Saturday, March 24, 2012

Calvert Officials examine response to flu deaths

Friday, Mar. 23, 2012

by KATIE FITZPATRICK, Staff writer

The news that three members of a Lusby family died from a severe respiratory illness spread quickly throughout Calvert County two weeks ago, inciting alarm and confusion in some residents.

On Feb. 23, Ruth Blake, 81, became sick at her home with upper respiratory symptoms. Three of her adult children, Lowell, Vanessa and Elaine, were taking care of her and also developed similar upper respiratory symptoms about Feb. 28.

All four people were hospitalized and became critically ill. Ruth Blake died at home March 1 and Lowell Blake, 58, and Vanessa Blake, 56, have since died. Elaine Blake was hospitalized at Washington Hospital Center and has since been released.

Now, reports about what may have happened to the Blake family are becoming clearer. Press releases from the county and state health departments said preliminary testing indicates the family had influenza H3, a strain of influenza A. David Rogers, health officer for the Calvert County Health Department, said Lowell and Vanessa Blake died from “very severe and unusual complications” caused by the flu and he is still waiting on Ruth Blake’s medical examiner’s results.

Rogers said where and how the family members got the flu is speculation, but there are two known events that may have exposed Ruth Blake to the flu.

Brian W. Buck, 50, who Rogers said was related to the Blakes, was killed Feb. 25 after a 10-ton root ball of a tree fell on top of him. Rogers said Ruth Blake’s home was where the entire family gathered after Buck’s death, and if another family member had the flu, Ruth Blake may have been exposed to it then. Ruth Blake also attended a birthday party on Feb. 15 for one of her grandchildren, which is another place she may have been exposed to the flu, Rogers said.

Rogers said Ruth Blake “was not any more sick than one would expect with a mild case of the flu.” She went to her doctor and was prescribed antibiotics on Feb. 29, Rogers said, and the following day she died. Rogers said she likely died from “some complication of the flu” and the medical examiner’s results will not be available for several weeks, but “she did not die of a secondary pneumonia infection as far as we can tell right now.”

Lowell and Vanessa Blake apparently developed flu-like symptoms around the same time as their mother, Rogers said, but began to develop symptoms of a more serious respiratory infection, pneumonia, about March 2 or 3. Rogers said both Lowell and Vanessa Blake also had Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a strain of staph bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

On the morning of March 4, Lowell Blake went to CMH with pneumonia and was later transported to Washington Hospital Center where he died March 5. Rogers said he died from the pneumonia due to MRSA infection. Vanessa Blake went to CMH the evening of March 4 with pneumonia and later died the following day.

“Either one or both of them I’m assuming must have been a carrier [of MRSA] and when they got the flu, somehow [it] … may have made their respiratory system less resistant to the MRSA, which then invaded the lungs and caused fatal infections.”

Elaine Blake, who “simply had nothing more than the flu,” is also apparently a carrier of MRSA, but it is a different bacterial strain, Rogers said. Elaine Blake started having flu-like symptoms about March 2, Rogers said, and she probably got the flu from one of the other three family members.

When she went to CMH on March 5, because other family members who died had similar symptoms, hospital staff were concerned that the same thing might happen to her, so she was taken to Washington Hospital Center but later released.

Elaine Blake, the youngest of seven siblings, said she had been taking care of her mother for the last five years and is taking her death, as well as the deaths of her brother and sister, extremely hard. She said her entire family is still grieving.

“We’re still mourning,” Elaine Blake said. “It’s going to take a long time [to heal from this]. It’s something that’s not easy to just get over.”

As word of the flu death spread early this month, news reports containing different information from different press releases confused and panicked the public and rumors quickly spread. Soon, other organizations, including Calvert Memorial Hospital, Calvert County Public Schools and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, sent out multiple press releases at different times, all containing seemingly conflicting reports.

Elaine Blake said she thinks the media reported on different information too quickly and did not know “what really went on.” She said the media did not get the facts right and it was “very upsetting” to her and her family.

Rogers said he knows that “not everything worked perfectly” when information was being relayed. He said he realizes that the first press release sent that Monday evening was “perplexing to people,” and he and other staff members will review the situation to see how it can be handled better in the future.

“I think there are things we could’ve done better,” Rogers said. “We’re going to review the things that we did and what we can do better, particularly communicating with the media.”

Rogers said the situation became very newsworthy because three family members died at about the same time with similar symptoms, which was unusual.

“If it had just been one [person], it might not have gotten all the attention it did, but because there were two [adult children] and the mother that just died, there was a lot of concern … that we might be dealing with something very dangerous,” Rogers said. “The question was whether it posed any hazard to the community.”

Rogers said staff members worked tirelessly Tuesday, March 6, to try to reassure the community that they were not in danger and that the deaths may be coincidental.

“It was something of a coincidence that you had these three family members all die within two or three days of one another,” Rogers said.

Calvert County Public Schools issued a press release March 6 to try and quell some of the panic. The press release stated that the health and safety of the students and their families is CCPS’s primary concern. School officials said the purpose of the press release was to answer questions from parents and staff.

Bill Chambers, vice president of the school board, said the school system’s press release was geared toward trying to eliminate thoughts that school children were involved.

“I think that was the purpose of putting a release out, to try and keep folks from not assuming that there were young, school-aged children involved in that,” Chambers said.

When the incident was initially reported, because the word “family” was used, “most people would assume” that it’s a parent or guardian with children, Chambers said. The initial reports from the health department didn’t state that those affected were adult family members, Chambers said, which “naturally” caused “some concern and even mild hysteria.”

Chambers said in his “dream world” he would like for the initial reports to have included that the affected family members were adults, and because they weren’t, he believes the school system did the right thing by informing parents of the issue.

“I think the end result was to err on the side of caution and our system does a pretty good job [of that],” Chambers said. “I thought we did the right thing.”

In response to many phone calls from concerned residents, CMH issued a press release March 8 that said three members of the family had died from a strain of the flu and encouraged people to follow basic guidelines, such as washing hands, to keep from becoming ill. The press release said hospital staff was monitoring any flu-like illnesses seen in the emergency room, urgent care centers and the hospital.

James Xinis, president and CEO of CMH, in a written statement Monday said he was proud of how the hospital staff responded to the public’s concerns about the Blake family’s illnesses.

“We always follow the CDC isolation guidelines when caring for anyone with a suspected infections illness and we take precautions every day in every department to prevent the spread of infection,” Xinis said. “This situation demonstrated the extreme importance of the diligence of healthcare providers in that regard. Our infection control department identified the commonalities between the patients quickly and promptly and alerted the health department per our policy.”

The county opened the Emergency Operations Center, which marketing and communications specialist Mark Volland said was “partially opened” to monitor information and help get accurate information out to the public. Volland said representatives from CCPS, the county public information office and the health department worked together to help relay information.

“The county didn’t mobilize in any way other than to support the health department,” Volland said.

