H5N1

Pakistan: 49 suspected dengue cases in Punjab

Via Online International News Network: 49 suspected dengue cases reported in Punjab.

LAHORE: As many as forty-nine unconfirmed dengue cases have been reported in different hospitals of Lahore and 10 other districts of Punjab. 

As per media reports, 49 dengue cases have been reported in Lahore alone in various hospitals including 31 in Mayo Hospital, 13 in Ganga Ram Hospital and 3 in Services Hospital, while 10 other cases have also been reported in several other parts of the province. 

Besides, the experts stressed that measures should immediately be taken to stop the spread of dengue.

Guatemala: Health situation in Zacapa "under control"

Via Prensa Latina: Aseguran controlar situación de salud en zona guatemalteca. [Health situation in Guatemalan region said to be under control] Excerpt, with my translation:

Las autoridades guatemaltecas de salud afirmaron tener controlada hoy una situación que con la muerte de seis niños causó alarma en el centroriental departamento de Zacapa.   

Guatemalan health authorities said today that they're in control of a situation in the east-central department of Zacapa that caused the deaths of six children.

Según el ministro de Salud Pública y Asistencia Social, Francisco Arredondo, el trabajo epidemiológico realizado detectó la influenza tipo B como causa en tres defunciones y rotavirus en una, mientras en las dos restantes aún se desconoce. 

Francisco Arredondo, minister of public health and social assistance, said that epidemiological work found three deaths caused by influenza B and one by rotavirus, with the remaining two still undetermined.

Hasta entonces se especulaba acerca de lo extraño de la enfermedad responsable de los decesos, pues los exámenes realizados en el país no la identificaban, por lo cual fueron enviadas muestras para su análisis a un centro especializado en Estados Unidos. 

Until now the strangeness of the deaths caused speculation since tests in the country could not identify their cause. For this reason, test samples were sent to a specialized centre in the US.

Para controlar el problema se emprendió una jornada de vacunación y monitoreo en las localidades donde se pudieran presentar más casos de este tipo, informó Arredondo, quien estuvo ayer en el lugar junto con el presidente Otto Pérez Molina.

To control the problem, a campaign of vaccination and monitoring has been launched in localities that could see more cases of this kind, Arredondo said. He was in the region yesterday with President Otto Pérez Molina.

Indonesia: Palangka Raya`s hospital treating 89 dengue patients

Via Antara: Palangka Raya`s hospital treating 89 dengue patients. Excerpt:

Palangka Raya`s Doris Sylvanus General Hospital is currently treating a total of 89 dengue fever patients or two times the number a month ago, a doctor at the hospital said. 

"Up to February 24 we have admitted a total of 89 dengue fever sufferers or twice as many as last month. We are having difficulty accommodating them all," a vice director at the hospital, Irly Yulia, said on Sunday. 

The hospital was now quite full so that some of the dengue fever patients had to be placed in the pediatric and internal diseases wards, she said. 

"We are full because we never turn away a patient,including patients belonging to the poor group of the population,` she said. 

As per December 2011, the hospital was treating 39 dengue fever patients whereas in November the figure was only 12. In January 2012 47 people were in the hospital for the same disease.

UK: Here comes Schmallenberg virus

Via Dr. Ed Rybicki's Virology News, a report in The Telegraph: Mystery virus kills thousands of lambs. Flublogia has been talking about this for some time, and I've been trying to avoid it (not another virus!). But it's clearly going be a problem. Excerpt:

The Schmallenberg virus causes lambs to be born dead or with serious deformities such as fused limbs and twisted necks, which mean they cannot survive. 

Scientists are urgently trying to find out how the disease, which also affects cattle, spreads and how to fight it, as the number of farms affected increases by the day. 

So far, 74 farms across southern and eastern England have been hit by the virus, which arrived in this country in January. A thousand farms in Europe have reported cases since the first signs of the virus were seen in the German town of Schmallenberg last summer. 

The National Farmers Union has called it a potential “catastrophe” and warned farmers to be vigilant. 

“This is a ticking time bomb,” said Alastair Mackintosh, of the NFU. “We don’t yet know the extent of the disease. We only find out the damage when sheep and cows give birth, and by then it’s too late.” 

