Pandemic Flu from Europe

European recomendations on Non Pharmaceutical Interventions

2006-11-08T09:12:00.000Z

On 2006-10-12, the European Centre of Diseases Control has published "Personal (non-Pharmaceutical) Public Health Measures for Reducing Transmission of Human Influenza - Interim ECDC Recommendations". (The US has a similar document, called "Interim Guidance on Planning for the Use of Surgical Masks and Respirators in Health Care Settings during an Influenza Pandemic".)

It makes a reference to two documents by the World Health Organisation (one on National and Community Measures and another on International Measures). My short summary: local measures will work to a certain extent and we should prepare for them, but international measures probably won't do much. Of course, don't take my word for it: go read the reports.

The ECDC document doesn't yet acknowledge the publication of very important data on "modeling community containment" by the Institute of Medicine (US).

A number of things are pretty obvious:

There won't be a vaccine for the first many months after the beginning of a pandemic. Antivirals will be available to some and not to others. So we need to explore "non pharmaceutical interventions" (NPI) and get used to that term.
Closing schools will mean less exposure to children, a flattening of the curve for all, and possibly less cases overall.
Adding other "social distance" measures will provide aditional benefit. (There seems to be no substitute for closing schools early.)
For it to work, school closure and other measures must be carried out really early in the pandemic, which means proactively. (If the pandemic is bad enough, schools will close reactively anyway. Accept it and get over it: schools will close, now what?.)
Proactive things are acceptable if teachers and parents and employeers talk about it openly, now.
For these measures to work, there's some preparation that needs to be carried out on many levels: how do communities (and businesses and essential services and families) deal with absentee rates due to parents taking care of children at home? Who needs to cross-train (how many people at your office can fix a computer problem)? Who needs to stock-up on food, water and other essential items?

Tell your family, friends, colleagues and citizens about it:

Schools will close.
It's better to close them proactively.
They may be closed for more than two months.
If things are bad we will need to add more "social distance" layers (closing schools will be the right thing to do but may not be enough).
What will be the effects in our community?
What should we do to prepare?
Why wait, really?

It's not the antivirals that matter in a bad pandemic

2006-06-26T00:02:00.000+01:00

Here a GP is reported to request that electricity continues to power his practice.

A flu pandemic across the UK could result in "1,000 September 11ths" and preparations are "woefully inadequate", a doctor warned today.

Dr Steve Hajioff will tell doctors at the British Medical Association's annual conference on Tuesday that a flu pandemic would have "enormous" implications. He believes stockpiling anti-virals is less important than getting transport, fuel and water companies to make adequate plans.
[...]

Dr Hajioff said the Government had taken action but stocking anti-viral drugs was the "icing not the cake".
He added: "It's not anti-virals that are important, it's how we keep going, keep functioning as a country and keep the flu from spreading. I'm a GP and I can prepare my surgery, but if the electricity company that supplies my power has not prepared, then I am not going to be able to treat patients.

It looks like the "bad pandemic" scenario is starting to sink in.

A "not bad" pandemic would disrupt health-care services. Just do the numbers: no surge capacity, and many people simultaneously ill. Yes, that means health-care providers too.

The magic word is ... simultaneously.

Simultaneously in your hometown and mine. Simultaneously all over the country. Simultaneously all over Europe. Simultaneously all over the world.

Now, add the length of time it takes for a pandemic wave to unfold. What would that be? 4 to 8 weeks? A simultaneous, long-lasting mess.

Ah, yes, but there's bound to be a period of calm after that, right?

Wrong! It will be a period of calm before the second wave. So, no matter if the first wave is mild or not, people will remember 1918. (I certainly will remember it.) They will remeber the second wave was much worse.

And they'll stockpile. In a rush. And of course, again, simultaneously.

Do you really think a "now that there's no pandemic going on" buying panic would hurt us? Well, then, I suggest you multiply that by whatever amount you chose, and that's what the real thing would be like.

Look: we don't know when there will be a pandemic. But even with a "not so bad" one there will be panic buying. Lots of it. So better start now and build things up slowly (fast!). Doesn't it make sense?

EU says H5 virus found in Hungary

2006-06-10T10:55:00.000+01:00

The European Commission said Friday that a H5 highly pathogenic strain of bird flu had been found in a domestic flock of geese in Hungary.

Samples will be sent to the European Union (EU)'s reference laboratory for avian flu in Weybridge, near London, for further tests to determine whether it is the deadly H5N1 strain, the commission said in a statement.

The Hungarian authorities found the infected flock in Bacs- Kiskun in southern Hungary. Cases of highly pathogenic bird flu were detected in wild birds earlier this year in this county.

All 2,300 geese in the flock were immediately culled upon suspicion of the virus. All poultry in the 1 km radius around the outbreak are also being culled Friday, the commission said.

If confirmed, it would be the fifth outbreak of high pathogenic H5N1 avian flu in domestic poultry in a EU member state, following outbreaks in domestic poultry in France, Sweden, Germany and Denmark.

Source: People's Daily Online from Xinhua: EU says H5 virus found in Hungary

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | Europe | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | poultry

Ghana: Aftermath of bird flu Poultry farmers saddled with bank loans

2006-06-09T20:58:00.000+01:00

Although poultry farmers were compelled to drop the prices of their produce by 30% to 40% during the peak of the bird flu scare the measure has done little to save the industry from collapse. The result is the huge debts hanging on the necks of poultry farmers.

Mr. Kofi Agyei-Henaku the Executive Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers said the measures have eroded the capital base and cash inflows of many poultry farms, especially farmers with large operations that are indebted to financial institutions.

Speaking at the National Bird Flu briefing programme in Accra on Tuesday, Agyei-Henaku observed that during the peak of the bird flu scare hatcheries had to destroy a large number of day old chicks and gave example of how a reputable hatchery in the Greater Accra region destroyed 49,760 day old chicks within six weeks because prospective customers failed to collect them leading to a loss of more than ¢358 million.

Source: Ghana web: Aftermath of bird flu Poultry farmers saddled with bank loans

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

China plagued by bird-flu coverups

2006-06-09T20:52:00.000+01:00

Qiao Songju, a resident of Gaoyou county in Jiangsu province, attained a brief heroic reputation for informing authorities of a massive bird-flu outbreak in Anhui province in October 2005. Tipped by Qiao, the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed the outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu among geese and chicken in Liangying village of Chuzhou city.

Qiao gained overnight fame as the first informer of a bird-flu outbreak. But his joy did not last long. One month later, Gaoyou police paid a midnight visit to Qiao’s home and “invited” him to the station for a “chat”, which turned out to be the prologue to detention. The next day, Qiao was arrested on suspected fraud and blackmail activities. His arrest happened 2 days after he attempted to report another bird flu outbreak — this time in his own hometown. His arrest made headlines.

Observers pointed out that the timing of Qiao’s arrest suggested it was hardly coincidental. Many believed he was being framed. The Guangzhou-based and often outspoken South Metropolis News pointed out Qiao’s arrest took place when he was preparing to expose the bird flu outbreak in Gaoyou.

Qiao was tried on 21 and 26 Apr 2006. The court has yet to hand down a verdict. In China, it is rare for such a case to be tried twice without a court ruling. Analysts said it was likely that the central government intervened, so the case now seems to be moving to Qiao’s advantage.

Near the Jiangsu provincial capital Nanjing, Gaoyou abounds in geese and ducks. Poultry and eggs provide almost the entire gross domestic product (GDP) to Gaoyou. For the locals, an outbreak of bird flu there could mean the end of the world.

To the local farmers, Qiao was just a “bad guy”. Because of his tip-off, the government decided to destroy all reared poultry in the neighborhood, but the state compensation did not suffice to cover the colossal loss.

Source: Asia Times Online: China plagued by bird-flu coverups

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Chicken | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | poultry

EU: Bird flu incidence in wild birds falling

2006-06-09T20:47:00.000+01:00

The survey found that between February 2006 and 21 May 2006, 741 cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza , most of them confirmed as the deadly H5N1 strain, have been detected in wild birds in 13 member states – Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, Germany, France, Slovakia, Sweden, Poland, Denmark, Czech Republic and UK.

There have been four outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in poultry in the EU, and all of these were swiftly eradicated following detection. No human case of the H5N1 virus has occurred in the EU.

There is considerable variation in the number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds, ranging from 326 in Germany to one found in the UK.

The peak in terms of the number of cases in wild birds was reached in March with 362 cases, compared to 200 in February, with cases declining to 162 in April and 17 in May.

The most commonly affected wild birds have been swans, representing 62.8 per cent of the total, followed by ducks (16.3 per cent), geese (4.5 per cent), birds of prey (3.9 per cent) and others (13 per cent).

Source: Food production daily: Bird flu incidence in wild birds falling in EU

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Europe | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | poultry

2 months of food: $1,200; Emergency-prepared pantry: Priceless

2006-06-09T20:42:00.000+01:00

Outstanding article. Nice picture of pandemic preps. Includes meal by meal list with prices. Way to go Ms. Price!

LOVELAND - In a cool, dry basement room, shelves full of canned food and hulking bags of flour and other staples act as Suzy Price’s insurance policy.

It’s a policy against a blizzard, flood, pandemic flu, even job loss.

As federal, state and local health officials urge America to stockpile two weeks’ to two months’ worth of food, medical supplies and emergency items in case of a flu pandemic, perhaps one caused by the H5N1 strain of bird flu, experts say the public can learn from people like Price.

She didn’t outfit herself and her family in a day or a week or a month. She amassed what she estimates to be at least a year and a half of food supply over the course of years, buying 10 cans of cream of mushroom soup when it was on sale or a couple extra jars of peanut butter when the price was too good to pass up.

She buys only items her family eats anyway - tuna, peanut butter, canned peaches, cereal - and uses the oldest ones before they go bad, then replaces those with fresher products.

The government’s Web site urges families to stock two weeks of emergency items. Others, including Larimer County’s chief health official, suggest two months of supplies.

China says it contains bird flu outbreak

2006-06-09T16:54:00.000+01:00

"China has contained a newly discovered outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus in its far western region of Xinjiang by culling more than 17 100 poultry, the official Xinhua news agency said on Friday.

The Ministry of Agriculture revealed on Wednesday that poultry on a farm in Xinjiang's Hetian County had died from the bird flu virus.

Experts and veterinarians killed birds and disinfected the area to prevent possible new outbreaks, and no new suspected case has been discovered near the infected area, the ministry said on Friday. It did not specify how many birds had been infected."

