Saturday, June 30, 2007

Vacation Break

We're taking a short break for the holiday. We will publish again on July 5th.

posted by Orange @ 7:21 AM 0 comments

Friday, June 29, 2007

June 28 Flu Update

Indonesia continues to say that it will use a human flu vaccine in July, and resists WHO's requests to build up a stockpile first.

ProMed on Togo, Bangladesh and the Czech Republic--note the possibility of a newly discovered outbreak in the latter country.

A German scientist says that the bird flu in Germany and the Czech Republic have the same source. (This is another shot in the fight over whether smuggling or wild birds spreads the bird flu).

Here's a local story on the outbreak in the Czech Republic. Note the subhead--"little risk to people"

ProMed has the OIE report from Germany.

Vietnam has spent $7.8M on avian flu vaccines this year.

A bird flu conference has kicked off at the (I swear to God) Tblisi Marriott.

Revere warns us again that we can't make flu policy based on headlines.

There is also a meeting in Rome.

posted by Orange @ 8:43 AM 2 comments

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

June 27 Flu Update

ProMed reports a new human case in Vietnam.

Veterinary Pathologists have lessons on how to determine a pandemic has started.

"The world is only just beginning to become prepared for a human influenza pandemic," says Dr. Brown. "Unfortunately, we are poorly prepared for other emerging infectious diseases, and it's difficult to predict where the next pathogen will come from, or when."

The bird flu has hit domestic birds in the Czech Republic.

The bird flu has spread in Bangladesh.

A swan in Moravia (Czech Republic) has bird flu.

VOA reports: bird flu controls are better--disease is still winning. (this is the ultimate truth of bird flu).

Independent tests have confirmed the bird flu in Togo.

FAO says the bird flu is entrenched.

ProMed on the news from Pakistan, Czech, and Vietnam.

ProMed also reports on new cases in Germany.

CIDRAP on the GAO assessment of bird flu.

In Jasper, AB, Jasperites are warned that bird flu would effect all of them.

posted by Orange @ 9:11 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

June 26 Flu Update

A new human case is reported in Vietnam.

Among birds in Vietnam, a new outbreak in one province, while four other provinces are declared clean.

ProMed on Egypt and Indonesian human cases from yesterday.

A second avian outbreak has occurred in Germany.

ProMed on this outbreak in Germany. Note especially this mod comment:

The distance between Leipzig and Nurnberg exceeds 200 km [124 miles]. Confirmation from the OIE reference laboratory in Riems is anticipated, as well as molecular data on the interrelationship between the recent isolates from Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, England (as well as the recent Siberian isolates from wild duck?!). - Mod.AS

ProMed on the previous outbreak in Germany.

Meanwhile, Malaysia claims it is bird flu free.

The BBC on the international bird flu meeting being held in Scotland.

CIDRAP--could diluting the flu vaccine protect more people in a pandemic? (Note: This is curious to me, since the vaccines have had trouble stimulating immune response at low doses).

For example, in one scenario, the model showed that if 20 million of the United States' 300 million residents were given two 10-mcg doses of one vaccine, the attack rate would drop from 73.2% to 69.5%, and if the same amount of vaccine antigen were spread out over 80 million with two 2.5-mcg doses, the attack rate would drop to 67.7%.

Another scenario envisioned dividing the planned US vaccine stockpile among 160 million people instead of the targeted 20 million. That approach would lower the overall attack rate from 67.6% to 58.7%, according to the model.

Did more healthcare workers take a seasonal flu jab last year--and was it because of bird flu?

Nova Scotia has rolled out its pandemic plan.

Revere blogs on the GAO report on the USDA pandemic plan. He notes that H5N1 has a lot of uncertainty as it relates to humans, but much less as it relates to animals. So, a veterinary organization should be farther ahead than this.

ProMed/OIE report from Togo.

posted by Orange @ 8:55 PM 1 comments

Monday, June 25, 2007

June 25 Flu Update

CIDRAP reports on new cases in Egypt and Indonesia.

Usual excellent, high quality Revere post. Many people say that the current case fatality rate is to high--that mild cases are never counted. Revere says he agrees, but then notes that no study has actually found evidence that these mild cases exist. Read on to see what disease he compares H5N1 to, based on lethality.