It is unclear exactly how the disease arrived in Britain, but the leading theory is that midges carried the virus across the Channel or North Sea in the autumn. However, scientists cannot yet rule out transmission of the disease from animal to animal. 

Infected ewes do not show any symptoms of the virus until they give birth, with horrific results. Farmers have described delivering the deformed and stillborn animals as heartbreaking. 

The lambing season has only just begun, which means that the full impact of the disease will not be felt until the weather warms up and millions more animals are born. 

On the Continent, some farms have lost half of their lambs. So far the worst hit in Britain have lost 20 per cent, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). 

Approximately 16 million lambs are born in Britain every year and sell at market for about £100 each. The effect of the disease on farms that are already struggling in the downturn could be severe. 

“For any business to lose 20 per cent of your stock would be a huge blow,” said Mr Mackintosh. “For a farmer to lose 20 per cent of your flock is catastrophic. If it was 50 per cent you would be put out of action. 

“I was talking to one who has 10,000 sheep. If he loses even five per cent of the animals born this year, that’s a hell of a lot of lambs. I know another who says 10 per cent of his ewes have become barren. He has 6,000 ewes, so that is 600 animals producing nothing.” 

The Food Standards Agency has sought to allay any fears about eating lamb, although little is known about the virus so far. 

The Agency said: “Any risk to consumers through the food chain is likely to be low. No illness has been reported to date in humans exposed to animals infected with Schmallenberg virus.”

Vietnam: More on the latest H5N1 case

Via Saigon Giai Phong: Binh Duong reports first human bird flu case.

The southern province of Binh Duong has confirmed the first case of bird flu on humans and the patient has been carried to Ho Chi Minh City for treatments. 

The patient is Truong Phu Son, born in 1990. He was living in a house in Phu Loi Ward, Thu Dau Mot Town, according to the provincial Department of Health. 

He returned to his home province of Thanh Hoa during the Lunar New Year holidays late January, and has come back to Binh Duong to work. On February 17, he had high temperatures and breathing difficulty, and was brought to a local hospital. 

On Feb. 23, he was transferred to the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Infectious Diseases and Tropical Diseases as his conditions became worse. 

Blood samples later showed that Son was infected with the deadly bird flu virus A/H5N1. 

Health officials said where he was infected with the virus was still unknown. 

Health officials also quarantined those who had contacts with Son in his rented house in Phu Loi Ward and disinfected the area with chemicals.

Haiti: Living with cholera in Cité Soleil

Via the Peoria Journal Star, Dr. Carroll writes: C'est la Vie in Soleil. This is a long and very informative article, covering everything from Cité Soleil's water distribution system to the cost of going to a cholera treatment centre. Excerpt (but read the whole thing):

Venise told me that one day in November, 2011 when she was 9 months pregnant with the baby she is holding today, she abruptly started having diarrhea and began to vomit. And so did her eight year old daughter Mimi who still lived with her. They both went to St. Catherine’s Hospital Cholera Treatment Center (CTC), which is just a couple of blocks away, and was run by Doctors Without Borders-Belgium.    

Venise said she went into shock quickly and required 23 liters of IV fluid over several days. Mimi required only a couple of IV liters to feel better. They both survived because the CTC was so close and they went quickly. And the CTC was well stocked with supplies and had people who knew what they were doing. Venise delivered the three-month old baby girl a couple of weeks later.    

Doctor Without Borders-Belgium left St. Catherine’s in December and the hospital is now run by MSPP (Public Health Department of Haiti). When Doctors Without Borders was in charge of St. Catherine’s, there was no charge. But now it costs five Haitian dollars (about 75 cents) for a dossier to be made and for a consult with a doctor. 

If one is admitted to the hospital, MSPP charges one hundred Haitian dollars (12 US dollars) for the use of the bed no matter how long the patient’s stay is in the hospital.    

I asked Venise where she gets her water now. She gets her water from some public pipes here in the neighborhood (basin) which comes from the big water tower that sits in the entry way to Cite Soleil. One bucket of water costs one gourde (a few pennies).    

She said that she did not treat her water with Clorox or Aquatabs before she got cholera and she doesn’t treat the water now either because she has no money. So she and her kids are drinking this water which is not really clean.    

I asked Venise if she is afraid of cholera. She said she is afraid and that “it is coming back.” When I asked her how she knows cholera is coming back, she said “everyone says it is”.    

