Plague Watch 2010 - ?

Russia 1/23/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Another four pupils have been hospitalized with suspected food poisoning in the Astrakhan Region in south Russia, bringing the total number of children affected by the stomach bug to 28, the regional emergencies ministry said on Sunday. Mass food poisoning among pupils of a secondary school in the town of Karagali occurred on January 19. In the first three days, 24 children aged 7-17 were hospitalized with the symptoms of acute dysentery, the ministry said. According to the regional prosecutor's office, four pupils were hospitalized in a grave condition and one of them was taken to an intensive care unit. "Already after the educational process was stopped and a quarantine regime introduced in the town, new cases of the disease were registered among children. The disease symptoms were registered among three pupils on Friday and the fourth pupil sought medical aid on Saturday. Therefore, the total number of children hit by the disease has reached 28 pupils," the ministry said. Prosecutors and the staff of the Russian consumer rights watchdog have exposed gross violations of food storage and food preparation procedures at the secondary school.

India 1/24/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Around half a dozen family members of a Bhiwandi resident stood outside ward no. 14 at Kasturba Hospital near Chinchpokli. "We don't want to talk to anyone until we get the test report from the National Institute of Virology," said the patient's son. He said he hadn't seen his father in the last 24 hours and was unaware whether he was on ventilator support. "He will come through this, and I am sure we will be able to leave in a day or 2." All members of the family have been given a preventive course of Ribavirin as a precautionary measure, he added. As news about the 48-year-old father suffering from a haemorrhagic fever spread, doctors from the Bhiwandi-Nijampur Municipal Corporation's (BNHC) Health Department visited the Gokul Nagar area. Health officials surveyed around 200 families, checking people for symptoms. BNMC's health officer K R Kharat said: "We spent the entire day carrying out a survey in the Gokul Nagar area and checked around a thousand residents." The authorities found no one with symptoms similar to Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). The only spot of worry was the statement given by a neighbour. "The patient's neighbour told us that the family visited Rajasthan 15 days ago and had stopped at Ahmedabad [in Gujarat state] on the return journey,'' he said. Ahmedabad district has witnessed 3 deaths due to the CCHF in the last 2 weeks. The Bhiwandi doctors also discovered that on his return, the patient had taken ill and was receiving treatment at a local hospital before he was moved to Bhatia Hospital in Mumbai. He was then admitted to Jaslok Hospital before the doctors there transferred him to Kasturba. Dr Pratik Samdhani from Jaslok Hospital said: "The patient had a brain haemorrhage along with renal failure. And because we could not collect the blood samples in complete isolation as required when a person is suffering from an infectious disease, we had to send him to Kasturba."

Bulgaria 1/24/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

An influenza epidemic will be declared in Sofia on January 22 2011, the Sofia regional inspectorate for health care has announced. "The influenza is showing a clear tendency to spread," the medical authorities said. According to the report, between January 10-16, the contagion increased to 155 registered patients for every 10 000 of the population, and that rates are rising towards epidemic levels. The National Reference Laboratory said that about 30 per cent of patients in Sofia are confirmed with A (H1N1) influenza. Starting on January 22, medical establishments will stop all consultations for children and women, as well as preventive examinations and vaccinations, the report said. Sofia municipality was the first to declare an emergency on January 18, followed by Blagoevgrad, and Petrich, earlier on January 19. Subsequently, Dupnitsa, Rila and Kocherinovo said that the level of respiratory infections in their respective regions had escalated and reached epidemic proportions. The influenza has since spread in other regions across Bulgaria. Medical authorities say that people should be washing their hands frequently with soap and water, shield the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing with a hand, and avoid contact with unwashed hands.

Dominican Republic
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Officals in the Dominican Republic have reported the first death from a cholera outbreak that spread from neighbouring Haiti, local media said. Reports yesterday quoted health officials as saying the victim had been in Haiti and lived in the Dominican city of Higuey. A health ministry statement said Renauld Francois, 53, died on Thursday, and that an autopsy would be performed to learn the exact cause of death but that his symptoms were "consistent with the disease." The Dominican Republic has reported 152 cases of cholera since the outbreak in Haiti last year. In Haiti, officials say 3889 people have died since the discovery of the epidemic in mid-October through January 16, out of 194,000 infected. The two countries share the island of Hispaniola.

Japan culls chickens as bird flu outbreak spreads
Source: www.sfgate.com...

Jan. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Japan is culling about 410,000 chickens at a farm in the southern prefecture of Miyazaki as avian influenza spreads to the nation's second-biggest growing region for poultry. The government is taking measures to contain the disease as the H5 flu virus has been detected in chickens found dead in the farm in Shintomi town, about 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) from where the first flu outbreak this year was confirmed, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Officials in Miyazaki culled more than 10,000 chickens on Jan. 22 after six out of 36 chickens found dead at a separate farm tested positive for influenza.

More Bay of Plenty kiwifruit orchards face destruction
Source: www.stuff.co.nz...

More Bay of Plenty kiwifruit orchards may have to be destroyed in a battle to contain a newly identified virulent strain of the disease PSA that created panic in the $1 billion export industry last year. Of 126 orchards around the country that have been confirmed as having the canker disease, 25 have been identified as having what is known as the "Italian isolate" or strain, which appears to be the more deadly of two strains pinpointed by biosecurity officials last month. The Italian strain was concentrated in orchards east of Te Puke, said John Burke, general manager of Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH), a joint industry-Government organisation formed last year specially to control PSA and find a long-term management strategy. The other strain identified just before Christmas was an Asian isolate, he said. This strain has been found outside the Bay of Plenty and its symptoms have been confined so far to leaf spotting. Orchards with the Italian strain have been far harder hit, with the disease spreading quickly.

Bauchi records 2,000 cases of measles outbreak
Source: www.sunnewsonline.com...

No fewer than 2000 cases of measles outbreak have been reported in the 20- local government areas of Bauchi State. A World Health Organization (WHO) Consultant, Dr. Habu Dahiru made the disclosure during an in-house training for members of the Bauchi State chapter of Journalists Initiatives on Immunization Against Polio, (JAP) in Bauchi. Dahiru said Bauchi, Katagum and Toro local government areas had the highest number of cases, making it alarming compared to reported cases in the same period last year.

Cholera epidemic: Two dead, 50 others hospitalised
Source: news.myjoyonline.com...

The Ghana Health Service has confirmed a reported outbreak of cholera in parts of the country. The Director General of the Ghana Health Service Dr. Elias Sory told Joy FM’s Super morning show host Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah that there is a cholera epidemic that has hit parts of the country. This follows the reported death of one person in Accra with 13 others receiving treatment in various health centres in the capital. The situation in the Central Region is no different as the Municipal Director of Health Services at Agona Swedru, Dr. Nii Adjei Adjetey confirmed to Joy News the death of one person with 45 others receiving treatment. “The first case was reported on 22nd December, up to date, we have recorded 45 cases. Incidentally, the cases are not mainly from our district. They are coming from Agona East and Gomoa East. There is one death we have recorded,” he said.

Researchers get grant to study deadly disease plaguing Arctic birds
Source: www.ottawacitizen.com...

OTTAWA — A new bird disease has arrived in Canada’s Arctic, one so lethal it can kill thousands of ducks in a dense colony in a lightning-fast outbreak. Eider ducks stricken with avian cholera can die so fast that they remain upright on their eggs, eyes open. Some fall out of the sky, dead. Others survive unharmed, surrounded by corpses. Now Carleton University and Environment Canada will get more than $500,000 to study the disease — which birds get it, how it spreads, why some survive, and how it arrived in the Arctic after decades of existing farther south.

Hundreds of fish die in County Antrim river
Source: www.bbc.co.uk...

Hundreds of fish have been found dead in the Six Mile Water river in County Antrim. Billy Robinson from Ballynure Angling Club walked a few miles alongside the river on Sunday afternoon. He said he saw dead fish from Doagh bridge right up towards Ballyclare. "There are quite a few dead trout, from small fish, up to fish weighing three quarters of a pound to a pound in weight, so it seems to be a total fish kill," he said.

Researchers find virus plaguing soft-crab businesses
Source: www.baltimoresun.com...

Not long after Lee Carrion and her partner launched Coveside Crabs in Dundalk five years ago, they realized their seafood business had a serious problem. Up to half of the molting crabs they were holding in dockside tanks to sell as soft crabs died before they could be sold to customers. "I was horrified. I couldn't believe they were dying like that," said Carrion, 50, a former teacher who'd left the classroom to join 54-year-old waterman Richard Young in the crab business. Alarmed by the losses, they methodically tweaked their operations and equipment, and managed to reduce the crab mortality, but couldn't eliminate it. Carrion began to look for help.

Swine Flu Strikes Kainuu
Source: www.yle.fi...

Around 50 conscripts have come down with the H1N1 virus at an army brigade in Kainuu in north-eastern Finland. According to the local newspaper Kainuun Sanomat, the soldiers began to fall ill the last two weeks, after new recruits arrived on the tenth of January. Tests revealed the cause to be H1N1.

Aggressive flu season hits Louisiana
Source: www.ksla.com...

Shreveport, LA(KSLA)- The flu season has arrived with a vengeance, and every year, half a million people die from the Influenza virus around the world. Here in the United States, Louisiana is ranking very high already as this year's flu season unfolds. The first confirmed cases of the flu in the Ark-La-Tex came on November 17th, and so did the warnings. "It's going to spread during the next few weeks, and it's going to spread rapidly," said Dr. John Canchiere, Professor of Pediatrics at LSUHSC.

New cases of H1N1 recorded in Algeria
Source: www.ennaharonline.com...

Algiers- swine flu, or influenza virus A/ H1N1 invaded Algeria, where tens of cases are reported. The vaccine against swine influenza is necessary for children, the elderly and chronically ill. According to Professor Faouzi Derar, head of the reference center for influenza A/H1N1 at the Pasteur Institute, dozens of cases have been recorded in Algeria during the past week. Medical tests for influenza virus A/H1N1 have been positive. The virus, brought from abroad, spreads quickly.

Two die of H1N1 in Georgia
Source: www.news.az...

One in Kutaisi and another - in Gori. The number of H1N1 cases is eventually growing as the temperature fell down during the last two weeks. The clinics are expecting more growth of the cases now. The Ministry of Health Care will meet the directors of Tbilisi polyclinics to give them instructions regarding the virus prevention activities today.

Canada 1/25/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Another beach in Cedar has been found covered with hundreds of dead herring that washed ashore. The fish were found Monday near the beach house in Cedar-By-The-Sea, a short distance from the beach north of Boat Harbour where Will Meeks found a large number of dead herring on Friday. Brenda Spence, a spokeswoman for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, speculated early Monday -- before the latest discovery -- that sea lions eating through nets used in the food and bait herring fishery in the Georgia Strait was the likely cause of the first incident. She said fishermen involved in the small fishery reported problems with "mammal predation" on their nets late last week. Spence said some fishing boats had holes cut in their nets, with sea lions the probable culprits, which allowed herring to be released near Cedar. She speculated that this was the cause of the dead herring found Friday. Commercial herring fisherman Paul Kershaw said it's likely both incidents are connected to the ongoing food and bait fishery. "Having fish die in the catching process is a part of all commercial fisheries and we're speculating that this is the most likely cause because of the proximity of herring boats to Cedar at the time, with some reporting problems with sea lions," Spence said.

Malaysia 1/25/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Hundreds of fish believed to be poisoned were found dead in a pond near a cemetery in Tambun here. Graveyard worker Bala Sudunapala, 42, said he arrived at the cemetery and was hit with a stench. "Then I saw the fish floating in the pond," he said, adding that he recalled seeing two men emptying a bottle of liquid into the pond on Saturday afternoon. He claimed that the men, who were there until 6pm that day, subsequently hauled off three sacks filled with fish. Bala said that locals fished at the pond. The dead fish eventually flowed into a drain outside the cemetery. Perak Fisheries Department officials went to investigate the matter in the afternoon.

Ghana 1/25/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Two deaths were recorded on Monday and more than 45 people hospitalized after a cholera outbreak hit southern Ghana, officials of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) reported. The patients are receiving treatment in a number of health centers in the capital Accra and other parts of the central region. Dr. Elias Sory, director-general of GHS, said strategies were in place to fight the pandemic, adding all government health facilities in the region were equipped to handle cholera cases. Deputy Regional Director of the GHS Edward Antwi called on persons who experienced frequent watery stools and vomiting to immediately rush to the nearest health centers for immediate treatment. Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae. It has a short incubation period, from less than one day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes copious, painless, watery diarrhea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given.

New Mexico 1/25/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

The New Mexico Department of Health announced today - 23 Jan 2011 - that a 51-year-old woman from McKinley County is hospitalized in critical condition at UNM (University of New Mexico) Hospital in Albuquerque with the state's 2nd diagnosed case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in 2011. An environmental investigation will be conducted to determine where the woman may have been exposed to the virus. "Cases of hantavirus infection in the winter are not as common as in spring and summer and are usually due to rodents seeking shelter and food in homes and other buildings due to the cold weather," said Dr Paul Ettestad, the Department of Health's public health veterinarian. "Being aware of your surroundings so that you avoid disturbing areas of rodent infestation, rodent nests, and droppings is very important along with making sure your house is sealed up so that rodents cannot enter." People can become infected and develop disease from hantaviruses when they breathe in aerosolized virus particles that have been transmitted by infected rodents through urine, droppings, or saliva. The deer mouse is the main reservoir for the strain of hantavirus that occurs in New Mexico, Sin Nombre virus. The Department of Health urges health-care workers and the general public to familiarize themselves with the symptoms of hantavirus infection.

India 1/25/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Finding itself trapped among an anxious crowd of villagers, a stray leopard attacked and seriously injured five persons at Khetipulbadi in West Bengal on Monday. Two teams were brought from Benagudi and Madarihat to tranquillise the animal. It will be released deep into a forest, Sheelwant Patel, Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) of north Bengal, told The Hindu over telephone The leopard had wandered into the village in Cooch Behar district late Sunday night and was unable to return to its forest before daybreak. As soon as the animal was sighted, large crowds began to assemble in the area, Dr. Patel said. Among the injured, some were taken to the Dhoopguri hospital and the others whose condition was more serious, to the Jalpaiguri hospital. It was likely that the leopard had crossed a vast distance as there isn't any dense forest area nearby, Dr. Patel said. The presence of curious onlookers was a serious challenge to foresters in trying to bring such situations under control. Often the wild animal felt trapped and threatened, and hence attacked them, he said. Dr. Patel pointed out that incidents of leopards straying into villages and tea gardens were fairly common in February and March during the breeding season.

Officials Try To Prevent Meningitis Outbreak At Prison
Source: www.wpbf.com...

STUART, Fla. -- Officials are trying to prevent a possible meningitis outbreak at a state prison in Martin County. The Martin County Health Department said an inmate at the Martin Correctional Institution was diagnosed with meningitis Sunday, and the Florida Department of Corrections said another inmate was diagnosed Monday. They were being treated at a hospital and are listed in stable condition.

Farmers warned of smoliya outbreak
Source: www.times.co.sz...

MBABANE - An outbreak of African Horse Sickness, which has left three horses dead, has been reported in the country. The viral disease has been found at the Matsapha Correctional Services where it affected six horses, leading to the death of three. The three surviving horses are reportedly in a critical state. Government has since issued a warning to farmers about the outbreak of the disease, known in siSwati as smoliya. It affects horses, donkeys and similar animals.

Influenza outbreak at CHUS- Fleurimont
Source: www.sherbrookerecord.com...

An outbreak of the influenza A virus at the CHUS-Fleurimont has led to a full quarantine of the hospital’s surgical intensive care unit and the imposing of limitations on visitations for both the CHUS’ Fleurimont and Hotel-Dieu locations. In a statement released on Friday, CHUS officials said that six staff members from the surgical intensive care unit had been diagnosed with the virus, while another five CHUS personnel (four from intensive care, one from another health care unit) have shown flu-like symptoms. All have been told to stay home until fully recovered.

Scabies Outbreak At Maine Nursing Home
Source: www.jdsupra.com...

SUMMARY: Staff at Brewer Rehab and Living Center, a Maine nursing home, have been afflicted with an outbreak of scabies. The outbreak was reported to the Maine Center for Disease Prevention where officials rendered advice on treat patients and staff with the mite. Scabies is a very small mite that causes allergic reaction-type problems when it burrows beneath the skin. Common reactions to the scabies mite include: severe scratching, rashes, skin discoloration, and other skin irritations.

Disease confirmed in Gregory County cows
Source: www.argusleader.com...

A Gregory County cattle herd has been infected with a venereal disease that causes abortions, prompting the South Dakota animal industry board to advise cattlemen in that area to have their herds checked. State Veterinarian Dustin Oedekoven said it was the sixth confirmed case of bovine trichomoniasis since July. "It's hard to tell the number of cows infected at this point," he said. The disease is more prevalent among West River herds. Mike Stiefvater, a veterinarian in Salem, said this is because they're generally allowed to graze freely and intermingle. The state animal industry board drew up new rules on cattle sales after a severe trichomoniasis outbreak in 2005.

Officials calm over flu fears
Source: www.ekathimerini.com...

Six dead and 37 seriously ill from H1N1 virus - Greece is entering a normal period of seasonal flu and people should not be worried about a dangerous outbreak of the H1N1 virus, Health Ministry sources said on Monday after a sixth person who had contracted the disease died. Authorities said that apart from the six who died, including a 14-year-old girl, another 37 who have contracted the H1N1 strain of the flu are seriously ill. Health Ministry officials met with representatives of the Center for Infectious Diseases Control (KEEL) to decide on a strategy to tackle the infectious disease.