Source: IOL from Xinhua: China says it contains bird flu outbreak

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Chicken | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

Hungary: H5 Virus Found in Poultry Farm

2006-06-09T16:40:00.000+01:00

"The H5 virus has been found in a poultry farm in Hungary, but it is unclear yet whether it is the H5N1 bird flu strain, which is dangerous to humans, AFP reported citing a statement of the European Commission. The Hungarian authorities confirmed the information."

Source: Focus English News: H5 Virus Found in Poultry Farm in Hungary

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | Europe | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

Russia: Bird Flu Still Not Eliminated In Six Locations

2006-06-09T16:34:00.000+01:00

"Bird flu still has not been eliminated in six locations in Russia - four locations in the Omsk region and two locations in the Altai region, the federal veterinary watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor reported Thursday.

Altogether this year bird flu was reported in 90 locations in 11 districts of the Southern Russia and three districts in Siberia."

Source: Dow Jones Newswires: Bird Flu Still Not Eliminated In Six Locations In Russia

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza

Malta gearing up to combat flu pandemic

2006-06-09T09:00:00.000+01:00

"New equipment installed at St Luke's Hospital will enable health authorities to know whether the influenza virus causing the dreaded pandemic has arrived.

Within three hours of taking a sample from a sick person, the health authorities would know if the virus is the same as that identified by the World Health Organisation as causing a world-wide pandemic, which flu experts have long been saying is overdue.

'An influenza pandemic can come at any time and we need to be prepared by joining forces and coming up with the best plan for Malta,' the Principal Permanent Secretary, Godwin Grima, who is chairing the multi-ministerial pandemic preparedness committee, said."

Source: The Times & The Sunday Times: Malta gearing up to combat flu pandemic

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 |influenza | pandemic | prepare

WHO lab indicates Indonesian girl did not die of bird flu

2006-06-09T08:54:00.000+01:00

"A lab approved by the World Health Organization said a seven-year-old Indonesian girl who tested positive locally for bird flu did not have the virus, a senior Health Ministry official said Friday.

The girl, from Pamulang on the outskirts of Jakarta, died June 1 after apparently coming into contact with sick poultry, said Nyoman Kandun. Her 10-year-old brother died three days earlier with similar flu-like symptoms but no samples were taken.

'This is the first time local tests came back positive and Hong Kong laboratory tests negative,'' said Kandun, adding WHO needs to carry out new tests to reconfirm its findings."

Source: National Post: WHO lab indicates Indonesian girl did not die of bird flu

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Chicken | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | poultry

Indonesia: Medan bird flu patient recovering

2006-06-09T08:51:00.000+01:00

"A man being treated for bird flu at Adam Malik Hospital in Medan may soon be released after doctors determined he had fully recovered from the illness.

The patient is part of a large family cluster of bird flu cases that emerged in Karo, North Sumatra. Seven of the man's relatives died of the disease."

Source: The Jakarta Post: Medan bird flu patient recovering

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza

UK: Bird flu hits holiday sales at Thomas Cook

2006-06-09T08:47:00.000+01:00

"The number of British holidaymakers using Thomas Cook has fallen by almost 25,000, or 2.8%, as fears over avian flu in Turkey, one of the most popular destinations for Britons, hit the German group's sales.

Europe's second-largest tour operator said weak UK sales were 'more or less in line with market levels'. There have been several deaths in Turkey linked to the H5N1 virus."

Source: Guardian Unlimited: Bird flu hits holiday sales at Thomas Cook

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | fear | Europe | H5N1 | influenza

Indonesia: Bird sellers say bird flu does not exist

2006-06-09T00:27:00.000+01:00

"Bird sellers in Jakarta said Thursday they did not believe that bird flu really existed, although it has killed at least 37 people in the country, 13 of whom were from the capital.

'I do not believe that bird flu really exists. There is no bird trader here infected with the disease,' Santoso, 30, a bird trader at Pramuka bird market in Central Jakarta was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.

"If there is bird flu, all the birds in the market would have already died," he added."

Source: The Jakarta Post from Antara: Bird sellers say bird flu does not exist

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge

Russia govt assigns large funds for bird flu fight

2006-06-09T00:12:00.000+01:00

"The Russian government decided to pay a fee of up to three million dollars in the multi-donor trust fund of the World Bank for the fight against flu, including bird flu, in 2006-2008, the governmental press service said Thursday with reference to a governmental decree issued on June 5."

Source: ITAR-TASS: Russia govt assigns large funds for bird flu fight

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Europe | H5N1 | influenza

Tanzania announces total ban on poultry imports

2006-06-08T22:28:00.000+01:00

"The Tanzanian government has announced a total ban on imports of poultry and poultry products to help check against the threat of bird flu.

The ban had to be exercised following reports that the disease had already been spotted in Sudan and Djibouti, according to Tanzanian Livestock Development Minister Shukuru Kawambwa."

Source: People's Daily Online from Xinhua: Tanzania announces total ban on poultry imports

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | prepare

Chinese ambassador calls for int'l cooperation for bird flu prevention

2006-06-08T17:55:00.000+01:00

"China supported the setting up of a multilateral cooperation system for bird flu prevention and control, Chinese ambassador to the Vienna Office of the United Nations and other international organizations said on Wednesday.

'The International community should set up a global monitoring and forewarning system against avian influenza and other infectious diseases.' Ambassador Tang Guoqiang told a senior official meeting on bird flu issues.

He appealed for improved education and instruction on systems of prevention and control of the epidemic for developing countries.

'Moreover, the international community should also develop joint scientific research as soon as possible, in order to make a breakthrough in the fundamental scientific research on avian influenza,' he added.

The Chinese ambassador also called on relevant countries and international organizations to honor their commitments of contributions and donations as soon as possible, so as to provide sufficient funds to the countries hit by the avian influenza in time."

Source: People's Daily Online from Xinhua: Chinese ambassador calls for int'l cooperation for bird flu prevention

Science: CDC: States Should Aim to Contain Bird Flu

2006-06-08T17:44:00.000+01:00

"States preparing for a possible bird flu outbreak should focus on how to contain the virus because a vaccine will be unavailable for several months, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

The preparation could help medical centers, which are likely to experience shortages in staffs, supplies, beds and medicine in the event of a pandemic, Dr. Julie Gerberding said.

'Out of the starting gate there won't be any vaccine, it'll take some time,' Gerberding told The Associated Press. 'So we've got to look at old-fashioned ways of slowing the virus down.'"

Source: 620 ktar.com: CDC: States Should Aim to Contain Bird Flu

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | prepare | Vaccine

Indonesia launches bird flu awareness campaign

2006-06-08T17:36:00.000+01:00

"Indonesia launched a bird flu awareness campaign on Wednesday in a bid to stop the rapid increasing of bird flu cases in the country.

The Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari asked the people to watch out for the avian influenza (AI) virus by avoiding direct contact with poultry and keeping poultry out of their homes.

'The number of bird flu patients has increased rapidly in Indonesia, and in Medan, the largest bird flu patient cluster has been found recently. Laboratory-check results show that they were infected with the avian influenza virus from poultry. Therefore, poultry must be kept separate from human being,' said the minister.

She cited Vietnam as an example, saying that Vietnam had been able to stop the spread of bird flu virus infection after the country freed its areas from poultry for six months."

Source: People's Daily Online from Xinhua: Indonesia launches bird flu awareness campaign

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | Knowledge

China reports new bird flu case

2006-06-08T17:22:00.000+01:00

"China has discovered a new H5N1 bird flu case in poultry in the western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said on Wednesday.

Epidemic prevention workers prepare to put killed poultry on trucks in Hetian of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nov. 15, 2005. Highly pathogenic bird flu epidemic was reported in Hetian City of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture said on Thursday.

The case was identified after domestic poultry at a farm in Xinjiang's Hetian County died of an unclear illness.

The dead poultry were confirmed to have been infected with the bird flu virus on Wednesday after testing at the national bird flu laboratory"

Source: China Daily: China reports new bird flu case

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Chicken | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

Hungary: Fresh doubts over flu vaccine

2006-06-08T17:16:00.000+01:00

"HUNGARY'S vaccine for bird flu came under yet more criticism last week, days before the EU extended its ban on neighboring Romania's live poultry and poultry products across the country.

The Hungarian vaccine against H5N1 (the virulent strain of avian influenza), was accused of being 'nothing but a bluff,' according to daily Népszabadság, reporting on an article published by the Bloomsberg news agency.

Bloomsberg raised doubts over the vaccine, saying no scientific evidence to corroborate its effectiveness had been presented in the seven months following the announcement of its development.

The Hungarian government and Omninvest Kft, the private company that developed the vaccine, had last spoken of its effectiveness and, in a publicity drive, the vaccine was taken by the Health Minister."

Source: The Budapest Sun Online: Fresh doubts over flu vaccine

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Europe | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | Vaccine

Africa needs $760 mln to fight bird flu-report

2006-06-08T17:12:00.000+01:00

"Africa needs $760 million to fight bird flu over the next three years, about three times as much as donors pencilled into their $1.9 billion pledge made in January, the African Union and aid organisations said Wednesday.

The pledge made at a donors conference in Beijing did not assume bird flu would break out in Africa, according to a study by the AU, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) presented in Vienna.

But eight African countries have reported the virus since February, and OIE Director General Bernard Vallat told Reuters on the sidelines of a Vienna conference of bird flu coordinators that this increased the funds needed significantly.

'During the Beijing conference, Africa was not yet infected,' Vallat said in an interview. 'In Beijing the cost was calculated only for prevention. But when a country is infected, the cost is multiplied by at least three or four.'"

Source: Reuters: Africa needs $760 mln to fight bird flu-report

Technorati Tags: Action | Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

Indonesia Is Running Out of Ideas on Bird Flu, Supari Says

2006-06-08T16:53:00.000+01:00

"Indonesia's Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said she is struggling to warn of the danger of bird flu, which has killed three of every four people it has infected in the world's fourth-most-populous nation.

``I am running out of ideas how to make the public aware,'' Supari told reporters in Jakarta today. Yesterday the health ministry confirmed the 49th human avian influenza case. The H5N1 strain has infected people in more than half of Indonesia's 33 provinces since July."

Source: Bloomberg: Indonesia Is Running Out of Ideas on Bird Flu, Supari Says

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge

Zambia: More resources needed to counter avian flu

2006-06-08T16:34:00.000+01:00

"Zambia has repeatedly said it lacks the technical expertise, personnel and funds to tackle a possible outbreak of H5N1 bird flu, but recent donations will help to remedy this situation.