I asked Venise if she was happy with her life in Soleil. She said “Yes, because I have no other place to go.”

Pakistan: Strategy in place to fight any future dengue: Chief Minister

Via The Nation: Strategy in place to fight any future dengue: CM. Excerpt:

LAHORE – Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that an effective strategy, in the form of close coordination between departments, has been devised to prevent the possible outbreak of dengue. A Cabinet committee has also been formed in this regard, he added. 

The committee is also assisting in making arrangements by various departments for the eradication of dengue. He said that the persons of different sectors who have received training from Sri Lanka and Thailand are imparting training as master trainers to the people of various districts regarding preventive measures against dengue. He said that on the pattern of Lahore, the model of dengue brigade should be replicated in all districts for controlling this menace. 

The CM said this while presiding over a high level meeting held to review measures to tackle with the possible outbreak of dengue at Chief Minister’s Secretariat, here Saturday. Parliamentarians, secretaries of various departments and experts were present. 

Provincial secretaries informed about the measures taken by their departments against dengue outbreak. Experts informed the meeting that there is no need for spray against dengue at present. 

Addressing the meeting, the CM said that every possible step is being taken to deal with the threat of dengue next season and public awareness is also being developed in this regard. 

He said for creating awareness among the students, questions are also being set in examinations regarding dengue, and he directed Advisor on Education Zaeem Qadri and Secretary Higher Education to submit a report in the next meeting as to the questions asked and answer attempted by the students on the subject of dengue. He instructed for maintaining a thorough monitoring of the tyre shops and go-downs so that they do not provide breeding ground to the dengue. 

The CM also sought a comprehensive system for providing information to the media regarding dengue situation. He said that media should provide facts to the people, however, it refrain from creating panic in the masses.

The Pakistani English-language media could do a lot of good by refraining from describing dengue victims as having been "put to the sword."

Vietnam: New plan developed to combat spread of H5N1

Via VietNam News: New plan developed to combat spread of bird flu.

A map to identify the different strains of bird-flu virus in each locality will be completed by the end of this month, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Diep Kinh Tan on Thursday. 

Tan also said that after the map was completed, appropriate vaccines to combat each strain would be imported and sent to the appropriate districts. However, until this was done, only a single type of vaccine would be used - mainly in the South. 

Nguyen Huu Duong, director of Hai Duong Province's Agriculture and Rural Development Department, said failure to identify and treat the exact strain of virus was one of the main reasons for its rapid transmission in the province. 

He said more than 15,000 domestic fowls in the province had already been killed to try and control the disease, but it keeps spreading. 

Tan said high humidity and the cold weather were sapping the resistance of poultry to fight infection. 

According to localities, there were not enough animal-health workers to control the transportation of infected fowls from infected to uninfected areas. 

Hoang Van Nam, head of the Animal Health Department, said more than 52,000 infected birds had been culled in 12 provinces and cities so far this year. 

He said if localities failed to take tough measures, the disease would keep spreading. 

At the beginning of the week, the ministry announced that 50 million doses of vaccine would be imported, despite the fact that it was for a strain of virus prevalent only in southern localities.

Vietnam: A new human H5N1 case

Via Treyfish at H5N1 Pandemic Information News: Vietnam-A/H5N1 flu cases detected. The original story is in Vietnamese. Here's an excerpt with a Google translation:

25/2, Xu Tan Wednesday, Health Department spokesman confirmed Binh Duong Province have found a positive case of influenza A/H5N1. That patient named Phu Truong Son (born 1990, native Hoang Hoa district, Thanh Hoa province), staying at Tran Dinh Late in the 12th, 8th street, Phu Loi, Thu Dau Mot town.

Earlier, after returning home for Tet patients Son Binh Duong back to work for 3 weeks, to 17/2 high fever, difficulty breathing and was taken to hospital VuCao (town Di An) examination and treatment, but more severe disease onchanges in the respiratory tract should be moved to the Corps Hospital fourpatients continued treatment but still no relief.

Argentina calls for heightened alert against dengue

Via Prensa Latina: Piden extremar alerta por epidemia de dengue en Argentina. [Call to heighten alert against dengue epidemic in Argentina] Excerpt, with my translation:

El ministerio de Salud argentino reclamó hoy a las jurisdicciones del país extremar el alerta para detectar personas con síntomas de dengue, ante la epidemia que asola a naciones limítrofes.   