UPDATE: More dead birds found in Yankton, SD area
Source: www.ktiv.com...

YANKTON, S.D. (KTIV) -- It's been almost a week since we told you about hundreds of poisoned birds in Yankton, South Dakota, and officials say since then they've found a few more. On Monday of last week about 200 starlings were found dead at Riverside Park. The USDA says they were part of a large killing ten miles south in Nebraska. Officials say a farmer there had health concerns for his staff and livestock after about 5,000 starlings had been defecating in his feed meal. USDA says they poisoned about 2,000 birds, and then about 200 flew back to Yankton before dying.

Creeping flow of dirty water killing fish in state's rivers
Source: www.theage.com.au...

TENS of thousands of fish, including giant Murray cod, have suffocated in dirty floodwater along massive stretches of Victoria's river systems. Fishermen and anglers are being asked to voluntarily limit their catch to minimise the impact on native fish populations in their spawning season. The Murray-Darling Basin Authority is warning against eating discoloured fish because their poor condition may be a health risk.A plume of oxygen-depleted water known as ''black water'' has travelled hundreds of kilometres from its launch point in the Barmah Forest near Deniliquin in New South Wales late last year into the Murray, Edward, Wakool, Goulburn-Broken, Lower Darling, Anabranch and Loddon river systems. Fish deaths are expected to increase in some places, including Mildura, as the water warms.

Fishy deaths near Tambun cemetery
Source: thestar.com.my.../2011/1/25/nation/7865270&sec=nation

IPOH: Hundreds of fish believed to be poisoned were found dead in a pond near a cemetery in Tambun here. Graveyard worker Bala Sudunapala, 42, said he arrived at the cemetery and was hit with a stench. “Then I saw the fish floating in the pond,” he said, adding that he recalled seeing two men emptying a bottle of liquid into the pond on Saturday afternoon.

Japan 1/26/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

A Japanese poultry farm in Toyashi, Aichi Prefecture may be the latest to have its chickens contract the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu, the farm ministry said Wednesday. In Aichi Prefecture, some 450 chickens died in just four days through Wednesday, and four chickens have already tested positive in preliminary examinations for the virulent strain of the avian flu virus, Aichi prefectural government officials said. Should the H5N1 bird flu virus be conformed in Toyashi, it would be the fifth outbreak this winter following cases in Shimane Prefecture in December and Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures this month. Officials are concerned the pandemic could spread nationwide as a number of wild birds have also been found infected with the virus, including Japan's iconic hooded cranes who use a wintering place close to one of the infected farms. Reiterating Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan's comments in the morning, farm minister Michihiko Kano told local reporters, "We will do our utmost to prevent the infection from spreading." Chickens at a farm In Japan's southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima have also tested positive for bird flu, local government officials said Wednesday. The prefectural government said that of the 10 birds tested for the virus, eight of them tested positive. The culling of around 8, 600 chickens has already started at the poultry farm in Izumi, Kagoshima Prefecture, according to the officials. Two farms were found to have infected chickens in neighboring Miyazaki Prefecture, the nation's largest poultry-producing region, at the beginning of the week and the problem was deemed serious enough to despatch a 170-member Self-Defense Force team to help cull the birds. A farm in Shimane Prefecture, southeastern Japan, was the scene of the first case of bird flu this season. The subsequent spread of the virus is being called a pandemic by some veterinary experts. The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry sent its secretary Kenko Matsuki and a team of specialists to Kagoshima Prefecture to try to locate the exact route of the infection, according to statements by ministry officials earlier. Prime Minister Naoto Kan also said early on Wednesday that both local and central governments will do their utmost to stamp out the latest outbreak of the virus.

Australia 1/26/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Residents in Brisbane's north have been urged to ensure they are vaccinated against measles amid fears a man diagnosed yesterday could have unwittingly spread the highly contagious virus. Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said she was concerned the 21-year-old man visited the busy Westfield Chermside Shopping Centre on January 19, when he would have been infectious. He was diagnosed with the highly contagious disease at Prince Charles Hospital yesterday. “We know he was in the food court, and he transacted some business at the ANZ Bank," Dr Young said. “We urge anyone who was at the shopping centre on Wednesday, January 19, and especially anyone who was at those two locations within the complex to ensure they are protected against measles and to seek medical advice if they develop symptoms. “Queensland Health will continue to actively investigate this case and do whatever it can to prevent further transmission." It is understood the man contracted the virus on a recent flight into Brisbane from overseas. Three other passengers on the same flight who continued on to another location were infectious with measles at the time. Queensland Health is contacting all other passengers who disembarked in Brisbane and who were seated close to the infected people. Measles is one of the most infectious diseases and is often acquired in public places such as shopping centres or on public transport. According to Queensland Health, measles is spread by tiny droplets through coughing and sneezing and the virus can linger in the environment for several hours. It can be a severe illness even in otherwise healthy adolescents and young adults and can cause pneumonia and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). The initial symptoms are fever, lethargy, runny nose, moist cough and sore and red eyes, followed a few days later by a blotchy red rash, which starts on the face then becomes widespread.

Japan (2) 1/26/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Chickens at a poultry farm in Japan' s southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima have tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu, local government officials said Wednesday. The prefectural government said that of the 10 birds tested for the virus, eight of them tested positive. The culling of around 8,600 chickens has already started at the poultry farm in Izumi, Kagoshima Prefecture, according to the officials. This is the third case this year and the fourth since December that mass poultry culling has occurred in Japan following the detection of the avian flu virus, which officials say in some cases was a particularly infective strain. Earlier this week, two farms were found to have infected chickens in neighboring Miyazaki Prefecture, the nation's largest poultry-producing region, and the problem was deemed serious enough to dispatch a 170-member Self-Defense Force team to help cull the birds. A farm in Shimane Prefecture, southeastern Japan, was the scene of the first case of bird flu this season. The subsequent spread of the virus is being called a pandemic by some veterinary experts. The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry will send its secretary Kenko Matsuki and a team of specialists to Kagoshima Prefecture to try to locate the exact route of the infection, according to statements by ministry officials earlier. Prime Minister Naoto Kan also said early on Wednesday that both local and central governments will do their utmost to stamp out the latest outbreak of the virus.

India 1/26/11[/b
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Cholera has arrived in the city (Mumbay). Two persons have tested positive for cholera after their stool samples were sent to the Sassoon General Hospital. Officials at the hospital confirmed that the culture tests at the microbiology lab have indicated vibrio cholerae of the El Tor type, which doctors said is a milder form of the highly infectious bacterial disease. This they said should be reported to the international community. Dr Anju Kagal, head of microbiology department, said the first sample was of a 16-year-old girl Juhi Kumari Yadav, who was travelling to Jharkand with two friends. "She developed severe diarrhoea and dehydration and had to alight in Pune. She was admitted to Sassoon hospital and was treated here after her sample tested positive for cholera. The second person's stool sample was sent by Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital for confirmation of cholera," said Kagal. Kagal said the patient was a 65-year-old and refused to divulge further details citing patient confidentiality. "Even a single case should be taken seriously as this is a highly contagious disease which spreads through contaminated water. People should be sensitised in neighbouring areas to employ safe drinking water and follow hygienic practices," Kagal said. R R Pardeshi, medical officer, Pune Muncipal Corporation, said he was not aware of any positive cholera case. Dr Rajshekhar Iyer, medical director, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation said that a person had tested positive for cholera this week and he had given instructions to conduct a survey of neighbouring areas to health officer concerned. However, he did not tell the exact location of the case."I will have to look for the details, it isn't available right now with me," was his reply. Experts on such infectious diseases said the situation should be monitored closely in affected areas. "It is necessary to alert the health authorities, so that they can monitor closely the areas from which such cases have been notified. The source of contamination in cholera is water and that's why it can affect a large number of people. El Tor is the prevalent bacterium and is a milder form of the disease, nevertheless it can get serious if taken lightly," said Dr Sanjay Pujari. Dr Sharad Agharkhedkar, president of Indian Medical Association, said that cholera was a serious concern. "Cholera isn't prevalent in western countries and that's why the World Health Organisation should be notified. They can then issue travel alerts and those coming to the affected areas can take a cholera vaccine. A person affected with cholera can suffer from extreme dehydration and it is serious," he said. Physician Dr Devendra Shirole said as its highly contagious the population that could be infected is not measurable.

Porum schools closed through Friday, flu outbreak to blame
Source: www.kjrh.com...

PORUM, Okla. - Classes at Porum Public Schools have been canceled for the rest of the week due to an outbreak of the flu, the district's superintendent said Tuesday. Superintendent Rick Antle tells 2NEWS that absentee rates have recently been as high as 40% district-wide. Approximately 500 students attend classes at Porum schools.

Disease outbreak at Caboolture flood site
Source: northern-times.whereilive.com.au...

A DISEASE outbreak has forced Moreton Bay Regional Council to close flood clean up sites at Caboolture’s Centenary Lakes. Two council staff have contracted melioidosis, an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called burkholderia pseudomallei (previously known as pseudomonas pseudomalle). A council spokesman said it was working with relevant agencies to address and investigate the incident, and was contacting everyone who may have worked at the site since the recent floods.`They are being urged to seek medical assistance if they exhibit symptoms such as fever, headache, loss of appetite, cough, chest pain, and general muscle soreness,’’ the spokesman said.

Flu outbreak elevated at Orillia hospital
Source: www.thebarrieexaminer.com...

The flu outbreak has been elevated at Orillia's Soldiers' Memorial Hospital. In light of a second, hospital-acquired case of Influenza A on Soldiers' 2, OSMH in conjunction with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit have declared an outbreak on that unit effective today, elevating the 'suspect' outbreak declared on Jan. 20.

Cholera outbreak fears in Eastern Cape
Source: www.timeslive.co.za...

Investigations into a possible cholera outbreak in a Newlands village just outside East London continue after an 11-month-old was diagnosed and isolated and is being treated for the disease. Yesterday, a team from the Department of Health's epidemiology department visited Kwampundu village to carry out an awareness campaign. "They also took faeces of a child from the same home that our patient came from and they are going to be tested for the cholera bacteria," said health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo. The child lives with a grandmother in the village and investigations by the department include finding out if they had travelled recently.

Rift Valley Fever confirmed in Eastern Cape livestock
Source: www.timeslive.co.za...

The state vet has confirmed cases of Rift Valley Fever in livestock in the Komgha and East Coast Resorts area of the Eastern Cape. The Democratic Alliance says a speedy response is of key importance to contain the latest outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in the Eastern Cape. "The outbreak of the disease around Komgha and the East Coast Resorts area, north of East London, was confirmed today by Haga-Haga farmer Dr. Les Trollope. Trollope said the tests were conducted by the state vet in Grahamstown." The Democratic Alliance calls on the provincial department of agriculture to take immediate steps to contain the spread of the disease in livestock and to avoid human illness as well.

Scores hit by viral outbreak in town centre pub
Source: www.hemeltoday.co.uk...

SCORES of people have been struck with the winter vomiting virus after visiting a town centre pub.Dacorum Borough Council have received 44 enquiries by people who have visited The Full House in Hemel Hempstead since Thursday (January 20).It was closed by JP Wetherspoons, who own it, yesterday (January 25) while council environmental health workers investigated. Experts have now said contagious bug Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting virus, is the cause. But Facebook users are calling it the ‘FH (Full House) virus’.

Mutations Form Deadlier Cholera Strain
Source: ozarksfirst.com...

(Hong Kong) -- A new form of cholera is wreaking havoc on impoverished nations. Researcher Edward Ryan of Harvard University found two genetic mutations to the cholera bacterium in the past two decades have formed a new strain of the disease that is deadlier and capable of infecting more people. Ryan believes the new strain is driving cholera mortality rates higher and spreading the infection to people who should be immune to cholera because of earlier exposure to the original strain.

Polio detected in Haiti
Source: eurasia.foreignpolicy.com...

In the shadow of Haiti's ongoing turmoil, infectious disease tracker ProMed reported on Jan. 21 that polio had been detected in Port de Paix and Port au Prince. Information on this outbreak remains scant, and containment remains possible. But if this report is only the tip of the iceberg, this mostly forgotten scourge could regain a foothold in Haiti. This is bad news for Haiti, the region, and a global polio eradication effort that in the last few years has come tantalizingly close to success.

Measles outbreak fear hits Brisbane
Source: www.brisbanetimes.com.au...

Residents in Brisbane's north have been urged to ensure they are vaccinated against measles amid fears a man diagnosed yesterday could have unwittingly spread the highly contagious virus. Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said she was concerned the 21-year-old man visited the busy Westfield Chermside Shopping Centre on January 19, when he would have been infectious. He was diagnosed with the highly contagious disease at Prince Charles Hospital yesterday.

Bauchi records 2,000 cases of measles
Source: www.compassnewspaper.com...:bauchi-records-2000-cases-of-measles&catid=42:commune&Itemid=796

BAUCHI State has recorded over 2,000 cases of measles in its 20 local government areas, with three councils taking the lead. Bauchi, Katagum and Toro local government areas have the highest number of cases within the first 20 days of the year. It is alarming, compared with reported cases of the disease within the same period last year. This was disclosed to Journalists Initiatives on Immunisation Against Polio (JAP) during an in-house training for members the Bauchi State chapter of the body by a World Health Organisation (WHO) consultant, Dr Habu Dahiru, who described that outbreak as alarming.

Region sees sharp rise in whooping cough cases
Source: tdn.com...

Cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, were five times higher in Cowlitz County in 2010 than in 2009, and in Lewis County there were six times the number of cases, health officials in the two counties report. The highly contagious bacterial disease is not usually life-threatening for adults, but it can kill babies who aren't old enough to be immunized. Officials recorded 25 cases last year in Cowlitz County, up from five in 2009. Some of the increase may have been due to heightened awareness, said Dr. Jennifer Vines, the county's health officer. "There was presumably more pertussis up and down the West Coast last fall. California had an outbreak last year that got quite a bit of media attention. We can't know for sure, but I suspect that we experienced more illness and more testing and reporting of illness because of heightened awareness among the public and health care providers," Vines wrote in a prepared statement released Tuesday.

Yellow fever in Côte d'Ivoire
Source: www.reliefweb.int...

25 January 2011 - On 3 January 2011, the Minister of Health in Côte d'Ivoire notified WHO of a yellow fever outbreak in the north of the country. As of January 17, 2011 a total of 12 cases tested IgM positive by ELISA at the Institut Pasteur of Abidjan and were subsequently confirmed positive for yellow fever by the regional reference laboratory, the Institut Pasteur of Dakar (by ELISA and PRNT). These cases originate from Béoumi and Katiola districts, in the Bandama Valley Region in the centre of the country, and Séguéla and Mankono in the Worodougou Region in the north of the country. In response to this outbreak, a field investigation was conducted in Béoumi and Katiola districts from 10 to 15 January 2011 by the Ministry of Health with support from the WHO country office. During this investigation a total of 64 suspected cases, including 25 deaths, were identified. Further laboratory testing is on-going.

Zambia: Cholera kills 3 in Sinazongwe
Source: www.lusakatimes.com...

Over 40 people have been admitted to Sinamalima clinic in Sinazongwe district in Southern Province after suffering from cholera in the past one week. Sinazongwe District Health Medical Officer Elias Chipandwe said three people out of the 44 that have suffered from cholera in the past eight days have since died. Dr. Chipandwe told the District Epidemic Preparedness Committee yesterday that currently 20 people were still admitted to Sinamalima clinic, which has been turned into a cholera centre. Dr. Chipandwe described the situation as serious noting that the centre admits between seven and 10 people daily.

Bark beetle epidemic has infested 4 million acres in Colorado, Wyoming
Source: www.laramieboomerang.com...

The bark beetle epidemic has infested 4 million acres in Colorado and southern Wyoming, and it’s spreading into the Black Hills of South Dakota, U.S. Forest Service officials said. The figures released from an annual aerial survey of the U.S. Forest Service and the Colorado State Forest Service showed the bark beetle epidemic that started in 1996 spread to 400,000 new acres last year, according to the Associated Press.

Pertussis, norovirus spreading
Source: www.dailyinterlake.com...

Flathead City-County Health Department continues to battle pertussis (whooping cough) and norovirus has appeared in a local nursing home. Jody White, RN and director of Community Health Services, reported at the Board of Health meeting last Thursday that a family including a 5-month-old infant had been diagnosed with pertussis just the day prior. Click here to find out more! “It’s a pretty sick baby,” White said. “The hospital confirmed pertussis.” She said the parents, a 2-year-old and grandmother all had symptoms of pertussis. According to the Centers for Disease Control, pertussis starts with cold-like symptoms and maybe a mild cough or fever. In a week or two, severe coughing fits, sometimes causing vomiting, appear that continue for weeks.

Over 200 Pelicans Wash Up Dead at Topsail Beach, NC - Preliminary Necropsies Inconclusive
Source: www.surfbirds.com...

Preliminary necropsies by the University of Georgia on some of the more than 200 Brown Pelicans that have washed up on the shores of Topsail Beach on the coast of southeastern North Carolina are inconclusive and do not yet support concerns that foul play was responsible. Complete toxicology and pathology reports are expected to be available soon. A taskforce including officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as state officials, has been formed and has been meeting to investigate the deaths, but so far has not determined a cause. The first dead birds began washing up on shore in November.

Freak weather conditions kill hundreds of endangered geese
Source: www.surfbirds.com...