The European Union contributed $200,000, while the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) this week donated US$89,000 worth of test kits and other equipment to counter the deadly virus.

Richard Chizyuka, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, said a lack of resources had stalled many of the government's prevention initiatives - despite a national response plan and a budget - but the protective gear from FAO would help step up active surveillance.

Zambian officials have time and again underlined a lack of capacity to handle a possible outbreak. Earlier this year, the cabinet approved a $4.8 million budget to tackle avian influenza, with the emphasis on prevention."

Source: IRIN: ZAMBIA: More resources needed to counter avian flu

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | prepare

Roche: Companies need to stockpile flu drugs

2006-06-08T16:30:00.000+01:00

"Companies should plan on stockpiling avian-flu vaccines and antiviral medications to protect employees from the ravages of a possible avian-flu pandemic, rather than relying solely on the government, a senior executive of pharmaceutical giant Roche Group said Wednesday.

According to George Abercrombie, chief executive of Roche's Hoffman-LaRoche division, companies should consider stockpiling enough of the flu-fighting products to protect at least 25% of their workers."

Source: MarketWatch: Roche: Companies need to stockpile flu drugs

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | pandemic | prepare | tamiflu

Bilgaria: Bird Flu Perched on Border

2006-06-08T16:27:00.000+01:00

"The latest site with the lethal H5N1 bird flu in Romania was confirmed to be just 40 km away from the northern Bulgarian border, in the Gurgevo province.

A statement posted on a municipal website denounces earlier refusals on the availability of the lethal virus in the area.

The site with detected infection is located around the village of Balbukata, and Romanian authorities are pledging it has been disinfected. The settlement is under quarantine and some 800 birds were culled, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) informed. "

Source: Novinite: Bird Flu Perched on Bulgarian Border

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | Europe | H5N1 | influenza

Indonesia: Bird flu explode

2006-06-08T16:22:00.000+01:00

Indonesia averaged one human bird flu death every 2 1/2 days in May, putting it on pace to soon surpass Vietnam as the world's hardest-hit country.

"We're tying to fix this leak in the roof, and there's a storm," World Health Organization spokesman Dick Thompson said. "The storm is that the virus is in animals almost everywhere and the lack of effective attention that's being addressed to the problem."

Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands with a population of 220 million people, has a patchwork of local, regional and national bureaucracies that often send mixed messages. The impression, health officials said, is often that no one is truly at the helm.

"I don't think anyone can understand it unless you come here and see it for yourself," said Steven Bjorge, a WHO epidemiologist in Jakarta. "The amount of decentralization here is breathtaking."

National government officials concede there is a problem.

Source: SiLive: Bird flu explodes in Indonesia

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

Threat of Flu Pandemic Means Employers Must Geographically Distribute Workers

2006-06-08T16:19:00.000+01:00

"With worker absenteeism expected to exceed 40 per cent for weeks or months should a pandemic like bird flu strike, Canadian governments and corporations must begin to geographically distribute their workforces now, a pandemic preparations conference has heard.

'There's an old saying that when you hear thunder it is too late to build an ark,' Distributed Work expert George Horhota today told the International Centre for Infectious Diseases' National Business Summit on Pandemic Preparedness, Mitigation and Recovery in Winnipeg.

Distributed Work utilizes technology to enable employees to get out of only working from corporate and government offices and work from various locations, including the home, community offices in their neighborhoods, client offices, airports, even coffee shops."

Source: NewsWire from CNW Group: Threat of Flu Pandemic Means Employers Must Geographically Distribute Workers

Technorati Tags: Action | Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | prepare

Russia: 1.5 mln birds die or culled in 2006 bird-flu outbreak

2006-06-08T16:15:00.000+01:00

"About 1.5 million birds have died or been culled in Russia due to bird flu since the start of the year, the Agriculture Ministry said Wednesday.

Although no human lives have been claimed in Russia, figures made public in April indicated that around 1.1 million birds had died of the disease and 300,000 had been culled to control the spread of the virus since the beginning of February."

Source: RIA Novosti: 1.5 mln birds die or culled in 2006 bird-flu outbreak in Russia

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

India: Bird flu has subsided

2006-06-08T16:06:00.000+01:00

"Bird flu has subsided in India with no new cases reported since March, the top official in charge of prevention efforts told Reuters on Wednesday.

Since the March outbreak there has been no incidence of bird flu in the country, said P.M.A. Hakeem, secretary of the department of animal husbandry and dairying, the central body dealing with the crisis.

'We feel that it has subsided. Of course, the onset of summer has also helped in containing this,' Hakeem said."

Source: Reuters: Bird flu has subsided in India - top official

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

EU, World Bank set up trust fund

2006-06-08T16:03:00.000+01:00

"A trust fund's been set up by the European Commission and the World Bank aimed at helping developing countries boost their preparedness for bird flu.

Europe and the World Bank have pledged some 96 (m) million dollars to the account, which will support national and regional acton plans. Several other countries -- including China, Russia and Australia, have also agreed to pay into the fund."

Source: WAVY.COM: EU, World Bank set up trust fund to help boost bird flu preparedness in developing world

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Europe | H5N1 | pandemic | prepare

China plagued by bird-flu coverups

2006-06-08T15:54:00.000+01:00

Having learned a bitter lesson from covering up the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic in early 2003, the central government of China now is said to be taking a more positive, responsible attitude in dealing with avian influenza, or bird flu. But that hasn't filtered down to the provinces.

As the market economy has taken root in China, the country has become increasingly decentralized. Because of this, Beijing's tough orders regarding the prevention of a bird-flu outbreak may not necessarily be carried out at all levels. Overwhelmingly concerned with economic growth, some local officials still tend to cover up any outbreak of bird flu, defying Beijing's order to report new cases immediately.

Beijing has punished some local officials for their incompetence in dealing with bird-flu outbreaks. For instance, in May it was announced that five officials in Dazhu county in Sichuan province had been sacked for of dereliction of duty because they did not report and contain the local outbreak in time.

But during an investigative reporting trip to three locations in China, Asia Times Online found that in rural areas, local officials and residents really don't like any action that might expose a possible bird-flu outbreak, fearing the damage it would do to the economy.

More than half a year has passed since the bird-flu epidemic in Tianchang city, Anhui province, was exposed to the outside world. A recent visit by ATol found residents there still eager to see their hated local informer turned into a criminal defendant, while little attention has been paid to prevention of a possible return of the epidemic.

Ducklings and goslings roamed all over Liangying village, showing that no one was paying attention to the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law. Among other things, the law stipulates a six-month ban on breeding poultry after an outbreak, and the current ban only expired on May 24. "We started raising poultry after the Chinese New Year, and village leaders never stop us," a local farmer said.

The death of Li Juhua, a female farmer in Chenzhou, has not been reported by the Chinese media. Yet a lot of fanfare was extended to her son, six-year-old Junior Ouyang, who is to date the youngest person to catch bird flu in China, according to official records. Junior Ouyang has recovered and been discharged from hospital.

Throughout the three months the ATol correspondent roamed among infested provinces, a lot of coverups were detected. This case of covering up a human death closely related to avian flu was, however, the most repugnant.

Source: Asia Times Online: China plagued by bird-flu coverups

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza

EU Fails To Back Anti-Viral Drug Stockpiling For Bird Flu

2006-06-08T15:50:00.000+01:00

"European Union health ministers have failed to back a plan to set up a stockpile of anti-viral drugs to help prepare against a flu pandemic in Europe, the European Commission said Tuesday.

E.U. Commissioner for Health Markos Kyprianou said the measure would have reinforced defences throughout the E.U. and this setback made it even more important that members states now take individual action.

'The responsibility now lies fully with national authorities to ensure there are sufficient resources, at the very least for the most vulnerable, in the case of a pandemic,' he said.

It wasn't immediately clear what the main sticking points were that prevented an agreement."

Source: Dow Jones Newswires: EU Fails To Back Anti-Viral Drug Stockpiling For Bird Flu

Technorati Tags: Action | Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | Europe | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | prepare | stockpile | tamiflu

Thailand takes preventive measures against bird flu

2006-06-08T15:47:00.000+01:00

"Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has taken preventive measures against bird flu despite the fact that no outbreak has been reported in the country for 200 days.

Thai Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan was quoted by the Thai News Agency (TNA) as saying that although there has been no bird flu outbreak in Thailand for 200 days, the situation remains uncertain."

Source: Viet Nam News Agency: Thailand takes preventive measures against bird flu

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge

UN: Deputy Secretary-General calls for stepped-up US engagement

2006-06-08T15:37:00.000+01:00

"The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General today called for greater United States engagement with the UN, warning that Washington cannot "go it alone" in approaching diverse problems ranging from the threat of bird flu to the situation in violence-wracked Darfur, Sudan, while the world body needs its host country’s leadership to tackle these pressing challenges.

In an address on 'Power and Superpower' delivered in New York, Mark Malloch Brown warned that "a moment of truth is coming" since the world's challenges are growing but the UN's ability to respond is being weakened without US leadership."

Deputy Secretary-General calls for stepped-up US engagement with UN

Technorati Tags: Action | Avian flu | Bird Flu

World Bank: Bird Flu Is 'Risk' for South Asia

2006-06-08T15:33:00.000+01:00

"Bird flu is a "high risk" for India, Pakistan and other South Asian countries because of the number of poultry kept in the region, where a spread of the virus among humans would cause a recession, the World Bank said.

"The economic consequences of a human-to-human transmission would be gigantic," said Julian Schweitzer, the World Bank's director for human development in South Asia. "There would be huge economic disruption - trade, goods, food, and transport of all types."

South Asia is home to almost a quarter of the world's population, according to statistics released by the World Bank in April. The Bank, which funds projects to alleviate poverty, is working with developing countries to improve hospitals and laboratories to bolster disease surveillance and management of H5N1 cases."

Source: Bloomberg: Bird Flu Is 'Risk' for South Asia, World Bank Says

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge

WHO confirms another bird flu death

2006-06-08T15:30:00.000+01:00

"The World Health Organisation on Tuesday confirmed a 15-year old Indonesian boy as the 128th person to have died of bird flu, but said four nurses in the Asian country have tested negative for the deadly H5N1 virus.

The boy, from the town of Tasikmalaya, died May 30 after being infected, presumably from sick and dying chickens in his household, the United Nations health agency said. The cause of death already had been confirmed in Indonesia, which had a spike in human bird flu cases last month."

Source: IOL: WHO confirms another bird flu death

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

UK: Brits worry about attacks/bird flu

2006-06-08T15:25:00.000+01:00

I wonder how people would have reacted if they were to the real worst-case-scenario, rather than the tame version of 1918/19 pandemic. Sheer and utter panic I would guess.

