nguyen Huy Nga of Vietnam's Ministry of Health said the3-year-old boy died Thursday at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.

Provincial health director Hoang Van Phi said the boy became ill on March 10 after eating a duck that his family had slaughtered at their home in Dong Thap province in southern Vietnam. Dong Thap is some 119 miles (190 kilometers) west of Ho Chi MinhCity.

Hospital HCMC detect a baby you have H5N1

Posted on 19-03-2009
Hospital for Tropical Diseases has discovered that a positive HPAI H5N1. The disease is a 3-year-old boy, in the Chau Thanh, Dong Thap. Doctor Nguyen Van Chau, Director of the Department of Health HCMC for you baby hospital today 16 / 3 in the state of fever, avian influenza. Hospital patient sample products tested and found positive for H5N1 virus.

At the health status of patients at risk of a play with the symptoms of respiratory failure seriously.

HCMC Pasteur Institute also conducted to test sample products disease, but according to Mr. Chau conclusions from Tropical Hospital has enough. Isolation of patients to combat the spread of hospital has been implementing strict. Talking to VnExpress.net, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc An, Director of Health Center for Dong Thap province, said after the Health Department HCMC report test results, the center was associated with the veterinary all the processes and prevention.

"The contact with patients and poultry in the village of Phu Hoa, Phu Long are we sending samples Pasteur Institute for testing. The cleaning, cleaning the environment with chemicals has been conducted" Dr. Press said.

In HCM City, last evening, Dr. Le Truong Giang, Vice Director of Department of Health city gets a check in the district and found 11 still live poultry are loft waiting for your guests .

Survey VnExpress.net in some poultry sold in District 7, 8, 12, Go Vap District, Hoc Mon, the buying and selling live poultry are still happening.

Vitenam-A Three year old boy tested positive to Bird Flu this morning in Dong Thap.

19/03/2009 05:15:06


A three-year-old boy in Vietnam has tested positive for potentially deadly bird flu, doctors said Thursday.The patient from the Mekong delta province of Dong Thap was admitted to Ho Chi Minh City’s Tropical Diseases Institute Monday and on Wednesday a test came back positive for the virus’s H5N1 strain, said Nguyen Van Chau, director of the city’s health care department.

"The situation of the boy is getting worse," Chau told AFP.

Another doctor, from the municipal Pasteur Institute, said the boy’s sample will be tested again to confirm the infection.

Communist Vietnam has the world’s second-highest bird flu death toll after Indonesia, with 54 deaths.

Since the beginning of the year, the deaths of two people have been blamed on the virus and the three-year-old boy is the fourth infection reported this year.

Poultry in five of Vietnam’s 63 provinces are infected with the H5N1 strain, the animal health department says.

According to the World Health Organisation, H5N1 has killed more than 250 people across the world since 2003.

The H5N1 virus typically spreads from birds to humans via direct contact, but experts fear that it could mutate into a form easily transmissible between humans, with the potential to kill millions in a pandemic.

Egyptian woman tests positive for bird flu

11:0919/ 03/ 2009
Print version

CAIRO, March 19 (RIA Novosti) - A 38-year-old woman in Egypt has been diagnosed with bird flu, bringing the country's official total number of cases to 59, a spokesman for the country's health ministry said on Thursday.

The woman from the Asyut province, to the south of Cairo, was hospitalized with a high temperature and bad cough on Saturday. She is believed to have contracted the virus after coming into contact with dead poultry.

Last week, an 18-month-old girl in northern Egypt's Manoufiya province was also diagnosed with bird flu.

Egyptian officials said that 23 deaths from bird flu have been recorded in the country since 2006.

As of March 11, a total of 411 bird flu cases had been registered worldwide since the virus was first detected in 2003, resulting in 256 deaths, according to the WHO.

Although there have been no incidences of human-to-human infection, experts fear that the bird flu virus may mutate into a form that could be easily transmitted from person to person, causing a global pandemic.

Vietnam reports another human bird flu case

Mar 19, 12:46 AM EDT

Vietnam reports another human bird flu case

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) -- Health officials say a Vietnamese boy has tested positive for bird flu, the country's fourth human case this year.

Hoang Van Phi, deputy health director in Dong Thap province said Thursday that a 3-year-old boy developed a high fever, chronic cough and respiratory problems after eating duck meat.

He was hospitalized in the province some 119 miles (190 kilometers) west of Ho Chi Minh City on March 10 and test results released Thursday showed he had the H5N1 virus.

Bird flu has killed 54 people in Vietnam - including two this year - since it began raging through Asian poultry stocks in late 2003.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Bird Flu: ARD feels polls may fan spread

KOLKATA, March 18: With the Lok Sabha poll less than 60 days away, the officials of the state animal resources development department (ARD) are spending sleepless nights to arrest the rapid spread of Bird Flu in the Darjeeling Hills.
Officials feel that the since poll preparations have already started, it would be difficult for them to carry out measures in case the disease spreads further in the area.
Meanwhile, affected villagers refused to accept the allotted compensation and demanded higher pries for culled birds. Thus, the officials apprehend that carrying out culling operations would be a trouble as well. “Till now, four blocks in Darjeeling district~ Matigara, Rangli Rangliot, Kurseong and Mirik~ have been hit by the Bird Flu virus. Villagers of Matigara have accepted the compensation against the culled birds. But villagers of three other blocks have refused to accept compensation after culling of poultry birds,” said an official.

Senior ARD officials said the Hills would be in an heated state during the election. At that time, it would be tough for the department to carry out culling and disinfecting operation. This apart, an official said as the polls were approaching nearer, they were already having trouble in carrying out surveillance of poultry birds in the Hills.
“The issue is serious as the spread of the virus has to be stopped at the earliest in the Hills. If it spreads to more areas, it would be tough to get a grip of the situation due to the tough geographical terrain,” said another official. However, officials said they were laying stress on disinfecting operation in areas from where the disease has already been reported. n SNS