The Argentine minister of health called on all national jurisdictions to heighten the alert to detect persons with symptoms of dengue, given the epidemic raging in bordering countries.

Ahora el objetivo es detectar lo antes posible a pacientes con síntomas de dengue que hayan estado en zonas con circulación viral, señaló el titular de la cartera sanitaria, Juan Manzur, al referirse al alto tránsito de personas que se registra en este fin de semana largo. 

Health Minister Juan Manzur said the objective now is to detect as soon as possible any patients with dengue symptoms who have been in areas where the virus is circulating. He was referring to the number of persons travelling over this long weekend.

De acuerdo con la fuente, desde el 1 de enero de 2012 a la fecha se notificaron y estudiaron para dengue en todo el país un total de 541 pacientes y sólo se confirmaron seis casos de dengue, de los cuales tres son residentes de la norteña provincia de Salta. 

According to the minister, since January 1 a total of 541 suspected dengue cases have been reported and studied, but only 6 have been confirmed. Three of these are residents of the northern province of Salta.

Los restantes son dos de la provincia de Buenos Aires y otro de esta Ciudad Autónoma, y todos con antecedentes de viaje a Bolivia y Brasil en los días previos al inicio de los síntomas. 

Of the others, two are in the province of Buenos Aires and the third is in the capital. All had travelled to Bolivia or Brazil in the days before their symptoms appeared.

Datos oficiales difundidos por las carteras de Salud de los países limítrofes revelan que en Brasil fueron notificados este año más de 40 mil casos y 32 muertos por dengue, mientras Bolivia registró 16 fallecidos por esta enfermedad y un total de mil 734 enfermos.

Official statistics from the border countries' health ministries show that Brazil this year has reported over 40,000 dengue cases with 32 deaths. Meanwhile, Bolivia has reported 16 deaths and a total of 1,734 cases.

Ecuador: 606 dengue cases in Guayas

Via El Universo: Guayas suma 606 casos de dengue. [Guayas totals 606 dengue cases] Excerpt, with my translation:

El Ministerio de Salud Pública emitió ayer un nuevo boletín epidemiológico respecto a los casos de dengue a nivel nacional. Con respecto al dengue clásico, Guayas suma 606 casos, a nivel nacional hay 1.840.

The Ministry of Public Health yesterday released a new epidemiological bulletin on the national level of dengue cases. Guayas now has 606 cases of classic dengue, with 1,840 reported on the national level.

El anterior boletín, del 16 de febrero pasado, daba cuenta de 530 en la provincia y 1.474 en el país, lo que refleja un aumento de 76 y 366, respectivamente. 

The previous bulletin, published on February 16, counted 530 in the province and 1,474 in the country, reflecting an increase of 76 and 366, respectively.

El dengue clásico se registra en 15 provincias. Hasta la semana pasada eran doce. Esta vez se suman Chimborazo (37), Azuay (4) y Sucumbíos (36). 

Classic dengue has been reported in 15 provinces; as of last week, it had been in 12. This week it has appeared in Chimborazo (37), Azuay (4), and Sucumbíos (36).

Respecto al dengue grave (antes llamado hemorrágico), los casos en Guayas se incrementaron de 2 a 7. A nivel nacional, pasaron de 10 a 17.

As for severe dengue (previously called hemorrhagic), cases in Guayas have risen from 2 to 7. Nationally, they rose from 10 to 17.

Canada: Syphilis outbreak in New Brunswick could worsen, official warns

Via The Globe and Mail, a report by The Canadian Press: Syphilis outbreak in New Brunswick could worsen, official warns. Excerpt:

An outbreak of syphilis in New Brunswick that has seen the number of cases rise tenfold in the last three years could get worse, a provincial health official warns. 

From 1993 to 2007, the province recorded an average of one syphilis case per year. In 2008, it recorded six. 

That jumped to nine the following year, 37 in 2010 and 57 last year. And that number could rise even further this year, with 10 cases of the sexually transmitted disease discovered so far, said New Brunswick's deputy chief medical officer of health. 

“We seem to unfortunately have a trend,” Dr. Denis Allard said in an interview. “We hope we can have an effect on it, but for the time being it seems to be as high or higher than last year.” 