Extraordinary weather conditions in the Kalmykya region of Southern Russia bordering the Caspian Sea have led to the deaths of at least several hundred - and possibly thousands - of rare geese. Snow and rain fell together, which in combination with viciously low temperatures in the region of -10ºC transformed the snow into a thick layer of ice. The speed at which this happened almost instantly created an ice shell which entombed the birds in a cocoon of ice 15cm thick.hunters discovered the tragic scene, estimating that up to a thousand geese were dead. The majority of the geese that perished were juveniles so less able to fight their way free of the ice.

Now La Nina brings fly plague
Source: www.nzherald.co.nz...

La Nina has already brought us floods, cyclones and stifling humidity. Now it is also being blamed for greater numbers of flies in our homes. Not only are there more of them, they are harder to kill. The warmer, wetter summer is behind the proliferation in Auckland of the common household fly, which thrives in these conditions. Entomologist and "Bugman" Ruud Kleinpaste said high temperatures in December meant adult flies hatched earlier, and in greater numbers. "We've had a brilliant lead-in to summer so they've had a head start. This weather keeps flies alive nicely. As long as they've got enough moisture and compost around, they'll breed like, well, flies."

New Zealand 1/27/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

A toxin that breeds in water is paralysing and killing birds across Auckland. Ducks and swans have been hit hard by the botulism toxin, says SPCA chief inspector Vicki Border. Botulism is a bacteria that grows in water and Ms Border is putting the outbreak down to the hot and humid temperatures the city's currently experiencing. "I haven't seen it this bad over the years and I'm pretty positive it's been to do with the weather. "With the hot weather, toxins in the water are thriving.'' Water birds, particularly those who take up residency on the water, are being struck down. The SPCA has also had a few sick pukeko brought in but not as many as the ducks it's been dealing with, she says. It's all systems go in the SPCA's Birdwing where the affected animals are kept in a warm, dark place and being given electrolytes and antibiotics. Ms Border says members of the public should be on the look-out for birds that are struggling to move, particularly around waterways and ponds. "The toxin paralyses them so they have difficulty in using their wings, feet and neck. "It's quite nasty, it's not nice.'' People will know if a bird is affected, she says - they will struggle when approached but will be unable to move. "It's quite distressing watching them. Ducks are really getting knocked around.'' The SPCA wants members of the public can ring and let it know if they see any birds that are struggling.

Venezuela 1/27/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Venezuela's Health Minister Eugenia Sader confirmed an outbreak of cholera in Caracas. The disease was brought by Venezuelans who attended a wedding last Saturday 22 in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic. Sader said that 21 cases were confirmed in Caracas. The party was attended by 400-500 Venezuelans. The official urged the partygoers to visit a hospital as soon as the first symptoms occur and report the cases through hotline 0800 - VIGILAN for a checkup regardless of not having the symptoms. The minister said that the State has available a treatment against cholera for about 100,000 people. The disease should be immediately treated, as soon as the first symptoms emerge, as it may cause death by dehydration in just a few hours. Cholera is transmitted by means of food or contaminated water by the vibro cholerae. Symptoms include severe watery, loose stools and vomiting.

Japan 1/27/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Another tufted duck found dead in Fukushima Prefecture has been confirmed to have been infected with a highly virulent type of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, the Environment Ministry said Friday, after confirming earlier this week that three other ducks had the virus. In Miyazaki Prefecture, meanwhile, preliminary tests showed positive for avian flu in six chickens which had been found dead in a poultry farm in Miyazaki city. The prefectural government subsequently asked 51 farms in the city not to move their chickens, which number 1.93 million. The virus found in the four ducks in Fukushima Prefecture was ''extremely closely related'' to the one discovered in a wild duck in Hokkaido last October, according to the ministry. The Fukushima prefectural government said Friday that no abnormalities have been found in on-site inspections conducted from Thursday at 59 farms within a 10-kilometer radius of the water reservoir where the dead ducks were found. The Environment Ministry also began Friday a study of wild bird droppings collected in the area to check whether the virus has spread. In Miyazaki, detailed examinations are planned to confirm whether the dead chickens were infected with flu. If confirmed, all the roughly 10,000 chickens at the same farm will be culled, according to local officials. It is yet another blow to the local poultry industry in the southwestern prefecture, which was hit by bird flu in 2007 and then a foot-and-mouth epidemic that led to the slaughter of about 290,000 cows and pigs.

Mongaguá (SP) removed 10 tonnes of dead fish from the beach
Source: www.thebigwobble.com...

After you finish cleaning the beaches, the city of Mongaguá, on the coast of Sao Paulo, said it has withdrawn 10 tons of dead fish from the edge. The fish began to appear on Sunday and the cause of death is still unknown.

Flu outbreak looming over Inland Empire, say officials
Source: www.mydesert.com...

Cases of influenza are expected to accelerate in Riverside County in the coming weeks, prompting a warning Thursday from health officials for residents to take precautions. The county's Department of Public Health noted that flu outbreaks are on the rise nationally, supported by data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which reported widespread influenza activity recently in Nevada and Arizona, both of which border California. “Based on how influenza spreads across the country, we expect the virus to hit the Inland Empire sometime in the next few weeks,” said county Health Officer Eric Frykman.

Flu outbreak forces Soper Public Schools to close
Source: www.kxii.com...

SOPER, OK-Oklahoma gets hit hard with the flu and that's forcing the closure of several schools, including one in Texoma. Here's what's happening, at least six schools in the state have shut their doors to reduce infection. Among those, Porum in Muskogee, which had to cancel classes for the rest of the week after 196 flu-related absences yesterday.

Fifth Case of Bird Flu Reported in Japan
Source: www.670kboi.com...

(TOKYO) -- A fifth case of bird flu has been detected in Japan, adding onto an outbreak that has called for the culling of hundreds of thousands of chickens in the country. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Labor reported the latest case of avian flu on Thursday. The government is also investigating a sixth case involving a bird that was found dead in the Miyazaki Prefecture Thursday. No confirmation has been made yet on whether or not the bird succumbed to the flu.

Manistee's Casman Academy Closed for Flu Outbreak
Source: www.9and10news.com...

Students at Casman Academy in Manistee were kept home today to hopefully stop the spread of the virus. After several students called in sick Tuesday and many more sent home early for illness, Academy Director Cameron Clark chose to close the school and allow his students time to get healthy and allow his cleaning crew to disinfect the charter school. For a school the size of Casman, teachers will find it tough to teach without students in class.

Outbreak of mumps hits Highlands
Source: www.heraldscotland.com...

Cases of mumps have rocketed in the Highlands with more than 100 people now infected by the outbreak. Most of those who have fallen ill are living in the Oban area and many are teenagers or people in their early-20s. Doctors notified health officials of an extra 30 patients with the condition in one week alone.

UGANDA: Tackling yellow fever in the north
Source: www.irinnews.org...

KITGUM/PADER, 27 January 2011 (IRIN) - Health officials in Uganda have launched a yellow fever vaccination drive in the north where an outbreak of the disease has caused 53 deaths and 224 infections in 10 districts since late 2010. Almost a million people are expected to be vaccinated in the campaign, launched by Health Minister Richard Nduhura on 23 January. The outbreak - affecting all age groups - was first reported in Abim district in Karamoja sub-region on 16 November 2010. Cases have been reported from several northern districts. Local leaders told IRIN they feared there may not be sufficient medicine as people were coming from far and wide to be inoculated.

Bird flu recurs in Myanmar
Source: www.examiner.com...

Myanmar has been recently struck with bird flu for the fifth time since 2006, it was today reported. Following confirmation that birds had been infected with the H5N1 virus, 52,000 chickens and 1,000 ducks were culled in the states Bumay-village tract in an attempt to contain the outbreak. Investigations are underway to determine whether it was caused by the import of birds into the area, or migratory birds. This follows confirmation of H5N1 in Japan and the culling of at least 452,000 birds.

UFO Responsible for Killing 2000 Fish in Colombia?
Source: www.ufodigest.com...

BOGOTA – Residents of a community northeast of Colombia claim that 2000 fish have turned up dead since last week, following last week’s appearance of a strange, flashing object seen briefly over a local swamp. The incident occurred at the village of El Llanito in the jurisdiction of the city of Barrancabermeja. Residents saw a flying object in the skies last Friday, according to local media. Shortly afterward, dead fish were found floating in the swamp, but unlike other similar cases ascribed to the lack of oxygen, residents of El Llanito are startled by the fact that fish display burn marks on their scales. According to Magaly Gutiérrez, director of a community organization, the phenomenon lasted some 20 seconds and was seen by many.

Fish die at frozen marshes
Source: www.goolecourier.co.uk...

IT IS feared that the freezing winter weather conditions have wiped out fish stocks at Howden Marsh Nature Reserve. A layer of ice more than four inches thick has covered the pond for around two months and dead fish, including pike, bream and perch can be seen on the ice and trapped under what remains of the icy surface. Howden Town Council Chairman Hugh Roberts, who has been heavily involved in conservation management at Howden Marsh, explained: “This is purely down to the depth and severity of the frost, as well as the length of time that it has lasted and the fact that we had snow on top of the ice. “It prevented sunlight from getting into the pond, which means that the plants can’t work in the way they normally would so fish die from a lack of oxygen. “Also, the water level in the pond was much lower than at this time last year.“

Devastation after pollution kills thousands of fish
Source: www.newtownabbeytoday.co.uk...

THOUSANDS of fish are thought to have died after pollution leaked into the Sixmilewater River. And the Ballynure Angling Club which holds the fishing rights to the affected stretch of water says it could take years for the river to recover. Local girl, 11-year-old Julia Wilson, daughter of Ballynure Angling Club member Sam Wilson, spotted the dead fish close to the Isle of Man Bridge as she was out for a walk along the river on Sunday afternoon.

Another January Massive Fish Kill, this time dead fish wash up in Canada
Source: www.goddiscussion.com...

People in Nanaimo were shocked to discover thousands of dead herring washed up on their Vancouver island beach. The sight was a new experience for some. Biologists have taken samples to determine what caused the mass deaths, which may be attributable to toxins or disease. Brenda Spence of Fisheries and Oceans Canada told CBC News that there are diseases that are endemic to herring which can cause mass die-offs.

New dengue fever outbreak declared
Source: news.smh.com.au...

A new outbreak of dengue fever has been declared in the far north Queensland town of Innisfail. Queensland Health on Friday declared an outbreak after receiving confirmation at least one locally acquired case of the mosquito-borne virus. One resident has been diagnosed with the virus and authorities are awaiting confirmation on another suspected case in the town. Queensland Health Medical Director Dr Jeffrey Hanna urged residents, particularly those in East Innisfail, to take steps to prevent a repeat of the 2009 outbreak which resulted in 35 residents being diagnosed with the virus.

7 dead in Ivory Coast cholera outbreak
Source: www.google.com...

The head of UNICEF in Ivory Coast says that a cholera outbreak in a neighbourhood of Abidjan killed at least seven people and sickened 35 others. UNICEF country chief Sylvie Dossou says the fatality rate of 20 per cent in the Adjame neighbourhood is "unacceptably high."

Biosecurity warns of toxic weed outbreak
Source: news.ninemsn.com.au...

Queensland authorities are warning of a widespread outbreak of toxic weeds in the wake of major flooding across the state. Biosecurity Queensland principal veterinary officer Rick Whittle said flooding can easily spread toxic plant seeds, resulting in new infestations. Mr Whittle said poisonous plants pose a major risk to livestock. "As plant life starts to regenerate and shoot up in new areas, producers should keep a watchful eye on livestock for any signs of illness and lookout for poisonous plants," Dr Whittle said in a statement.

Tallassee experiences influenza outbreak
Source: www.thewetumpkaherald.com...

Many Tallassee residents have been hit hard with the flu in recent weeks. And some of those affected got the recommended flu shot in the fall. “There is a strain of flu going around that wasn’t covered in the vaccine this year,” said Heather Johnson, outreach coordinator for Community Hospital, who added the hospital has seen an increase of patients with flu symptoms through the emergency department. This season’s vaccine covered different strains of influenza, including last year’s H1N1 virus, commonly known as the swine flu. Johnson noted the strain of flu affecting patients now will most likely be included in next year’s vaccine.

Cholera Outbreak: 3 dead, 48 hospitalized
Source: www.citifmonline.com...

The cholera outbreak reported in parts of the country by the Ghana Health Service, has claimed three lives in the Greater Accra Region. The Region has so far recorded 48 cases. Deputy Director of the Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Edward Antwi confirmed the deaths to Citi News. The Ghana Health Service last week confirmed the outbreak in parts of the country.

Measles Outbreak In Nimba
Source: theinquirer.com.lr...

There has been a report of an outbreak of strange measles in the Nimba County, a place that is located in the northern part of the country and has experienced influx of refugees since the outbreak of the post elections crisis in neighboring Ivory Coast. However the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Walter T. GwenIgale has confirmed that indeed there is an outbreak of strange measles in that county that are currently diagnosed in young adults something that is looked at as strange. Because it is common for measles to be found in children and not young adults and he added that the measles have left one dead in the county. The Ministry has already dispatched a team there to do all it could to bring the situation under control.

Melioidosis outbreak in Queensland causes cancellation of flood clean-up
Source: www.examiner.com...

According to a report in the Northern Times, flood clean-up at the Caboolture BMX Club in Centenary Lakes was cancelled due to a disease outbreak. The flood ravaged Centenary Lakes is 30 minutes from Brisbane. 2 people have contracted the infectious disease, melioidosis. A Moreton Bay Regional Council spokesperson said they are contacting everyone who may have worked at the site since the recent floods.

Cases of cholera in Lara State … health bodies on alert
Source: www.vheadline.com...

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports: Lara State health director, Yleana Guarenas has confirmed what she calls three suspect cases of cholera. The patients, Guarenas reported, are in clinics and two of them have shown symptoms of the disease … "we are waiting 24 hours for test results to come in." With the outbreak reported yesterday, the authorities have alerted the public and initiated a watch at all airports and points of entry into the country.

Dengue claims 10 victims in Iquitos, Peru
Source: www.livinginperu.com...

The city of Iquitos reported 4,300 cases of dengue out of the 4,500 recorded in all of Peru since late 2010 and so far this year. Among these cases are 60 patients in serious conditions due to an outbreak of the disease by the intense temperatures on that region. With yesterday's death of a 39-year-old woman, reports Peru21, dengue has nwo claimed 10 victims in the Iquitos. Iquitos is now under an intense prevention campaign focusing on the mosquito that transmits dengue, its the only region of Peru that is having serious cases.

Eight more people die with flu
Source: www.ripleyandheanornews.co.uk...

A deadly flu outbreak has claimed another eight lives across Ireland while dozens more patients remain critically ill, health chiefs have said. But the number of new cases has now peaked and is beginning to decline, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). Five of the latest deaths in the Republic were from swine flu while one other was from influenza B. In the North, two people died of swine flu last week. This brings to 35 the total number of flu-related deaths so far on both sides of the border this winter. Ten victims died from swine flu and two from influenza B in the Republic while 23 deaths in the North were from swine flu.

Massachusetts 1/28/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

A 30-year-old Boston man who recently returned from a wedding in the Dominican Republic presented with cholera-like symptoms. The man attended the wedding banquet at a resort in the Dominican Republic late last week and returned home Monday. Several hours after returning home he was awaken with watery diarrhea. He had numerous bowel movements over the next day and a half and was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital. Preliminary microbiology testing showed characteristics of Vibrio cholerae and samples have been sent to the state health lab for formal identification. The patient was treated with fluids and antibiotics (azithromycin). There are other reports from Venezuela, Spain and Mexico of people who went to the Dominican Republic for the family gathering and returned home with cholera. Health authorities say there is little risk of spread of cholera since there is good sanitation and clean water. Cholera is an acute bacterial intestinal disease characterized by sudden onset, profuse watery stools (given the appearance as rice water stools because of flecks of mucus in water) due to a very potent enterotoxin. The enterotoxin leads to an extreme loss of fluid and electrolytes in the production of diarrhea. It has been noted that an untreated patient can lose his bodyweight in fluids in hours resulting in shock and death. It is caused by the bacterium, Vibrio cholerae. Serogroups O1 and O139 are the types associated with the epidemiological characteristics of cholera (outbreaks). The bacteria are acquired through ingestion of contaminated water or food through a number of mechanisms. Water is usually contaminated by the feces of infected individuals. Drinking water can be contaminated at the source, during transport or during storage at home. Food can get contaminated by soiled hands, during preparation or while eating. Beverages and ice prepared with contaminated water and fruits and vegetables washed with this water are other examples. Some outbreaks are linked to raw or undercooked seafood. The incubation for cholera can be from a few hours to 5 days. As long as the stools are positive, the person is infective. Some patients may become carriers of the organism which can last for months. Cholera is diagnosed by growing the bacteria in culture. Treatment consists of replacement of fluids lost, intravenous replacement in severe cases. Antibiotic therapy can shorten the course of severe disease.

India 1/29/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

At least 20 students of Jawahar Navoday Vidyalaya at Borkhadi village in Tapi district were admitted to a local hospital for suspected food poisoning on Friday morning while over 130 others were kept under observations of health officials. According to the district authorities, the students of the Centre-aided residential school were given rice and curry for dinner on Thursday. By midnight, several students complained of diarrhea and vomiting. The school principal then informed the health department and six teams of health officials from Vyara reached the school in the early hours of Friday. After check-up, they shifted 20 students, whose condition was serious, to the Referral Hospital in Vyara. "Everything is under control now. Condition of the students admitted to the hospital is stable. Our medical teams are camping in the school where rest of the students are undergoing treatment," said Vyara taluka health officer Dr R S Soni.