As reported earlier, six wild birds in Germany are H5N1.

ProMed also on Germany.

Poultry in four Malaysian villages now are infected with H5N1.

Excellent Boston Globe story on the "silencing" of a songbird market in Hong Kong due to bird flu concerns.

The GAO says the USDA is not prepared for bird flu.

Still, GAO investigators said there is uncertainty between USDA and the Department of Homeland Security as to what role each would take during an emergency. The lack of coordination between the two departments would slow initial responses as they work to figure out their jobs.

Hawaii, on the other hand, says it is ready to go.

Scotland is hosting an International Flu Summit, under the auspices (oh, it has been so long since I have typed "auspices") of the UN.

Bangladesh discusses the need for a pandemic flu strategy.

New Zealand says major culls are unlikely during bird flu pandemic.

posted by Orange @ 9:38 PM 1 comments

Sunday, June 24, 2007

June 24 Flu Update

78,000 chickens have been killed in six days in Bangladesh.

Vietnam has "prioritized" fighting the bird flu.

Revere blogs the stories this week on anti-viral resistance of the flu virus. As always, cautions against over-interpretation, and notes that anti-virals have a "synergy" with other basic, solid public health measures.

More response in NZ to bird flu planning exercise.

posted by Orange @ 8:34 PM 1 comments

Saturday, June 23, 2007

June 23 Flu Update

Tests in Germany show that H5N1 has reached Bavaria. I assume the "additional" tests are to determine HPAI or LPAI.

A boy in Egypt has tested positive for bird flu.

The 3-year old in Indonesia is said to be recovering.

A retired general is at CDC working on crisis issues. He urges us to have personal pandemic plans.

"If you think the federal government is going to ride in on a white horse, let me disabuse you of that idea," Taylor said in a presentation at the Killeen Heights Rotary weekly meeting. "The federal government is working it and working it hard, but they are a long way from it.

"You need to have your own plan, each of us with our families."

News service story says flu back with a vengance in Vietnam.

ProMed on confirmation of disease in Togo.

posted by Orange @ 9:15 PM 1 comments

Friday, June 22, 2007

June 22 Flu Update

CIDRAP reports that H5N1 is confirmed in Togo.

CIDRAP also reports from its conference that H5N1 is becoming increasingly drug resistant. (This could be the most significant fact to emerge in months.

Viruses recovered from domestic birds in Cambodia, a clade 1 country, became 6 to 7 times less sensitive to oseltamivir between 2004 and 2005, as measured by lab tests. And 2005 isolates from Indonesia, the country where the clade 2 grouping arose before spreading west as far as Europe, were 25 to 30 times less sensitive to oseltamivir than any of the clade 1 viruses collected in 2004.

ProMed has this story as well. Here is what the company says.

"As all H5N1 clades retain sensitivity to it, zanamivir should also
form part of any pandemic stockpile," said McKimm-Breschkin, who was
a member of a team of scientists that discovered the drug.


AP Medical story on re-emergence of bird flu in Vietnam. I have my doubts about how much having your guard up really helps, but hey, he works for WHO.

"It's always been lingering and loitering, but now it's striking and we don't know why," said Peter Cordingley, spokesman for the World Health Organization's Western Pacific region. "I think the first lead that we might follow is, have people begun to drop their guard?"

2 of 18 Vietnemese provinces are bird flu free.

Indonesia says it will have a human vaccine ready by July.

The minister said clinical trials should wrap up soon and the vaccine, which is being jointly developed with a unit of U.S. firm Baxter International Inc. , should be ready for use as soon as July.


Revere with a post that I find in total common sense. Viruses are natural. They are not property.

ProMed reports on Czech outbreak, with an interesting document--it appears to be a British assessment of whether meat from the farms reached the UK. And they don't seem sure the answer is no.


posted by Orange @ 9:44 PM 0 comments

Thursday, June 21, 2007

June 21 Flu Update

A second person in Vietnam is dead of bird flu.

ProMed on Vietnam's second recent death--note the family raised chickens.

There is a third outbreak in Ghana.

The outbreak in the Czech Republic is H5N1 (CIDRAP).

ProMed on the Czech Republic.