"Britons are more likely to worry about terrorist attacks and catching bird flu than they are about losing their job or getting into debt, a recent survey has showed.

Nearly four out of 10 people say one of the things they worry about most is terrorist attacks, while 31% are concerned about violent crime, 18% fret about superbugs and the same proportion worry about catching bird flu.

People blamed their heightened state of anxiety on a combination of television and newspaper reports and Government warnings"

So who's really to blame for the spread of bird flu?

2006-06-08T15:20:00.000+01:00

According to experts, wild birds are spreading the deadly H5N1 virus that's wiping out poultry worldwide. But are they really to blame? Or is the disease not only a direct result of intensive farming - but actually being spread by the industry?

Multiple cracks are beginning to show in the supposed scientific consensus on the origins of avian flu. A growing number of non-governmental organisations, bird experts and independent vets are pointing the finger at the global intensive poultry industry. A new report from Grain, an international environmental organisation, challenges the official line. "H5N1 is essentially a problem of industrial poultry practices," it says. "Its epicentre is the factory farms of China and south-east Asia. Although wild birds can carry the disease, at least for short distances, [the main infection] route is the highly self-regulated transnational poultry industry, which sends its products and wastes around the world through a multitude of channels."

Source: Guardian Unlimited: So who's really to blame for bird flu?

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | poultry

Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update 18

2006-06-06T21:40:00.000+01:00

"6 June 2006

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed the country’s 49th case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

The case occurred in a 15-year-old boy from Tasikmalaya District, West Java Province. He developed symptoms on 24 May, was hospitalized on 26 May, and died on 30 May.

An investigation conducted by provincial health authorities found a history of contact with sick and dying chickens in the boy’s household in the week before the onset of his symptoms. Monitoring of family members and close contacts has detected no cases of influenza-like illness.

Of the 49 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 37 have been fatal.

The H5N1 virus is considered firmly entrenched in poultry throughout much of Indonesia. Unless this situation is urgently and comprehensively addressed, sporadic human cases will continue to occur.

The newly confirmed case is one of several where exposure occurred despite a clear signal of a high-risk situation arising from poultry deaths. Pending better control of the disease in animals, WHO and officials in the Ministry of Health see an urgent need to improve public awareness of this disease, the risk factors for infection, and the behaviours that should be avoided."

Source: WHO: Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update 18

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update 17

2006-06-06T21:37:00.000+01:00

"6 June 2006

For the past four days, Indonesian health authorities and WHO have been monitoring cases of influenza-like illness in four nurses who were involved in the care of confirmed H5N1 patients.

Test results have now convincingly ruled out H5N1 infection in all four nurses.

Two of the nurses cared for siblings, a 10-year-old girl and her 18-year-old brother, who were hospitalized in Bandung, West Java, on 22 May and died the following day. Test results for both nurses are negative for H5N1 infection. One nurse was shown to be infected with a seasonal influenza A (H1N1) virus, which is now circulating widely throughout Indonesia. The second nurse experienced only mild and transient symptoms, but was tested urgently as a precautionary measure. Her test results were also negative for H5N1 infection.

The two additional nurses, who work at a hospital in Medan, North Sumatra, were involved in the care of confirmed H5N1 cases among members of an extended family from the village of Kubu Simbelang in Karo District. One of the nurses, a 34-year-old woman, experienced only mild symptoms and has subsequently tested negative for H5N1 infection. The second nurse, a 42-year-old woman, developed influenza-like illness on 1 June. Test results received today are also negative for H5N1 infection.

The speed and thoroughness with which influenza-like illness in these nurses was investigated are indicative of the heightened concern among Indonesian health authorities. The negative test results for all four nurses provide reassuring evidence that the virus is not spreading efficiently or sustainably among humans at present."

Source: WHO: Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update 17

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of H5N1 Reported to WHO - 6 June 2006

2006-06-06T21:29:00.000+01:00

Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO as of 6 June 2006

Country	2003		2004		2005		2006		Total
Country	No	dead	No	dead	No	dead	No	dead	No	dead
Azerbaijan	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	5	8	5
Cambodia	0	0	0	0	4	4	2	2	6	6
China	0	0	0	0	8	5	10	7	18	12
Djibuti	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0
Egypt	0	0	0	0	0	0	14	6	14	6
Indonesia	0	0	0	0	17	11	32	26	49	37
Iraq	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	2	2
Thailand	0	0	17	12	5	2	0	0	22	14
Turkey	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	4	12	4
VietNam	3	3	29	20	61	19	0	0	93	42
Total	3	3	46	32	95	41	81	52	225	128

Total number of cases includes number of deaths. WHO reports only laboratory-confirmed cases.

Source: WHO: Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

Indonesia: Bird flu patient released

2006-06-06T15:22:00.000+01:00

"A patient who had been infected with bird flu was released on Tuesday by a hospital in the East Java provincial capital Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia.

The patient had been treated at Dr. Soetomo state hospital since mid-May, after being treated at another hospital in his hometown Kediri, Antara news agency quoted Urip Murtedjo, a hospital spokesman, as saying.

'Medically, he is declared free from the disease,' Urip said.

The patient was admitted to a hospital in Kediri with high fever, respiratory problems and cough -- all symptoms of bird flu."

Source: People's Daily Online from Xinhua: Bird flu patient in Indonesia released

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza

Science: Nutrient-Based Approach Shows Promise Against ARDS

2006-06-06T15:11:00.000+01:00

One of the main causes of concern about H5N1 Avian Influenza (bird flu) is that approximately 1/2 of the confirmed cases have died. Experts attribute this mortality rate to an unfortunate immune response called a "cytokine storm." This often fatal side-effect is triggered when a virus gets past the frontline defenses and the immune system over-reacts. Dr. Guilford likens this occurrence to urban warfare, in which the weapons used to take out the enemy also inflict heavy civilian casualties. "Without instructions to back off, the immune system not only destroys the virus but the tissues around the virus, causing such acute respiratory distress (ARDS) that the immune system can readily kill the infected individual as well as the virus."

Describing the process in somewhat more clinical terms, Dr. Guilford says, “In a pandemic virus like H5N1 the body releases TNF (tumor necrosis factor) from immune and epithelial cells to help kill the virus. However, the virus produces a protein that causes the energy producing mitochondria of the cell, located in the cell’s nucleus, to become suddenly sensitized to TNF. This causes the mitochondria to break down and release substances that trigger rapid cellular death. While fighting a virus, excessive TNF can simultaneously attack cellular membranes and intercellular biochemical machinery. When enough of these mechanisms are compromised in the lungs, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) occurs, and it is ARDS that can lead to death from bird flu.”

Dr. Guilford notes the need to both strengthen the body's frontline defenses and to inhibit the damaging effects of a large-scale release of cytokines. He points out, “There is accumulating evidence indicating TNF is modulated by antioxidants in normal tissues, especially the antioxidant called reduced glutathione. People with acute respiratory distress syndrome have been tested to be low in reduced glutathione in lung fluid.”

These findings have put Dr. Guilford onto the trail of a potentially effective treatment for the disastrous effects of H5N1 infection. He is currently investigating the use of liposomal encapsulated reduced glutathione to maintain normal glutathione levels. He says, “Medical research to date has previously focused primarily on stopping replication and proliferation. However, if glutathione can be shown in clinical studies to modulate the cytokine storm, it will prove to be an effective and inexpensive approach to dealing with viral infections. Currently, we have very few medical tools for the cytokine storm, and this approach appears promising.”

Source: PRWeb: New Nutrient-Based Approach Shows Promise Against Deadly Bird Flu Symptoms

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge

IBM service offers Contingency Planning Assessment for flu pandemic

2006-06-06T14:54:00.000+01:00

IBM is introducing a service that seeks to answer a question that few would like to ask: Are we ready for a flu pandemic?

The Contingency Planning Assessment, offered by IBM Global Services, is designed to give corporations a better picture of the vulnerabilities they could face in the event of a widespread outbreak of avian influenza.

"Customers are being more proactive in trying to understand the risk and vulnerability they have from all hazards, natural and man-made," said Brent Woodworth, global leader of IBM's Crisis Response Team.

IBM will examine a company or government's business processes and technical infrastructure, and make recommendations on how to deal with an outbreak.

Specific questions Woodworth said IBM could help companies answer include: "How do I operate my business if I have to operate with dramatically reduced staff, and what impact will my suppliers have?" and "Where do I downsize operations and how?"

Source: CNET News.com: IBM service hedges flu pandemic

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | prepare

APEC bird flu exercise launched

2006-06-06T14:52:00.000+01:00

"All 21 APEC economies will test their emergency communication and response to a human influenza pandemic in an exercise launched on Tuesday in Canberra.

Senior officials from around the region will make real-time decisions based on a hypothetical scenario in the 'APEC Pandemic Response Exercise 2006.'

'This is the first exercise in a series that will prepare the emergency management sector for a large-scale medical emergency,' said Australian Attorney-General Philip Ruddock.

Large screens, maps and TV monitors feature the exercise headquarters set up at the National Emergency Management Coordination Center. Three or four officials were seen busy with work before a row of computers."

Source: People's Daily Online: Writethru: APEC bird flu exercise launched

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic

Brazil: Hundreds of Brazilian Veterinarians Get Training for Bird Flu Handling

2006-06-06T14:49:00.000+01:00

"Approximately 420 veterinarians from Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply (MAPA) and state agriculture departments across the country began to receive training on how to handle situations in which bird flu is suspected in places where poultry is bred.

This information was provided by Luiz Cláudio Coelho, a veterinarian in the MAPA Poultry Health Coordination Unit."

Source: Brazzil Mag: Brazil: Hundreds of Brazilian Veterinarians Get Training for Bird Flu Handling

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | prepare

World Bank To Help Armenia Tackle Bird Flu

2006-06-06T14:43:00.000+01:00

The World Bank has approved a $6.25 million loan to Armenia designed to help its government guard against and, if necessary, cope with a possible outbreak of bird flu already registered in all of the four neighboring countries.

The Armenian authorities will also receive a $800,000 from the government of Japan for the same purpose, the bank said in a statement released by its Yerevan office on Monday.

“This project will assist the Government of Armenia in minimizing the threat posed to humans by avian influenza infection in domestic poultry and prepare for the control and response to an influenza pandemic and other infectious disease emergencies in humans,” the statement said. “Upon project completion, Armenia will achieve improved effectiveness of animal and public health services in limiting the spread of an avian influenza outbreak and a possible pandemic in the country,” it added.