India: Jaipur Health Dept. Conducting door-to-door survey for H1N1 Swine Flu

Swine flu: 5 more test positive, total cases now 33


Health director BR Meena said, "Tamiflu tablets have been made available at the primary health centre level."
Jaipur, the department is conducting door-to-door survey to detect swine flu patients.

India: Vaccine To Be Given To Staff at Kamala Nehru Hospital

Meanwhile, to ensure the safety of medical staff treating patients, the Serum Institute, on the request of mayor Vaishali Bankar, has decided to give 5,000 doses of vaccine for the staff.

In a press statement issued here, Bankar said, “I have thanked Dr Cyrus Poonawala for accepting the request.” “The vaccines will be given at Kamala Nehru Hospital,” she added.

India Maharashtra Pune H1N1 Cases

Pune
Name: Kanta Walchand Sarode (48)
From: Tandulwadi, Baramati
Adm: KEM Hospital 3/10, Tested Positive 3/12
Adm: Sahyadri Hospital 3/14
DOD: 3/14


Name: 51 yo (autorickshaw driver)
From: Katraj
Adm: Bharati hospital,Tested Positive: 3/5
Onset: 2/21/12, on ventilator
Notes: Continues on Ventilator on 3/15


Name: Amruta Joshi (10)
From: Pune
Onset: 3/8
Adm: 3/15
DOD: 3/16
Notes: Downs Syndrome

Name: Shubangi Kulkarni (58)
From: Ghorpadi, Pune
Onset: 3/8
Adm: 3/12, Given Tamiflu on 3/14
DOD: 3/16
Notes: Diabetic, hypertension

March 20th
Name: Male 60 yo
Onset: 3/15
Breathless: 3/17
Adm: 3/17 Poona Hospital
DOD: 3/19

March 22nd
Name:
Sanjay Joshi
From:
Sadashiv Peth
Onset: 3/16
Adm: 3/19
DOD: 3/19

March 23rd
Name:
Vilas Sardesai (64 yo)
From: Thergaon
Notes: No underlying conditions.
Onset: 3/8
Adm: 3/11
DOD: 3/21


March 24th
Name: Sania Rathod (1 yo)
From: Vidyanagar in Chinchwad

Onset: 3/18
Adm: 3/21
DOD: 3/23


March 26th
Name: Rukmini Raut (55)
From: Lanikand in Haveli
Onset: 3/7
Adm: 3/7
Notes: Did not respond to treatment
DOD: 3/25

Rajasthan
Name: Dhannath Singh (70)
From: Bikaner
DOD: 3/20

Name: Uma Devi (28)
From: Nagaur
DOD: 3/20


Total: March 24: 8 Deaths

Maharashtra 69 (6 dead)
Andhra Pradesh 27
(1 dead)
Rajasthan 28
(5 dead)
Karnataka: 5

India Maharashtra Pune H1N1 Deaths: Commentary

Since March 3rd - until today, March 24 - there have been 8 deaths in Pune.
Gathering news sources, this commentary is to put together some facts of the facts surrounding the deaths. On fact that is standing out right now for me is the space of only 3-4 days from onset to death.

The first article, talks of four deaths in Pune. That was on March 17th
[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Swine-flu-erupts-in-Pune-claims-four-lives/articleshow/12306713.cms]
Excerpt:
...claiming four lives in Pune in the past fortnight, including two Friday, putting the state health machinery in a state of high alert, a top official said.
Besides, the four fatalities, another 34 victims are admitted in different city hospitals.

"The condition of at least five people is critical and they have been put on ventilator. We can only hope that there are no fresh cases or casualties,"


The next day, March 18th, this article of the Administration mapping the area:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Pune-Municipal-Corporation-maps-areas-to-stem-spread-of-H1N1/articleshow/12312514.cms
Excerpts:
The administration has undertaken mapping of all areas where H1N1 patients were detected so far.
"We have enough stock of Tamiflu tablets. The screening of suspected patients is being undertaken at 47 PMC-run hospitals and 13 private hospitals in the city. All suspected patients are being administered Tamiflu doses. The civic body has set up a process to send the swabs of suspected patients to National Institute of Virology (NIV)," Bankar said.
The task of mapping suspected areas has been taken up and further steps will be planned on these observations. Schools have been issued instructions to keep a watch on students, said Bankar.
At present, five patients are critically ill in Pune district.
Seven people had tested positive on Friday.
In the last few months, seven people have died in the state which includes four deaths in Pune.



March 19th, they announced they would only be testing high risk patients for H1N1:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Now-H1N1-testing-only-for-high-risk-category-A-patients/articleshow/12321296.cms
Excerpt:
From Monday, only high risk patients with flu-like symptoms and those suffering from severe symptoms like breathlessness and high-grade fever (defined as category A) will be tested for swine flu infection in the city.
...Since the beginning of this month, the swine flu virus has infected a total of 34 people and claimed four lives.


March 20th: 10-15% rise in H1N1 cases in March; Mexico, US affected too
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/10-15-rise-in-H1N1-cases-in-March-Mexico-US-affected-too/articleshow/12337312.cms
Excerpt:
PUNE: Scientists at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) have seen 10 to 15% rise in swine flu cases in March. Incidentally, Mexico which reported the first case of swine flu infection in the world is also seeing an increase during this period since a pandemic shut down much of the country three years ago.

"There is a 'sudden and sharp' rise in the transmissibility of the swine flu virus this month. Usually, the virus transmission is not more than 1 or 2% during March. It is something unusual," A C Mishra, director, NIV told TOI on Monday.

Asked whether any significant mutation has taken place in the genetic make-up of the virus, he said, "Mutation in influenza virus is a continuous process. These are small changes in the virus that happen continually over time. There has been no harmful mutation detected so far. The virus is completely susceptible to Tamiflu. Its virulence level is also the same. Most who died of swine flu in the last six days had some other underlying medical condition."

There are 17,000 points in the genetic make of swine flu virus which are being mapped to find out mutation in the virus, Mishra said.



March 20th: 60-yr-old man dies; 5th death in six days
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/60-yr-old-man-dies-5th-death-in-six-days/articleshow/12337308.cms
Excerpts:
A 60-year old man from Maharshinagar died of swine flu at a city hospital on Monday,
"Paigude had other underlying illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and cardiaomyopathy," he added.
Shrirang Balasaheb Paigude had been in the isolation ICU of Poona Hospital and Research Centre (PHR) for the last three days.
"Around March 15, Paigude showed typical symptoms like mild fever, cough with expewctoration and developed mild breathlessness from March 17, following which he was admitted to PHRC at around 11.55 am. His became critical and he was put on ventilator support. Later his condition deteriorated following which he died," said Shyam Satpute, acting assistant medical officer of health
.


Onset: 3/15
Breathless: 3/17
DOD: 3/19


Remember the new testing standards, so these 23 would be in those Categories:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/23-more-people-test-positive-for-H1N1/articleshow/12348635.cms
Mar 21, 2012
As many as 23 people, including six children, tested positive for swine flu in the city on Tuesday, taking the total count of infected people to 63 since March 5.


