H5N1

Dr. Mackay compares H5N1, H7N9

It's already May 1 in Australia, and as usual Dr. Ian Mackay is ahead of the pack with the first post of the month. On his VDU's blog: H5N1 versus H7N9. Click through for a good chart.

This remains a kind of a pointless exercise. As I noted when I posted this first time back in February, but since I'm preparing some lectures I thought I'd post the latest version anyway. 

These avian influenza A(H5N1) virus numbers have been curated since 2003 when the World Health Organization started an official tally. To that chart I've added where the current total number of laboratory confirmed human cases of infection by avian influenza A(H7N9) virus sits on the accumulating case tally (the green area-under-the-curve line). This blue dashed line highlights what we've heard before; H7N9 cases are piling up faster than H5N1 cases did.  

From 2003 it took H5N1 human cases nearly 6 years to reach the 430'ish mark; it's taken H7N9 about 61 weeks.

India: Vaccination drive against Japanese encephalitis in three districts from May 5

I've been dreading the inevitable return of seasonal encephalitis reports from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. So this Times of India report offers some encouragement: Vaccination drive against Japanese Encephalitis in three dists from May 5. Excerpt:

PATNA: Bihar government is going to launch a special vaccination drive against Japanese Encephalitis (JE) from May 5 in three districts: Jamui, Sheikhpura and Lakhisarai. In the special drive, children in the age of 1-5 will be administered the JE vaccine. 

Last year 12 cases of JE were detected in Bihar. JE vaccination campaign was launched in 2007 and till date, 19 districts of districts of the state have already been covered, said state immunization officer Dr N K Sinha. They include Patna, Nawada, Bhojpur, Muzaffarpur, Siwan, Gopalganj, Aurangabad, Vaisahli, Samastipur and Bhagalpur. Altogether, 31 districts of Bihar are JE-endemic. Around 10 crore children have been vaccinated against JE in India, of which 25% (2.3 crore) children are in Bihar. 

In the current drive, children will be vaccinated at all the schools. In order to reach the uncovered children at schools, a door-to-door campaign will be launched in which the local health activists will mobilize people to the health centre where the injectable vaccine will be administered. 

Playing down the concerns whether private schools will come on board, a health official shared his experience about the drive in Patna and said, "Though some private schools were initially reluctant, they later came on board. A day before vaccination, teachers were asked to send a note to parents, informing them that on the next day the children will be vaccinated and if they did not want to give consent, they must not send their child to the school. However, most of the parents gave their consent." 

At a workshop jointly organized by the State Health Society and PATH, an NGO, experts said there was no treatment against JE. "Antibiotics cannot treat JE. Only symptomatic treatment is possible. Vaccination is the only way to prevent it," said PMCH paediatrician Dr Nigam Prakash Narain.

CIDRAP: MERS surge continues; April cases top past 2 years' total

Robert Roos at CIDRAP has an excellent overview of the day: MERS surge continues; April cases top past 2 years' total. Excerpt:

The April surge of MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) cases continued today with a report of 16 more in Saudi Arabia, while European health officials observed that the total for this month alone exceeds the total for the preceding 2 years since the disease emerged. 

Saudi Arabia described cases in seven cities around the country, with only three in Jeddah, which has been the major hot spot lately. None of the latest cases were fatal, but two previously reported patients have died, the government said. 

Meanwhile, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said its global count of MERS-CoV cases reported in April reached 217 yesterday, compared with 207 reported in all previous months since the disease surfaced in 2012. 

Latest cases widely scattered 

In a statement posted today, the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) said the 16 new cases include 7 in Riyadh, 2 in Tabuk, 1 in Mecca, 3 in Jeddah, 1 in Najran, 1 in Hafr Al-Batin, and 1 in Medina. Most of those cities have had other cases this month, but the one in Hafr Al-Batin is the first there since July 2013, according to a case list maintained by FluTrackers, an infectious disease message board. 

The MOH today continued its new practice of sharing much more information than it did before a new acting health minister, Adel Faqih, was appointed last week. Today's statement on the new cases included a map and graphs showing patients' age and gender distribution and previous health status. 

Ten of the 16 patients have preexisting health conditions, the MOH said. Three patients were described as asymptomatic, 6 are in stable condition, and 7 are being treated in intensive care units. 

The statement said 5 patents are in the age range of 25 to 44 years, 4 are between 45 and 64, and 7 are 65 or older, the statement said. Nine patients had contact with other MERS case-patients, but none were reported to have had contact with animals. 

For the second day in a row, none of the new patients were described as healthcare workers (HCWs), which contrasts with the general pattern of the past few weeks. For example, among the 26 cases announced by the MOH on Apr 26 and 27, 9 were HCWs, and 4 of 14 reported on Apr 25 were in that category. On Apr 24, 5 of 12 newly reported cases involved HCWs. 