Trinidad and Tobago 1/29/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

South-West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) chief executive officer Paula Chester-Cumberbatch has confirmed seven cases of chicken pox in the past ten days. She was speaking to reporters at the commencement of refurbishment works for the University of the West Indies teaching facilities and student accommodation at the San Fernando General Hospital, (SFGH), Paradise Pasture, San Fernando yesterday. "For the last ten days we have had seven cases that have come through and just to note there have been cases in Couva, right here at San Fernando General, Siparia, Point Fortin, you know but of course we have our processes to ensure there is containment, there is surveillance, so we can identify and contain any spread" she said. Health Minister Therese Cornelis- Baptiste also noted there were certain times in which the contagious disease seemed to prevalant saying "for some reason when the start of school happens, and when there is an influx of visitors."

Five thousand red winged black birds and hundred thousand fish dead in America - extraterrestrial electromagnetic flux targeted to specific genome pattern
Source: www.indiadaily.com...

The advanced extraterrestrial UFOs used electromagnetic flux generators in an focused outburst targeted specific genome nucleotide. The advanced extraterrestrial UFOs and USOs used electromagnetic flux generators in an focused outburst. The bizarre death of thousands of a specific type of red winged black birds and hundreds of thousands of drum type of carp family fish is just not a coincidence. Evidences point to electromagnetic flux that pulverizes internal body matters. What really is perplexing and points to extraterrestrial technology is the fact the weapon system is specifically targeted to specific genome and DNA nucleotide pattern. The microwave wavelength (HARP type but far more advanced) was used that just affects the specific DNA genome pattern.

Thousands of dead fish found in Erie, St. Clair
Source: www.thetimesherald.com...|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

TRAVERSE CITY — Officials say cold weather and a fish virus likely are to blame for thousands of dead gizzard shad found recently in Lakes Erie and St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River. The Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News report that the weather and viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, are suspected in the fish deaths. Researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Toledo took samples of dead shad Thursday and Friday that showed signs of the fish virus.

Flu Outbreak Cancels Classes at Local College
Source: www.wilx.com...

Classes at Albion College were called off Friday after the seasonal flu carried record numbers of students to the campus health center. "We had two record days in a row," said Ken Snyder, director of campus safety. "We saw 50 students on Wednesday and 100 on Thursday." That's a lot for a school of just 1,600 students. Freshman Michael Smith says at least 20 of the 30 students in his residence hall have come down with something.

Bravo Farms E. coli outbreak sets stage for FDA investigation, cheese seizure.
Source: www.foodpoisonjournal.com... ure/

After an outbreak that sickened dozens with E. coli O157:H7 in 5 states (38 confirmed positives in AZ, CA, CO, NM, and NV), the FDA's findings during its investigation at Bravo Farms have caused the agency to seize Bravo Farms cheese. According to PJ Huffstutter at the LA Times, "U.S. marshals and Food and Drug Administration agents arrived at Tulare County cheese maker Bravo Farms [yesterday] and seized the Gouda, along with piles of Edam and blocks of white cheddar. All told, investigators have locked up more than 80,000 pounds of cheese. Prosecutors say it is all headed for the garbage disposal."

Cholera infections in Greater Accra increasing
Source" gbcghana.com...

About 82 cholera cases have been recorded in the Greater Accra Region with three deaths since the outbreak about two weeks ago. The Deputy Director of Public Health of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Edward Antwi, disclosed this in an interview with Radio Ghana in Accra. Dr. Antwi has therefore cautioned the public to take their personal hygiene seriously and report any signs of the disease to the appropriate health centres.

Flu outbreak keeping large number of students home
Source: www.kltv.com...

EUSTACE, TX (KLTV) – More than 150 students were out of class on Thursday at Eustace ISD after a brutal bout of flu and stomach viruses. Brittanie Wooley has been battling the flu for the last couple of days. She came back to class early, because she can't afford to miss anymore days. "I had such a bad fever last night that I was trying to take a hot shower, and I started hallucinating. I had to lay down because it was so bad. And it was scary because I almost blacked out," says Wooley. She's just one of the hundreds of students who have been absent in recent weeks at Eustace ISD. "It got pretty extreme last week. We had over 200 gone at one point, and the thing is, it wasn't just one illness that was affecting our kids and our staff," says Eustace High School Principal Stanley Sowers.

A&E visits soar during flu outbreak
Source: www.theboltonnews.co.uk...

THE worst flu outbreak in a decade saw accident and emergency at the Royal Bolton Hospital swamped with patients. It has been revealed as the countdown starts to a Government team reporting back on how the town’s urgent care services can be improved. Chief executive of the Royal Bolton, Lesley Doherty, told a council of governors meeting that instead of around 280 patients a day attending A&E, the hospital was seeing up to 410.

Flu outbreak hits hospital, seniors
Source: www.chathamdailynews.ca...

Visitor restrictions will remain in place for at least the next four days at Chatham campus of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance. The reason: two new cases of influenza 'A' were reported Friday, adding to a list of cases at the facility. Dr. Pierre Letarte, chairman of the alliance's infection control committee, is asking for the public's co-operation during the outbreak.

Wirral hospitals' visitor ban after norovirus outbreak
Source: www.bbc.co.uk...

Visiting has been suspended at two Wirral hospitals following an outbreak of norovirus, known as the winter vomiting bug. Health officials have imposed the ban at Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge until at least 1700 GMT on Monday. It follows an outbreak in the community which has affected some patients, said Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Visiting at Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology and Springview is unaffected. Tina Long, director of nursing and midwifery, said: "Norovirus is highly infectious and so it is important that we protect patients by doing everything possible to prevent the spread of infection.

Two dead from leptospirosis outbreak in New Caledonia
Source: www.rnzi.com...

Two people have died in New Caledonia over the past few days as a result of a post-cyclone outbreak of leptospirosis, a disease transmitted by animal urine. Oceania Flash reports that the two victims are a seventeen-year-old male and a fifty-seven-year old woman, who could not be saved after they belatedly sought medical attention. Five others with similar symptoms are also still in intensive care at the Nouméa general hospital.

2 flu deaths reported in Minnesota
Source: www.necn.com...

The Minnesota Department of Health reports one person died in the last week of December and another in the second week of January. Their names were not released. The Star Tribune reports there also has been a small uptick in flu outbreaks at Minnesota schools. According to the Health Department's weekly report, 19 people were hospitalized with flu-related illness in the week ending Jan. 22. The department also tracked four school outbreaks that week and one outbreak in a Minnesota nursing home.

Flu epidemic shuts all Moscow schools
Source: www.google.com...

MOSCOW — Moscow and two other cities shut their schools for a week Saturday and urged children not to play in groups in a bid to stamp out the worst flu outbreak to hit central Russia in more than a decade. The Moscow education department's order covered more than 1,500 public and private elementary schools. Education officials said this meant that nearly 500,000 children would get an unscheduled week-long vacation in the first such shutdown to strike the Russian capital since 1998.

Avian flu spreading at rapid pace
Source: health.asiaone.com...

The highly infectious H5N1 avian flu strain has been spreading this winter at an unprecedented pace throughout the nation, with Aichi Prefecture the latest prefecture affected. Not one single case of bird flu was detected among livestock from around the end of 2009 to the beginning of last year, but this winter, the virus has been detected in wild duck droppings in Hokkaido and a flu outbreak was confirmed at a poultry farm in Shimane Prefecture in late November. Cranes and other wild birds in Kagoshima Prefecture were then found to be infected with bird flu, which spread to livestock in Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures toward the end of January. Avian flu was confirmed in Aichi Prefecture on Thursday.

Flu claims 12th victim as death toll doubles
Source: www.herald.ie...

Six more people have died from flu, bringing the number of victims this winter to 12. The HSE expects further deaths to be confirmed in the coming weeks when tests have been completed and the deaths formally classified as being flu- related. Some 43 people remain in intensive care because of the flu. So far this season 98 people have been admitted to critical care units, according to the latest update from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

Singapore reports first swine flu death of 2011
Source: www.monstersandcritics.com...

Singapore - A 77-year-old Singapore man has died from a lung infection related to the H1N1 virus, the first such case in the city- state in 2011, a media report said Saturday. The man died at a Singapore hospital on Wednesday after he had been warded a week earlier for fever as well as breathing difficulties, said the Channelnews Asia website. The Health Ministry earlier said that influenza and acute respiratory infections had risen in the past few weeks with cases caused by the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, being the dominant strain.

Cholera cases climb to 111 in Venezuela
Source: www.wave3.com...

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - The number of cholera cases has jumped to 111 in Venezuela as more people tested positive after attending a wedding with contaminated food in the Dominican Republic, the country's health minister said Friday. The patients were all receiving treatment, and 27 were hospitalized, Health Minister Eugenia Sader told the Caracas-based television network Telesur. The number of cases rose swiftly on Friday. Venezuelan authorities had said a day earlier that 37 people had the virus in the country and that 12 others were hospitalized in the Dominican Republic.

India 1/30/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Indian health agencies are closely watching a village where an Ebola-like hemorrhagic fever has killed three people in recent weeks. A woman died of the insect-borne illness three weeks ago in western Gujarat state, and a doctor and nurse who treated her also contracted the illness and died, state Health Minister Jay Narayan Vyas said. India's National Institute of Virology confirmed the three died of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, an Ebola-like disease from which patients can bleed to death if not treated quickly. The virus mainly affects animals, but ticks on sheep and cattle can pass it to people, who can transmit it through blood or saliva. The government appointed 38 medical teams to screen all 16,000 residents in the area. The woman's husband and brother-in-law also were critically ill with the fever and were being treated. Anybody with jet lag knows about the body's internal clock, which is driven by a cluster of brain cells. But even the cells throughout our body have their own 24-hour clocks to coordinate activities at the cellular level. Now, new research suggests that these internal timepieces may be more complicated than scientists thought. For years, scientists said the clock is basically the activity of certain genes. But in a new study, scientists looked at human cells that don't even have genes. And in these red blood cells, they found an enzyme flip-flopping between two forms on a regular 24-hour cycle. Is that a clock? Or is it just responding to another clock? Nobody knows yet, says Akhilesh Reddy of Cambridge University. But it seems connected to the genetic mechanism found in other cells, he said. Reddy co-authored two studies on the subject, published in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature. Scientists have identified a rogue gene that attacks and breaks down a protein that naturally occurs in the body and normally prevents cancer cells from spreading. Blocking the gene, known as WWP2, results in higher levels of the protein, which in turn renders cancer cells dormant, researchers at England's University of East Anglia's School of Biological Sciences, wrote in a paper published recently in the journal Oncogene. The discovery may, within the next decade, lead to a new generation of drugs to stop the most aggressive forms of cancer, researchers said. That would mean that existing drugs and surgery could be used on primary tumors, with no risk of the disease spreading elsewhere, the authors said.

‘Current outbreak of H1N1 not over yet’
Source: biomedme.com...

The current outbreak of H1N1 influenza is not over yet, according to a health official. This flu strand will most likely continue until April, Bassam Hijjawi, director of the health ministry’s disease control department, told The Jordan Times over the phone on Saturday, noting that H1N1 “will continue to spread”. According to the ministry’s website, the total number of H1N1 cases reached 203 as of Wednesday, while 12 swine flu-related deaths have been recorded since the strand re-emerged on December 11.

Cholera Continues Rapid Spread Through Venezuela
Source: smartabouthealth.net...

Washington (SmartAboutHealth) – There continues to be a rapid spread of cholera through the country of Venezuela as there are now over 100 confirmed cases. The government of Venezuela has confirmed 111 cases of the disease thus far and the fear is that this could spread far wider than it already has. This outbreak of cholera is believed to have originated from the Dominican Republic. There have been 450 people who were exposed in total and are likely to be carrying bacteria related to the disease.

Dengue reaps its grim toll again
Source: www.nation.lk...

The threat of another outbreak of dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DF/DHF) which had temporarily subsided has re-surfaced. Data from the Government Epidemiology Unit (EPU) up to January 28 has revealed that the cumulative number of DF/DHF cases for January alone was 559 cases, while the cumulative number of deaths from the twin diseases was eight. In the first week of the month the cumulative number of cases was 182 with two deaths. In the second week there were 210 cases with three deaths while in the third week of the month there were 167 cases with three deaths.

New avian flu threat
Source: search.japantimes.co.jp...

Avian influenza is spreading in Japan. Apparently wild birds that migrated to this country have triggered the spread of the flu. In December, avian flu was confirmed in a poultry farm in Yasugi, Shimane Prefecture. Then it was found in swans in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, and Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, and in hooded cranes in Izumi, Kagoshima Prefecture. It is very likely that more wild birds are infected with avian flu.

Liverpool region hospitals visitor ban after novovirus outbreak
Source: www.clickliverpool.com...

Two Liverpool region hospitals suspended visiting hours following an outbreak of norovirus - known as the winter vomiting bug. Health officials imposed the ban at Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge until at least 5pm on Monday. Visiting at Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology and Springview was unaffected. Tina Long, director of nursing and midwifery, said: "Norovirus is highly infectious and so it is important that we protect patients by doing everything possible to prevent the spread of infection.

Thousands of fish turn up dead in area waters
Source: www.freep.com...|head

Thousands of dead gizzard shad are showing up in Lakes St. Clair and Erie and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers. The fish are victims of a double whammy: cold temperatures and possibly the dreaded fish-killing disease viral hemorrhagic septicemia. Researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Toledo took samples of dead shad Thursday and Friday that showed signs of VHS, which kills fish by causing internal hemorrhaging.

Scientists discover invasive mussel killing bacteria
Source: www.tahoedailytribune.com...&parentprofile=1056

LAKE TAHOE — The recent discovery of a bacteria that can kill zebra and quagga mussels has raised hopes for private and public organizations fighting to control the environmentally hazardous species. New York State Museum researchers Daniel Molloy and Denise Mayer discovered a bacteria strain — Pseudomonas fluorescens — that can kill zebra and quagga mussels without killing other native species in the ecosystem. “The eureka moment did not come, interestingly enough, when we discovered the bacteria could kill zebra and quagga mussels, but came when we discovered the lack of sensitivity among non-target species,” Mayer said in a phone interview.

17 peacocks found dead in Wankaner
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com...

WANKANER: Seventeen peacocks have been found dead in the last four days from Vidi area near Gadhiya Dungar in Wankaner. While carcasses of 13 peacocks were recovered on January 25 and 26, four more dead birds were found on January 28. Though preliminary investigations by the forest department indicate food poisoning as the cause of death, viral infection is not ruled out. "The carcasses were detected by Kana Rajgor, who alerted the forest department on January 25. Upon inspection, we found five dead peacocks and more dead birds were found strewn across the area on January 26. It may be noted that bird lovers of Wankaner come to Vidi area to feed birds," round forest officer M S Makadiya told mediapersons.

Colorado 1/30/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

More than 250 dead fish were found on a 150 feet stretch of of shoreline near an irrigation ditch just north of Willox Street in Fort Collins Saturday. The fish, which were mostly sucker fish with some brown trout, were discovered by Fort Collins resident Bob Jackson. Jackson immediately informed local authorities, who sent out representatives from the department of wildlife. "I walked the shoreline on the north side of Willox and took some samples that I turned into the health lab," said Shane Craig, district wildlife manager and game warden for Fort Collins. Craig said the fish most likely swam into the irrigation ditch as the temperatures turned mild and became trapped in the canal after being released from the Horsetooth Reservoir. When the water levels in the canal dropped, so presumably did the oxygen levels, Craig said. "we're pretty confident (the cause) is just low oxygen levels," Craig said.

New FMD outbreak in Bulgaria
Source: www.sofiaecho.com...

Bulgaria is still under threat from a potential wider outbreak of foot-and-mouth (FMD), as the authorities have found another village which has infected animals. Once again, the affected area is in southeastern Bulgaria. Following a veterinary probe, one cow and 13 other animals were confirmed to be infected in the village of Gramatikovo, municipality of Malko Turnovo, the private television channel bTV reported on January 31 2011. More than 1100 animals were investigated in the region during the 20 -ay incubation period, of which only 14 tested positive for infection, the report said. The village itself is close to the two other villages where FMD was first detected in Bulgaria, Kosti and Rezovo.

Royal Berkshire Hospital uses flu emergency plan
Source: www.bbc.co.uk...

The Royal Berkshire Hospital has revealed it was forced to implement its emergency pandemic plan earlier this month due to the flu outbreak. The hospital said a 27% rise in admissions was mainly due to the virus, which has claimed more than 100 lives in the UK since October. As part of the contingency plan, an extra ward was opened and the number of intensive care beds rose from 11 to 14.

Eight more people die with flu
Source: www.newmarketjournal.co.uk...

A deadly flu outbreak has claimed another eight lives across Ireland while dozens more patients remain critically ill, health chiefs have said. But the number of new cases has now peaked and is beginning to decline, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). Five of the latest deaths in the Republic were from swine flu while one other was from influenza B. In the North, two people died of swine flu last week. This brings to 35 the total number of flu-related deaths so far on both sides of the border this winter. Ten victims died from swine flu and two from influenza B in the Republic while 23 deaths in the North were from swine flu.

Australia 1/30/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Two people have been diagnosed with dengue fever at Innisfail, south of Cairns, in far north Queensland. Queensland Health says others are also being tested, with results to be known later today. Senior medical entomologist Joe Davis says people who believe they may have symptoms of dengue fever should see a doctor immediately. "It's so important for people if they are unwell because if they don't go and see a physician and they don't pop up on our dengue radar," he said. "If they're not on our dengue radar, we don't know they're there and that's how outbreaks happen, that's how outbreaks continue. "If we don't get to their areas to treat, the mosquitos keep breeding, keep biting people." Cassowary Coast Regional Shire Council Mayor Bill Shannon says residents should take steps to protect themselves from mosquitoes. "The official statement from the Queensland Government says that people should go round once a week and check for where places are capable of holding water," he said. "But I'd suggest that when the mosquitos are around, when the outbreaks are occurring, I think they should go round very frequently after every rainfall event."