One more H1N1 death, toll increases to six

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/One-more-H1N1-death-toll-increases-to-six/articleshow/12362330.cms
March 22, 2012
Excerpt:
"Sanjay Joshi, a resident of Sadashiv Peth, died at Sahyadri Hospital at 10 pm on March 19....Joshi developed symptoms of fever and cough on March 16. His condition worsened and he was admitted to Sahyadri Hospital around 11 am on March 19. He was put on ventilator support but died the same day.

Onset: 3/16
Adm: 3/19
DOD: 3/19



March 23rd:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/C-DAC-to-launch-software-to-help-spread-health-awareness/articleshow/12375280.cms
Excerpt:
The centre plans to install these software at airports, railways station and other such public places across the country.

Addressing a news conference here on Thursday, Rajat Moona, director general of the C-DAC, said, "iCare@Home is a preventive healthcare software which provides in-depth analysis of symptoms and healthcare advice. The product is targeted to create health awareness among individuals, both in urban and rural areas."



March 23rd:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/64-year-old-dies-of-swine-flu-in-Pimpri-Chinchwad/articleshow/12375296.cms
Excerpts:
The Pimpri-Chinchwad township registered the first swine flu death this season after a 64-year-old man from Thergaon succumbed to the infection on Wednesday.
Sardesai had been in the isolation ICU of the hospital for the last 10 days. He had tested positive on March 14. He had no other associated illness or co-morbid condition," said PCMC medical officer Milind Jawale.
After March 8, Sardesai developed typical symptoms like cough and fever. His condition worsened following which he was admitted to the Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital on March 11.

Onset: 3/8
Adm: 3/11
DOD: 3/21



March 24, 2012
One-year-old is eighth swine flu victim in Pune
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/One-year-old-is-eighth-swine-flu-victim-in-Pune/articleshow/12385925.cms
Excerpts:
The girl, Sania Rathod, of Vidyanagar in Chinchwad, died at the YCM hospital in Pimpri at 9.30 pm on March 21, ...
Sania developed fever and cough on March 18 and was admitted to a children's hospital at Chinchwad on March 21 after her condition worsened. "She was brought to YCM hospital at 7 pm the same day and immediately put on ventilator support. She died a couple of hours later," Jawale said.


Onset: 3/18
Adm: 3/21
DOD: 3/21

India: Mulund boy’s grandmom tests positive for H1N1

24 Mar 2012 1240 hrs IST

Mulund boy’s grandmom tests positive for H1N1

A Mulund resident tested positive for H1N1 virus, a few days after it was detected in her 6-yr-old grandson.(TOI Photo)

MUMBAI: Another Mulund resident tested positive for the H1N1 virus on Friday, a few days after it was detected in her six-year-old grandson. While they are the first two H1N1 cases this year after a lull of nine months, it could indicate that the dreaded virus is back in circulation in the city.

Executive health officer Dr Anil Bandivadekar said both were in a "stable condition".

"The child has been discharged from hospital, while the grandmother is at home, and has been started on Tamiflu," he said, adding that they had symptoms of cold and fever, following which doctors referred them for tests.

Bandivadekar said both patients had not traveled to Pune, ruling out the possibility of contracting the virus from there. H1N1 has claimed five lives and affected 95 people in Pune in March. "Protocols are clearly in place. We are alert and equipped to tackle any situation ," he said.

He added that unlike 2009, when the pandemic broke out and the antiviral Oseltamivir was scarce, it is now available even with chemists.

The civic authorities said specialists and general physicians have to keep treatment protocols in mind. Testing, as experts say, should be restricted only to high-risk patients suffering from flu-like illnesses, besides severe symptoms like breathlessness, high-grade fever (above 100F), chest pain and drowsiness (in children).

State epidemiologist Pradip Awate said unless the patient is very serious and requires hospitalization , isolation and timely administering of the antiviral should be adequate. State guidelines state patients with mild symptoms like below 100F fever, cough and cold, should take regular medicines.

India: Death Toll from H1N1 Increases to 8 since 10 days ago

Hat-tip PFI
PUNE: A one-year-old girl died at a civic-run hospital in Pimpri two days ago, becoming the eighth victim of swine flu in Pune district and the second in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area in the last ten days. The throat swab report of the girl returned positive for the contagion on Friday.

The girl, Sania Rathod, of Vidyanagar in Chinchwad, died at the YCM hospital in Pimpri at 9.30 pm on March 21, said Milind Jawale, medical officer of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).

Sania developed fever and cough on March 18 and was admitted to a children's hospital at Chinchwad on March 21 after her condition worsened. "She was brought to YCM hospital at 7 pm the same day and immediately put on ventilator support. She died a couple of hours later," Jawale said.

Meanwhile, 16 more people tested positive for swine flu on Friday. Fourteen of them are from Pune and two from Pimpri-Chinchwad. With this, the number of swine flu infected people in Pune has gone up to 112 and to 14 in Pimpri-Chinchwad, officials said.

The condition of six critically ill swine flu patients - four in Pune and two in Pimpri-Chinchwad - remains unchanged.

Cold-adapted pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza live vaccine elicits cross-reactive immune responses against seasonal and H5 influenza A viruses

Hat-tip Flutrackers
J Virol. 2012 Mar 21. [Epub ahead of print]
Cold-adapted pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza live vaccine elicits cross-reactive immune responses against seasonal and H5 influenza A viruses.
Jang YH, Byun YH, Lee YJ, Lee YH, Lee KH, Seong BL.
Source

Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
Abstract

The rapid transmission of the pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza virus (pH1N1) among humans has raised the concern of a potential emergence of reassortment between pH1N1 and highly pathogenic influenza strains, especially the avian H5N1 influenza. Here, we report that the cold-adapted pH1N1 live attenuated vaccine (CApH1N1) elicits cross-reactive immunity against seasonal and H5 influenza A viruses in the mouse model. Immunization with CApH1N1 induced both systemic and mucosal antibodies with broad reactivity to seasonal and H5 strains including HAPI H5N1 and the avian H5N2 virus, providing a complete protection against heterologous and hetero-subtypic lethal challenges. Our results not only accentuate the merit of using live attenuated influenza vaccines in view of cross-reactivity, but also represent the potential of CApH1N1 live vaccine for mitigating the clinical severity that arises from reassortant viruses between pH1N1 and highly pathogenic H5 subtype viruses.

PMID:
22438541
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Friday, March 23, 2012

Vietnam: No bird flu vaccine reserve

(Saigon Times Online) - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said that the reserve fund national veterinary disease prevention for poultry present no reserve vaccine H5N1 bird flu, because so the only veterinary medicines to support local authorities in emergency situations, natural disasters, epidemics spread risk, high boom.

Earlier, Gia Lai and Binh Duong Province has sent a written request supported MARD Benkocid level chemical to combat animal diseases and poultry from the national reserve.Response document, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Diep Kinh Tan said that in 2011 the province of Gia Lai has received Government support 10,000 liters of disinfectant Benkocid program support vaccines, disinfectants Reserve for local to local needs and the rational use of effective chemicals.

