July 7 Flu Update
A 3 year old girl has died in Indonesia, and local labs are confirming H5N1. She died nine hours after getting to the hospital. She may have played with dead chickens in her neighborhood. CIDRAP reports.There is also an 18 year old woman in Egypt who is dead, and suspected to have died of bird flu. ProMed reports (includes the Indonesian story as well.)
The other big news is that Spain has confirmed its first case of H5N1. Its in a wild bird (grebe) in a Northern part of the country.
CIDRAP on Spain.
ProMed with extensive commentary on Spain. This area is their biggest tourist area. Birdlife weighs in to say that an African connection is unlikely. Finally, mod notes that this is the season to expect cases in wild birds.
Recombinomics notes that the dead bird was found six weeks ago.
EU scientists gave the "bird flu is inevitable" speech again. (You know, not when, but if...)
Shenzhen has removed its emergency warning instituted when a human case was discovered in June.
Denmark is culling birds with H5, even though it is not N1. (proMed)
The UK reminds people that during the August-November migration, the risk of bird flu re-emerging there is higher.
Here's the full text of the DEFRA report.
Thailand says it will be bird flu free in three years.
Thailand also says it will test a human bird flu vaccine by next year.
More on this--Thailand says it is winning the battle vs. bird flu.
H5N1 was found on November 9 last year. There had been no reports of the virus in poultry since.
"This is because of our intense surveillance," he claimed.
The Interior Minister of Pakistan says there is no risk of bird flu there.
75% of people surveyed in South Africa are worried about the bird flu.
Local story on how Nigeria ended up with three flu strains--notes (correctly, IMO) that a role for migration and trade is possible.
ProMed also has a long report on this from Nigeria. Note the mod comment that drastic measures will be needed to stamp out bird flu in that country.
Socorro County (NM) is preparing a bird flu plan, and has allocated nearly $7 ,000 for the effort.
In Sharon, PA, officials were told that there's no reason to worry now, but a worldwide pandemic is a real threat.
The Federal Government recently announced it would help states buy Tamiflu. They are paying 1/4 of the cost, but orders must be approved by August 1. Newsweek reports that states are taking them up on the offer.
Here are similar Tamiflu purchase stories from New York, Alaska and Maine.
Nature (Declan Butler) did a report on prominent and popular science blogs. Effect Measure likes the effort, but questions the criteria.
posted by Orange @ 8:01 AM
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