H5N1

More than 10,000 Paraguayans with dengue

Paraguay is doing well in the World Cup, but less well at home. Via Prensa Latina: Más de 10 mil paraguayos con dengue.[More than 10,000 Paraguayans with dengue] Excerpt, with my translation:

Unos 10 mil 639 paraguayos fueron confirmados hoy como enfermos de dengue por el Ministerio de Salud Pública de Paraguay, pese a considerar un marcado descenso de circulación del virus en algunas regiones del país. El último parte emitido por la institución considera la actual epidemia de gran intensidad, aunque sólo el 28,77 por ciento de las regiones sanitarias supera la tasa de 100 casos por 100 mil habitantes.

Some 10,639 Paraguayans were confirmed today as dengue cases by the Paraguayan Ministry of Public Health, despite a marked fall in circulation of the virus in some parts of the country. The latest report from the ministry considers the epidemic one of great intensity, even though only 28.77 percent of the health regions report a rate of over 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Sandman and Lanard on WHO and the pandemic

Absolute must-read of the day: The "fake pandemic" charge goes mainstream and WHO's credibility nosedives. This is by risk-communication experts Peter Sandman and Jody Lanard, and it's the best analysis so far of the pandemic's aftermath. Excerpt:

The extremely long assessment that follows advances an argument we can summarize in a single sentence: 

The absurd charge that the World Health Organization (WHO) hyped a fake pandemic in order to enrich Big Pharma has gained undeserved mainstream credibility mostly because WHO has badly mishandled its risk communication about three issues: (a) the mildness of the pandemic (so far); (b) the debatable meaning of the term “influenza pandemic”; and (c) the inevitable – but not culpable – structural conflicts of interest of WHO advisors.

Malaysia: Only 20,000 Doses Of H1N1 Vaccine Left - Ismail

Via Bernama: Only 20,000 Doses Of H1N1 Vaccine Left - Ismail.

The Health Ministry has urged those in the high risk group such as pregnant mothers, people with asthma and diabetes and those suffering from heart or kidney ailments to obtain H1N1 vaccinations. 

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said at the moment there were only 20,000 doses of the vaccine available throughout the country, of which nearly 10,000 doses could be obtained from Johor. 

"The vaccine can be obtained from facilities run by the ministry and the private sector," he said in a statement. 

He said that up till June 25 this year, 354,482 people had been vaccinated comprising the ministry's 97,272 frontline staff, 90,883 frontline staff from other agencies such as the police, immigration and armed forces, and 166,327 members of the public. 

He said 60 new cases were confirmed during the week between June 20 and 26 compared to 81 cases during the previous week, making a total of 15,212 cases in the country so far. 

One death was reported during the week, involving a three-year-old child, bringing the total death recorded in the country so far to 89 cases.

More on the Cambodian PM's H1N1

Via The Pnom Penh Post: Swine flu strikes PM, five other officials. Excerpt:

Prime Minister Hun Sen contracted the A(H1N1) influenza virus late last week, and five other government officials – including a deputy prime minister and two senior ministers – have since exhibited signs of it, according to a statement issued Tuesday by Health Minister Mam Bunheng. 

According to the statement, Hun Sen was likely exposed to the virus, commonly known as swine flu, during or immediately after a meeting at the Council of Ministers last Friday. 

He has since received treatment from “very professional Cambodian doctors”, and “the health of Samdech is recovering”, the statement reads. 

It goes on to say that tests conducted on all officials who attended Friday’s meeting have revealed “the positive sign of AH1N1” in five officials: deputy prime minister Yim Chhai Ly, senior ministers Chhay Than and Tao Seng Hour and officials Kim Ith and Ith Mith. 

The virus caused Hun Sen to miss Monday’s celebrations marking the 59th anniversary of the Cambodian People’s Party, and “some programmes of Samdech were also cancelled”, according to the statement. 

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said Tuesday that he could not provide any information beyond what was included in the statement.

Indonesia: A suspected H5N1 death

Via Ida at Bird FLu Information Corner, an Antara report: Boyolali, Central Java ::: A man possibly dies of bird flu. Excerpt:

Syamsudin (27), a resident of Desa Paras, Kecamatan Cepogo, Kabupaten Boyolali allegedly died of bird flu/avian influenza H5N1 infection. 

Head of Boyolali Health Service, dr Yulianto Prabowo, mentioned patient had been treated in Pandan Arang Boyolali regional public hospital before the death. 

Patient was diagnosed as bird flu suspect, and  in critical condition that must be referred to Dr. Moewardi hospital in Solo. He died during treatment in Dr Moewardi hospital and diagnosed to have respiratory infection. 

Previously, hundreds of chickens died in Dukuh Bandung, Desa Beji, Kecamatan Andong, Boyolali. However, officials faced difficulty in diagnosing the cause of death because no dead chickens left for sample.

In another post, Ida reports that the boy suspected last week of having bird flu has tested negative and been released from hospital. But four other children are also suspected H5N1 cases and are being cared for in isolation.

Mexico: Hurricane Alex spurs anti-dengue measures

Yesterday, a leading candidate for the governorship of Tamaulipas state was assassinated in his car, along with four other persons. As if that weren't trouble enough, the state is facing a hurricane. Via Metronoticias de Tamaulipas: Por "Alex" intensifican lucha contra el dengue. [Alex triggers intensified fight against dengue] Excerpt, with my translation:

Al aumentar el potencial de lluvias por la tormenta tropical “Alex”, el centro de salud de Altamira intensificará la campaña de lucha contra el dengue. 