Support for the proposal and chemical disinfection of bird flu vaccines in Binh Duong Province, Qin said reserve fund national veterinary disease prevention for cattle, poultry vaccine reserve H5N1 avian influenza.

The Ministry also suggested that local effective use of chemicals has been the government and actively support local budgets to provide vaccines and chemical disinfection and disease prevention.

According to the Veterinary Department, up to 23-3, not the country outbreak of avian influenza and foot and mouth last. Particularly, the PRRS outbreaks in pigs in Dien Bien province has 21 days.

Report of the Department of Animal Health said on 22-3 has found a new outbreak of blue ear in Dien Bien. Specifically, from 12-3, the district has 11 communes of Dien Bien PRRS include: Thanh Luong, Thanh Nua, Thanh Hung, Thanh Blankets, Thanh Yen, Do Luong, Sam Mun, Do not Out, Thanh An, Thanh Thom Bone and Pa and the total number of infected pigs is 626, of which 110 had died.

Vietnam: 2nd A/H5N1 flu patients will be discharged tomorrow

Friday, 03/23/12
(Zing) - Previously, patients had to do and eat chicken and died 10 days after onset of fever, sore throat. This is the case No. 2 Hospital for Tropical A/H5N1 flu was saved from early 2012.

According to the HCM City Tropical Hospital, after nearly three weeks of treatment with health status is restored, the lungs are going well, the patient N. A. T, 31 live in communal RIL Ae, Ea Kar district, Dak Lak A/H5N1 flu will be discharged tomorrow (24/3).

Previously, patients had to do and eat chicken and died 10 days after onset of fever, sore throat. Three days after onset, and patients who seek medical treatment at a medical facility in Dac Lac but no results.

On 5/3, test results of the HCM City Pasteur Institute showed positive for influenza A/H5N1 T. This patient was hospitalized in a state of high fever, sore throat, chest tightness, shortness of breath and almost hurt your lungs. Doctors said the patients were intensive care unit and treated with Tamiflu.

Since the beginning of 2012, there were four cases of influenza A/H5N1, including two cases in Kien Giang and Soc Trang died.

A/H5N1 flu can not be taken
Recommended by doctor Nguyen Thanh School, Dean D infection, HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases: A/H5N1 flu is very dangerous disease, high mortality. Treatment of late as the possibility of serious complications and can lead to death. According to doctors, people should not be exposed to infected poultry and poultry houses have reported sick for authorities to promptly handle. People in areas where avian influenza with high fever, sore throat doctor to be treated promptly.

India: Swine flu toll climbs to 7 in Pune

Friday, Mar 23, 2012
A 64-year-old man from Thergaon died of bilateral pneumonia, pushing the death toll of swine flu deaths to seven. Vilas Prahlad Sardesai was diagnosed with swine flu and was admitted to Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital on March 11 after he complained of breathlessness and fever.

On Thursday, 18 new cases were reported from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits and 19 new cases were reported across the district.

According to Dr Ashoke Ingle, medical officer of the district hospital, Pune, as of Thursday six patients were on ventilator both in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Oklahoma Flu Deaths Double In Past Week

March 22, 2012
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The number of flu-related deaths in Oklahoma thus far this year doubled from three to six in the past week -- although the total number of confirmed flu cases remains sharply below 2011 levels.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported the latest deaths include two in Oklahoma County and one in Osage County. The department said two of the deaths were in the 19-64 year-old age group and the other was 65 or older.
The total number of confirmed cases since Jan. 1 increased by 59 to 245. The department said the number of confirmed cases at the same time in 2011 was 828 with about two dozen of those cases resulting in death.

India swine flu outbreak kills 12 since March 1st

23 March 2012

Twelve people have died of swine flu in India since the beginning of March, the country's health ministry says.

Half of the deaths have been reported from the western state of Maharashtra. Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have also reported deaths.

Nearly 130 others have been infected with the virus, and many of them admitted to hospitals.

The cause of the sudden outbreak is not clear. The virus killed more than 450 Indians when it first emerged in 2009.

'Short spurt'?
"The health ministry is monitoring the situation and there is no cause for worry. The states where cases had been reported have been advised to step up surveillance to control the further spread of the virus," Health Secretary PK Pradhan told the Press Trust of India news agency.

The media in Pune has been carrying reports about swine flu patients being admitted to local hospitals.

"There is no panic, but fresh patients are being brought to the hospitals every day," a local journalist said.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Vietnam: $ 23 million to support avian flu, human flu

21/03/2012

21/3, at the Capital Hotel Red River, the city of Vinh Yen (Vinh Phuc), Ministry of Health has organized conferences and workshops develop the project "Prevention of avian flu, human flu and the pandemic prevention in Vietnam "(VAHIP) from 2011 to 2014 period.

Phase 2 (2011-2014) was the Government, donors continue to support approval of additional funds $ 23 million (13 million 10 million in aid and loans).

The project aims to improve the efficiency of support measures by the Government of Vietnam, in an effort to minimize the risk of influenza infection in poultry and humans in the provinces to implement the project and prepared for medical case of a pandemic and strengthen inter-sectoral coordination between health and veterinary surveillance and disease prevention, preparedness for emerging diseases in the locality, particularly in the provinces under the direction of "One Health."

This project is a collaboration between health and agriculture and rural development. In particular, the agricultural component consists of 4 sub-components (A1: Strengthening veterinary services, A2: Strengthening control epidemics, A3: Epidemic surveillance and epidemiological investigation, A4: The Prevention emergency).

Health consists of 4 sub-components (B1: Capacity Building Monitoring System, B2: Strengthening the capacity and response to treatment in hospital, B3: Promoting behavior change communication and traditional risk , B4: Improving health system capacity reserve district, which focus on expanding investment model for district health centers in the provinces located in the project).

Speaking at the conference, an associate professor-Dr Nguyen Thanh Long, Deputy Minister of Health, highlighted this year on bird flu reoccurred again and complex changes, unpredictable, influenza A virus / H5N1 has turned our expression, there is no vaccine and drugs for specific treatment.

Under these circumstances, the Health Ministry determined to invest in upgrading the system of preventive medicine and treatment to be ready to respond to a pandemic of human influenza and other emerging diseases is one of the leading first love in the current period. /.