Source: www.armenialiberty.org: World Bank To Help Armenia Tackle Bird Flu

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | poultry | prepare

Chinese scientist urges improvement of bird flu control methods

2006-06-06T14:37:00.000+01:00

The Chinese government should review the strategies and effects of the bird flu control efforts of the past two years and improve them to cope with the epidemic which is still a serious threat, said a Chinese scientist in Beijing on Monday.

"When, and to what extent, the current avian influenza virus could evolve into a human pandemic is unpredictable. We should do our best to reduce the risk of a human pandemic influenza breaking out and make necessary preparations before such a risk becomes reality," said Chinese bird flu control expert Liu Xiufan.

Liu, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), said at a national conference of the CAE members that controlling the H5N1 virus in poultry at its source is the best way to reduce or even eliminate the risk of a human pandemic virus.

Some changes in the H5N1 virus have taken place recently. The virus has increased virulence to ducks, and the currently available vaccines are not effective for protecting poultry, said Liu.

The H5N1 viruses isolated during the 2004-2006 period have increased their ability to replicate in mammalian cell culture. The transmission mode of the viruses is changing from fecal-oral to aerosol, said the scientist, adding that the viruses have increased resistance to the environment, especially to temperature.

Because bird flu infection has become endemic in some areas in China and cannot be stamped out in a short time, the government should draw up a short-term plan of prevention and control and a long-term program of eradication, Liu added.

Source: People's Daily Online from Xinhua: Chinese scientist urges improvement of bird flu control methods

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | poultry | prepare

Malaysia: Hospitals and clinics on alert for bird flu

2006-06-06T14:32:00.000+01:00

"All hospitals and clinics nationwide have been alerted to inform the Health Ministry if they are treating an excessive number of people with flu and cough.

This follows a notice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) warning that the bird flu situation in Indonesia could get out of control.

"The notification is a reminder of the danger of bird flu as well as to keep a close watch on the current situation here," Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican had said recently.

"We are also monitoring the situation with the Veterinary Services Department. Our medical personnel have been put on standby and are ready to be mobilised should an outbreak occur.""

Source: The Star Online: Hospitals and clinics on alert for bird flu

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge

Be prepared, Act Fast: Managing the Avian Flu Risk in South Asia

2006-06-06T14:24:00.000+01:00

High population density, illiteracy, and weak health infrastructure are some of the major challenges in curbing the spread of the Avian Flu virus in South Asia.

"The risk is much higher in countries which don’t have the systems in place to carry out effective surveillance," says Julian Schweitzer, Director for Human Development in the South Asia region. "That is certainly the case in many South Asian countries."

"When you have human and chickens living in close proximity, the threat of human HA5N1 infection is that much larger," Schweitzer says.

Culling, he says, raises the issue of compensation to affected farmers - a key component of the Bank’s avian flu strategy. "It is absolutely critical to compensate farmers to avoid the risk of having farmers not report cases of the virus," says Schweitzer.

As the threat of avian flu continues to increase worldwide, the World Bank is actively supporting countries in South Asia to improve both animal and human surveillance, and ramp up capacity to deal with any human epidemic.

"The economic consequences of a human-to-human transmission would be gigantic," Schweitzer says. "There would be huge economic disruption – trade, goods, food, and transport of all types."

"Prevention is a lot better than a cure," Schweitzer says. "The cost of putting these projects together is miniscule compared to the potential economic cost of a human-to-human pandemic."

Source: The World Bank: Be prepared, Act Fast: Managing the Avian Flu Risk in South Asia

Technorati Tags: Action | Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | prepare

FAO equips Zambia for bird flu attacks

2006-06-06T14:18:00.000+01:00

"THE Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has bought test kits and other personnel protection gear to enable the Zambian Government to detect avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, at a cost of about US$89,000.

With the provision of personnel protection gear, veterinary authorities would be helped to start active surveillance.

Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Permanent Secretary, Richard Chizyuka, said the protective clothing for avian influenza would also help the ministry prepare for possible attacks of the virus."

Source: Times of Zambia: FAO equips Zambia for bird flu attacks

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge

Ivory Coast: Bird Flu Dance Craze

2006-06-06T14:12:00.000+01:00

"This isn't your grandfather's Funky Chicken.

A local deejay is attempting to lighten the mood after the arrival of the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in early May. Twenty-one-year-old DJ Lewis has invented a wacky bird flu dance that is sweeping nightclubs in the West African country's major city of Abidjan (Ivory Coast map).

The infectious craze has hundreds of people shaking, flapping their arms, and clucking on the dance floor—an imitation of chickens' death throes when they are culled to stop the virus from spreading.

'I created the dance to bring happiness to the hearts of Africans and to chase away fear—the fear of eating chicken,' Lewis told the BBC."

Source: The National Georgraphics: Photo in the News: Bird Flu Dance Craze Sweeps Ivory Coast

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | fear | Chicken | poultry

Top Officials Meeting on Bird Flu Strategy in Vienna

2006-06-06T13:52:00.000+01:00

A high-level meeting of officials involved in the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza is being held in Vienna, Austria, June 6-7.

The government of Austria, on behalf of the European Union, hosts the meeting jointly with the United States.

The conference will involve experts in animal and human health from governments and major international organizations who are playing an important role in fighting the avian influenza pandemic, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 200 million birds through disease or destruction.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 causing this more than two-year-old plague among animals is also capable of infecting humans; 127 known human deaths have been attributed the disease, according to the World Health Organization. Humans have no immunity to this viral strain, so experts fear H5N1 could form the seed of global pandemic influenza.

The Vienna meeting will review global progress in pandemic preparedness and response, examine the status of donor funding, pursue action for greater transparency in reporting of disease, and explore progress on drug and vaccine development, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Department of State.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry added that there will be a review of the finances of this international campaign.

At a January meeting in Beijing, donor governments pledged about $2 billion to help lesser-developed nations improve animal and human health systems in order to avert pandemic. (See related article.)

The declaration approved at that meeting committed nations to a long-term partnership to assist countries most at risk, with a first priority of helping countries contain, control and eliminate the virus in affected poultry.

Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky heads the U.S. delegation, accompanied by representatives from U.S. health, agriculture and international development agencies.

President Bush announced the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza during the U.N. General Assembly in September 2005. (See fact sheet.)

Its goals are to:

• Elevate the avian influenza issue on national agendas;

• Coordinate efforts among donor and affected nations;

• Mobilize and leverage resources;

• Increase transparency in disease reporting and the quality of surveillance; and

• Build local capacity to identify, contain and respond to an influenza pandemic.

The full text of the declaration adopted at the international donors’ conference in Beijing is available on the Web site of the Austrian Foreign Ministry.

For ongoing coverage of the disease and efforts to combat it, see Bird Flu (Avian Influenza).

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

Science: BioWarn Announces Instantaneous Detection of Avian Flu

2006-06-06T13:46:00.000+01:00

BioWarn, LLC, a biotechnology research and product development company, announced today that it has successfully demonstrated the capability to instantaneously detect avian influenza (H5N1), also known as bird flu, using its new SmartSense system for the detection of biological substances.

Avian influenza is a viral disease that is spreading through bird populations across Asia, Africa, and Europe. The disease is of great concern because if the virus develops the capacity for human-to-human transmission, it could spread quickly around the globe.

Unlike other diagnostic and sensor technologies that take between 20 minutes and 20 hours to work, a SmartSense(TM) detector is a real-time sensor. It uses a microchip to capture the electronic "signature" produced when the avian flu (H5N1) surface contacts the sensor. Like a lock and key, this SmartSense detector is triggered only by the H5N1 target. The detector then automatically transmits the identifying information to users.

Source: ADVFN from PRNewswire: BioWarn Announces Instantaneous Detection of Avian Flu with SmartSense(TM) System: Receives Approval of Patent Issuance

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | Knowledge | pandemic

New Zealand: Extra pay sought during flu epidemic

2006-06-06T13:42:00.000+01:00

"Clerical workers at district health boards want extra pay and a day in lieu if they are expected to work during a flu pandemic.

The National Union of Public Employees has asked politicians to consider giving health staff statutory holiday conditions, including being paid at time and a half, if they are called on to work during an outbreak of deadly influenza."

Source: STUFF: Extra pay sought during flu epidemic

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | pandemic

Korea: The Everyday Benefits of Kimchi

2006-06-06T13:37:00.000+01:00

"Kimchi is, as it were, on everyone’s lips. The U.S. monthly Health recently selected the Korean national side dish as one of the five leading health foods in the world. Studies have shown that kimchi, which has plenty of lactic acid bacteria, is effective in preventing cancer as well as promoting digestion. Both the BBC and the Washington Post earlier reported that kimchi is effective in preventing bird flu. Kimchi is also said to be effective in losing weight, killing germs and strengthening the immune system."

Source: Digital Chosunilbo: The Everyday Benefits of Kimchi

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | Knowledge

Amid bird flu, activists plead for humane US culling

2006-06-06T13:33:00.000+01:00

Horrified by reports from Asia of chickens being set on fire or buried alive in plastic bags, U.S. animal welfare groups are gearing up with trepidation for the arrival of bird flu and the probability of mass killings to contain it.

Animal rights activists have campaigned for years against the cramped conditions for billions of chickens, turkeys and ducks on U.S. factory farms.

Now, as experts suspect the deadly H5N1 virus could find its way from Asia to Alaska this summer, they are lobbying the food industry and U.S. state veterinarians to conduct the expected slaughter of millions of poultry humanely.

"Suffocation, starvation, bludgeoning, bleeding and poisoning should be explicitly prohibited in your planning documents," says a letter being sent by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to officials in all 50 states.

Source: Reuters: FEATURE-Amid bird flu, activists plead for humane US culling

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | Panic | poultry

Japan: WHO regional chief as new director general

2006-06-06T13:29:00.000+01:00

Japan said on Monday that it would nominate the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific chief to become the next director general of the UN agency and lead the fight against bird flu.

Shigeru Omi’s record of overseeing the eradication of polio in the region and a swift response to the SARS outbreak in 2003 makes him a strong candidate to replace Lee Jong-Wook, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“At present, Dr Omi is taking the lead in addressing health issues in Asia, including the fight against infectious diseases. With the right personality and management skills, Dr Omi is well-suited for the post,” it added.

Source: Khaleej Times Online: WHO regional chief as new director general

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO

UK: Game farmer hits back at bird flu claims

2006-06-06T13:22:00.000+01:00

"A game farmer has hit back at an animal welfare group who claim his farm is 'significantly increasing' the risk of a major avian bird flu outbreak in the UK.