Thousands of dead fish found in Erie, St. Clair
Source: abclocal.go.com.../state&id=7929024

DETROIT -- Officials say cold weather and a fish virus likely are to blame for thousands of dead gizzard shad found recently in Lakes Erie and St. Clair, the St. Clair River and the Detroit River. The Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News report that the weather and viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, are suspected in the fish deaths. Researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Toledo took samples of dead shad Thursday and Friday that showed signs of the fish virus.

Thousands of fishes, turtles die in Etawah pond
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com...

KANPUR: Thousands of fishes and about a dozen turtles were found dead during the past few days in Pakka Talab in Etawah. The fishes and turtles have been dying since last week and the number is increasing gradually. NGOs suspect poisoning as the reason while residents blame the local body for poor upkeep of the water body over the years which has led to the death. On January 20, residents at Pakka Talab gathered near the water body after they came across thousands of dead fishes and about a dozen turtles floating on the water surface. "Again on Friday morning, we found thousands of fish lying motionless on the surface. But, we had no idea that so many fish would die," said Animesh, a local.

Australia 2/1/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Hypnotising and ethereal, staring at the jellyfish in the water around Nightcliff is a mesmerising experience, just be careful not to fall in. Chironex fleckeri or the Box jellyfish, has been responsible for the deaths of an estimated 80 people in Australia in the past 100 years as well as causing painful stings and scarring to many. A constant threat in NT waters, it's something Jess Abrahams from the Australian Marine Conservation Society found out when he recently moved here from Alice Springs. "I went out paddle boarding and I came off and had an incredibly painful sting around my wrist and wrapped around it was a tentacle of what was I presume, Box jellyfish." He told 105.7 ABC Darwin's Julia Christensen. "Thankfully I had vinegar and ice on the shore but I've still got a bit of a scar and bit of swelling. It was a bit of a serious induction into NT waters." Dr Lisa Gershwin, Director of Australian Marine Stinger Advisory Services and also known as the Jellyfish Goddess, said that she had never seen such a large swarm. "They don't usually swarm in that number in such a small area so close together. "They respond to the same sort of cues so maybe the water smelt right or they were mating. There would've been some reason they were all there at the same time." With so many in the water Dr Gershwin was quick to point out the danger. "If you fell in there you would have zero chance of survival." "Each jellyfish when it's mature has 60 tentacles with stingers on each tentacle. Any jellyfish over 12cm will have a full compliment. "It takes one to two metres of a tentacle to kill a child in two minutes and it takes three to five metres to kill an adult." A child running into the water from the beach or an adult in the shallows while walking their dog could be easily caught by one stray tentacle.

Arkansas 2/1/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

A state Game and Fish Commission official says more dead drum fish - but far fewer than the number reported in a previous fish kill - have been found in the Arkansas River near the lock and dam at Ozark, in the same area where thousands of dead fish were found a month earlier. A news release Monday from the wildlife agency said a fish kill spotted Friday involved only about 500 fish, compared with 83,000 in a fish kill reported Dec. 29. G&FC assistant fisheries chief Chris Racey said that, as with the previous fish kill, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff will test sample fish. Testing on fish from the Dec. 29 kill did not determine a cause, but ruled out parasites, disease or toxic chemicals.

India 2/1/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Even as the Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) scare shows no signs of abating, another mysterious illness has raised its ugly head. This disease has claimed the lives of 50 peafowls in various parts of the state. Forest officials have sent two samples to the National Institute of Virology in Pune to ascertain the cause of bird deaths. Earlier, forest department thought the cause of death was food poisoning. However, when reports of deaths started trickling in from separate regions of the state, foresters got worried. The first case was reported from Wankaner on January 26. Thirteen peacocks were found dead at one spot. The forest department sent a team led by the deputy forest officer to investigate the cause of death. The foresters believed the birds were killed by pesticide poisoning from eating seeds or crops in fields nearby. Soon, four peacock deaths were reported from Gir and six peacocks reportedly died in Vadodara. One peacock died and two others fell ill at the ministers’ enclave in Gandhinagar on Saturday. The dead peacock was found at bungalow number 36, the official residence of Jaswantsinh Bhabhor. On collating the data, forest officials realised the gravity of the situation. They sent samples from Wankaner and Vadodara to a laboratory at a Vadodara college. However, the lab was unable to produce a report. Following a meeting on Monday, the foresters sent two samples to NIV in Pune. One of the samples is from Gandhinagar, the other is from Wankaner. Principal secretary (Forest and Environment) S K Nanda said, “We are more alert as the peacock is our national bird.” Gir has 2,000 peacocks, Gandhinagar has 400 while Ahmedabad has 1,000 peacocks. Since Gir sanctuary is spread over a vast area, there is a possibility that more peacocks have died but their bodies have not been found. Nanda added, “Till date, 50 peacocks and peahens have died in the state. Wankaner, Vadodara and Gir are just some of the spots were bird deaths were registered. On looking at individual cases, the foresters earlier thought the birds died due after eating contaminated food. However, as the figure grew, we decided to send the samples to NIV.” The report is expected in the next three-four days.

India (2) 2/1/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Indian health agencies are closely watching a village where an Ebola-like hemorrhagic fever has killed three people in recent weeks. A woman died of the insect-borne illness three weeks ago in western Gujarat state, and a doctor and nurse who treated her also contracted the illness and died, state Health Minister Jay Narayan Vyas said. India's National Institute of Virology confirmed the three died of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, an Ebola-like disease from which patients can bleed to death if not treated quickly. The virus mainly affects animals, but ticks on sheep and cattle can pass it to people, who can transmit it through blood or saliva. The government appointed 38 medical teams to screen all 16,000 residents in the area. The woman's husband and brother-in-law also were critically ill with the fever and were being treated. Anybody with jet lag knows about the body's internal clock, which is driven by a cluster of brain cells. But even the cells throughout our body have their own 24-hour clocks to coordinate activities at the cellular level. Now, new research suggests that these internal timepieces may be more complicated than scientists thought. For years, scientists said the clock is basically the activity of certain genes. But in a new study, scientists looked at human cells that don't even have genes. And in these red blood cells, they found an enzyme flip-flopping between two forms on a regular 24-hour cycle. Is that a clock? Or is it just responding to another clock? Nobody knows yet, says Akhilesh Reddy of Cambridge University. But it seems connected to the genetic mechanism found in other cells, he said. Reddy co-authored two studies on the subject, published in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature. Scientists have identified a rogue gene that attacks and breaks down a protein that naturally occurs in the body and normally prevents cancer cells from spreading. Blocking the gene, known as WWP2, results in higher levels of the protein, which in turn renders cancer cells dormant, researchers at England's University of East Anglia's School of Biological Sciences, wrote in a paper published recently in the journal Oncogene. The discovery may, within the next decade, lead to a new generation of drugs to stop the most aggressive forms of cancer, researchers said. That would mean that existing drugs and surgery could be used on primary tumors, with no risk of the disease spreading elsewhere, the authors said.

Three Asian countries battle H5N1 outbreaks
Source: www.cidrap.umn.edu...

Jan 31, 2011 (CIDRAP News) – Animal health officials in Japan, South Korea, and Myanmar reported fresh outbreaks of the H5N1 avian influenza in poultry, according to media reports and reports to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The virus hit two more farms in Japan's Miyazaki prefecture, pushing the number of recent poultry farm outbreaks in the prefecture to five, Kyodo News reported yesterday. Miyazaki 's latest outbreaks occurred near the towns of Kawaminami and Nobeoka and prompted the culling of 96,600 chickens. In response to the recent outbreaks in wild birds and poultry, the first since April 2009, Japan's agriculture ministry on Jan 29 held an emergency meeting for prefectural officials, according to the Kyodo report. Agriculture Minister Michihiko Kano told officials that the virus is a threat to local economies, and he urged them to do more to make sure farms are complying with biosecurity rules. The H5N1 outbreaks have recently led to cancellations of bird-related events at least 28 facilities such as zoos and aquariums in Japan, the newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported today. Authorities cancelled a marathon that was scheduled to be run through a wintering area for migratory cranes and in some instances have banned the feeding of swans and other birds.

South Australia Suffering From Ross River Virus
Source: topnews.us...

A sudden spur in the cases of those infected with either of the Ross River virus (RRV) and Barmah Forest virus (BFV) in South Australia created panic among the general public and the government. The alarming rise in the infected cases is credited to the ascended levels of water in the River Murray. The stagnated water has given rise to many water-borne diseases, thereby promoting the breeding of mosquitoes.

St. Joe’s records 14th death in C. diff outbreak
Source: www.thespec.com...

The wife of a once prominent city politician and union leader has become the latest person infected with C. difficile to die at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Elizabeth (Betty) Foley died at the hospital Monday morning. She is the 14th person with C. diff to die since an outbreak was declared by the public health unit at the beginning of November. There have been 103 cases to date, 64 hospital-related and 39 contracted from outside the Charlton Avenue East facility.

Corruption Threatens Swine Flu Spread in Kenya
Source: onislam.net...

With the flu season already here, Kenya’s porous borders are at a great risk of an outbreak of Swine Flu. Poor monitoring systems and rampant corruption of immigration officials remains an obstacle, medics worry. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the disease has so far infected over 60,000 people worldwide with 300 people killed. The first confirmed Swine Flu outbreak in Kenya was in June 2009. “There is a worry considering that Kenya’s borders along our airports are porous. Corrupt immigration officials can easily be bribed to give medical certificates without even vaccinating or testing people,” said Evan Abwao, a Nairobi based medical practitioner.

HIV INFECTION RATES IN LIBYA MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk... ATED-1.SBU.html

In a recent televised interview, Libya's leading HIV/AIDS prevention official said the number of Libyans infected with HIV could be as high as 70,000 individuals, representing some 1.13 percent of the total population. Previous estimates had put the number at .6 percent (about 37,000 people) to one percent (about 61,000 people). Intravenous drug use and risky sexual behavior constitute the most prevalent disease vectors. Given the difficulty of obtaining reliable statistics in Libya, the estimate of 70,000 cases of HIV-positive cases is useful, although the presence of a large migrant population from sub-Saharan Africa and lack of clarity about the extent of intravenous drug use and risky sexual behavior suggest that the real figure of HIV-positive cases could be still higher.

ANALYSIS-S.Korea to take 1-2 yrs to recover from foot-and-mouth
Source: www.forexyard.com...

South Korea's swine industry could take one or two years to recover from a foot-and-mouth epidemic that has boosted meat purchases by one of the world's top pork importers. A long-term boost to the country's pork imports, mainly from the United States, could support U.S. hog futures already at record highs partly on the back of potential Korean demand. Pork shipments into Asia's No.4 economy may rise by 20 to 30 percent from last year's 290,000 tonnes after nearly a third of the pig herd was culled, and the country lowered tariffs on meat imports in an effort to contain food inflation. "When one removes that many animals from their domestic herd, it would suggest that it's going to take, in the case of swine, a couple of years to come back," said Martin Rice, executive director of Canadian Pork Council.

Geneva pigeons falling from the sky
Source: genevalunch.com...

Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – A deadly virus is killing what may be hundreds of pigeons and turtledoves around Geneva, particularly in the commune of Carouge. Health authorities advised people in an alert published 31 January not to touch any dead birds to avoid spreading the disease to other ones. The virus is not dangerous to humans or other animals, and the scale of the problem is not a health nuisance, nor have the birds been poisoned, authorities were quick to reassure.

22 peacocks found dead in Rajkot district
Source: news.oneindia.in...

As many as 22 peacocks have beenfound dead in Wankaner Vidi area in the district in the lastfew days and forest department has initiated an inquiry inthis regard, officials said. Buzz up! "We have set up nine teams to search every corner of thearea to find out the exact cause of the bird deaths," forestdepartment official Lalitbhai Parmar said. The carcasses of the birds, found in the last five days,have been sent to Junagadh and Anand veterinary laboratories,the senior official said.

Mystery illness claims lives of 50 peacocks
Source: www.ahmedabadmirror.com...

Even as the Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) scare shows no signs of abating, another mysterious illness has raised its ugly head. This disease has claimed the lives of 50 peafowls in various parts of the state. Forest officials have sent two samples to the National Institute of Virology in Pune to ascertain the cause of bird deaths. Earlier, forest department thought the cause of death was food poisoning. However, when reports of deaths started trickling in from separate regions of the state, foresters got worried. The first case was reported from Wankaner on January 26. Thirteen peacocks were found dead at one spot. The forest department sent a team led by the deputy forest officer to investigate the cause of death.

More dead fish found in Arkansas River, but fewer
Source: www.katv.com...

OZARK, Ark. (AP) - A state Game and Fish Commission official says more dead drum fish - but far fewer than the number reported in a previous fish kill - have been found in the Arkansas River near the lock and dam at Ozark, in the same area where thousands of dead fish were found a month earlier. A news release Monday from the wildlife agency said a fish kill spotted Friday involved only about 500 fish, compared with 83,000 in a fish kill reported Dec. 29.

Freezing temperatures cause fish kill at Franklin Island
Source: www.boonvilledailynews.com...

Boonville — A sudden drop in temperature earlier this month led to, a state official said, what appears to be around 1,000 fish dying in Franklin Island Conservation Area. A mid-Missouri resident found the fish and took photos on Jan. 9. Because of the snow, the Boonville Daily News was unable to confirm the dead fish until last week.

Tropical fish dying in frigid Wakayama
Source: search.japantimes.co.jp...

TANABE, Wakayama Pref. (Kyodo) The unusually severe winter is taking a toll in unexpected parts of this warm Pacific coast region, with tropical fish from the south hitching a ride on the north-bound Black Current only to die here in the cold. According to a recent study by Kyoto University associate professor Shin Kubota, species such as Moorish idol and blowfish have been washing ashore since mid-January.

India 2/2/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

About 200 people took ill and 62 of them had to be hospitalised for symptoms for food poisoning in Madikeri and Somwarpet after they had feast at a marriage, police said. Doctors said that the people fell sick after having food at a wedding in Somwarpet on the night of January 30. While eight people, including the bride were hospitalised in Madikeri, 54 others were admitted to a hospital in Somwarpet, sources said. Doctors at the hospitals said that the condition of those hospitalised is stated to be out of danger.

More bird flu feared in Miyazaki
Source: search.japantimes.co.jp...

MIYAZAKI (Kyodo) The Miyazaki Prefectural Government said Tuesday that 191 chickens died at a poultry farm in the city of Miyazaki and that six of the seven dead birds tested positive for avian influenza in a preliminary exam. Officials decided to launch more detailed examinations on the six dead birds to confirm whether they were infected with bird flu. It would be the prefecture's seventh outbreak.

Avian flu reappears in South Sumatra
Source: www.thejakartapost.com...

Avian flu outbreaks in Prabumulih and Palembang in South Sumatra have prompted the municipalities’ governments to call for a mass culling of animals infected or suspected to have been infected by the H5N1 virus. The Prabumulih administration issued an alert after avian flu cases were recorded in eight subdistricts of the municipality. The outbreak came as a shock after many thought the disease had been successfully curbed over the last several years.

Montreal hospital recently treated woman for cholera
Source: www.ctv.ca...

MONTREAL — A Montreal hospital says it recently treated a woman for cholera after she spent time in Haiti. Lucie Dufresne, a spokeswoman for Universite de Montreal hospital centre, says the woman checked in on New Year's Day and was allowed to return home two days later. Haiti was hit with a deadly cholera outbreak last fall. Dufresne says lab tests determined the woman was suffering from cholera.

Bird flu outbreak hits Indonesia's Jambi
Source: news.xinhuanet.com...

JAKARTA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Bird flu (H5N1) outbreak has attacked Indonesia's Jambi province, triggering death of thousands of chicken in Kerinci regency, Kompas.com online news reported on Wednesday. Secretary of Animal Husbandry Division of Kerinci regency, Igor, said that at least 4,164 chickens were killed due to the disease.

Flu outbreak at St. Joe’s hospital unit
Source: www.thespec.com...

An influenza outbreak has been declared on one unit at St. Joseph’s, which has been battling a hospital-wide outbreak of the superbug C. difficile since October. Only three cases of the flu have been diagnosed in the complex continuing care unit, on the fifth floor of the Charlton campus where 31 patients are housed. But confirmation of the virus two days ago in patients on a single ward who acquired the flu in the hospital triggered public health’s decision. “The circumstances fulfil public health’s definition of an outbreak,” said hospital president Dr. David Higgins.

Vomiting bug hits North East hospital
Source: www.journallive.co.uk...

AN OUTBREAK of a winter vomiting bug has hit scores of hospital patients and forced the cancellation of operations. Twelve wards have been affected at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, where several bays have been isolated to contain the virus. Up to 40 patients have contracted the norovirus over the last two to three weeks but hospital bosses today said the bug was "well contained" and no new cases had emerged since Thursday. Read More www.journallive.co.uk...

Nigeria: 30 Cholera Cases Recorded in Kano Hospital
Source: allafrica.com...

Kano — Cholera outbreak has hit Kano as 30 cases have been recorded at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) alone, Kano State Commissioner for Health Hajia A'ishatu Isyaku Kiru said yesterday. Daily Trust gathered that the cases were also recorded in many other hospitals across the state, and according to a source at the Murtala Mohammed General Hospital, Kano Municipal Local Government is the worst hit.