Vietnam: Genome sequenced strains of bird flu virus in Vietnam

21/03/2012

Avian influenza is currently a hot issue concerns the whole society by disease situation is very complex events and unpredictable. Before this situation, the Veterinary Faculty of Agriculture University of Hanoi was quickly involved in the monitoring, diagnosis, study the transformation of avian influenza virus, contributing to the prevention of disease risk this coverage.
From this year, bird flu has hit back and appeared in 28 communes of 21 districts of 11 provinces: Hai Phong and Thai Nguyen, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Bac Giang, Quang Tri, Thanh Hoa, Soc Trang and Kien Giang, Ha Tinh, Quang Nam, an increase over the same period in 2011. As of February 18, the total number of birds infected, death and destruction is 51.983 children in which nearly 90% duck, is the second most dangerous cases of illness and death in humans in Kien Giang and Soc Trang. In our country, the strain of influenza, "Branch 1" (C1) occurs mainly in 2003 - 2010. Since 2007 virus appears more "branch 2" is C2.3.4. By the year 2009-2011, which appears more and not stop C2.3.2 branch, this branch further into sub-branch changes A and B in which the strong virulence of group A than group B. The emergence of new strains of flu virus makes the virus more virulent strength with wet weather conditions, make the disease spread faster speeds and more dangerous flu strain appeared before.
Before this situation, the Veterinary Faculty of Agriculture University of Hanoi task force formed by the TS. Nguyen Ba Hien, Dr. Nguyen Huu Nam and other medical staff were actively involved in the monitoring, diagnosis, study the transformation of avian influenza virus. By Real time PCR technique, the central laboratory of Veterinary Medicine by Dr.. Nguyen Thi Lan charge has successfully deciphered the genetic sequences of 19 strains of avian influenza virus is circulating in some provinces, help to prevent spread of animal diseases in poultry health protection for people and pets .
Office of Science and Technology

Egypt: new twist to the H5N1 avian flu virus to 32 focus confuse the officials of Agriculture

March 20, 2012

A state of extreme anxiety and anticipation among the officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, veterinary services and small livestock keepers and poultry, after some hesitation the emergence of rumors 27 cases infected with Rift Valley fever on some cattle in a number of provinces, raising concern small-scale breeders.

According to the reports of the Institute of Animal Health, the "virus" is transmitted by mosquitoes, sharp, and affects humans and animals, in addition to the appearance of the center of 32 infected with the H5N1 avian flu, which is the most dangerous type of flu.

Said Hatem Farraj, Assistant Minister of Agriculture of Veterinary Medicine's "seventh day", after the appearance of these rumors, we have to take samples, and analyzed by the Institute of Animal Health, which has demonstrated that the sample is negative, there is no fever, Rift Valley, in addition to observing i'tikaaf veterinary laboratories to traverse results of the samples, and the work of local institutes vaccine manufacturing vaccines to contain the situation of-mouth disease Hamma SAT 2, and we are going to import the vaccines after the appearance of the final sample of Reference Laboratory for FMD Brbright "to determine the facsimiles to improve the infected cattle.

For his part, said Essam Abdel Shakur, Chairman of the Central Veterinary Quarantine for guidance, it's already there was one case of suspected Rift Valley fever injuries, a sample was taken, and confirm the analysis at the Institute of animal research that the result is negative.

In a related context An official source at veterinary some poultry farms experiencing a shift fierce bird flu virus H5N1 in 32 focus on a number of provinces, which is the most dangerous types of influenza, due to the conversion speed and its ability to acquire new genes to mix with other viruses, in addition to its ability to survive migratory birds, the disease is transmitted to humans, according to reports of health experts.

Experts forecast poultry diseases and epidemics, veterinary services, the transmission of the virus and increase its activities, coming across the Israeli border, after Israel announced the transformation of H5N1, and cause the execution of 51 thousand birds in the town of Halomh, and some farms Asklan according to a newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

In a related development, announced the Ministry of Agriculture of the Veterinary Services, the number of cattle infected with FMD SAT 2 at the level of the Republic according to the reports of the Directorates of Veterinary Medicine, amounted to 40 thousand and 222 suspected cases of being infected, while the cases of dead 4 thousand and 658 the case of dead.

The last report received by Engineer Mohammad Reza Ismail, Minister of Agriculture, that the suspected cases and deaths were concentrated in four provinces, especially the province of the Western, which scored the proportion of suspicion amounted to 17 thousand and 678 suspected cases and 1876 if dead, while they recorded Dakahlia 5426 suspected cases and 439 case dead , followed by suspicion of the lake 2284 suspected cases, 304 cases, Menoufia dead.

Identification of Dual Receptor-binding Specific Strains of Human H5N1 Viruses in China

hat-tip Flutrackers
Biomed Environ Sci. 2012 Feb;25(1):104-8.
Zhou JF, Zou SM, Li Z, Wang M, Dong J, Guo JF, Wei HJ, Wen le Y, Xu H, Shu YL.
Source

State Key Laboratory for Molecular Virology and Genetic Engineering, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing 102206, China.
Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
Both the 2, 6 linkage and its topology on target cells are critical for the recognition by human influenza virus. The binding preference of avian flu virus H5N1 HA to the 2, 3-linked sialylated glycans is considered the major factor limiting its efficient infection and transmission in humans. To monitor potential adaptation of H5N1 virus in human population, the surveillance of receptor-binding specificity was undertaken in China.

METHODS:
The binding specificity of 32 human H5N1 virus strains isolated from 2003 to 2009 was tested by 2, 3-specific sialidase-treated chicken red blood cell (CRBC) agglutination assay and a solid-phase direct binding assay with synthetic sialylglycopolymers.

RESULTS:
Dual binding preference to 2, 3 and 2, 6-glycans were found in two strains: A/Guangdong/1/06 (A/GD/1/06) and A/Guangxi/1/08 (A/GX/1/08). Though minor effect of short-2, 6-binding was detected in A/GX/1/08 at a low virus titer, both showed high affinity to the oligosaccharide at a high load. Notably both are of the long-2, 6-recognition, with the same topology as that of human H1N1 and H3N2 viruses.


CONCLUSION:
The findings suggest that human H5N1 virus in China likely acquired the potential human-adaptation ability. Further research and surveillance on receptor-binding specificity of H5N1 viruses are required.

Copyright © 2012 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PMID:
22424634
[PubMed - in process]

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Bangledesh- Nilaphamarite birdflu panic, the death of a female worker #H5N1 #BIRDFLU

3 translations of a woman who worked at an infected farm. Yes, sketchy translation that does'nt prove anything..yet..