Perhaps accounting for the higher fatality rate, a researcher says flu in Indonesia is less susceptible to Tamiflu.

In counterpoint, a Canadian doctor says that Tamiflu could cut bird flu deaths in half if administered correctly.

We blogged recently on the new antiviral being investigated. Revere asks, what about old drugs? In our search for new drugs, are we missing obvious solutions, like statins.

This will get the blogosphere fired up. Report says US leads world pandemic efforts.

Experts are concerned that as public pressure on the bird flu drops, funds will dry up (from CIDRAP conference).

"Freedom from infection has not been sustained in the region," she said. "There has been a recurrence of cases in most of the affected countries, with some countries having continuing outbreaks. The virus may be endemic in some countries."

CIDRAP on the vets/bird flu story.

This CBC story covers something we blogged on a little while ago....the religious community in Canada in preparing for its role during a pandemic.

Malaysia is going to help "poorer" countries gear up for bird flu.

In India, Punjab is preparing for bird flu, too.

posted by Orange @ 9:22 PM 3 comments

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

June 20 Flu Update

Vietnam is going to do a human trial of bird flu vaccine. They are using 20-30 volunteers.

Bird flu in Czech Republic...avian outbreak. No report of whether it is H5 or not.

Chickens were also found dead in Pakistan.

CIDRAP on the $77M given by HHS to work on flu vaccine.

CIDRAP reports on HHS setting up biodefense advisory group.

A group of SE Asian nations met to fight infectious disease, including bird flu.

A similar meeting was held in Africa.

Further dispute with Indonesia. Should stockpiled vaccine be used after a cluster, or after a pandemic is prepared.

ProMed on Wild ducks with bird flu in Siberia, first reported yesterday.

Revere blogs on a meeting about the flu that occurs every three years---and wonders what the world will be like when--and if--the group meets again.

An official Hawaiian delegation is traveling in Indonesia, and planning bird flu seminars.

If you want to apply to be a member, click here.

Employers in Britain are being urged to prepare...

Community based education is being done in the Philippines.

posted by Orange @ 9:26 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

June 19 Flu Update

Bird flu continues to rage in Northern Vietnam.

Scientists in Britain worry about H7, not H5.

Feedback is good from a pandemic drill in New Zealand.

Dhaka is culling birds as well.

Bird flu is back in Ghana.

Bird flu has been found in Siberian Ducks.

ProMed on the re-emergence of the flu in Vietnam.

CIDRAP reports on its ongoing conference, today about what "virus ownership" could do to the flu vaccine system.

It is not clear whether Indonesia and its partners could assert enforceable property rights over isolates from their territories, according to several intellectual-property experts.

Under US law and the voluntary International Patent Cooperation Treaty, natural organisms such as wild-type viruses cannot be patented, said Gerry Norton, PhD, a flu virologist who heads the intellectual-property group at the Philadelphia law firm Fox Rothschild.

"There has to have been an 'act of man' to have changed the thing found in nature," he said. "To be patentable, it has to be new, it has to be useful and it has to be something that didn't exist before."



Revere blogs on a pandemic prep article from Canada...calling again for a public health system to deal with this--and any other--shock to the system.

Usual high quality Helen Branswell story on development of new anti-virals to open a new front against the flu.

Later this week, scientists will present an update on work to bring to market a new drug, provisionally called T705, which targets the polymerase protein. Hayden said Phase 2 clinical trials will begin in Japan later this year.

posted by Orange @ 8:35 PM 1 comments

Monday, June 18, 2007

June 18 Flu Update

The bird flu continues to spread in Bangladesh.

CIDRAP on Vietnam and Bangladesh.

Hong Kong has closed the market where the bird flu was found.

South Korea declared flu free.

More on vets getting bird flu first--thus, they should be in line for vaccines.

Interesting article. Study from SARS shows that even postponing elective surgeries during a pandemic would not reduce hospital admissions very much. This is interesting. Everyone is rightly worried about surge capacity at local hospitals. There would be flu patients, and then all the other sick people. Thing is, during a pandemic, I'm not going to the hospital unless I absolutely have to--the most flu-ridden place in any city.

There is a flu task force in Palawan, Philippines.

CIDRAP is also having a flu conference. Good stuff as always. Check this out.