Dr. Allard said most of those being infected are between the ages of 20 and 25, adding that some people are at particular risk because of their sexual behaviour. 

“These are people who have multiple sex partners, especially if these sex partners are anonymous,” Dr. Allard said.  

“People these days tend to go on the Internet to find partners there and don't seem to inform themselves very much, they just want to have sex, and they get infected.” 

Dr. Allard said the Health Department has done a lot of work to provide information about syphilis on its website, and to circulate brochures and posters on the infection and the proper use of condoms to the public, particularly young adults. Since late 2009, 92 per cent of syphilis cases in New Brunswick have involved men, and most of those reported having only male sex partners, according to the January issue of the New Brunswick Disease Watch Bulletin.

Warning: The Bulletin also contains a colour photo of a case of necrotizing fasciitis.

Hong Kong: Imported NDM 1 case detected

Via the Hong Kong government website: Imported NDM 1 case detected.

The Centre for Health Protection has identified an imported case of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1 producing Enterobacteriaceae in an 82-year-old man, Hong Kong’s sixth case of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria.   

The man, a frequent traveller to the Mainland, was a Hong Kong resident with good past health. He went to his home on the Mainland on January 6. A neighbour found him there unconscious on February 6.   

He was admitted to a Mainland hospital on the same day and was later found to have a wound on the back of his head.   

He was transferred to Hong Kong and admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital on February 11, with a fever. He was diagnosed with pneumonia.   

He tested positive for Enterobacteriaceae on February 17. He is now in stable condition.

H5N1 controversy: Another view

Thanks to Helen Branswell for tweeting the link to Deborah MacKenzie's column in New Scientist: Short Sharp Science: New doubt over H5N1 death rate – but risks still high. Click through for the whole article and some important links. Excerpt:

The case fatality rate is a fraction: deaths divided by cases. The more cases there are - the bigger the denominator - the smaller the rate. The WHO only accepts a case as official if it's serious enough to go to hospital and get tested. If there are a lot of mild cases, they're being missed - and the death rate is lower, maybe a lot lower. 

For that reason, ever since H5N1 started its global spread in 2004, researchers have surveyed people who were exposed to the virus to see if they have antibodies to it - evidence they were infected. Palese reviewed those studies, and concluded that, on average, between 1 and 2 per cent of exposed people get infected but not seriously ill. 

It's unknown how many people worldwide have been exposed, but Palese says it could be millions - making the denominator on that fraction very large, and the death rate maybe no worse than ordinary flu. 

In response, Michael Osterholm and Nick Kelley at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis also reviewed the existing studies - but excluded those involving the somewhat different H5N1 that hit humans in 1997, and a problematic Thai study. Only three of 13 studies found clear evidence of infection in exposed people, and those found it in only 0.5 per cent - only 26 people. 

Meanwhile, they say, following exposed people to see if they got sick has not turned up any cases. And we are probably missing serious cases, too. They figure the death rate for H5N1 is unlikely to be massively lower than 59 per cent - but stress that even if it is 20-fold lower, that would still be worse than the 1918 flu pandemic, which killed tens of millions of mainly young people. 

What neither group mentions is that like H5N1, the swine flu pandemic of 2009 was an animal flu that hadn't adapted our immune systems yet - and it behaved very oddly. It was mild or even symptom-free in many, but really bad in some  - of whom quite a few died. Maybe that's happening with bird flu. 

The real bottom line, I think, goes to the Minnesota group. We need to work out how to study the pandemic potential of this virus and share the results safely, they say - and also, how to make sure it doesn't escape from a lab while we're doing it. 

Yes, we do. And we need to face up to the fact - as the Minnesota team also points out - that if it does go pandemic, our current vaccines and drugs will be little help. That's what needs our attention. Now.

MacKenzie's reference to H1N1 brings back a lot of memories: Covering the pandemic, I saw the public rapidly lose its fear of "swine flu"—while a few people suffered horribly and died from it. Oblivious to these cases, the public enjoyed laughing at WHO for calling it a pandemic when not a single zombie staggered through the streets.

Canada: E. coli burger recall expands to Nunavut and Yukon

Via CBC News: Burger recall expands to Nunavut and Yukon. Excerpt:

Frozen hamburgers which could be contaminated with E.coli were distributed in Co-op, TGP, and Loblaws-owned stores in Nunavut, N.W.T. and Yukon, according to officials. 