With the growing potential of rainfall from tropical storm Alex, Altamira Health Centre is intensifying its campaign against dengue.

El director de la dependencia, Manuel Ramos Azuara, comentó que fumigarán las colonias, principalmente, las que se ubican en zonas bajas para evitar que se reproduzca el mosco transmisor de esta enfermedad. 

Manuel Ramos Azuara, director of the centre, said that it would fumigate mostly the low-lying neighbourhoods to prevent breeding of the mosquito that carries the disease.

“Se van a intensificar lo que son las fumigaciones, antes de que lleguen las lluvias y sobre todo ahorita que está la alerta de la tormenta “Alex” tenemos que estar al pendiente sobre todo para que posterior a estas lluvias no vayamos a tener casos de dengue.”

"We will intensify fumigation before the rains arrive, and especially now that the alert has been announced about Alex, we have to be sure that after these rains we won't have cases of dengue."

Cambodian PM infected with swine flu: government

Via Google News, an AFP report: AFP: Cambodian PM infected with swine flu: government. Excerpt:

Cambodian premier Hun Sen and several top officials have been infected with swine flu, a government spokesman said Tuesday. 

"I can confirm he and several ministers have tested positive with the virus," spokesman Khieu Kanharith told AFP, while a letter from health minister Mam Bunheng said the prime minister was now recovering. 

The premier was found to be carrying the A(H1N1) virus after his weekly cabinet meeting on Friday and medics subsequently tested all ministers and officials attending the meeting, according to the letter. 

It said tests found Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly, two senior ministers and two officials were also infected with the virus and are now being treated carefully by doctors, although it did not give their whereabouts.

More on the Tripura outbreak

Via the Tripura Times in northeast India: Health minister holds meeting with officials; Kangrai incident to rock Assembly today.

After a brief recess, Budget session of the Assembly will begin tomorrow. The remaining three days of the session will be stormy with opposition Congress planning to pile heat on Health and Family Welfare Minister Tapan Chakraborty for his alleged failure to check the deaths of tribal villagers at Kangrai in Kanchanpur subdivision. 

Congress legislators have already discussed the issue threadbare and prepared their strategy.  Alarmed by the epidemic like situation at Kangrai, Health Minister and Principal Secretary YP Singh had already visited the spot and instructed the authority to do all possible steps to check the outbreak of mysterious disease. 

A special sub centre was set up at Kangrai to provide medical assistance to the ailing people. 

While Congress MLA Subal Bhowmik visited the ill-fated village on June 23, Opposition leader Ratan Lal Nath inspected Kangrai yesterday to know the ground reality. 

Mr. Nath has already demanded resignation of Health Minister for his alleged failure to check the outbreak of the mysterious disease.The outbreak of mysterious disease that has so far claimed 26 lives has pushed the government in an awaked situation keeping in view of the Assembly session. The deaths of mysterious disease have exposed the poor health service in the rural areas like Kangrai. 

Sources said, the treasury bench has also envisaged strategy on how the tackle the opposition members in the Assembly tomorrow.It has been learnt that Health Minister held a meeting with senior Health department officials where he was briefed about the steps taken by the department to tackle the situation.

The steps include setting up of a special sub-centre, engagement of a paediatrician at Kanchanpur hospital and house to house surveillance in the entire subdivision. 

The government today formally informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare about the outbreak of Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI) at Kangrai in Kanchanpur subdivision. 

The outbreak of RTI has claimed 14 lives, according to an official of Health department.

Mike Coston at Avian Flu Diary has some useful commentary on this story.

Nigeria: Cholera spreads in Adamawa

Via allAfrica.com, a report from Leadership: Nigeria: Cholera Outbreak Spreads in Adamawa. Excerpt:

As the Adamawa Government workers' strike enters its third week, the cholera outbreak in the state has continued to spread across the various local government areas. 

The strike has crippled government's efforts to contain the outbreak in about five local government areas of the state. An investigation revealed that the disease, before the strike, was reported only Yola North Local Government Area, but that it has now spread to five other local governments. 

The Adamawa Commissioner for Health, Hajia Zainab Kwanchi, confirmed the situation, but said that government did not have an update of those affected because of the strike. 

"Currently there is no official update on the outbreak as a result of the on-going workers' strike," Kwanchi said. 

She explained that government had, however, taken measures to curtail the spread of the disease, pointing out that drugs and other necessary facilities had been sent to the affected areas. 

On the on-going strike, the state chairman of NLC, Comrade Dauda Buba, said that the negotiation between the NLC and government ended in a deadlock.

India: Swine flu alert in Tamil Nadu districts bordering Kerala

Via Sify.com: Swine flu alert in Tamil Nadu districts bordering Kerala. Excerpt:

With 21 swine flu cases being reported in the state and 14 in Kanyakumari district alone, the Tamil Nadu government has alerted district administrations bordering Kerala to watch out for people with swine flu symptoms. 

Speaking to reporters, Health Minister M.R.K. Pannerselvam said: 'Government hospitals have been told to keep an exclusive ward for swine flu patients.' 

He assured the availability of Tamiflu tablets for treating swine flu.