Danville student remains hospitalized following mystery outbreak
Source: www.insidebayarea.com...

Two days after a mysterious outbreak of illness at a Marin County science camp, one Danville student remains hospitalized. Contrary to earlier reports by the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services that none of those who fell ill at Walker Creek Ranch on Wednesday had to be hospitalized, sources in Contra Costa County confirmed Friday that at least one student from Danville was in the hospital undergoing treatment. Also Friday, public health officials ruled out contaminated water as a possible cause of the illness that sickened dozens of children and adults, including some from Danville and Oakland, during a five-day science camp at the ranch.

Outbreak of Cholera
Source: gbcghana.com...

The disclosure that more than 240 cases of cholera have been reported in Accra by the Country Office of the World Health Organisation is indeed worrying. It is outrageous that almost every year there is an outbreak of the cholera disease in no other places than Chorkor, Agbogbloshie, Korle Gonno, Mamprobi, Agege, Maamobi, Nima, Banana Inn, Zambrama Line, Sukura, Russia and Mallam all suburbs of Accra. It is equally difficult to understand why the AMA Public Health Department and the Accra Directorate of the Ghana Health Service are unable to plan strategically to at least minimise or stop the disease from breaking out.

Peru on red alert after dengue outbreak
Source: www.ft.com...

Please respect FT.com's ts&cs and copyright policy which allow you to: share links; copy content for personal use; & redistribute limited extracts. Peru has declared a red alert in its northern Amazon amid a dengue outbreak that has claimed 12 lives and infected 10,517 people. Oscar Ugarte, health minister, said the outbreak of an Asian American strain new to Peru was “aggressive and quick to evolve”. “Our specialists have never seen such a strong attack with so many serious cases,” he told reporters. The strain, which appears to have crossed the border from Brazil into the jungle state of Loreto, does not produce high fevers like haemorrhagic dengue, but it causes abdominal pains that can bring on shock.

Superbug outbreak shuts Sir Charles Gairdner ward
Source: www.perthnow.com.au...

A WARD at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital was evacuated on Friday after an outbreak of antibiotic-resistant bacteria put vulnerable patients at risk. Two employees said a number of rooms on more than three wards were affected by the outbreak, but the hospital said only one patient was infected with Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE).

Outbreak of measles in Oslo
Source: www.healthcanal.com...

During the last week, 5 children from immigrant communities living in Gamle Oslo have been diagnosed with measles. Several of the youngest children have been admitted to hospital. Measles rashThe first child who became ill was infected by visitors from abroad. For various reasons, the children who have contracted measles were not vaccinated against the disease (MMR vaccine).

Maine oysters suffer MSX outbreak
Source: www.fis.com...

A deadly pathogen spurred an outbreak of disease in Maine oyster farms for the first time last year. The spore-forming protozoan Haplosporidium nelson, or MSX, is jeopardising the USD 3 million-industry in the northeast states. MSX is harmless to humans and can exist in small numbers without damaging oysters. The protozoan impairs oysters’ feeding and reproduction, weakening and eventually killing the mollusc.

Hospital vomiting bug outbreak intensifies
Soource: news.stv.tv...

Nearly 50 patients and staff have now been affected by an outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea that has closed five wards in a Glasgow hospital. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) said 36 patients and 11 staff at the Southern General Hospital were showing symptoms of norovirus infection. Visiting has been limited to essential visits and visitors who develop symptoms of the disease have been urged to stay away from the hospital.

Flu closes Markdale hospital unit
Source: www.owensoundsuntimes.com...

Grey Bruce Health Services has closed the medical surgical unit to new admissions and put restrictions on visits at the Markdale hospital due to an outbreak of influenza A. The inpatient nursing unit was closed Friday afternoon, the hospital corporation announced in a news release Friday night. There were three confirmed cases of influenza A in the unit, which had 11 patients. "The move to close the unit to new admissions is a precautionary measure and a means of preventing further transmission of the illness and was recommended by the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit. The unit will remain closed until the outbreak can be declared over," hospital officials said in the release.

Additional FMD cases reported in S. Korea
Source: www.koreaherald.com...

South Korea has confirmed three additional cases of foot-and-mouth disease in the country's central region, after initial vaccination of all livestock in the country has been completed, the government said Saturday. The additional cases bring the total number of officially confirmed FMD outbreaks to 144, after animals started showing symptoms in late November, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said. The latest outbreak comes after no confirmed case was tallied by the central government during the Lunar New Year's holiday that started on Wednesday. The disease has forced Seoul to cull and bury 3 million heads of cattle, pigs, goats and deer with damage estimated at more than 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion).

Florida 2/5/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Thousands of dead fish were found washed up on the shore of a Florida state park. The animals were found along the beach of Sebastian Inlet State Park in Melbourne Beach, FL, on Friday. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials believe the fish died because of the lack of oxygen. "Just because there's such a large school of them, they use up the oxygen really quickly, and because they are coming closer to shore, there's not as high of a water turnover rate and sometimes when you're in an area with not as much tidal flow," said Kelli O'Donnell, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. If the oxygen continues to run out, officials believe more fish may die.

India 2/5/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Health officials in Vadodara and Dahod swung into action on Friday following a suspected case of Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Dhanpur village of Dahod district. The patient from Dhanpur, is undergoing treatment at the Metro Hospital in Varni for the last two days while his samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for tests. Dahod District Epidemic Medical Officer D N Patel told The Indian Express: "He (Khabad) was admitted to a private hospital in Dahod where the physician Amit Shukla noticed symptoms similar to CCHF and shifted him to a private hospital in Vadodara. As soon as we got this information, we took preventive measures. We have prepared a list of people who have been in touch with the patient in the last 15 days and they are all under surveillance. We have also informed the concerned officials to spray the prescribed medicine to kill the ticks spreading this disease."

Canada 2/5/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

A mystery virus has troubled health care facilities on P.E.I. for the last week, with a total of 128 reported cases of an unknown gastro-intestinal illness. The Department of Health confirmed seven more cases on Friday. One person has been hospitalized. Most of the cases are at Atlantic Baptist Nursing Home in Charlottetown. Health officials do not know what the illness is, but it is similar to the Norwalk virus and symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and nausea. It typically lasts no more than one day. Deputy Chief Health Officer Mitch Zelman said tests have come back negative for Norwalk. "So far, all the tests are negative, but viruses can be very difficult to isolate and to find, to prove it. But it's certainly acting very much like Norwalk," said Zelman. "Most of the cases have diarrhea or nausea and some vomiting, and it's lasting about 16 hours or so which is very much a Norwalk-like virus." Zelman said the hospitalized patient is doing fine now. He said the outbreak appears to be in decline. Staff who have been ill have been advised to stay away from the facility for at least 48 hours. In addition, Atlantic Baptist Home officials are requesting that visiting be restricted to immediate family at this time. The nursing home has been thoroughly cleaned to prevent the virus from spreading outside its walls. Meanwhile, health officials still are hoping to identify the virus. Tests have been sent to a lab in Ottawa in the hopes that better technology will help identify the illness.

Paraguay 2/5/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Paraguay has declared a health emergency in its second-largest city after a fifth person died from dengue fever this year. The dengue epidemic has hospitalized 123 people and may have infected more than 150 others in Ciudad del Este, on Paraguay's so-called Triple Frontier with Brazil and Argentina. Fifteen people died from it last year in Paraguay. The city said Friday it is fumigating and warning people to empty standing water where the bugs breed. Hemorrhagic dengue fever can be very painful and deadly, especially without proper treatment.

Quarantine after man dies at clinic
Source: www.iol.co.za...

Bold yellow tape inscribed with “Do not enter” cordoned off a ward of Section 8 at Netcare’s Olivedale Clinic. The mini-quarantine, which set off alarm bells among patients in the section, was part of precautions taken by the hospital when a man was brought in with an extremely high fever. The man, only known by the surname Dlamini, died at about 4am on Thursday, with hospital staff worried that he may have been suffering from a contagious viral haemorrhagic fever. Several patients, anxious at seeing men allegedly wearing hazardous-material suits remove the body, contacted The Star on Thursday to report the possibility of a viral outbreak.

Nipah turns nightmare
Source: www.bdnews24.com...

Dhaka, Feb 5 (bdnews24.com) — Nipah has become a nightmare in border district Lalmonirhat of northern Bangladesh as experts grapple to arrest its spread. Death toll of the fatal virus climed to 16 on Saturday from 14, although no new cases have been reported till evening. People are still deserting their homes in panic while the local authorities shut down all primary schools at Hatiabandha upazila, which has witnessed the recent outbreak. "Even ambulance drivers fled the village. We are trying to convince people aking them not to panic and stop drinking raw palm or date sap," said Dr Farhana Haque, an investigator of the government's team despatched to the upazila on February 2 soon after the outbreak. The government sent more scientists to the affected area soon after the cause behind what was being called 'mystery fever' was ascertained by the Institute of Epidemiology and Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).

Researchers find virus plaguing soft crabs
Source: www.hometownannapolis.com...

BALTIMORE (MCT) — Not long after Lee Carrion and her partner launched Coveside Crabs in Dundalk, Md., five years ago, they realized their seafood business had a serious problem. Up to half of the molting crabs they were holding in dockside tanks to sell as soft crabs died before they could be sold to customers. "I was horrified. I couldn't believe they were dying like that," said Carrion, 50, a former teacher who'd left the classroom to join 54-year-old waterman Richard Young in the crab business. Alarmed by the losses, they methodically tweaked their operations and equipment, and managed to reduce the crab mortality, but couldn't eliminate it. Carrion began to look for help. Her search led to the Columbus Center in the Inner Harbor. There, as it turned out, scientists with the University of Maryland's Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology were looking for a soft-crab business in the Baltimore area willing to provide some crabs to study. Working together, they have found a virus in Chesapeake Bay blue crabs that they believe routinely kills a quarter or more of all soft crabs produced baywide before the premium seafood can get to market. They hope the discovery will lead to a way to spot and screen out infected animals, making soft-crab businesses more profitable while easing harvest pressure on the bay's iconic crustacean.

Mystery as dead birds pile up on city street
Source: www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz...

What killed hundreds of dead birds found on a Rotorua central city street? Nobody seems to know. Rotorua mother Glyssa Bosworth was walking down Amohau St this week when her 1-year-old daughter pointed out a bird on the ground. Then she saw a few more. "I could smell something absolutely horrific," Miss Bosworth told The Daily Post. She turned around and saw "hundreds" of them on the ground around the base of a tall tree in the reserve near the entrance to the Central Mall. She said she had never seen that many dead birds before. "There was a humongous pile of them. It was gross."

Dead Fish Wash Ashore From Winter Blast
Source: www.valleycentral.com...

It's not just people dying in the winter blast, fish are dead too. The bay, turned into a watery grave, for a variety of species of fish. It's a fear come true in spots like Boca Chica Beach and by the Swing Bridge at Port Isabel. "I've been here for 15 years...and this is the worst I've seen it yet," Sgt. James Dunk with Texas Parks and Wildlife said. Just before the Valley's first of two nights of hard freeze, Sgt. Dunks predicted fish would be left paralyzed by the plunging temperatures. "Dead trout... rough fish... Grouper,” he said. The total impact on fish by the winter blast remains a mystery.

Biologists investigating sudden deaths of hundreds of trout at Cleveland Metroparks' Shadow Lake
Source: blog.cleveland.com...

SOLON, Ohio -- The sudden deaths of hundreds of stocked trout in the Cleveland Metroparks' Shadow Lake in the South Chagrin Reservation have anglers puzzled and biologists investigating what might have gone wrong under the ice. Metroparks Fisheries Biologist Mike Durkalec said Friday that "it's very likely all the rainbow trout are dead" in the three-acre lake, which sits south of Solon Road and east of Richmond Road in Solon. He said he also saw several dead sunfish this week near the edge of the lake. "This is unprecedented for this lake, which is why we're investigating it so actively," Durkalec said. "The red flags went up because this is not a reedy lake where oxygen levels have dropped off in the past."

Florida (Update) 2/5/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Portuguese man-of-war piled up on the beaches in Broward and Palm Beach counties Saturday in what one veteran lifeguard called the worst influx he's seen in decades. In Fort Lauderdale alone, 212 beachgoers were stung on Friday and 261 on Saturday. "It would have been far, far worse, but we were all up and down the beach keeping people out of the water,'' said Lt. Jim McCrady of Fort Lauderdale's Ocean Rescue. "I've never seen this many ever. I've been out here for 24 years.'' Most beachside cities, including Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Boca Raton and Delray Beach, reported the presence of man-of-war in recent days. If southeasterly winds stay at a steady 5 mph to 10 mph, the pesky sea creatures will linger. With neon purple and blue balloon-like floats and dangling tentacles, man-of-war deliver powerful stings that can sometimes cause swelling and shortness of breath. Lifeguards usually keep gels and solutions on hand to treat any stings. Before hitting the beach, residents should check their cities' ocean rescue websites for the latest conditions. "We still want everyone to go out to the beach and enjoy the sand and sun, but definitely consult your lifeguard before you go in the water,'' McCrady said.

New York 2/5/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

The first known cases of cholera in New York since the outbreak of the disease in Haiti last year were confirmed on Saturday by city officials. A commercial laboratory notified health officials on Friday that three New Yorkers had developed diarrhea and dehydration, classic symptoms of the disease, after returning from a wedding on Jan. 22 and 23 in the Dominican Republic, where the government has been trying to prevent the disease from spreading from neighboring Haiti. The three who contracted cholera were adults who returned to the city within days of the wedding. None were hospitalized. Dr. Sharon Balter, a medical epidemiologist for the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said on Saturday that the victims had all recovered. Officials declined to release the names of the patients or where they lived. City health officials are now working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to determine what the New York victims ate and to see if the strain of the disease they contracted is linked to the cholera epidemic that has ravaged Haiti, killing thousands since October and infecting many more. "We're providing support to the state, with lab testing, in determining which strain" is at issue, said Candice Burns Hoffmann, a spokeswoman for the C.D.C. "And I know there is an investigation in the Dominican Republic, as well, for that wedding, and the C.D.C. is there to support the state health department and also international organizations." Officials at the C.D.C. have noted a few cases of cholera in the past three or four months from travelers who arrived in the United States from Haiti or the Dominican Republic, Ms. Hoffmann added. While cholera can spread swiftly where sanitation is poor and clean drinking water is unavailable, the possibility of transmitting the disease in New York is considered low. The likelihood of person-to-person transmission is also low, as one would have to drink large amounts of water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae, the cholera-causing bacteria, to get sick. "People get cholera by drinking water or eating food that is contaminated with cholera," said Erin Hughes, a spokeswoman for the city's health department. Those with cholera can recover rapidly, particularly if they rehydrate by drinking water with salt or sugar. In some cases, intravenous treatment and antibiotics might be required. In New York, the occasional cholera case is not unusual. Officials see an average of one a year, particularly among those traveling to regions where the disease is common, Dr. Balter said. But, until now, no cases have emerged since the outbreak in Haiti, she said. Federal health officials had put city health authorities on notice before the confirmation of the three cases on Friday. But city health officials had already been watching for cases to emerge and had sent alerts to doctors, Dr. Balter said. "We work closely with the C.D.C. on these cases, so we know about the outbreaks and we expected cases," Dr. Balter said. "We may see more cases. We probably will see more cases. And we always see cases related to travel." Dr. Balter stressed the importance of learning about the risk of cholera in the parts of the world where it is most prevalent and taking steps to prevent contracting the disease if traveling abroad. She also urged speaking with a physician before traveling and drinking bottled water once at a destination. Ms. Hoffmann said that travelers could also reduce their risk by "eating only food that has been cooked and served hot, paying vigorous attention to hand washing with soap and avoiding swimming or bathing in rivers."

Death in the Bat Caves: Disease Wiping out Hibernating Bats
Source: www.sciencedaily.com... 3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

ScienceDaily (Feb. 5, 2011) — Conservationists across the United States are racing to discover a solution to White-Nose Syndrome, a disease that is threatening to wipe out bat species across North America. A review published in Conservation Biology reveals that although WNS has already killed one million bats, there are critical knowledge gaps preventing researchers from combating the disease. WNS is a fatal disease that targets hibernating bats and is believed to be caused by a newly discovered cold-adapted fungus, Geomyces destructans, which infects and invades the living skin of hibernating bats. Since 2006 about one million bats across six species in eastern North America have died from WNS, and as a result several species of bats face endangerment or extinction.

Japan 1/6/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Another tufted duck found dead in Fukushima Prefecture has been confirmed to have been infected with a highly virulent type of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, the Environment Ministry said Friday, after confirming earlier this week that three other ducks had the virus. In Miyazaki Prefecture, meanwhile, preliminary tests showed positive for avian flu in six chickens which had been found dead in a poultry farm in Miyazaki city. The prefectural government subsequently asked 51 farms in the city not to move their chickens, which number 1.93 million. The virus found in the four ducks in Fukushima Prefecture was ''extremely closely related'' to the one discovered in a wild duck in Hokkaido last October, according to the ministry. The Fukushima prefectural government said Friday that no abnormalities have been found in on-site inspections conducted from Thursday at 59 farms within a 10-kilometer radius of the water reservoir where the dead ducks were found. The Environment Ministry also began Friday a study of wild bird droppings collected in the area to check whether the virus has spread. In Miyazaki, detailed examinations are planned to confirm whether the dead chickens were infected with flu. If confirmed, all the roughly 10,000 chickens at the same farm will be culled, according to local officials. It is yet another blow to the local poultry industry in the southwestern prefecture, which was hit by bird flu in 2007 and then a foot-and-mouth epidemic that led to the slaughter of about 290,000 cows and pigs.