Nilaphamarite bardaphlu Panic, female worker to death
Prime report »Rangpura
A



UPS. The Prince, Nilphamari representatives, and 0 of the (BD said Prime News) - Bird flu is prevailing in nilaphamarite. Working in a poultry farm in the death of a woman activist and leader of the days after the Panic spread rapidly. Known, Nilphamari domara betagara of the top farm poultry farm in the last couple of days for unknown reasons, Ltd. Nilphamari chicken were found to be widespread. Authority before the local chicken farm, but now is not the marketing of the area, they quickly take their chicken. Reading up on the way to their car muragigulo died.
Today is Tuesday in a woman's work farm helapara Cook died suddenly. Quick on the ship said, without autopsy October Panic spread in the process eventually. Cook killed in the name of hapheja helaparera October (40). In the same area ahammedera phuju wife.
The Firm's authority does not have any information on their behavior with asaujanyamulaka.
The official name of the cache maminura assistant by the name of one of the conditions of their farm in order to beat the chicken, the chicken still has a farm about a half millions.
The District Animal Resources Officer Dr. Rezaul Karim said that he saw. Relative to taking the necessary action and to investigate the claim.

http://tinyurl.com/6qmbqhu
2
Panic death of female employee
The main report »RangpurOne
A



UPS Prince, Nilphamari representatives, and (BD Prime News said) in the 0 -. Bird flu has been prevailing in nilaphamarite. Days after the death of a woman activist and leader of panic cacitu work on a chicken farm.
Known, unknown reasons, the top farm poultry farm in the last few days Nilphamari domara betagara, Ltd. was found in a wide range of Nilphamari chicken. Authority prior to the local chicken farm, but now the area of ​​marketing, but they take their chicken. Reading and died on the way up to his car muragigulo.
Cook died suddenly on Tuesday, a woman who is now working on the farm is helapara. Quick on the ship and eventually spread to the autopsy, said the October panic. Hapheja helaparera October (40) the name of the killed and cooked. Ahammedera phuju wife in the same area.
Firm's authority asaujanyamulaka no data on their behavior.
The conditions of the poultry farm in order to defeat their official name is the name of the cache maminura Assistant, a chicken farm still has about half a million.
Dr. Rezaul Karim said that he saw as the District Officer of Animal Resources. And the right to investigate the need for taking action.
3
Nilaphamarite bardaphlu panic, the death of a female worker
The Prime Minister »Report RangpurOne
One



UPS, The Prince, Nilphamari representatives, and 0 (BD Prime Minister said in the news). - Bird flu nilaphamarite prevalent. And women's activist leader, died after a poultry farm in panic quickly spread.
Known to unknown reasons, the top farm poultry farm in the last few days of Nilphamari domara betagara, Ltd. Nilphamari chickens were widely available. Authority before a local chicken farm, but now the area of ​​marketing, they quickly take their chickens. Reading muragigulo his car died on the way.
Today is Tuesday, a woman working in the Cook Farm helapara suddenly died. Panic spread at the end of October without an autopsy on a quick ship program, said. Hapheja helaparera October (40) killed in the name of the butler. Ahammedera phuju wife in the same area.
This firm is not any information on the power asaujanyamulaka with their behavior.
Conditions of their farm to beat a chicken by the name of the official name of the assistant cash maminura chicken farm still has about half a million "birds".
District Animal Resources Officer Dr. Rezaul Karim said that he saw. Necessary steps to investigate the claim.

Vietnam- Tons of illegal chickens carried into city amid bird flu #H5N1 #BIRDFLU

we may have  mentioned this before...

 

Updated : Tue, March 20, 2012,9:51 AM (GMT+0700)

Thanks to the ‘assistance’ of corrupt officials who sell certificates of quarantine, tons of unvaccinated chickens are being illegally transported into Ho Chi Minh City from neighboring provinces every day despite the current outbreak of avian influenza.
A goods owner has to spend VND300,000 (US$14) to buy a certificate of quarantine for each trip to carry up to a thousand birds into Ho Chi Minh City, or double the sum for an extra certificate of inoculation.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of unvaccinated ducks and chickens have been transported into the city a day. They are all butchered at registered slaughter houses before being supplied to restaurants and factories’ canteens in industrial parks.
‘A field trip’
A big dealer named Ut Hue in Binh Tam Commune of Long An Province’s Tan An District assured her client two weeks ago about the provision of a large amount of chicken.
“Don’t worry. I can provide you as many as you need even though there is an outbreak of avian influenza in many provinces,” she said. “It’s free to transport inside Long An, but you have to buy yourself certificates of quarantine to carry fowls to other locality.”
Hue admitted that she sometimes slaughtered a small amount of inoculated chickens and sent them to a local veterinary agency to get certificates. Then the seal of the packaging is broken to add in illegal fowls. When transporting a large amount of chickens, she said she paid 300,000 dong to simply buy a certificate to legalize her trip into HCMC.
At the gathering point on Phan Huy Ich Street in HCMC’s Go Vap District, the chicken is divided into small amounts and transferred to motorbikes for delivery to restaurants.
“I buy the goods at the very root and sell it directly to users, so how can I have a certificate of quarantine? During the transport, the only way is to avoid police,” said Hue.
Another dealer, Ms. An in Tan Dong Hiep Commune of Binh Duong Province’s Di An District, told Tuoi Tre, “I buy chickens that haven’t been quarantined from remote villages in Tri An District in Dong Nai and distribute them directly to industrial parks’ canteens in Binh Duong.”
Illegal chickens are all transported after midnight to dodge police, she said.
‘Aid’ by veterinary officials?
A dealer named Thao in Mo Cay Bac District of Ben Tre Province admitted that she paid VND300,000 to buy a certificate of quarantine for each shipment of illegal chicken and ducks into Ho Chi Minh City.
“I accept the responsibility of supplying the goods to you, you don’t need to care for anything. I can have quarantine certificates granted by district- or province-level authorities,” Thao told a Tuoi Tre journalist playing the role of a restaurant owner in HCMC.
After talking on a mobile phone for a while, Thao said a man from the provincial veterinary office in Ben Tre agreed to grant her a quarantine certificate when she transports her goods to Ham Luong Bridge.
ga lau 2
Ms. An and her husband slaughter unvaccinated chickens in Binh Duong Province for selling to restaurants (Photo: Tuoi Tre)
Wherever you collect the goods from, just carry it here and I will give you a valid certificate to transport into HCMC. On the certificate, it is noted that the goods come from Ben Tre Town.
“If you want, I will give you a seal so that you can seal the goods off after adding more along the way to HCMC,” Thao added.
On the morning of March 16, Tuoi Tre’s disguised journalists had a date with the man Thao mentioned.
He introduced himself as Buu and said he worked for the Ben Tre Veterinary Department. He said, “Regulations rule that fowls must be inoculated before being granted a quarantine certificate.
“If you have no certificate of inoculation, I can offer help. It’s 600,000 dong for both certificates of inoculation and quarantine for a shipment of 1,000 chickens.”
Buu added that any dealer needing to transport illegal fowls can call him or send him an SMS message including details such as the number plate of the truck, the driver’s name, and the address of slaughter house and they will be given a certificate at Ham Luong Bridge.  http://www.tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitrenews/features/tons-of-illegal-chickens-carried-into-city-amid-bird-flu-1.65496
Tran Quang Thai, acting chief of the Ben Tre Veterinary Department, told Tuoi Tre that any officials receiving bribes to grant quarantine certificates will be strictly punished, although he has never heard of his staff committing any wrongdoings.
It is ruled that the origin of fowls must be clearly stated on the quarantine certificate. For example, it is wrong if the goods come from districts such as Mo Cay Bac and Mo Cay Nam but Ben Tre is stated on the certificate, he said.
Regarding the man named Buu, Thai said he will investigate, but admitted that one of his staff members is named Le Quang Buu, who is a veterinary medicine teacher.