Terry Sizer, who owns Pye Hall Game Farm in Eye, says that criticism by The League Against Cruel Sports, is part of a vendetta against him.

A statement by the animal welfare group said: 'The breeding of hundreds and thousands of pheasants and partridges at Pye Hall Game Farm is significantly increasing the risk of a major avian flu outbreak in the UK.'"

Source: Diss Today: Game farmer hits back at bird flu claims

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | fear | Europe | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

Russia: First results of bird flu vaccine trials expected in 2 weeks

2006-06-06T13:18:00.000+01:00

"Provisional results of bird flu vaccine trials on human volunteers will be available in two weeks, one of the doctors leading the tests said Monday.

Oleg Kiselyov, the director of the St. Petersburg-based Influenza Research Institute, said the trials were focusing on establishing a precise vaccine dose.

'The phrase 'vaccine tests' is not entirely appropriate,' he said. 'We are conducting trials to calculate the dosage.'

Kiselyov said the vaccine presented no danger to the 52 volunteers who had received it intravenously."

Source: RIA Novosti: Russia: First results of bird flu vaccine trials expected in 2 weeks

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | Vaccine

WHO confirms new bird flu death

2006-06-06T13:13:00.000+01:00

"The World Health Organization has confirmed an Indonesian teenager who died last week was infected with bird flu, a Health Ministry official said on Monday, taking the country's total deaths from the virus to 37.

Nyoman Kandun, a director general at the ministry, said the 15-year-old boy from Tasikmalaya in West Java had had contact with poultry."

Source: CNN.com: WHO confirms new bird flu death - Jun 5, 2006

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | poultry

Abu Dhabi: Drill tests bird flu response

2006-06-06T13:09:00.000+01:00

"The Zayed Sport City Stadium witnessed one of the largest mock drill, so far, to test the response levels of various agencies to an outbreak of killer bird flu among human beings.

The exercise, code-named ‘The Killer Migration 2’, was overseen by Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Chairman of the National Committee for Emergency Response to Bird Flu, and Lt.-Gen. Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior.

The drill scenarios featured a poultry farm in the area of Abu Samra, in Abu Dhabi, being hit by bird flu. A total of 230 poultry workers were infected. The farm was quarantined in two phases: The first covered a 3-kilometre radius and was handled by the UAE Armed Forces while the second one-kilometer quarantined area was sealed off by the police forces."

Source: Khaleej Times Online: Drill tests bird flu response

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | poultry | prepare

Pakistan: Rs100m fixed to handle bird flu outbreak

2006-06-06T13:05:00.000+01:00

"The federal government has made an initial allocation of Rs100 million to handle the recent outbreak of bird flu and for compensation of poultry birds culled on account of the virus.

The amount was disbursed to the Punjab Livestock Department. Poultry Research Institute, Karachi and Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) in Lahore have released funds for the production of Avian Influenza Vaccine, says the Pakistan Economic Survey for 2005-06 released in Islamabad on Sunday.

The poultry sector faced a tough challenge due to the outbreak of avian influenza in the country."

Source: DAWN: Rs100m fixed to handle bird flu outbreak

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | poultry

Afghan govt needs USD one million for bird flu drive

2006-06-06T13:03:00.000+01:00

Bird Flu Fighters Need Money to Help Contain Virus

2006-06-06T13:01:00.000+01:00

The bird flu fight being waged across Africa, Asia and Europe is draining the cash and human resources of international agencies, which may have to abandon some programs unless donor countries honor their funding promises.

The World Organization for Animal Health and United Nations agencies, including the Food and Agriculture and World Health Organizations, said they have received less than half the $1.9 billion pledged by donors at a conference in Beijing in January. Since then, the H5N1 avian influenza virus has infected animals in 36 new countries, resulting in human cases in four nations.

The lack of funding may derail efforts to control H5N1, which has the potential to set off a deadly outbreak in people. Africa alone needs about $500 million, said Bernard Vallat, director general of the World Organization for Animal Health, which will join FAO and African officials in Vienna this week to ask for the money.

Source: Bloomberg.com: Bird Flu Fighters Need Money to Help Contain Virus

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

Indonesia: Siblings deaths may indicate another bird flu cluster

2006-06-06T12:57:00.000+01:00

According to an Indonesian health ministry official, a 7-year-old Indonesian girl who died last week has tested positive for bird flu in local tests; the results have yet to be confirmed by a World Health Organisation-accredited laboratory in Hong Kong.

The girl from Pamulang, Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta had been hospitalized for two days at Fatmawati Hospital in South Jakarta for high fever and breathing difficulties before ministry employees took blood samples for testing.

The girl and her nine-year-old brother were brought to the hospital by their parents suffering from the same symptoms.

The boy died in the intensive care unit only an hour after being admitted, but was buried before the ministry could run blood tests.

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari says the death of the two children could indicate the development of a new bird flu cluster.

Source: News-Medical.Net: Siblings deaths may indicate another bird flu cluster in Indonesia

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza

The Raw Story: 'Likely' more human-to-human bird flu infections in Indonesia

2006-06-06T12:54:00.000+01:00

"'In the wake of a cluster of avian flu cases that killed seven members of a rural Indonesian family, it appears likely that there have been many more human-to-human infections than the authorities have previously acknowledged,' writes Donald G. McNeil Jr. in an article slated for Sunday's New York Times, RAW STORY has learned.

Also, the Associated Press reports that an aid agency has issued a warning about earthquake survivors in Indonesia who may be in danger of contracting avian flu (link)."

Source: The Raw Story: 'Likely' more human-to-human bird flu infections in Indonesia

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

open... : Open Access: If Not Now, When?

2006-06-04T16:05:00.000+01:00

Glyn Moody posted a comment about Open Access: If Not Now, When? in his blog open...

Excerpt: Against a background of growing fears of an imminent pandemic triggered by avian 'flu, the announcement that a new journal, Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, is being launched by Blackwell Publishing to serve precisely this area, is welcome news. As the press release notes, quoting the editor the new title:

"There is considerable concern among experts working in the fields of influenza and respiratory medicine that there is an urgent need for international collaboration on research and development" says Alan Hampson....

Given this "urgent need for international collaboration on research and development" you might think that Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses would be open access to allow that collaboration to be as wide and rapid as possible; indeed, it is hard to think of another area in medicine today in which free access to the latest information could be considered such a matter of life and death - not just for a few patients, but for entire populations. And yet nowhere does the press release utter the magic words "open access".

It is true that Blackwell announced its "Online Open" last year, whereby authors can choose to pay a fee so that their article is immediately made freely available for all to access online. But this is not quite the same thing, and it places the onus on the author. Far better for Blackwell to make OA the default for this title: it would receive huge kudos for the move, and earn the world's gratitude.

It would be sad, to say the least, if the title were to go down in history as a tragic missed opportunity to mitigate or even avert an influenza pandemic that later cost so many millions of lives

Viet Nam reports no new bird flu outbreak for nearly six months

2006-06-04T15:46:00.000+01:00

"No new bird flu outbreak has been detected in Viet Nam since the last one was discovered on Dec. 15, 2005, announced the Veterinary Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

As many as 19 provinces have so far completed the first round of this year's vaccination programme. Nine of these are currently conducting the second round.

A total of 110.6 million domestic fowls across the country have been vaccinated up to June 4"

Source: Viet Nam News Agency: Viet Nam reports no new bird flu outbreak for nearly six months

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Chicken | Community | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

World Bank: Less than $300 mln spent on bird flu

2006-06-04T15:35:00.000+01:00

Just $286 million has been spent to fight bird flu out of nearly $1.9 billion pledged last January by nations and organizations that said they wanted to make a "massive effort" against the virus, according to a World Bank report.

Only Japan, Switzerland and the Czech Republic have fully spent the money promised at a meeting of big donors in Beijing last January, according to the report, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.

The report, prepared for a meeting of senior officials in Vienna on June 7, also singles out the United States, which pledged and committed $334 million, but which has spent $70.95 million. Of $500 million in loans promised by the World Bank, just $113 million has been committed and only $1.97 million sent out.

Source: Yahoo! News from Reuters: Less than $300 mln spent on bird flu: World Bank

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | prepare

WHO confirms teenager's bird flu death in Indonesia

2006-06-04T15:23:00.000+01:00

"The World Health Organization has confirmed that a 15-year-old Indonesian youth who died last week was inflected with bird flu, taking the country's official toll to 37 people, a senior health official said Sunday.

The boy's death on May 30 in the Tasikmalaya district of West Java province has previously been reported as caused by bird flu, based on Indonesian tests.

Samples sent to a WHO-sanctioned laboratory in Hong Kong came back positive for the H5N1 virus, health ministry official Nyoman Kandun said."

Source: Independent Online Edition: WHO confirms teenager's bird flu death in Indonesia

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

Recombinomics: Phasing Out H5N1 Bird Flu Pandemic Phase 4 and 5?

2006-06-04T13:56:00.000+01:00

Recombinomics Commentary
June 3, 2006

Dr. David Nabarro, chief pandemic flu coordinator for the United Nations, said that even if some unexplained cases were human-to-human, it does not yet mean that the pandemic alert system, now at Level 3, "No or very limited human-human transmission," should be raised to Level 4, "Increased human-human transmission."

Level 4 means the virus has mutated until it moves between some people who have been only in brief contact, as a cold does. Right now, Dr. Nabarro said, any human transmission is "very inefficient."

Level 6, meaning a pandemic has begun, is defined as "efficient and sustained" human transmission.

The above comments from Donald McNeil Jr's New York Times report, "Human Flu Transfers May Exceed Reports," suggests that movement from Level 3 to Level 4 is not necessary because Level 4 and Level 5 are being phased out. Once H5N1 achieves efficient transmission as defined by transmittion by causal contract on a pare with transmission by a cold virus, the final Pandemic level will have been reached.

The current system, which uses six phases, is designed to identify two intermediate phases (4 and 5) which represent increasing efficiencies of transmission. These changes mark progress toward increased efficiency, but at an early stage when intervention may limit progression.

The description of level 4 above, is really the current phase 6, which is efficient and sustained human transmis8sion. Transmission of a cold virus is efficient and sustained, which would also apply to H5N1.

Currently H5N1 can efficiently replicate within humans, but transmission between humans is inefficient. However, these efficiencies have been increasing, as seen in large clusters in Turkey, Azerbaijan, and north Sumatra, Indonesia. The turkey cluster was linked to a change, S227N, in the receptor bindin4g domain, which increases efficiencies and generated the largest and most sustained cluster recorded to date.