North Carolina 1/6/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

A video posted to YouTube over the weekend by a sport fisherman shows thousands of dead fish floating off the coast of the Outer Banks. Fisherman Mike Stokes says the fish were, "dead stripers floating belly up, pretty much as far as you could see, a couple hundred yards." But it's not pollution that's killing the fish. State officials say it's the fishermen. Commercial boats are limited to taking just 50 fish a day. That quota comes with unintended consequences. "The rule almost encourages waste, because they're only allowed a certain number of fish and they're bringing way more fish than they're allowed to keep on board," Stokes says. The smaller fish that come up in fishermen's nets get discarded and end up floating lifeless in the ocean. It's not as simple as just putting the bass back in the water. Stokes says most of the fish are severely damaged when commercial boats bring them up. "What happens is all the fish in that net are crushed under the weight of all the fish, so when they get the fish they keep and throw the rest back I'd say a huge percentage of them die," Stokes says. Recreational fishermen say the solution is simple. Change the regulations from 50 fish per boat to a set tonnage for the week. This would allow commercial fisherman to bring in more fish while eliminating the waste in striped bass. Stokes says, "That way he wouldn't be forced to throw excess fish or above-the-quota fish overboard, potentially to their demise." NewsChannel 3 took action to get answers on what's being done to fix the problem. Robert Bizzell, Chairman of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission says setting limits by weight rather than the number of the fish, is likely.

Egypt 1/6/11
Source: www.promedmail.org...:1001:1228777067782815::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,86968

The Ministry of Health of Egypt has announced a case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus. A 7 year-old male from Gharbia Governorate, developed symptoms on 20 Jan 2011 and was hospitalized on 20 Jan 2011. He is in a stable condition. Investigations into the source of infection indicated that the case had exposure to sick poultry. The case was confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratories, a National Influenza Center of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN). Of the 122 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 40 have been fatal.

Laos 1/6/11
Source: www.promedmail.org...:1001:1228777067782815::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,86962

About 200 cow and buffalo calves in Aed district, Houaphan province, have died after contracting a mouth infection, according to local officials yesterday [3 Feb 2011]. "The animals that died were aged between 1 and 6 months," an official from the provincial Livestock and Fisheries Sector, Mr Phuangsavath Phommasy, told Vientiane Times during a telephone interview. According to a laboratory investigation into the cause of death, the animals did not die from foot-and-mouth disease [FMD] or as a result of the recent cold weather but from a mouth infection [see comment below]. Animals from 9 villages in Aed district have been infected with the disease. The district is located in the north of Laos and shares a border with Viet Nam.

Thailand, Cambodia 1/6/11
Source: www.promedmail.org...:1001:1228777067782815::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,86957

Health officials warn that an ongoing border dispute and subsequent military build-up along the Thai-Cambodian frontier could undermine global efforts to contain drug-resistant malaria, citing limited access for surveillance, early diagnosis, and treatment.

Flu outbreak closes GBHS unit in Markdale
Source: www.owensoundsuntimes.com...

Grey Bruce Health Services has closed the medical surgical unit to new admissions and put restrictions on visits at the Markdale hospital due to an outbreak of influenza A. The inpatient nursing unit was closed Friday afternoon, the hospital corporation announced in a news release Friday night. There were three confirmed cases of influenza A in the unit, which had 11 patients.

Three cases of cholera confirmed in New York City
Source: www.allheadlinenews.com...

Three New York City residents caught cholera while attending a wedding in the Dominican Republic. The city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said the people have recovered from the illness since visiting the island nation on Jan. 22. Health officials said there is no chance of an outbreak because of the infected residents. The New York Times reports the cases were the first since an outbreak occurred last year in Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is working with the city health department to determine whether the three cases are linked to the Haitian outbreak, which has killed thousands since October.

Flu Season Hits Pennsylvania
Source: www.thirdage.com...

Flu season struck Pennsylvania early this year, with cases surging a few weeks before they normally do. The state saw an influx of flu cases in mid-January, and those numbers are on the rise. The Pennsylvania Department of Health says the viral infection is “widespread,” especially in the south central and north central regions. The flu normally hits Pennsylvania at the end of January or beginning of February and peaks by early March. This year, the state logged 1,200 flu cases during the week ending Jan. 29, up from 915 the previous week, and 597 the week before that. Normally at this time of year, there are no more than 600 cases per week.

FMD found at nation’s largest breeding farm
Source: joongangdaily.joins.com...

Thirteen pigs were confirmed Saturday to have foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at Korea’s largest breeding farm - the Department of Animal Resources Development in Cheonan, South Chungcheong - which provides sperm from high-quality livestock to farms nationwide, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said yesterday. There are currently 350 cows, 1,650 pigs and 13,430 poultry (chicken and ducks) at the facility, the ministry said. The ministry said yesterday that the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service conducted an inspection Saturday on 13 pigs that at showed signs of FMD at the breeding farm. All 13 tested positive.

Six die of CSM in Upper West this yea
Source: www.ghananewsagency.org...

Wa, Feb. 5, GNA - Out of 43 reported cases of Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis (CSM), six people have died from the disease in the Upper West Region during the first four weeks of this year. Jirapa and Lawra Districts recorded two deaths each while Sissala West and Lambussie Districts had one death each.

Winter flu death toll rises to 15
Source: www.google.com...

The flu outbreak has claimed a total of 15 lives in the Republic this winter, with three more deaths reported in the last week. Health chiefs warned that while the number of new cases is in decline, levels among schoolchildren aged from five to 14 continue to rise. Two more people with swine flu have died in the north, bringing the total number of deaths during this flu season to 25. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) confirmed the swine flu H1N1 virus is only accounting for just over a third of all flu cases tested in the Republic. Nearly two-thirds were Influenza B. Statistics showed the number of people suffering from flu needing hospital care over the winter months rose to 803 on Wednesday, with 103 critical cases admitted to intensive care.

Where are the striper? Maybe dead on the bottom or washed up on the beach
Source: hamptonroads.com...

Talked to several charter captains today and they all had the same thing to say. Since the massive striped bass kill near Oregon Inlet, anglers were having trouble finding cooperative fish. There might not be any. Aerial pictures from more commercial trawler spills Thursday and Friday show hundreds, if not thousands, of fish floating along the coast of the Outer Banks. Those fish either sunk to the bottom or washed up on the beach. A few were scooped up by anglers not wanting to see the fish wasted. North Carolina officials only counted 251 fish. A story in this morning's Virginian-Pilot quoted North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries spokesperson Patricia Smith stating "if someone actually has photos of thousands of fish, we'd be happy to see them."

Two die after swine flu infection in Hong Kong
Source: health.asiaone.com...

HONG KONG - Two men have died in Hong Kong after contracting swine flu, health authorities said Monday, a year-and-a-half after an outbreak of the disease killed 80 people in the city. Hong Kong's Hospital Authority said a total of 35 people were being treated for swine flu in intensive care units in the city, with four critical cases confirmed in the last two days. The southern Chinese financial centre, home to around seven million people, is nervous about infectious diseases, following an outbreak of the SARS virus in 2003, which killed 300 people in the city and a further 500 around the world. The latest swine flu fatalities were aged 62 and 53 and died on Sunday due to what the Hospital Authority called "continued deterioration of clinical condition".

Bangladesh 1/7/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

An outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed at a farm in the Dhaka region of Bangladesh. The authorities sent Follow Up Report No. 27 dated 3 February to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The report describes one outbreak of HPAI at a poultry farm in Lambadaradi in the Dhaka region. Of the almost 10,000 birds on the farm, 1,500 were found dead from 24 January and the rest were destroyed the following day. The source of infection is unknown.

Laos 1/7/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

About 200 cow and buffalo calves in Aed district, Houaphan province, have died after contracting a mouth infection, according to local officials yesterday [3 Feb 2011]. "The animals that died were aged between 1 and 6 months," an official from the provincial Livestock and Fisheries Sector, Mr Phuangsavath Phommasy, told Vientiane Times during a telephone interview. According to a laboratory investigation into the cause of death, the animals did not die from foot-and-mouth disease [FMD] or as a result of the recent cold weather but from a mouth infection. Animals from 9 villages in Aed district have been infected with the disease. The district is located in the north of Laos and shares a border with Viet Nam. Locals said the disease had broken out in Viet Nam prior to its appearance in Houaphan at the end of November [2010], Mr Phuangsavath said. The disease quickly spread after people threw infected carcasses into rivers, he observed. When it started appearing in Aed district, provincial authorities took immediate action to contain the disease and prevent any further outbreaks. "We are required to closely monitor the transport and trading of pigs or pork and pork products at the Lao-Vietnamese border and seize and destroy pigs of unclear origin," he said. In 9 communities along the border, pig farms, vehicle tyres, markets, and slaughterhouses have been disinfected and pig herds vaccinated. Officials are also campaigning to raise awareness about the disease and are warning people not to eat animals that have fallen ill or died from it. Villagers have also been advised to bury carcasses to prevent the disease spreading and becoming an epidemic. If anyone comes across a case of the mouth infection they should report it immediately to the provincial livestock and fisheries sector via their local village office. No new cases of infection have been reported recently but some deaths are still occurring among animals already infected, Mr Phuangsavath said. For the next few months, provincial authorities are required to monitor the situation closely in Aed district to ensure the outbreak is permanently eradicated.

23 cases of jaundice reported in Mehsana
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com...

PALANPUR/MEHSANA: Twenty three cases of jaundice have surfaced in Lalchad Ni Lathi locality in railway station area of Mehsana. Of those affected by the disease in the past week, eight are children and one woman. The outbreak has been reportedly caused due to contaminated water supply in the area. Residents blamed old and worn out pipes for getting contaminated water and flayed the municipality for its indifferent attitude towards the problem. About one hundred people live in the chawl.

OIE confirms H5N1 in Bangladesh
Source: www.worldpoultry.net...

An outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed at a farm in the Dhaka region of Bangladesh. The authorities sent Follow Up Report No. 27 dated 3 February to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The report describes one outbreak of HPAI at a poultry farm in Lambadaradi in the Dhaka region. Of the almost 10,000 birds on the farm, 1,500 were found dead from 24 January and the rest were destroyed the following day.

Flu season here heating up
Source: articles.lancasteronline.com...

One local nursing home has restricted visitors to stop the spread of illness. Achy patients are starting to fill up doctors' offices. Coughing, feverish kids are starting to fill up hospital beds. The flu is here, it's widespread and it's not done yet. The season began ramping up about two to three weeks ago, local health officials said. Almost 4,000 cases and 21 deaths have been reported across Pennsylvania as of Jan. 25.

South Korea 1/7/11
Source: www.promedmail.org...

[1] 146th outbreak [2] Central breeding farm, modified stamping out [3] Schools kept closed in infected regions South Korea confirmed an additional case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in its largest port city on Monday [7 Feb 2011] as quarantine authorities start the 2nd stage of its nationwide vaccination process, the government said Monday.The case at the pig and goat farm in Busan, which raised 568 animals,brings the total number of officially confirmed FMD outbreaks to 146,after livestock started showing symptoms in late November [2010], the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said. It is also the 1st confirmed case in the city located 450 km southeast of Seoul.

Flu Update: 30 States Reporting Widespread Outbreaks
Source: weather.weatherbug.com...

February is the peak of flu season so make sure you are prepared! Flu activity continues to show no signs of slowing as numbers across the U.S are up again from last week, with more states reporting widespread flu outbreaks. Since the last update, the number of flu cases has gone up again. Just like last week, every state is reporting at least some flu activity. There are now 30 states; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming, reporting widespread flu. Regional flu was being reported in 15 states. Local activity was reported by the District of Columbia and one state, Washington. Sporadic activity was seen in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Delaware, Hawaii, Oregon, and Utah.

Gastric flu outbreak spreads in Britain
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk...

Britain is in the grip of a gastric flu outbreak which has spread from hospitals in Scotland to the south coast, health chiefs said today.Levels of the virus, which has already affected 12 hospitals in Scotland, are higher than those recorded in the past, said the Public Health Laboratory Service.The number of people struck down with the viral infection on hospital wards was today expected to rise amid reports of the bug in Manchester, Hertfordshire, Sussex, Dorset and Cornwall. There was also a similar case in Birmingham earlier this month.So far, Glasgow's Victoria Infirmary has been worst hit with 283 patients and staff hit by the illness.It has forced emergency admissions to the hospital to be diverted to the city's Southern General Hospital until further notice.

Typhoid fever outbreak hits Cebu village
Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com...

CEBU, Philippines – Twenty cases of typhoid fever have been recorded in Sitio Cabal-asan in Barangay Arpili, Balamban, Cebu as of Sunday. Officials from the Department of Health (DOH) and Integrated Provincial Health Office have visited the mountain village and distributed water disinfectant for residents.The DOH Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit met with villagers to tell them of their situation. Health official Renan Cimafranca said that they conducted the water source in the area tested positive for the typhoid fever bacteria. A blood test was also conducted on 6 residents who showed typhoid fever symptoms. Five of them tested positive.

School quarantine extended as flu outbreak keeps students in bed
Source: rt.com...

With a flu epidemic raging across Russia, Moscow’s officials have decided to extend its school quarantine. The city’s Health Ministry have announced that they are giving themselves 48 hours to figure out whether it is safe for kids to go back to school. Meanwhile, they prolonged the quarantine for another two days for children under 15. The officials also decided that every student will be checked for cold and flu before lessons start in Moscow schools. The Health Ministry is urging parents not to send children to school with the slightest signs of cold or flu. A total of 2,105 Muscovites were hospitalized with cold and flu over the past week.

08/02/11: Cambodia Reports First Bird Flu Outbreak
Source: foodsafety.suencs.com...

Apparently the avian flu is spreading very quickly in Asia. There has been one new outbreak of suspected highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a village poultry flock the south of the Cambodia. The authorities sent Immediate Notification dated 7 February 2011 to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). According to the report, the outbreak started on 27 January at Prek Doung in the region of Kandal. In a village flock of 232 birds, 48 died and 174 have been culled.

Measles Outbreak in New Zealand
Source: www.medindia.net... edindia+Health+News%29

Auckland has reported an outbreak of measles that arrived with infected travelers on an Emirates flight from Brisbane nearly a month ago and is spreading very quickly.The nine passengers on the Emirates Flight of January 11th would have come into contact with many others and there is increasing alarm that the situation cannot be controlled with the disease spreading like wildfire. 300 persons have been already identified, who have come in contact with these passengers and 12 have tested positive for this highly infectious illness. Now, as these, without knowing about the danger, come into contact with yet others, there can be no immediate halt to the epidemic. Although, according to Public Health Director, Julia Peters, most cases are in West Auckland, there has been a report from Wellington too.

New Zealand added to Google swine flu map
Source: www.nbr.co.nz...

"Likely" swine flu infections suffered by ten Rangitoto College students have been noted on Google’s official Flu Trends site, created in co-operation with the US government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and pinned on an unaffiliated Google Map tracking the possible pandemic. Yesterday, deputy director of public health Dr Darren Hunt confirmed that the 10 Rangitoto students had tested postitive for Influenza A. It won't be known for several days whether they are suffering from H1N1 or "swine flu," the subset of Influenza A that has so far killed 80 in Mexico and infected more than 20 in the US, where President Obama has declared a public health emergency. But Health Separtment officials describe the scenario as "highly likely." The 10 were part of a wider group of 22 Rangitoto students who arrived home from Mexico to New Zealand on Saturday, with 14 reporting flu-like symptoms. One is in hospital, the rest are under home quarantine.

Possible Rabies Outbreak Reported in Argentina
Source: www.bloodhorse.com...

According to a report from the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID), there recently has been a rise in the number of equine rabies cases diagnosed in the Corrientes province of Argentina. Officials believe the horses were infected with the disease via vampire bats.The extent of the outbreak remains unclear, but officials have announced they will begin vaccinating horses within a six-mile radius of where the initial cases were diagnosed in an attempt to reduce the number of horses that contract the virus. Additionally, ISID reported that the Ministry of Public Health will "take follow-up action for the bat colonies in the area."

Five children killed by rabies outbreak in Peru's jungle
Source: www.livinginperu.com...

Five children killed by rabies outbreak in Peru's jungleAt present, five children from the indigenous communities Awajun and Wampis have died in Peru due to rabies spread by vampire bats, according to information issued by the Ministry of Health. This case brings the total number of fatalities of this outbreak to 20. Fernando Borjas, a local health official said that some 3,500 people had been bitten by these vampire bats, and warned that there are not enough vaccines in the affected areas since those are located in remote places.

Alarming riddle of the seas as thousands more dead fish wash up on U.S. beach in latest mass death mystery
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk...

First it was birds falling out of the sky in Louisiana and Texas. Then scores of devil crabs were found dead on a beach in England. Now, in the latest unexplained mass animal death to hit the headlines this year alone, thousands of fish have again washed up dead in Florida. This follows similar incidents where large schools of fish were found lifeless on beaches in Arkansas, Maryland and New Zealand in January. What caused the fish in this latest incident to die is not yet known, but biologists believe they may have been killed due to a lack of oxygen in the water. Fishermen at Sebastian Inlet State Park first made the grim discovery on Friday. 'I saw the fish jumping out there and I thought it was going to be a really good day for fishing, and then I noticed over here in the surf that they're all dead,' fisherman Jeff Johnson told WPBF 25 News.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Crews Checking for Dead Fish
Source: www.krgv.com...

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND - Texas Parks and Wildlife crews are on their way to check the beaches for dead fish. Many dead fish washed up on Boca Chica Beach and South Padre Island during last week's winter weather. About a thousand mullets and hundreds of speckle trout were killed. The fish could not handle the frigid temperatures in the gulf waters.