On Monday, the Canada Food Inspection Agency issued an advisory that 1-kilogram packages of Country Morning brand beef burgers sold by N.W.T. co-op stores could be contaminated with E.coli O157:H7 bacteria. 

The recall also affected 2.27-kg packages of No-Name Club Pack Beef Steakettes distributed by Loblaws to stores in southern provinces. 

The CFIA has now expanded the list of stores to include co-ops and TGPs in Nunavut and Yukon, and Loblaws-owned stores in N.W.T., Nunavut and Yukon. 

Food contaminated with E.coli may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with this strain of E.coli bacteria can cause potentially life-threatening illness.

US: 14 ill from E. coli in raw clover sprouts

Via RTT News.com: E.coli Infections Linked To Raw Clover Sprouts At Jimmy John's Sicken 14. Excerpt:

The number of individuals infected with E. coli O26 after eating raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John's Restaurants has now risen to 14 from the initial count of 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. 

Michigan becomes the latest and the sixth state to report two new cases of E. coli infection linked to raw clover sprouts at the sandwich chain. 

The number of ill persons identified in each state are Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Michigan (2), Arkansas (1), and Wisconsin (1). All the 14 sickened persons are female, and two of them have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. 

Investigations by the CDC and FDA have identified a common lot of clover seeds used to grow clover sprouts that are served at Jimmy John's restaurant locations. On February 10, 2012, the seed supplier began notifying sprouting facilities of the contaminated lot.

Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh city to inspect poultry traders to tackle bird flu

ViaTuoiTreNews.vn: HCMC to inspect poultry traders to tackle bird flu. Excerpt:

In an effort to prevent the H5N1 avian flu from spreading to the city, the Ho Chi Minh City authorities have set up a steering board to curb the H5N1 bird flu spread and will crack down on unlicensed poultry traders, an official said. 

At a meeting yesterday to discuss measures to cope with the epidemic that has spread to 12 provinces and cities, Le Minh Tri, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, asked district authorities to urgently implement the city-issued measures, including disinfection in many areas in the city, to keep the disease in check. 

Although not yet affected by the disease, the city’s authorities have set up a steering board for bird flu prevention and control and asked all local authorities to do the same, Tri said. 

The first thing these boards need to do is shutting down all unlicensed establishments trading in poultry in the city, the official said. 

“All districts are required to inspect and close 135 points that are trading in live poultry in 46 markets across the city.” 

Poultry-supplying markets are the main sources from which the H5N1 flu virus originates and then spreads, so strict examinations must be carried out there, he said. 

“In addition, checkpoints must be set up to prevent illegal transport of poultry from and to these markets.” 

As there is no specific vaccine against new clade 2.3.2 H5N1 flu viruses, which have affected many countries including Vietnam, health experts warned that the disease could spread on a wide scale this year

Australia: 34 dengue cases in NT this year

Via ABC News: SE Asia travellers warned of dengue fever danger. Excerpt:

The Northern Territory Centre for Disease Control says there have been more cases of dengue fever detected in the first two months of this year than the whole of 2011. 

The CDC says there have been 34 cases in January and February, compared with 29 last year. 

All were detected in travellers returning from trips to south-east Asia, including Bali and East Timor. 

Dr Peter Markey says the incubation period is about a week and many people only realise they have the disease when symptoms arise at home. 

 "The big one, first of all, is fever," he said. "Headache is invariable with dengue and it is usually behind the eyes. 

"The most oppressive thing about dengue is the muscle and joint aches and pains. "It really does give you this whole body ache. 

"It is very difficult to move around. 

"Some people call it breakbone fever." 

Dr Markey says about half of the cases have required hospitalisation and the disease can be fatal. 

"Both January and February have been big months for dengue cases in returned travellers," he said. 

"About half of the cases we've had have been in people returning from Bali."

Ecuador: 1,857 dengue cases

Via Hoy.com.ec: Se registran 1 857 enfermos con dengue en el país. [1,857 recorded ill with dengue in the country] Excerpt, with my translation:

El Ministerio de Salud Pública (MSP) informó hoy que en en las seis semanas epidemiológicas del presente año se han acumulado 1 857 enfermos con dengue, de los  cuales 17  han sido diagnosticados con dengue grave o lo que anteriormente se conocía como hemorrágico. 