Suspicion of hitting the girl in Dakahliya bird flu #H5N1 #BIRDFLU

20-3-2012 | 08:01

Mansoura Chest Hospital received the girl showing symptoms of bird flu, coming from the center of aesthetic Dakahlia after suspected of being infected with the disease.

"Al-Ahram gate" claims that the girl Sabrine p. P. (20 years) from the village are not the center of the aesthetic and developed symptoms of bird flu after a high temperature and her sore throat and cough, and doctors decided to transfer to hospital should be issued to make sure Mansoura being infected with bird flu.

The doctors Mansoura Chest Hospital, take samples and swabs from the throat in preparation for analysis central labs of the Ministry of Health with the isolated and placed under intensive treatment until they are sure of the result of samples taken.

NTB Dinkes Strict Monitor of Avian Influenza in Bima #H5N1 #BIRDFLU

Tuesday, 20 March 2012 13:05
Mataram - NTB Health Department closely monitor a number of areas in the regency of Bima on the alleged bird flu. This escort because of the dozens of people suspected of bird flu was treated at the Regional Hospital of Bima. Chief Medical Officer Muhammad Ismail confirmed the province, although the number of patients dozen people, but so far no positive patients already suffering from bird flu.

"Our efforts in the field of strict monitoring, particularly in areas that yesterday was hospitalized in Bima. So at least twice the incubation period, means up to fourteen days we keep tight at the homes of people and patients around the house "
Chief Medical Officer of the province Mohammad Ismail explained, doctors discovered the disease symptoms similar to bird flu virus in humans. To protect against bird flu, residents should quickly report to local health officials if they see a sudden dead poultry, and wash hands after contact with poultry that died suddenly

Monday, March 19, 2012

Hospitals neglect the lake and Alexandria kill Sheikh Izz al-Din after suffering bird flu #H5N1 #BIRDFLU

The area of ​​the lake reveal ...
Hospitals neglect the lake and Alexandria kill Sheikh Izz al-Din after suffering bird flu

Monday 19/03/2012 6:33 AM
  Still the Egyptian citizen and his family are paying a tax of negligence and corruption hospitals provinces of Alexandria and the lake where you may cast the citizen was killed by an actor by some doctors and hospital staff because of negligence in the performance of their job, how is a credit to these people's lives? دون اكتراث من المسئولين في محاسبة المقصرين فى اداء وظيفتهم وذلك حتى لايتكرر ما حدث مع الشيخ عبد الهادي عز الدين الذي لقى حتفه بسبب الاهمال بالمستشفيات وعدم علاجه من الاصابة بمرض انفلونزا الطيور. Without concern of officials in the hold negligent in performing their job so Aitakerr to what happened with Sheikh Abdul Hadi Izz al-Din, who died in hospitals due to negligence and lack of treatment of bird flu.
 Where the story begins when the disease Sheikh Izz al-Din Abd al-Hadi, who lives in the village of Kom Abu Faraj Center Matamir County lake was transferred from one place to the doctors in the world Chest Hospital in Alexandria.
  And try the people of Sheikh Abd al-Hadi and his friends go him to the hospital admitted Damanhour to discover negligence content in the absence of officials, where Sheikh Shorbaji preacher Abu silos and a friend of the deceased to the field of the lake that the General Manager perspectives Fever Hospital Damanhur assured him that there are hospitals Damanhur eight devices, four devices in the chest and four others and all of them to Balhmyat Ayamlon.
  And moved already to the hospital in the world in Alexandria, and when they felt that there Bashayer bird flu is to get them out of the hospital under duress at eleven pm and then there trouble many at their direction to the fever hospital in Alexandria, refused to receive the case and repeated hospital chest and then University Hospital and Hospital, Gamal Abdel Nasser was also the case in honor, which led to the deterioration of health status and response, which was said to the family of the deceased has no ventilators . .
 
The face of Sheikh Shorbaji thanks to the Vice Egyptian Abu Kachik where after contact with him in the middle of the night and move immediately contacted the agent of the Ministry of Health in Alexandria to be received in the fever hospital with the help of Deputy Minister of Health after the deterioration of the health status of the deceased . .
 Ttsol the field of the lake Is it possible for hospitals to have a large lake such as Alexandria and chest, fevers Damanhour and sympathy and Gamal Abdel Nasser and the University of Alexandria them no ventilators to save the state of death? ام موت

 Or death matter for the Egyptians of those officials who bear full responsibility in the death of neglect in this case and their refusal to admit him to resuscitate him and received, which led to the death of the case. 
http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ar&tl=en&u=http://medanbh.com/Home/Print/2548&usg=ALkJrhgy0Ygs9FsJa3vIkefDi4iJ--OuuA
 
 

Deaths of 900 cases of foot and mouth disease Menoufia

19-3-2012 | 21:57
Menoufia - Mohamed Alatrici
An official source at the Directorate of Veterinary Medicine, Menoufia, that the incidence of mortality among livestock and reached to 90 cases so far have been monitored by the relevant committee.
The source pointed out that the foot and mouth disease is confined Menoufia began largely as a result the plan pursued by the Directorate of serum immunization against infectious diseases.
Veterinarian as he emphasized that the vaccine was spent by the province is not enough to reduce the risk of foot and mouth disease, he said, adding that there is a vaccine comes from the outside better than him, accusing state officials of failing to import vaccines from abroad.

Vegetarian Iranian drug to treat bird flu

Vegetarian Iranian drug to treat bird flu Print Send to a friend
الكاتب: Administrator Author: Administrator
Monday, March 19 / March 2012 03:03
http://cdn2.alalam.ir/sites/default/files/imagecache/slider/image/news/alalam-1331575294.jpg
H9N2. Iranian researchers have produced for the first time globally, vegetarian inexpensive drug to treat bird flu, resulting from the virus H9N2.
The port project, Mr. Mehdi Mir-Hosseini, "The effect of the drug anti-fungus, and bacteria, virus and would also eliminate the bird virus H9N2".
Mir-Hosseini said that the property which was installed after two years of studies and preparations used in disease outbreak of bird flu as a precaution and treatment; adding to the absence of drug avoids the incidence of this disease and treatment before in Iran.
He also said: "We have been producing the drug by Iranian researchers to benefit from the latest specifications produce the drug in the world and in collaboration with 12 university professors and laboratory professionals help« Science Park »Khorasan."
It should be noted that it is not Eogod equivalent domestic or foreign real estate in Iran, which is available in raw materials and cheap prices for the drug, which has no side effects on birds and poultry alike.
And marketed the drug named IMEN-A, in brown bottles capacity of 15 centimeters per cubic and has so far received a certificate of international standards for the production of medicines in:
USP - KODEX ، MARTENDAL ، SIGMA و PDR و DARWOL USP - KODEX, MARTENDAL, SIGMA and PDR and DARWOL