"We really are not much further ahead today than we were in 1918," Dr. David Heymann, the WHO's assistant director-general for communicable diseases, said in the conference's keynote address. "We don't have the vaccines we need. . . . We have some antivirals. But we do have one thing that we did not have in 1918, and that is the International Health Regulations, that now provide for proactive collective action for the H5N1 threat to global public health security."


Revere says the new WHO regulations are obsolete already.

New flu therapy attacks "hot pocket" in neurominidase.

posted by Orange @ 8:40 PM 1 comments

Sunday, June 17, 2007

June 17 Flu Update

A death in Togo is being attributed to H5N1, though lab tests are not completed.

Vietnam's PM is pushing for a stronger bird flu fight.

A bird in a market in Hong Kong is H5N1+

Helen Branswell on the new WHO regulations.

“We've been able to change the norm. Countries understand now that you can't hide infectious diseases and that it's honourable to report, even if it costs you money,” said Heymann, assistant director general for communicable diseases and the Geneva-based agency's pandemic preparedness czar.

Could one shot protect against all versions of the flu?

Excellent article from Eugene OR, imploring the community to be better prepared for bird flu.

Planning for a flu pandemic must be accelerated. As Springfield Fire Chief Murphy puts it, "Who says we get any longer to prepare than tomorrow or the day after?"

posted by Orange @ 9:11 PM 1 comments

Saturday, June 16, 2007

June 16th Flu Update

For the first time since 2005, a human has died of bird flu in Vietnam (given the widespread avian outbreaks, this was a matter of time)

His family raised fighting cocks and ducks, state media said.

ProMed reports a new human case in Indonesia.

Malaysia is looking to get a flu-free designation.

GSK is joining the parade to donate flu vaccine, and sell more at a preferential price to developing countries.

posted by Orange @ 10:21 PM 1 comments

Friday, June 15, 2007

June 15 Flu Update

Bird flu is reported in Northern Vietnam near China.

The PM in Vietnam continues to call for improved flu controls.

The death in Indonesia reported earlier is the 100th human case in the country (CIDRAP reports)

Fresh outbreaks of bird flu are being contained in Burma.

The US government is paying for increased flu capacity, including year round production.

Malaysia says its outbreak has been contained.

CIDRAP reports on the new International Health Rules, published by WHO, in which Margaret Chan again says the biggest threat to biosecurity is pandemic flu.

For the first time, the IHR set forth human rights provisions for international travelers who need medical interventions to prevent the global spread of disease.

The Cameroon says that porous borders are a likely bird flu vector.

Jordan says it needs a flu strategy.

posted by Orange @ 4:47 PM 1 comments

Thursday, June 14, 2007

June 14 Flu Update

There is a new bird flu death in Indonesia. He is said to have slaughtered sick chickens and ate them.

Bird flu breaks out in Central Vietnam.

Ag Minister in Vietnam is ordering bird flu shots for ALL poultry in the country.

Malaysian official says chickens did not die of H5N1.

Helen Branswell on vaccine makers offering vaccine to WHO.

Revere notes that as countries promise vaccine to Indonesia, they don't address the key problem...there is no surge capacity to produce vaccine for anyone.

US and Vietnam have an initiative to fight pandemic influenza.

OIE report from Myanmar.

HHS takes community input on pandemic prep. (CIDRAP)

Greg Dworkin, MD, who took part in the leadership summit and is one of 13 experts who have led the blog discussions, told reporters he lauds the HHS for offering such an open live and online forum. The sometimes heated blog postings over the past weeks show there are many interested people who want good information from a federal source on individual and family preparedness, said Dworkin, founding editor of the FluWiki Web site and chief of pediatric pulmonology at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Conn.

Vical has grant to develop DNA-based vaccine. (IMO, long-term these new approaches have a lot of potential).

A World Bank meeting was held in Africa to discuss bird flu.

posted by Orange @ 9:41 PM 1 comments

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

June 13 Flu Update

Vietnam believes that low poultry vaccination rates in Southern Vietnam put the region at risk for more outbreaks.

CIDRAP on the two cases in Vietnam, reported yesterday. Also, quarantining continues in Malaysia.

There are some inconsistencies in the data from Vietnam. ProMed wants them clarified.