Azerbaijan also had a large sustained transmission chain, but the sequence of the H5N1 has not been released. Although these transmission chains are among the largest recorded, the transmission was limited to family members or close contacts. This limited spread was also seen in north Sumatra, and again the sequences have been withheld, so genetic remains unclear.

The increased concentration of H5N1 in the nose and throat may signal a PB2 E627K acquisition, which is another small change associated with increased virulence which may translate into increase transmission because of the preference of E627K for cooler temperatures of 33 C.

The changes in the H5N1 associated with these changes have been small incremental changes, such as those that would be measured by a pandemic phase system the distinguished the incremental steps. Since these incremental steps have been taken previously but not acknowledge, the definition above simply eliminates these intermediate phases.

However, the local response to these small changes has been to flood the region with Tamiflu and treat the outbreak as it would be treated if it were at a higher phase.

Thus, phase 4 and 5 appear to be phased o6ut, and the current status of the pandemic is one step away from the old pandemic level, 6, which is now being called level 4.

Media Source Link

Map

Source: Recombinomics: Phasing Out H5N1 Bird Flu Pandemic Phase 4 and 5?

WHO: Quake victims not at increased bird flu risk

2006-06-04T13:37:00.000+01:00

"Survivors of last week's earthquake in Indonesia are not at any increased risk of contracting bird flu, amid reports of people living in abandoned chicken sheds, the WHO has said.

'I don't think the emergency has placed people at closer risk of avian flu,' Peter Mala, a
World Health Organization (WHO) epidemiologist working in the quake zone on disease surveillance, told AFP Sunday.

'I don't think the disaster has brought people closer to poultry than they were before.'

The London-based aid group Merlin warned Saturday that some homeless quake survivors on Indonesia's Java island had taken shelter in chicken sheds, exposing themselves to the risk of contracting bird flu and other diseases."

Source: Yahoo! News from AFP: Quake victims not at increased bird flu risk

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

UK: Jab plan for zoo's birds in Belfast

2006-06-04T13:29:00.000+01:00

"PLANS are in place to vaccinate more than 300 birds in Belfast Zoo to save them being wiped out.

But the anti-bird flu jabs for penguins, flamingos, ostriches and other exotic birds will only be used if there is a 'high risk' of infection.

The zoo is following Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) guidelines in relation to the deadly virus.

Many of the birds are species that are endangered in the wild and are managed as part of international co-operation breeding programmes."

Source: Belfast Telegraph Sunday Life: Jab plan for zoo's birds

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Europe | H5N1 | influenza | prepare | Vaccine

The evolution of bird flu

2006-06-04T13:05:00.000+01:00

Mutation is an accident waiting to happen

Indonesia: Local tests negative for nurse who treated bird flu patients

2006-06-04T13:01:00.000+01:00

"Local tests have come back negative for an Indonesian nurse who fell ill after treating two siblings infected with bird flu, amid a surge in deaths from the virus.

'Thank God, the result came back negative,' Hariadi Wibisono, a senior Health Ministry official said on Sunday.

He said specimens would be sent to a World HealthOrganization-approved laboratory in Hong Kong for confirmation.

The 25-year-old nurse was isolated and given the antiviral drug Tamiflu when she developed a fever and other flu-like symptoms. She fell ill about 10 days after treating a 10-year-old girl and her 18-year-old brother from West Java province, who died hours apart last month of bird flu."

Source: The Jakarta Post: Local tests negative for Indonesian nurse who treated bird flu patients

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

Afghan govt needs USD one million for bird flu drive

2006-06-04T12:52:00.000+01:00

"The Afghan government has said it will require an amount of USD one million to prevent the spread of the deadly disease of Bird Flu in the country. The World Health Organisation, has earlier, announced that cases of Avian influenza had been detected in the central capital Kabul and some eastern and northern provinces. The world body, sensing the poor health facilities in this impoverished country, had asked for immediate help to avert any untoward situation.

Of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, strains of the disease were detected in at least eight provinces and the central capital about one and a half month back.

According to the director of veterinary department in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Dr Aziz Usmani, cases of the Bird Flu had been reported from Laghman, Kunar, Kapisa, Parwan, Logar, Paktia, Kandahar and Maidan Wardak provinces."

Source: Kuna site: Afghan govt needs USD one million for bird flu dri...6/4/2006

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | Knowledge | poultry

Human Flu Transfers May Exceed Reports

2006-06-04T12:31:00.000+01:00

In the wake of a cluster of avian flu cases that killed seven members of a rural Indonesian family, it appears likely that there have been many more human-to-human infections than the authorities have previously acknowledged.

But the clusters — in Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Vietnam — paint a grimmer picture of the virus's potential to pass from human to human than is normally described by public health officials, who usually say such cases are "rare."

Until recently, World Health Organization representatives have said there were only two or three such cases. On May 24 Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, estimated that there had been "at least three." Then, last Tuesday, Maria Cheng, a W.H.O. spokeswoman, said there were "probably about half a dozen." She added, "I don't think anybody's got a solid number."

And Dr. Angus Nicoll, chief of flu activities at the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, acknowledged that "we are probably underestimating the extent of person-to-person transmission."

Source: New York Times: Human Flu Transfers May Exceed Reports

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic

UAE bans Danish poultry on suspicion of bird flu

2006-06-04T12:17:00.000+01:00

"The United Arab Emirates (UAE) banned on Saturday all poultry imports from the Danish town of Fion where cases of bird flu were reported.

A ministerial resolution issued by Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al Kindi, Minister of Environment and Water, called on the ministry's animal wealth department to coordinate efforts with other authorities concerned to activate the ban."

Source: Kuna site: UAE bans Danish poultry on suspicion of bird flu ...6/3/2006

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | fear | Chicken | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

Recombinomics: H5N1 Bird Flu Cluster in Tangerang Indonesia Grows

2006-06-03T12:45:00.000+01:00

Recombinomics Commentary
June 3, 2006

According to casualties's father, Suryoto, 46 years, Yo last Saturday and his three relatives, namely To (10 years), S (12 years), and B (3 years) suffered the fever and the high fever.

As far as this is concerned, said he, from two casualties who died one was stated positive bird flu and two other people in the condition were sick and will immediately be brought to the hospital.

The above translation indicates that two siblings of the two Tangerang fatalities also have symptoms and are now hospitalized. Earlier reports indicated that the mother, father, and an older brother had symptoms, but recovered at home. Thus, seven family members have had symptoms, but three had mild symptoms and not hospitalized.

Of the four family members hospitalized, two (10M and 7F) have died and the sister tested positive for H5N1. The confirmed case developed symptoms on May 26, was hospitalized on May 29, and died on June 1. Her brother died 3 days earlier.

The hospitalization of four family members is cause for concern. Testing of the two hospitalized patients as well as antibody testing on the three recovered family members would be useful.

This family is close to the location of the first H5N1 confirmed case in July of 2005. The sequence of the H5 from that patient identified a novel cleavage site which has been found in almost all isolates from West Java, but is not present in any published H5N1 from Indonesia or elsewhere.

Media Source Link

Map

Source: Recombinomics: H5N1 Bird Flu Cluster in Tangerang Indonesia Grows

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Chicken | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | Knowledge | poultry

Indonesia: wo siblings record another bird flu cluster death

2006-06-03T12:37:00.000+01:00

"Indonesia's local examination found out another bird flu cluster death in the country, Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said here Friday.

Supari said that a seven year-old girl who died on Friday was positively contracted by avian influenza virus based on local laboratory test and her 10 year-old brother who died on May 29 had similar signs.

'I think it is a cluster,' she told reporters.

'The caracteristic of germ (suffered by the boy) is very similar (with the girl's), and now their mother and father are suffering from flu. They are all in the Pamulang district,' she said."

Source: People's Daily Online from Xinhua: Two siblings record another bird flu cluster death in Indonesia

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Chicken | Community | H5N1 | poultry

Niger: New bird flu outbreak near Nigeria

2006-06-02T20:06:00.000+01:00

"Scientists in Europe have confirmed a new outbreak of deadly H5N1 bird flu in southern Niger, near the border with Africa's most populous country Nigeria, a senior local government official said on Friday.

Tests carried out in Europe confirmed the presence of H5N1 in samples taken from the village of Boko Mai Gao, around 10 km (6 miles) from the border with Nigeria's Kano state, said the official, who declined to be named.

The discovery comes three days after Niger, landlocked and among the poorest countries on earth, described its epidemiological situation as 'calm'."

Source: Reuters: New bird flu outbreak near Nigeria

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | poultry

WHO unsure about Hungary's bird flu vaccine

2006-06-02T19:11:00.000+01:00

The World Health Organization on Friday revealed that Hungary had failed to respond to calls for independent verification of the nation's much-heralded bird flu vaccine despite doubts over the effectiveness of the shot.

'Hungary's results initially showed that the vaccine would contain 30mg of active antigen, but it turned out that there may have only been 6mg, which would have made it highly ineffective,' Klaus Stohr, the WHO's advisor on influenza pandemic vaccines, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

'In the context of this uncertainty, we recommended they share the blood of vaccinated people for result verification. This has not happened,' he said. 'We can't make an assessment, but we would like to confirm the results, which initially looked promising.'

The vaccine against the deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu, produced by Omninvest and backed by the Hungarian government, received the green light for domestic production in March.

Since then, however, the company has refused to release any details for independent review and has not submitted it to the London-based European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for licensing.

Source: Monsters and Critics: WHO unsure about Hungary's bird flu vaccine

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | Knowledge | Vaccine

EU: Ministers say no to EU drug stockpile

2006-06-02T17:52:00.000+01:00

EU health ministers have failed to agree on plans for an EU-wide stockpile of antiviral drugs to help defend against a possible flu pandemic.

Following months of discussion with member state health experts on the issue, the commission put forward a concept paper which set out the basic purpose and principles of the stockpile.

The aim was not to replace national stockpiles, which must continue to be compiled by every member state, but to have it as an additional and complementary resource.

But the ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on Friday, could not agree on the Cypriot commissioner’s proposals.

An EU official told EUPolitix.com that most member states had voted in favour of a European stockpile, but that the Dutch, Swedish and Slovakian health ministers had opposed the proposal.

Source: EUPolitix.com: Ministers say no to EU drug stockpile

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | Europe | H5N1 | pandemic | prepare | stockpile | tamiflu

Finance: World Bank grants Georgia $7mln to combat bird flu

2006-06-02T17:16:00.000+01:00

"The World Bank has allocated a $3.5 million loan and a $3.5 million grant for measures to combat bird flu in Georgia, the WB office in the South Caucasus country said Friday.