The two deaths in previously reported cases involved a 41-year-old man in Tabuk and an 88-year-old man in Riyadh. 

The latest cases raise Saudi Arabia's posted MERS count to 361 cases and 107 deaths.

Philippines still on MERS alert

Via Inquirer.net: 3 Filipinos feared to have MERS. Excerpt:

Local authorities are still validating reports three more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East had contracted the dreaded Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). 

“Our officials are constantly coordinating with health authorities there to determine and monitor the condition of our OFWs,” said administrator Carmelita Dimzon of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) in a media forum on Tuesday. 

A report over the weekend said at least three more Filipino nurses in Saudi Arabia had contracted MERS-CoV. One of them is reportedly in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Riyadh. 

The three are supposedly among the 14 new MERS-CoV cases in Saudi Arabia, which include seven in Jeddah, four in Riyadh and three in Mecca. 

Dimzon said the Owwa had intensified its information and health education drives in the Middle East to explain MERS-CoV to OFWs. 

“For those preparing to leave the Philippines, we have included MERS-CoV health education in our predeparture orientation seminars,” she said. 

The Department of Health and Philippine Health Insurance Corp., meanwhile, are finalizing a benefit package for PhilHealth members who may be infected with MERS-CoV. 

Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, emerging infectious diseases program manager, said PhilHealth, the government’s social health insurance plan, would shoulder the cost of laboratory tests for patients. 

The laboratory test to determine if a person is infected with MERS-CoV costs P5,000 [US$112]. The patient may also need to be confined in a health facility while awaiting the results. 

The government has so far spent over P2 million [US$44,878] to track, test and monitor all 414 passengers of Etihad Airlines flight EY 0424 on April 15 who had traveled with a male Filipino nurse who tested positive for MERS-CoV while in the United Arab Emirates. 

Tests conducted on the nurse after he arrived in the Philippines came up negative for the virus. 

Lee Suy said the country remained MERS-CoV-free amid the ongoing contact-tracing efforts of the DOH. He said 400 of the 414 passengers had tested negative for MERS-CoV. 

“They have been tested and the results are negative…we’re still MERS-CoV-free, as of now,” he said. 

Lee Suy said the rest of the passengers were either awaiting their results or were scheduled to undergo testing.

Egypt: Pilgrims at risk of MERS discouraged from going on Hajj, Umrah

Via Masrawy.com: Because of Corona'''' .. Ministry of Health demanding the postponement of pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia. Excerpt from a Google translation:

The Ministry of Health and Population citizens wishing to perform Hajj and Umrah to postpone travel, during this year in order to reduce the spread of infection with Corona, and that the particular categories, including children less than 15 years old, and older than 65 years, and pregnant women, and those diseases Chronic diseases such as heart and chest chronic kidney disease and diseases of the immune weakness. 

A statement issued by the ministry, on Wednesday, that this warning came after a follow-up developments epidemiological situation and the regional spread of HIV'' Corona'' emerging and increasing the number of cases during the last period in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and in the context of concern for the public health of the citizens especially exposed them to complications of infection injury respiratory disease, and the aim of reducing the delegations cases in which the virus may be involved, which may cause infection among citizens within the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Meanwhile, I haven't been able to find any updates on the Egyptian MERS case.

Saudi Arabia: Meat sales decline out of fear of MERS

Via Al-Riyadh: Evaporating demand to buy «Hashi» fear of «Corona». Excerpt from a Google translation:

Decided to owners of shops selling meat of livestock (sheep, camels, cows) today not to buy «Hashi» after the Minister of Health-designate Adel Faqih tip of the citizens not to buy meat or drinking camel's milk in order to avoid Coruna, while varied opinions of citizens between the purchase and the boycott until proven correlation Virus "Corona" scientifically camels. 

It was noted during the tour undertaken by the "Riyadh" on the shop devoted to the sale of meat in Dammam, many of which are free of camel meat "footnote," and explained that the workers began to demand at least on those meat after previous permits be associated Pfyrus Corona. 

Said Mohammed Al-Hajri "citizen" Fears of Virus "Corona" began increasing during the last period, and every citizen of prevention and taking advice from specialists in the Ministry of Health, and when Health Minister Almlkv advised citizens after eating such meat, we will take out of the door of cooperation with the relevant authorities to curb the spread of this virus. 

He said, "Mohammed Abdul Rahman," The past period has seen a lot of speculation and talk about correlation virus camels, but the statement by the Minister of Health yesterday was clear and considered advice should be on the citizen to cooperate with them to curb the spread of this virus, but that "the benefit of Wadi'i" confirmed that he will continue to buy meat, believing that there is no relationship between the "Corona" and camels at all, noting that they eat meat and they like a lot of meat was not unharmed.