So noted: pandemic in Malaysia could effect 7 million.

US flu conference is held. Secretary Leavitt delivers the right message. Don't let the media guard done, and don't forget you are on your own in the first days.

ProMed reports on Egypt.

WHO says that bird flu samples must be shared.

David Heymann, assistant director-general for communicable diseases at the WHO, said bird flu virus samples are tradable goods and must be treated as such by drug companies and industrialized countries.

Drug companies are contributing virus to an international stockpile as part of efforts to show that poor countries are being helped.

OIE report in Malaysia.

CIDRAP has this story as well....note a three year delivery schedule for promised vaccine.

EU has approved a cell based vaccine--potentially a vital improvement in vaccine technology.

If you have noticed, there has been lots of new flu news recently. Revere comments.

As the Organization of the Islamic Conference meets, Muslim countries are thought to be at special risk for bird flu.

Three leading OIC states - Indonesia, Egypt and Turkey - are already among the world’s worst-hit countries.

There is a new avian outbreak in Myanmar.

The Caymans are now increasing their surveillance program.

The Center for Consumer Freedom says bird flu fear won't go away, "but should."

Forgot to prepare for the pandemic? Maryland County will remind you with wallet cards.

Alabama County is preparing for the bird flu, too.

No bird flu detected in Virginia surveillance.

A house crow is tested for bird flu in Hong Kong.

posted by Orange @ 10:03 PM 3 comments

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

June 12 Flu Update

Two women in Vietnam have bird flu. One has recovered, and one is on a respirator.

A man is also hospitalized in Indonesia.

The flu continues to spread in Bangladesh, too.

A traditional festival is raising concerns in Vietnam--will it spread bird flu.

WHO report on Egypt death we had yesterday.

Public radio's marketplace reports that bird flu is "back."

Research in Brazil says that in the tropics, flu might not start in densely populated areas. Revere blogs.

Americans are confused about bird flu and food safety.

posted by Orange @ 10:50 PM 1 comments

Monday, June 11, 2007

June 11 Flu Update

CIDRAP with the big news today...a 4 year old girl in Egypt has H5N1. And the patient from Vietnam was sent home after 10 days of Tamiflu treatments. Finally, Indonesia claims that there are no asymptomatic chickens.

Revere blogs about two stories which paint a picture of a poultry industry preparing for a pandemic in a serious manner. One is on consumer attitudes toward eating poultry during a pandemic--the other is on the how to kill chickens really, really fast. He doubts anyone really cares how the chicken gets killed.

The private sector in Malaysia is now being urged to develop a contingency plan.

There is culling in Nigeria.

More quarantining in Malaysia.

Swedish scientists are in Thailand, testing anti-virals at different doses and sequences.

Vietnam indicates its continued faith in poultry vaccinations.

Four countries in Africa have joined forces on the flu.

Indiana has 650,000 doses of Tamiflu.

People are not happy with the results of a pandemic exercise in Australia.

It is still a mystery how the Chinese soldier got sick.

posted by Orange @ 8:54 PM 1 comments

Sunday, June 10, 2007

June 10 Flu Update

Bird flu continues to spread in Bangladesh.

Two more Malaysians report to the hospital with symptoms.

With two new human cases in Vietnam, WHO says not to worry.

Vietnam continues to be on the alert for bird flu.

posted by Orange @ 11:21 PM 1 comments

June 9 Flu Update

In all, 11 panic suspected cases of bird flu were tested in Malaysia. 10 were negative, according to this story.

ProMed on the Egyptian death. The dead girl there had a "history" with backyard birds.

Is there a quicker way to "cull" poultry. They're working on it.

The Canadian Health Minister has praised APEC for its bird flu steps.

The Philippines has taken the bird flu education to the children.

Interesting community story. Christians in Canada have an email list to help prepare for a pandemic, which they view as a unique opportunity to serve:

"It would be nice to respond in the affirmative -- 'Sure, we'll help' -- instead of saying, 'We're too scared,'" says Dr. Tim Foggin, a Burnaby family physician and a Christian who sees in this coming crisis an unparalleled opportunity for churches to show the love of Christ in their communities.