The Ministry of Public Health reported today that in the six epidemiological weeks of this year, 1,857 persons have fallen ill with dengue. Of these, 17 has been diagnosed with severe dengue, formerly known as hemorrhagic.

"No se han registrado más muertes a causa de Dengue o como complicación, a más de la adolescente que falleció en Guayaquil", dijo. 

"No more deaths have been recorded from dengue or a complication, since the death of the adolescent who died in Guayaquil," the ministry said.

El MSP detalló que la provincia del Guayas acumula un total de 606 casos de dengue, de los cuales siete son graves. El resto de casos se distribuyen de la siguiente forma; 293 casos en Manabí, tres de ellos graves; 331 casos en Los Ríos; 81 en Esmeraldas, dos de ellos graves; 245 en El Oro; 9 en Santa Elena, uno de ellos graves; 9 en Cotopaxi; 37 en Chimborazo; 36 en Sucumbíos; 40 en Napo; 29 en Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, cuatro de ellos graves; 15 en Zamora Chinchipe; 17 en Cañar; 14 en Pastaza; cuatro en Azuay;  y 14 en Pichincha.

The ministry said Guayas province has accumulated 606 dengue cases, 7 of them severe. The rest of the cases are distributed as follows: 293 in Manabí, 3 of them severe; 331 in Los Ríos; 81 in Esmeraldas, 2 of them severe; 245 in El Oro; 9 in Santa Elena, 1 of them severe; 9 in Cotopaxi; 37 in Chimborazo; 36 in Sucumbíos; 40 in Napo; 29 in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, 4 of them severe; 15 in Zamora Chinchipe; 17 in Cañar; 14 in Pastaza; 4 in Azuay; and 14 in Pichincha.

Scientists report back from Fukushima exclusion zone

Via Nature News & Comment: Scientists report back from Fukushima exclusion zone. Excerpt:

The tsunami that crippled Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant almost a year ago was as formidable as initial estimates suggested, according to the first scientific assessment of its impact on the locale. 

Surveys along 2,000 kilometres of coast have already generated the largest tsunami data set in the world. But no verified data have been obtained from the 20-kilometre-radius restricted zone around the shattered nuclear plant, where scientific fieldwork had previously been barred. 

On 6 February, however, a seven-strong team set out on a two-day mission to determine the height and inland penetration of the waves that hammered the area less than an hour after a magnitude-9.0 earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan. The team was led by Shinji Sato, a civil engineer at the University of Tokyo, and included two officials from the Fukushima prefecture and two local guides. 

By recording the locations of ‘tsunami marks’ — water damage, debris and damage to trees, for example — the team confirmed previous estimates that the wall of water that hit the region was around three times taller than the 5.7-metre-high sea walls protecting the plant. 

The measurements are roughly consistent with the inundation height of 14–15 metres reported in April 2011 by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which operates the damaged reactors. The team was not given permission to get closer than two kilometres from the plant, however. 

In the central part of the restricted area — around the towns of Futaba, Okuma and Tomioka — tsunami heights were generally greater than 11 metres, with a maximum of 21 metres, measured at a cliff-top site north of the plant. 

Finding reliable tsunami marks almost a year after the disaster was a challenge, says Harry Yeh, a civil engineer at Oregon State University in Corvallis, who has been studying tsunami impacts for 20 years and was a member of the team. In places, the tsunami had wiped out almost everything that stood. Elsewhere, the Japanese Self Defense Force had removed large pieces of debris that may have borne tsunami marks as it attempted to find victims of the disaster. 

But in other places, the flooding left buildings unscathed. Apart from a dent in its metal chimney, the gymnasium of Ukedo Elementary School in Namie — less than 5 kilometres from the nuclear plant — looked almost orderly, Yeh recalls. Graduation banners still decorated the walls inside, and a small Japanese flag was unharmed. At a restaurant in the town, the team found a pristine newspaper dated 11 March 2011 — the day of the earthquake. 

The team was also surprised by a herd of cows that had apparently survived the tsunami and adapted to the abandoned environment. “I often scratched my head at the juxtaposition of utter devastation and relative intactness,” says Yeh.