UFO linked to 2000 fish deaths says Panorama Diario
Source: www.agoracosmopolitan.com...

BOGOTA – Residents of a community northeast of Colombia claim that 2000 fish have turned up dead since last week, following last week’s appearance of a strange, flashing object seen briefly over a local swamp. The incident occurred at the village of El Llanito in the jurisdiction of the city of Barrancabermeja. Residents saw a flying object in the skies last Friday, according to local media. Shortly afterward, dead fish were found floating in the swamp, but unlike other similar cases ascribed to the lack of oxygen, residents of El Llanito are startled by the fact that fish display burn marks on their scales.

8,500 chickens infected with H5N1 virus in N'ganj
Source: bdnews24.com...

Narayanganj, Feb 7 (bdnews24.com) – Some 8,500 chickens of two poultry farms in Narayanganj have been found infected with H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu virus. According to reports, around 200 chickens of the two farms in Batenpara area of Siddhirganj under Sadar Upazila died on Monday morning. The infection was confirmed when the officials of the Upazila livestock department, sent a sample of the tissue to the Central Diseases Investigation Laboratory (CDIL) in Dhaka for analysis.

5,000 chicken culled in Gazipur
Source: www.bdnews24.com...

Gazipur, Feb 7 (bdnews24.com)–Some 5,000 chickens of a poultry farm in Gazipur have been culled which were found infected with H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu virus. District livestock department official Mohammad Shamsur Rahman told bdnews24.com that they were confirmed about the infection on Monday evening. According to reports, chickens of Khorshed Agro Farm at Konabari were dying of H5N1 virus over the last few days.

Three swine-flu deaths raise winter toll in Hong Kong to nine
Source: www.monstersandcritics.com...

Hong Kong - Three more patients have died of swine flu in Hong Kong, bringing the number of human deaths from the virus this winter to nine in the densely populated city, health officials said Tuesday. The Hospital Authority confirmed that a 21-year-old woman and two men, 53 and 62, had died of swine flu since the weekend.

Severe Outbreak Disease in Afghanistan Left 17 Dead
Source: nutritiondietnews.com...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2011 /NewsRelease/ - In a presentation at the conference, Tim Motley, principal scientist, Ibis Biosciences, a subsidiary of Abbott (NYSE: ABT), reported on genotypic characterization of Yersina pestis after a severe outbreak of the unknown disease in Afghanistan’s Nimorz Province in December 2007. Eighty-three men and women experienced severe fever, vomiting and diarrhea, and 17 died. All had consumed camel meat. Due to the gastrointestinal symptoms and disease severity, anthrax was suspected. Today, at the American Society for Microbiology Conference on Biodefense and Emerging Diseases, scientists from Abbott Molecular presented data showing the unique power of the company’s Ibis technologies to recognize and further characterize unknown disease-causing pathogens to help aid within the bioforensic analysis of pandemic outbreaks.

Myanmar (Burma) 2/9/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

The recent outbreak of bird flu in Sittwe Township in western Burma's Arakan State has brought great losses for the local poultry farmers as they had to cull thousands of their birds, said one affected farmer. The farmer told Narinjara that he is unable to save his business after all the chickens from his farms were taken by the authorities in the culling. "All 4,000 chickens, worth about ten million kyat, were taken from my farm and culled by the officials. So far, I have not gotten any compensation from the authorities and now it is very difficult for me to restart my business," said the farmer. Officials from the local health and municipal departments have culled thousands of chickens from the poultry farms in the area after finding a strain of the H5N1 virus, also known as the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza - HPAI virus at a farm in Bumay Village in Sittwe Township on 12 January 2011. "As my farm is near the village hit by the flu, all of my chickens have been wiped out by the officials even though they were uninfected. The farms in other nearby villages also faced the same fate and an estimated 50,000 birds from both infected and uninfected farms have been culled by the authorities," said the farmer. Another farmer reported that most of the affected farmers are facing a loss of their livelihood as authorities have neglected to even provide loans, much less compensation, to help them recover from the loss. "There is no compensation or loans being provided by the authorities to the farmers. It is like we had to suffer according to our fate. Apart from this, we have to pay the officials for anti-virus sprays on our farms and for culling the chickens, and now we are facing the ruin of our business," he said. According to a local veterinarian, the virus is now under control as health officials have been closely monitoring the farms in the area after culling the affected birds.

Cambodia 2/9/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

A five-year-old Cambodian girl has died from bird flu, the World Health Organisation said Wednesday, in the first reported fatality from the virus since early last year. The girl fell ill in the capital Phnom Penh on January 30 and was taken to hospital with symptoms of coughing and shortness of breath, a joint statement from Cambodia and the UN's public health arm said. She died on February 4. "Despite intensive medical care, the girl died 12 hours after admission from complications," it said. The child is the 11th person in the country to become infected with the H5N1 virus and ninth to die since 2003. Cambodia said it was working to identify her close contacts and "to initiate preventive treatment as required". Health Minister Mam Bun Heng urged people with respiratory infections who had been in "contact with dead or sick poultry to promptly seek medical attention".

Peru 2/9/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

Health authorities have declared a red alert in Peru's northern Amazon jungle region following the outbreak of a "very aggressive" dengue strain that has killed 14 people and sickened thousands. Dengue is endemic to the jungle region but until now Peru has largely dealt with the American strain of the disease. "[Authorities are facing] a new variety that we did not know in Peru and that probably entered from Brazil via the Amazon," health minister Oscar Ugarte told local reporters. About 13,000 people have been infected and at least 1,600 people have been hospitalised for treatment, a health official in Loreto, in north-eastern Peru. There is no vaccine for dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease. A senior Loreto health official, Hugo Rodriguez, says this dengue strain is known as the Asian-American variety, and unlike the American variety produces severe shock among victims. "It is a combination of both varieties," Mr Rodriguez said. Health officials in Iquitos, Peru's main city on the Amazon River located 1,000 kilometres north of Lima, has launched a fumigation program in an attempt to diminish the number of mosquitos. The virus can result in deadly fevers, especially among children: half of those killed were minors.

New Zealand 2/9/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

The Community and Public Health Division of Canterbury District Health Board is warning travellers who arrived in Christchurch on Monday, January 31, on a Pacific Blue flight from Melbourne may have been exposed to measles. Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Alistair Humphrey says Community and Public Health has been notified of an infected passenger who arrived on Pacific Blue Flight DJ 60, which departed Melbourne and arrived in Christchurch at 3pm last Monday. “Measles is a serious illness with 10 per cent of people who have the disease requiring hospital treatment. Measles is at its most highly infectious stage before any symptoms of a rash appears,” Dr Humphrey says. “The infected passenger was travelling to Christchurch for a wedding and would have been travelling during this highly infectious period.” Passengers on the flight would now be experiencing symptoms, he says. “Measles is easily spread through the air and people sitting in a row close to an affected passenger are potentially at risk. Even people sitting further away could have been infected, for example, while walking past the passengers with measles, or while waiting in the airport gate lounge.” While measles is now rare in New Zealand, thanks to vaccination, Dr Humphrey says there were still three outbreaks in 2009/2010, each of which was started by people who were infected overseas. “People tend to underestimate measles – reality is it can be a nasty disease. Measles can’t be treated once you get it, so the only way to prevent the disease is through immunisation.” “It is important to call first because measles is highly infectious and people with measles can infect others in the waiting room,” Dr Humphrey says.

Saudi Arabia 2/9/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

A number of people have been treated for dysentery following the Jan. 26 floods in Jeddah, although the exact numbers are unknown. Pharmacies have also reported a rise in the number of people asking for diarrhea medication. According to Sami Badawood, the city’s director of health affairs, 161 people were admitted to hospital following the floods for a variety of reasons. However, complaints include not only dysentery, but also panic and asthma attacks triggered by the floods. One case of dysentery serious enough to require hospitalization was that of 45-year-old Filipino Mario Cunanan.

Argentina 2/9/11
Source: hisz.rsoe.hu...

An 18-year-old youth presented with symptoms compatible with those of a hantavirus infection and is admitted to intensive care at the La Plata Hospital Italiano. His status is "very delicate" critical, according to medical sources. The Buenos Aires Minister of Health explained that "this coming week we will know the results of the laboratory tests for the samples that were sent to the Instituto Malbran and that confirm, or not, the diagnosis of the disease." He underscored that "despite that this is just a suspected case, we will work the same way as if it was confirmed in the place where we presume that he contracted the disease." The young man lives near the la Rueda location and besides studying, plays football in the 1st division of the Villa San Martin de Abasto Club, the place where he lives. The young man "first felt a strong stomach pain and fever, so had a test done, but later felt worse -- he had a fever and vomiting -- and when he went to the hospital he was admitted and was kept in intensive care," added the report. One of the suspicions was that he could have contracted the virus infection in his home, since the residence is located along side a balanced feed production plant, and, according to the explanation of medical sources, "it is a swarm of rats."

R2.4m for Rift Valley Fever outbreak in Eastern Cape
Source: www.timeslive.co.za...

The department said 550,000 doses of vaccine were being administered in the affected areas bordering the Kei River, Centane, and Ngqamakwe. It had formed a committee with the department of health and the Amathole District Municipality to arrange support and education of farmers about RVF. Control measures included:
-- vaccinating susceptible stock using a new needle for each animal;
-- requiring that all mortalities, abortions and illness be reported to local animal health technicians or state veterinarians;
-- preventing the destruction of carcasses and foetuses, which could be burnt or buried only on the authorisation of state vets;
-- setting out of precautions to be taken when handling sick animals, foetuses or carcasses, including minimum protective clothing; and
-- requiring additional control measures such as weekly spraying of stock, moving animals away from standing water to high altitude areas. The RVF outbreak was confirmed in January at three farms in the Graaf-Reinet and Kei Mouth areas. Two people infected with the disease in the Northern Cape in January have since recovered. The disease is a viral zoonosis, which means it is an animal disease which can be transmitted to humans.

Ind. among 11 states with widespread flu outbreaks
Source: www.chicagotribune.com...

INDIANAPOLIS — While the recent flu outbreak has been widespread in Indiana and 10 other states, this year's virus is not as threatening as those seen in past years, according to state and federal health officials. Four people have died in Indiana, but ISDH epidemiologist Shawn Richards said the strains seen this year have not been as severe, and there is no one strain responsible for all the deaths. Federal health officials said Tuesday they were classifying the outbreak as widespread in 11 states because it had affected people in at least half of the counties in those states.

Ghanaian Cholera Outbreak Kills Four, Sickens 200, Graphic Says
Source: www.bloomberg.com...

An outbreak of cholera in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, has killed four people and sickened more than 200, the Daily Graphic said. The government is offering free treatment to those affected and undertaking a public education campaign to combat the outbreak, the Accra-based newspaper said, citing Edward Antwi, a deputy regional director of public health.

Fruit fly outbreak in Goulburn Valley
Source: www.weeklytimesnow.com.au...

QUEENSLAND fruit fly has been discovered north of Shepparton. Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh said the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) had declared a 15-kilometre suspension zone around the detection site. The suspension zone will regulate the movement of locally-produced host fruit from the suspension zone to Melbourne and other sensitive markets. Mr Walsh said conditions were right for further outbreaks of fruit fly. “The warm, humid conditions being experienced this summer mean that the pest can rapidly complete its life cycle and build in population,” Mr Walsh said.

Cough spreading among Maroondah residents
Source: maroondah-leader.whereilive.com.au...

AN outbreak of whooping cough in Maroondah has prompted doctors to warn that anyone in contact with babies should be vaccinated against the disease. Twenty-three cases have been reported in the municipality so far this year, with four cases reported in the past week. Eastern Health’s Mary O’Reilly said the disease had broken out across Melbourne over the past six months. “Melbourne generally gets outbreaks every three to four years, mainly in spring and summer, and we have a bit of an outbreak at the moment,” Ms O’Reilly said. She said babies and young children were most at risk, and could stop breathing after a bout of coughing and also contract pneumonia.

Victorian dairy farmers urged to beware of fungus in pastures
Source: www.abc.net.au...

Victorian dairy farmers and livestock producers are being urged to watch out for a fungus that grows in pastures and can be fatal for animals. The fungus thrives in wet and warm conditions and produces a toxin which attacks the livers of animals when ingested and causes eczema. There have been reports of cattle in the Gippsland region becoming sick from the fungus and one cow has died. District vet Jack Winterbottom says they are expecting a major outbreak this year.

South Korea reeling from FMD outbreak
Source: www.meatpoultry.com...

DENVER – Stretching well into its third month, South Korea’s foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis has taking a severe toll on that country’s domestic swine herd and created a huge spike in pork prices. To help ensure an adequate supply of pork and alleviate soaring prices in the meat case, South Korea’s government has announced a tariff relief measure on 60,000 metric tons of imported pork, according to the US Meat Export Federation. Pork imported into South Korea from most foreign suppliers is subject to a 25% duty. But between now and June 30, duty-free access will be granted for a 50,000 metric ton tariff rate quota (TRQ) of frozen pork products intended primarily for further processing. A separate, 10,000 metric ton TRQ has also been established specifically for frozen pork belly.

Herpes goes airborne, terrifies nation
Source: www.uccsscribe.com...

With the smiles, obnoxious feelings, hearts, Bulgarian chocolates and prim cut roses, love is indeed in the air this Valentine's Day. However, this February brings with it something altogether more menacing: airborne herpes? According to the latest CDC (Center for Disease Control) report, the airborne herpes outbreak stems from higher altitude levels coupled with even higher levels of sexual activity than usual.

Yellow fever issues in Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar
www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk...

The Ministry of Health for Zanzibar has requested that all local and international tour operators be informed that a valid International Certificate of Vaccination to prevent yellow fever will have to be shown at points of entry to the country i.e. airports, seaports and borders. This request is felt necessary for the safety of tourists owing to the large outbreak of yellow fever that is ongoing in northern Uganda, where 226 cases and 53 deaths have been recorded. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office recommend all travellers have the vaccine at a registered yellow fever centre here in the UK, to be sure that travellers will not be vaccinated on arrival. This is a recommendation- not mandatory but is for travellers' safety.

Beijing Reports Fourth H1N1 Death
Source: www.eeo.com.cn...

According to an announcement posted to the official website of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, as of midday on Feb 8 2011, 195 cases of A/H1N1 flu had been detected in Beijing this year, with one patient dying from the unique strain of the influenza virus over the past week, taking the total death toll for the Chinese capital this year to four. A report published on the website of the English edition of the People's Daily in mid-January, quoted the deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention He Xiong as saying it was unlikely the A/H1N1 type of influenza will become this year's dominant strain, because many people were already infected in 2009 and about 100 million people have been vaccinated in a nationwide program that began in early 2010. According to government statistics, most infections during the flu season are caused by the type B and H3N2 viruses. Health officials believe that A/H1N1 is unlikely to become the main flu strain in 2011.

Hundreds of sparrows fall dead in Rotorua
Source: tvnz.co.nz...

Hundreds of sparrows which were found dead in central Rotorua over Auckland Anniversary weekend could have been deliberately poisoned, the SPCA says. About 200 of the birds fell from the trees and died near Rotorua Central Mall, and another 200 were found dead near a skatepark a short distance away on Ranolf St.

Thousands of mallards die; traced to eating moldy grain
Source: www.startribune.com...W3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciatkEP7DhUsl

As many as 7,000 mallards have died in a small pond near Pierre, S.D., the apparent result of the birds ingesting moldy grain from a feedlot. The congregation of mallards had remained in South Dakota despite severe cold and snow this winter, gathering in a small pond, apparently kept open by an artesian well. The well can't be easily shut off, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service memo. The fear at first was that the birds died of cholera. Instead, toxicology reports indicate a fungal infection as the cause, likely caused by the moldy grain.

Conn. Coop Falls Under Snow, Killing 85,000 Hens
Source: abcnews.go.com...

Department of Agriculture Commissioner Steven Reviczky (reh-VIS-kee') said Thursday the chicken coop collapsed Jan. 27 at the Kofkoff Egg Farm in Bozrah, a small town southeast of Hartford. He says the number of hens killed was reported to the state recently. He says the dead birds were incinerated.

12 Pelicans Dead, 100 Sick In Mayport
Source: www.news4jax.com...

MAYPORT, Fla. -- Bird experts in Jacksonville are trying to figure out what killed a dozen pelicans in Mayport and sickened more than 100 others. The recent deaths come just weeks after the mysterious deaths of thousands of birds falling from the sky in Arkansas. Cindy Moseling, who's been caring for and rehabilitating birds at Bird Emergency Aid and Kare Sanctuary on Big Talbot Island for decades, said she has seen her feathered friends die for various reasons, but is especially concerned this time. "The last few days, we've had quite a bit of birds dying," Moseling said. She said she's found the pelicans dead near the St. Johns River and seen at least 100 more that don't look healthy. She said it's because of something in the water.

Thousands of dead fish stink up Sebastian Inlet
Source: www.cfnews13.com...

SEBASTIAN INLET -- Visitors coming to Sebastian Inlet State Park are being greeted with a pungent fish smell. Biologists said it's all the result of a large fish kill. "Try to see some dolphins, and instead, dead fish," said Lynn Try, a visitor. Dead fish are dotting the shoreline. Some observers have claimed there are millions of them, and even on Tuesday, people were still calling the state hotline to report the dead fish. FWC biologists said they first began getting reports of dead Menhaden, or bait fish, late last week. These fish are small in size, ranging from three to five inches long. Their numbers are staggering, and they are piling up along the shoreline.