GSK is investing in its Laval, Quebec plant.

posted by Orange @ 10:17 AM 1 comments

Friday, June 08, 2007

June 8 Flu Update

The bird flu marches on. A 10 year old girl in Egypt has the flu, and she is "very critical."

CIDRAP on Egypt.

5 Malaysians are hospitalized with bird flu symptoms.

A magpie in Hong Kong is also sick.

Indonesia says that H5N1 now has an 80% mortality rate.

There are now avian outbreaks in 17 provinces in Vietnam.

Australia says 48,000 people would die in a pandemic.

Revere blogs an interesting study from China. Six people had died there who had no exposure to poultry. Study appears to point to wet markets as a significant risk factor.

Canada is beginning its wild bird surveillance.

APEC meeting ends with the right words--countries will share samples.

CIDRAP has the story on human antibodies protecting against the bird flu.

"In theory it makes obvious sense—it's an extension of the immunization process," said Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, which publishes CIDRAP News.

The main question on the scientific side is whether the antibody treatment would have broad enough activity to be effective against an emerging pandemic strain of H5N1, which could differ from the strain used in producing the antibodies, he said.

But on a practical level, Osterholm said, "Once a pandemic hits, there won't be time or materials to obtain and stockpile large volumes of this. What in theory is ideal, is in practice maybe a nightmare. I don't see how the plasmapharesis community is going to be able to quickly gear up to actually make lots of this antibody and then move it into the clinical setting in a timely way to have much impact. . . . The idea of trying to create millions of immunotherapy treatments is a stretch."



Australian publication says the vaccine shortage is a global threat.

Excellent Revere post on CDC mask guidance. Revere blogs that evidence is light that masks help, and if you were wearing a mask and thought you were safe, you might do some things you wouldn't otherwise--perhaps making you less safe.

The Catholic News Services mentions that one of its nuns is posting on the HHS blog.

Long-term strategies are being considered in Bangladesh.

posted by Orange @ 10:05 PM 1 comments

Thursday, June 07, 2007

June 7 Flu Update

Three new human cases are suspected in Vietnam.

A new Vietnamese province has been hit by bird flu.

China is stepping up surveillance along its border with Vietnam.

Birds are sick in Malaysia, but no people, they say.

Despite problems in neighboring countries, there is said to be no bird flu in Thailand.

On yesterday's big mutation story from Indonesia, ProMed has this. Note mod comment that published scientific data will be required before story moves off caution list.

ProMed on a serosurvey in Indonesia.

More bird flu spreading in Wales.

Pakistan says it is initiating bird flu surveillance steps.

Revere blogs the survey of physicians, who give passing notice to being worried about bird flu. He wonders what they are reading.

Australia called on Asian countries to share bird flu info and vaccines.

The Australian Health Minister says he will be the last person to get a vaccine or Tamiflu...

West Salem, WI asks if we are ready for the bird flu.

People in SE Idaho are asked--what is in your pandemic kit?

posted by Orange @ 9:34 PM 2 comments

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

June 6 Flu Update

The big flu news today...has the virus mutated in Indonesia to transfer more easily between birds and people? CIDRAP reports that Indonesian flu officials say it may have, but WHO denies.

Helen Branswell has this story. WHO's response--share the samples. Is it possible Indonesia is just putting pressure on the sample issue?

Indonesia has announced a new case...a 15F who died.

For its part, Australia says it would share its "homegrown" (whatever that means) vaccine with Indonesia if a pandemic started.

There are also two more suspected human cases in Vietnam. One of the suspected cases is a slaugherhouse worker in the capital, where no bird flu has been reported.

Is the outbreak in Vietnam due to fraud in poultry vaccines--or is this an excuse?

Malaysia has found bird flu in chickens.

ProMed on Malaysia as well--note protective measures being taken.

Indonesia is prepping 290 million doses of avian vaccine.

If you follow the flu blogosphere, you have witnessed several bruising battles between Revere and Marc Siegel, who is a flu skeptic. Revere blogs a review Siegel did of an upcoming move on Hallmark called Pandemic. He gives grudging respect to Siegel's review. Siegel likes that the pandemic virus is not H5N1. Revere makes the point: preparation for one is the same as for the other.

Revere also blogs on a new paper, that calls into doubt the idea that there is a genetic susceptibility to H5N1--that chance is just as plausible in known family clusters.