Saudi Arabia: MERS won't close schools early

Via the Saudi Gazette: No early summer break for schools.

Principals and supervisors of international schools have scotched rumors that they are planning to close for summer vacations ahead of schedule because of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus. 

Speculations are rife among the expatriate community that private schools will advance the final exams and close for the summer break early. 

But many school authorities told the Saudi Gazette that they are not planning to close ahead of schedule until and unless they receive a notice from the Ministry of Education in this regard. 

The Ministry of Education is assuring students, teachers and parents that there is no need for panic and schools will follow their academic schedule, said Abdul Majid Al-Ghamdi, spokesman of the Department of Education in Jeddah. 

Muhammad Al-Haizan, spokesman of the Ministry of Higher Education, said that there is no decision from their ministry to close universities or re-schedule the examinations. 

But universities can take “independent decisions” if they want to close earlier than schedule just like they did during the floods when some universities decided to close while others remained open, Al-Haizan said. 

Meanwhile, specialists from the World Health Organization and different countries arrived here on Wednesday to check on the situation in the city most affected by the coronavirus as health authorities announced two new deaths from the virus in the Kingdom, where 16 more infections were also detected. 

The experts are also scheduled to visit the King Abdullah Medical Complex and also tour other hospitals. 

A 41-year-old man in the northwestern city of Tabuk and an 88-year-old in Riyadh died of MERS, bringing to 107 the total deaths since the disease appeared in the Kingdom in September 2012, the Health Ministry said. 

It said 16 new infections nationwide have raised the total number of cases diagnosed to 361.

Egypt: MERS patient "stable, responding to treatment"

Via Al-Masry Al-Youm: «Health»: Injured «Corona» in stable condition and responding to treatment. The Google translation:

Said Dr. Amr Kandil, head of the Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health and Population, said that «the case of infected Corona Hospital in Abbasid, stable, and respond to treatment», denied «Kandil» «Egyptian today», on Wednesday, the rumors about the death of the patient. 

The head of the Gaza Preventive Medicine, to stop publishing such news so as not to affect his mental state, he said. 

The Ministry of Health announced a few days ago about the appearance of the first case of bird b «Corona», was booked injured in hospital Abbasid, immediately after his arrival from Saudi Arabia.

Dominican Republic: Public Health reports 3,690 suspected chikungunya cases

Via Dominican Today, an April 28 report: Public Health reports 3,690 suspected chikungunya cases.

The Public Health Ministry on Sunday reported 3,690 suspected chikungunya cases in San Cristobal alone, and called on the population to eliminate the sites where the mosquito breeds in yards, alleyways and streets. 

It said the investigation into the chikungunya outbreak in greater Santo Domingo and San Cristobal province (south) has identified 2,348 suspected cases, and 1,142 in the towns of Los Bajos de Haina, Nigua and Barsequillo. 

Public Health also reported around 200 possible cases in the municipality of San Cristobal, totalling 3,690 suspected cases in that province. 

It also confirmed new cases of the fever in Hato Mayor, Santo Domingo and the National District.

And if it's in the DR, chikungunya will soon be in Haiti. 

In all the uproar over MERS and Ebola, I've been neglecting the Americas. I'll try to do better.

Saudi Arabia: Umrah pilgrims are free from MERS

Via the Saudi Gazette, an Okaz report: Umrah pilgrims are free from coronavirus: Qadi. Excerpt:

Umrah pilgrims are being protected by a system of integrated preventive health protection measures against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), most commonly known as coronavirus. 

No coronavirus cases have been reported and all visitors are said to be in good health. 

Local authorities said they have mobilized all resources to ensure coronavirus does not strike pilgrims. 

Deputy Haj Minister for Haj Affairs, Hatem Qadi, confirmed that all Grand Mosque visitors are free from coronavirus infections. 

“The ministry urges citizens, residents, and Grand Mosque visitors to take all possible preventive measures against coronavirus, by wearing preventive masks, avoiding crowded areas and maintaining personal hygiene,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Hospital in Riyadh is ready to accept MERS patients and can accommodate 500 inpatients and 100 intensive care patients. 

A committee of Ministry of Health and hospital officials was set up and began meeting following the decision of the acting Minister of Health, Adel Fakeih, to set up specialized centers to cope with the virus in the Kingdom by setting up centers in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. 

Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Hospital’s Executive Director, Dr. Mohammad Al-Shehri, said the hospital is prepared to receive all cases referred to it. 

He explained final plans have been put in place to receive coronavirus patients and that he has complete confidence in the hospital's medical staff. 

He confirmed the hospital would not seek the help of other experts, whether from inside or outside the Kingdom. 

He pointed out the hospital has already treated patients carrying the coronavirus and has acquired good experience in handling such cases.