The Georgian project on combating bird flu covers three aspects - the health of birds, the health of people and information measures - costing $5.2 million, $4.3 million and $0.9 million."

Source: RIA Novosti: World Bank grants Georgia $7mln to combat bird flu

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | Europe | H5N1 | influenza

Romania: New Penalties For Failing To Observe Anti-Bird Flu Norms

2006-06-02T16:58:00.000+01:00

"The presidents of the county and local commandments for fighting animal diseases in Romania who do not comply with the decisions of the central commandment will be punished by six months to one year in prison, according to a norm the Executive approved on Friday. The norm also states that fowl found outside households will be seized and culled and no damages will be paid to the owners."

Source: Mediafax: New Penalties For Failing To Observe Anti-Bird Flu Norms In Romania

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | Europe | H5N1

South Africa: SA 'Ready If Avian-Flu Pandemic Strikes'

2006-06-02T15:46:00.000+01:00

"SA's recent success in handling major outbreaks of animal disease had helped it prepare for the possibility of a deadly influenza pandemic, Public Works Minister Thoko Didiza told the World Economic Forum yesterday.

Didiza was until last month land affairs and agriculture minister, holding the portfolio since 1999.

Government had been working behind the scenes to prepare for a possible flu pandemic, she said, but did not want to alarm the public."

Source: allAfrica.com: South Africa: SA 'Ready If Avian-Flu Pandemic Strikes'

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic

Vietnam: Bird flu donors pledge $60 mln plus

2006-06-02T15:28:00.000+01:00

"Donors have pledged more than US$60 million dollars to help control bird flu from 2006-2010 in Vietnam, which was the worst-hit country but has reported no new human case in half a year, AFP reported Friday.

Seven UN and other international agencies, 23 donors countries and three non-government groups met in Hanoi to discuss the five-year, $250-million effort to control the spread of the deadly disease, said the World Bank."

Source: Thanh Nien Daily: Bird flu donors pledge $60 mln plus for Vietnam

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | Knowledge | prepare

Nigeria, others to get bird flu management centre

2006-06-02T15:19:00.000+01:00

Nigeria and other countries where the dreaded bird flu has been detected would soon get a boost in their efforts to stamp out the wide spreading disease.

This is coming on the heels of apparent need to arrest the scourge of the wide spreading bird flu, a United Nations (UN) crisis management centre to co-ordinate international efforts against the spread of bird flu will be opened within a month.

According to Ron De-Haven, administration of USDA’s animal and plant health inspection service, the centre which is to be situated at the Rome-base Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will dispatch response teams to countries where bird flu is detected in animal and will channel aid, experts and equipment to areas where they are most needed.

Source: The Tide Online: Nigeria, others to get bird flu management centre

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | Knowledge

EU Bans Import of All Romanian Poultry Products

2006-06-02T15:14:00.000+01:00

"EU veterinary experts decided today to ban the import of live poultry and poultry products from all districts in Romania after new bird flu cases were registered in the country, AP reports.

The previous bans applied only to some of the districts of the Balkan country. The ban is to come into force immediately.

“The decision was taken after it became clear that the dangerous H5N1 strain of the disease is spreading fast in Romania,” an EC announcement reads."

Source: Focus English News: EU Bans Import of All Romanian Poultry Products

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | Europe | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

WHO monitoring Indonesian quake-hit areas for bird flu outbreak

2006-06-02T14:56:00.000+01:00

The World Health Organisation has voiced its concern that the bird flu virus may spread in Indonesia's earthquake-hit areas.

The United Nations body says the H5N1 virus is known to be circulating in the Central Java area.

To prevent an outbreak, authorities have stepped up surveillance in the area.

According to estimates by the World Health Organisation, more than 50,000 people have sought treatment.

But with only 9,000 beds available, crowded hospitals like this one in Bantul, have to treat patients in their lobby area.

Source: Channelnewsasia.com: WHO monitoring Indonesian quake-hit areas for bird flu outbreak

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

Bulgaria: Health Ministry publishes Instructions for travellers to Romania

2006-06-02T14:39:00.000+01:00

"With regard to the bird flu outbreak in Romania Bulgarian Health Ministry devised a set of instructions how Bulgarian citizens who are traveling to or residing in Romania can protect themselves from the disease.

The Health Ministry thinks there are no grounds to recommend to the Bulgarians to stop traveling to the neighboring country but it is necessary the people to take the necessary precaution measures.

According to the Romanian Agriculture Ministry the situation in the country regarding the bird flu remains alarming. The bird flu foci in all 11 regions are being processed. In one of the areas in capital Bucharest a first-degree quarantine has been announced and it will be lifted only after all the registered bird flu foci have been decontaminated."

Source: Focus English News: Bulgarian Health Ministry Devises Bird Flu Instructions for Bulgarians Traveling to Romania

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Community | Europe | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

Indonesia: Java earthquake: survivors at risk from avian flu

2006-06-02T13:40:00.000+01:00

Merlin, the British medical aid charity working in the earthquake zone in Java, has warned of disease risks to survivors taking shelter in chicken sheds.

Dr Yolanda Bayugo, Merlin's health director in Indonesia, raised concerns today with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization in Yogyakarta and has asked for more tents to be supplied.

"We are concerned that people using poultry sheds as shelter are at risk from avian flu and salmonella," said Dr Bayugo.

"In Pundong sub-district of Bantul, where about 35,000 people are homeless, we found more than 100 people taking shelter in six large poultry sheds," she continued. "The sheds, built from bamboo, are each about 200 metres long and are the only surviving structures in the area. One shed was new and had not yet been used to keep chickens. Others, which had been cleared recently, were only partially cleaned and still had chicken droppings lying on bamboo slats."

Source: Reuters AlertNet: Java earthquake: survivors at risk from avian flu

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Chicken | Community | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

Romania: Bird Flu Foci Swell to 123

2006-06-02T13:29:00.000+01:00

"The number of the bird flu foci in Romania reached 123 after Romanian authorities confirmed that the outbreak has spread to two more districts – those of Prahova and Arges, Mediafax news agency reports citing the spokesperson of the Agriculture Ministry Adrian Tibu.

The government spokeswoman Oana Marinescu stated that according to the data announced this morning 3,592 farms have been inspected and 1,286 violations have been found."

Source: Focus English News: Bird Flu Foci in Romania Swell to 123

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Chicken | Europe | H5N1 | influenza | poultry

WHO: Bird Flu Could Break Strained African Health Systems

2006-06-02T13:26:00.000+01:00

"African health systems, already crumbling under the strain of AIDS, malaria and other diseases, could collapse if a bird flu pandemic takes hold on the continent, health experts said Thursday.

Idrissa Sow, a senior World Health Organization official addressing a panel at the World Economic Forum on Africa, said it was vital to increase the number of laboratories capable of testing for the H5N1 virus in Africa. South Africa has advanced laboratory facilities, but other countries have had to send samples to Europe for testing.

There are fears bird flu has spread even further than is known in Africa because monitoring is difficult on a poor continent with weak infrastructure."

Source: Dow Jones Newswires: Bird Flu Could Break Strained African Health Systems - WHO

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza

Recombinomics: Nurse Hospitalized With H5N1 Bird Flu Symptoms in Bandung

2006-06-02T13:21:00.000+01:00

Recombinomics Commentary
June 2, 2006

A 25-year old nurse identified by her initials as `Ci` is currently being treated at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital here for bird flu-like symptoms.

"We could not confirm whether she is positive of having been infected by avian influenza virus or not, although she had earlier have contacts with siblings, 18-year old Ad and 10-year old Ai, who died of bird flu virus recently," he said.

The ailing nurse has never had contact with poultry, but she had treated the sibling when being treated at Ujungberung Hospital, where Ci works as a nurse.

The above description of a nurse with H5N1 bird flu symptoms is cause for concern because of the link to two confirmed fatal H5n1 cases. However, since the temperature of the nurse has begun to fall, the symptoms may be coincidental. However, the milder symptoms may simply reflect a milder case.

The second confirmed case in Indonesia was fatal, yet her nephew had a mild case of H5N1 and quickly recovered. Milder cases of H5N1 in Indonesia would be easily missed, because most testing for H5N1 is on patients who have been transferred to an infectious disease hospital, and if they recover at the primary care facility, they are not tested for H5N1. Similarly, most H5N1 testing in Indonesia requires an association with dead or dying poultry, although the sequence of the H5N1 from patients in West Jakarta, including Bandung, do not match reported sequences of H5N1 from poultry.

H5N1 in a health care worker would be cause for concern. One nurse in Vietnam was H5N1 confirmed which was linked to an H5N1 confirmed patient, but a firm link has not been confirmed in Indonesia.

Media Link

Map

Source: Recombinomics: Nurse Hospitalized With H5N1 Bird Flu Symptoms in Bandung

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | Knowledge | pandemic | poultry

Indonesia: Nurse with bird flu-like symptoms hospitalized in Bandung, W Java

2006-06-02T13:11:00.000+01:00

A 25-year old nurse identified by her initials as 'Ci' is currently being treated at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital here for bird flu-like symptoms.

Ci was admitted to the hospital which has been treating a number of bird flu patients on Thursday evening (June 1).

"When she arrived at this hospital last night, her body temperature was very high, namely 39.6 Celsius degrees but now it has decreased to 37 Celsius degrees," Hadi Jusuf, head of the bird flu medical treatment unit of the hospital, said here on Friday.

"We could not confirm whether she is positive of having been infected by avian influenza virus or not, although she had earlier have contacts with siblings, 18-year old Ad and 10-year old Ai, who died of bird flu virus recently," he said.

The ailing nurse has never had contact with poultry, but she had treated the sibling when being treated at Ujungberung Hospital, where Ci works as a nurse.

Source: ANTARA News: Nurse with bird flu-like symptoms hospitalized in Bandung, W Java

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Chicken | H5N1 | WHO | influenza | poultry

Romanian Government to Report Bird Flu Situation in Brussels

2006-06-02T13:08:00.000+01:00

"The Romanian Government will report in Brussels on the situation with the bird flu in the country, Rompress reported. A team of experts from the country will present in Brussels full report on the development of the disease in the last weeks and the measures, which have been taken by authorities. "

Source: Focus English News: Romanian Government to Report Bird Flu Situation in Brussels

Technorati Tags: Avian flu | Bird Flu | Europe | H5N1 | influenza | Knowledge | poultry