The East Caribbean is preparing is pandemic plan.

Promed on Wales.

CIDRAP also has results of physician survey on pandemic flu (as published here earlier).

An Australian reporter says that the country's bird flu response needs to be improved, based on an exercise.

posted by Orange @ 8:14 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

June 5 Flu Update

Chinese comment on soldier's death. Due to military secrecy, no information is being suggested on his exposure.

Revere reveals the secret. What can we learn from the TB situation that we can apply to bird flu?

I don't think there is any significance for pandemic prevention because at the moment we have no way to prevent a pandemic.

APEC ministers are meeting to discuss bird flu plans.

A panel discussion is being held in Greater Portsmouth on a pandemic.

Vet foundation funds work in preventing pandemic through animals.

Are British docs complacent about the bird flu.

ProMed inquiry on recent report on vets being at risk for bird flu.

The University of Iowa is preparing for a pandemic.

Researchers are looking for a quicker way to determine bird flu.

Ghana says it needs $14M to prevent spread of bird flu.

The Welsh outbreak appears to be over.

Unicef is distributing bird flu kits in Indonesia.

posted by Orange @ 9:16 PM 1 comments

June 4 Flu Update

A Chinese soldier has died of bird flu. We reported he was sick a few days ago--and, in fact, I believe they felt he was responding to treatment. He died on Sunday.

CIDRAP on deaths in China and Vietnam. Neither is WHO confirmed.

A 15th province in Vietnam has bird flu.

There is no bird flu in Ghana in the Western Region.

No more human cases have been reported in Wales (H7N2).

ProMed with the WHO update on Wales.

As reported here earlier, the FDA issued guidelines for vaccine development, including an accelerated pathway.

Bird flu vaccine is being tested on humans in Indonesia.

Clinical trials are also planned in Singapore.

UNICEF workers are in Barbados are they are being warned of the importance of a rapid response to bird flu.

Physician op-ed column in LA Times educates people well on the risk of bird flu pandemic.

Interesting--study of docs shows that they don't believe a pandemic is likely...but they keep some antivirals around, just in case.

Novavax reports a positive clinical trial on bird flu vaccine.

ProMed on the story about avian vets being at greater risk...

posted by Orange @ 8:40 AM 2 comments

Sunday, June 03, 2007

June 3 Flu Update

The flu continues to spread in Vietnam.

Thailand is taking monitoring more seriously.

Lebanon, PA, is holding local pandemic flu meetings.

Bangladesh has secured $37M for its bird flu program from the World Bank.

Are vets with an avian practice at higher risk of getting bird flu?

ProMed on the latest news from Wales....second farm not H7N2.

BBC reports the situation in Wales appears to be winding down.

posted by Orange @ 5:43 PM 1 comments

June 2 Flu Update

There's another death in Indonesia, a young girl.

A new case was also reported in Vietnam.

ProMed on the spread of bird flu in Vietnam.

ProMed also on the new case in Vietnam.

LA Times catches readers up on the "inevitable" pandemic.

In Britain, they will be allowed to show chickens and Ducks at a big show in the South of England.

In York PA, they met at the firehall to discuss bird flu prep.

posted by Orange @ 11:03 AM 1 comments

Friday, June 01, 2007

June 1 Flu Update

China shares a flu sample for the first time in a year.

There's also a new human case in Vietnam.

14 year old dies of bird flu in Indonesia. CIDRAP reports (also on China).

ProMed on the Indonesian fatality.

A Canadian professor with a new flu book has said that by the time flu gets to Canada, it will be too late. It needs to be stopped at the country of origin. (He is 100% right, of course)

Could you breed a chicken that is bird flu immune? It is being tried.

There are now 14 areas in Vietnam with bird flu outbreaks.

Scotland is creating an avian flu centre.

Revere blogs on Indonesia's claim that it withheld samples partly out of anti-American president against George W. Bush. (Frankly, in my view, that's a crock).

Azerbaijan says its surveillance shows no bird flu.

The FDA has new guidelines for approving vaccines.

Waterloo (ON) has approved its pandemic plan.

ProMed on Welsh outbreak of H7N2.

posted by Orange @ 11:03 PM 7 comments