Siwan district ,India-Chickens died of mental bacteria #H5N1 #BIRDFLU

Experts’ report beats flu scare

- Chickens died of mental bacteria
Patna, March 19: The state animal and fish resources department today ruled out bird flu as the reason behind the mass death of chickens in Siwan district in the past fortnight.
The confirmation came after the fear of bird flu loomed large across the district following unnatural deaths of several hundred poultry chickens at Jamsikri village under Zeeradei block and at Thepaha under Siwan Sadar block.
On March 16, the state animal husbandry directorate had sent a rapid response team to Siwan. After conducting detailed investigation, the team sent a preliminary report with few samples of dead chickens to the directorate.
Dr Ajay Kumar, the in-charge (poultry), state animal husbandry directorate, told The Telegraph: “The rapid response team confirmed the death of 85 chickens in a poultry farm with a capacity of 500 chickens at Thepaha and 200 chickens at another poultry farm with a capacity of 1,000 chickens at Jamsikri village. According to the team’s findings, it is almost certain that the deaths occurred because of bacillary white diarrhoea, a serious mental bacterial disease in poultry.
This disease does not cause any harm to human beings in case of consumption of infected chickens but it definitely leads to mass mortality in chickens if it spreads.”
Dr Ajay added that the samples collected by the rapid response team would be sent to High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal, for further investigation.
The directorate has claimed that reports of unnatural deaths of crows from across the state had gone down considerably. “Though reports of death of one or two crows keep on coming, we have not received any report of mass deaths of crows in the past fortnight,” said a senior officer of the state animal and fish resources department.
 Earlier, few samples sent from Gaya to High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal, tested negative for H5N1 virus that causes bird flu.
Meanwhile, the state government is yet to receive a response from the Bhopal centre with regard to a request for sending a team of experts. “We have not received any response from the Centre with regard to the request made by the state government for sending a team of experts or an SOS team to Bihar for checking the spread of H5N1 in the state,” said the official.
H5N1 caused pandemic in crows in the Northeast, Bengal and Jharkhand in the past few months.

The Telegraph, in its February 13, 2012 edition, had reported the spurt in mysterious deaths of crows in the state. The health department has issued a statewide alert for civil surgeons to immediately report such cases. On February 27, The Telegraph reported that Gaya was the only district in the state where mortality in crows owing to H5N1 virus was confirmed.

CLOSE SHAVE
The scare
85 chickens dead in Thepaha under Siwan Sadar block and 200 in Jamsikri village under Zeeradei block in Siwan district over past fortnight
The action
The state animal husbandry directorate sent a rapid response team to Siwan. After investigation, it submitted a preliminary report along with few samples of dead chickens to the directorate
The findings
Deaths occurred because of bacillary white diarrhoea, a serious mental bacterial disease in poultry. It does not harm human beings  
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120320/jsp/bihar/story_15269500.jsp

More Taiwan chickens die? #H5N1 #BIRDFLU

Emergency slaughter? Should, screen 2 the slaughterhouse Zaibao epidemic2012-03-20 01:06
 Taipei】
Re-transmission of avian influenza epidemic, Ilan, Pingtung, two slaughterhouses a total of 8 000 chickens were found to the H5N2 avian flu, the Council of Agriculture, backtracking to find the chickens from Tainan Guantian, Shanhua chicken farm is responsible for all The man surnamed Yang, expected loss of millions. Ilan slaughterhouse daily only slaughtered 300 chickens, chicken farm, but sent three times the number of chickens in one breath, chicken farmers have long known that the bird flu, urgently sent for emergency slaughter director Li Huiren questioned...

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Avian influenza – situation in Egypt – update #H5N1 #BIRDFLU

The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has notified WHO of a new cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus.

The case is a 40 year-old female from Dakahlia Governorate. She developed symptoms on 6 March 2012, was hospitalised on 12 March 2012. She was in critical condition and received oseltamivir upon admission. She died on 15 March 2012.
The case was laboratory confirmed by the Central Public Health Laboratories(NIC).
Investigations into the source of infection indicate that the case had exposure to sick backyard poultry.
Of the 164 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 58 have been fatal.

http://www.who.int/csr/don/2012_03_19/en/index.html

Bangladesh - birds still dying and being smuggled #H5N1 #BIRDFLU

Some snips  from 2 stories dated today...

Panic grhasta bardaphlu dumakira remote areas of the family poultry - chickens die, Clear Publish Date - March 19

..the prevailing bird flu death in the family chicken gnome. Unknown disease in remote areas of the host family and domestic poultry, poultry die out completely. Dumaki the last week, satani, rupasiya, jhatara, angariya, South dumaki, eighteen gachiya, East karttikapasa, South Serampore, with hundreds of different areas of an unknown disease in poultry - chicken, bird flu death in rural areas now, Panic has spread. The villagers said, only 7 days apart lebukhali, in many villages muradiya angariya and poultry - chickens to become zero.
...But in the last 6/7 days a disease outbreak is unknown because the area is almost all grhastera poultry - chickens die, become clear. Srirama rehena house in the village housewife, most (58), and his 10/1 in poultry and 7/8 ducks died. Jalisa sahanajera village housewife (45) complaints, almost all the houses in the village jalisa hasa - poultry diseases is unknown, only a few days jhimate jhimate interval has expired. Moses in the High North dumaki Hawlader said, the chickens have suddenly started jhimate and 3/4 died within a day of order.

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=bn&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fbangladeshbarta.com%2F2012%2F03%2F19%2F%25E0%25A6%25A6%25E0%25A7%2581%25E0%25A6%25AE%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A6%25BF%25E0%25A6%25B0-%25E0%25A6%25AA%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25B0%25E0%25A6%25A4%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25AF%25E0%25A6%25A8%25E0%25A7%258D%25E0%25A6%25A4-%25E0%25A6%258F%25E0%25A6%25B2%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A6%2595%25E0%25A6%25BE%25E0%25A7%259F%2F

smuggling infected birds..

Killing thousands of chickens to 9 sirajaganje
Mon, Mar 19th, 2012 9:35 pm BdSTSirajganj, March 19 (Dhaka) - sirajaganje bridge at the western edge of a vehicle from the bird flu virus is also killing thousands of chickens and has been identified.
The chickens are held on Sunday night. Administration officials on Monday that the presence of death.
Chickens infected with bird flu identified in the last couple of days to run from here to search the vehicle. The first two installments of two thousand and 4 are killing chickens.
Sirajganj District pranisampada officer said Shafiqul Islam, on the last Wednesday from pranisampada department at the bridge and the police assisted by putting pascimaprantera golacatbare cekaposta rogakranta muragibahi sick and running vehicle search.
The Sunday night continuation from the Pabna hemayetapura bajaragami kaptana a muragibahi pikaapa bhyane talla ¬ asi is thousands of chickens infected with bird flu, 65 are identified.
If the tests confirm bird flu on Monday after the dawn of the administration office in the presence of death.
Truck driver accused of transporting poultry abhiyanakale rogakranta, his assistant, poultry farm owners and consumers have been filed against mamala.

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