Tuesday, November 2, 2010

H1N1 Vaccine Launched in Cameroon

Article about Cameroon launches huge H1N1 vaccine campaign.

The government says it only has a restricted amount of the vaccine from the WHO and is targeting population segments with the highest risks of astringent the H1N1 virus.

Dr.Robinson Mbu is director of the Family Health Department of Health says that 1.3 million doses of vaccine available for children 5 to 15 years, people over 65, women at least the fourth month of pregnancy, labor health and people with chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, sickle cell anemia and HIV.

The nationwide vaccination effort follows a government announcement in October that 75 cases of H1N1 had been detected. The Ministry of Health says no deaths have been recorded. A swine flu pandemic killed tens of thousands across the world last year.

H1N1 is a contagious respiratory virus containing a combination of different influenza viruses endemic in pigs. Scientists say transmission from animals to humans is not common. They say it is not contracted by eating properly cooked pork, although people who often come in contact with swine may be more exposed to the virus.

It is spread among people when infected persons cough, sneeze or speak. People can also get infected by touching contaminated surfaces and objects. Within a day, they may be contagious, even before they begin to exhibit symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue. Health care practitioners say the resemblance to flu makes early detection a problem and can facilitate its rapid spread.

Last May, 35 African countries formally notified the WHO of a combined total of 18,500 confirmed cases of the flu and a death toll of 168. South Africa alone accounted for more than two-thirds of the cases.

As a preventive measure; Cameroon inoculated a thousand supporters of its soccer team travelling to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. But the effort was not enough to prevent infections.

The renewed effort to eradicate the disease is being carried out by hundreds of health workers at public hospitals across the country. Others are going house-to-house and school-to-school to ensure its success amid concerns that pockets of resistance may emerge.

Previous vaccination campaigns for other diseases have met with resistance, especially from some religious groups that suspect a veiled scheme by the West to render parts of the population sterile.

But Dr. Tsafack Rose Ernestine, a vaccination team leader in Cameroon’s largest city, Douala, says the claims are unfounded.

She says she is counting on journalists to deflect such myths. In principle, the campaign should end on October 30 but will be extended if resistance emerges. She says about 65 million people around the world have received the vaccine and are not complaining of sterility.

The vaccine being administered in Cameroon is branded Paneza and is made in Spain. Health care practitioners say it provides immunity for between 9 and 12 months. They say its only known side effect is mild dizziness. But they warn that persons allergic to eggs should avoid getting the shot because some batches are made from them. In those who are allergic, the vaccine can provoke Guillain-Barre, a rare syndrome that can cause nervous and muscle disorders.

Local traditional rulers are joining the effort to inform the public about the vaccine. A Douala canton chief, HM Essaka Ekwalla, is calling on his subjects to ignore the skeptics and rush to be vaccinated.

He says there is nothing to lose because the vaccine is free and causes no pain. He says old people like himself will benefit hugely from getting vaccinated because if they are Suffer with the virus, it will become hard to breathe, and they could die. The vaccine, says the conventional rulers, is cover against premature death.

Meanwhile, the government has been applauded by WHO and its partners to provide the H1N1 vaccine for free. Health Minister, Andre Mama Fouda, says that poor countries like Cameroon could not afford to fund mass vaccines on their own.

Monday, November 1, 2010

H1N1 Killed 70 Children in 9 Months

About UK study show H1N1 killed 70 children in 9 months.

Scientists studying swine flu have found that 70 children died from it in England in a 9 month period during the H1N1 pandemic and death rates were worst among ethnic minority children and those with other health problems.

In a study in the Lancet medical journal, Liam Donaldson, the former Chief Medical Officer for England, said children from the country's Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities had much higher mortality than white British children, as did children with serious pre-existing illnesses -- especially chronic neurological diseases such as cerebral palsy.

These high-risk groups should be a priority for H1N1 vaccination, Donaldson and his research team said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), which declared the pandemic over in August, some 18,450 people worldwide are confirmed to have died from H1N1, including many pregnant women and young people. But the WHO says it will take at least a year after the pandemic ends to determine the true death toll, which is likely to be much higher.

Experts say H1N1 swine flu virus has now taken over as the main seasonal flu strain and health authorities that run annual flu campaigns have included it in regular seasonal flu vaccines.

Donaldson's team said their findings of high death rates among ethnic minorities were consistent with reports from the United States of minorities suffering more severe illness during the H1N1 pandemic.

"This finding might be attributable to clustering of pandemic influenza A H1N1 cases in areas of England with high ethnic minority populations -- such as London and the West Midlands," they wrote in their study.

The findings in England also showed that from 26 June 2009 to 22 March 2010:

* The overall childhood death rate for H1N1 was 6 per million population.

* The rate was highest for children aged under 1 year, at 14 deaths per million population.

* Death rates were higher for Bangladeshi children (47 deaths per million population) and Pakistani children (36) than for white British children (4).

* Of the 70 children who died of H1N1, 21 percent were previously healthy and 64 percent had severe pre-existing disorders.

* Overall, 45 of the children had received the antiviral flu drug oseltamivir, sold under the brand name Tamiflu, but only seven had had it within 48 hours of the onset of their symptoms and only three had it before they were admitted to hospital.

* Only two of the children who died had received an H1N1 vaccine -- too late for it to be effective.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Influenza A H1N1

Talks about Influenza A H1N1.

A year has passed since the first cases of Influenza A H1N1 in Mexico, we had over 18000 deaths confirmed by lab diagnosis and reported to WHO. Surely an underestimate of the total number of cases.

The average mortality was of 0.5% of the confirmed cases, close to the seasonal flu. The mortality values varied a lot from country to country, and inside a country they varied according to different studies, which show the evident necessity of more available tests and a mutual opinion on the measure to be adopted.

Different from the seasonal flu, over 90% of deaths are concentrated in people younger than 65 yeas old, consequence of the previous immunity older people have. Pregnant ladies were also the most affected, although they represent only 1 to 2% of the general population, they were 6 to 10% of the deaths caused by the flu. Other groups also have their immune systems altered like the obese and the immunocompromised and are also among the most susceptible ones.

Treatment

Although bearing the already reported drug resistance to adamantanes drug family, the Influenza of swine origin can be treated with sialidase inhibitors, the drugs Oseltamivir and Zanamivir. Oseltamivir, available to be taken orally is cheaper, is still a very effective treatment, reducing the symptom’s severity and the time of hospitalization.

Some resistance cases were found, the majority isolated cases and in patients with treatment flaw mainly of them with prolonged therapy. Rarely patients without history of contact with the drugs were found with resistant viruses; the transmission of this kind of virus was also confirmed.

Conclusions

It is still very hard to diagnose the Influenza virus as a whole. The main method, the RT-PCR technique (virus genetic material amplification) still depends on recent technology and restricted access to poorer areas. We also depend on samples collected during the period of infection. We still need cheaper and more accessible ways of detecting the virus, as well as different and cheaper ways of treatment.

Influenza A H1N1 seems to become a seasonal virus with symptoms and cases like the common flu, however the virus evolutive course is unpredictable. The prevention and survey set for the Avian Influenza and the “normal” virulence of this virus contributed for the Swine Flu not have caused bigger damage. But we are still far from being protected from more pathogenic strains, in case some of them are transmitted more easily.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

H1N1 Flu Vaccine

Article about Bharat Biotech Launches H1N1 Flu Vaccine.

Bharat Biotech announced Monday the launch of cultured cells "indigenously developed vaccine against the H1N1 influenza HNVAC brand. In a press release here, the company said this was the first indigenously developed Indian culture cells H1N1 swine influenza vaccines. It has been tested extensively in phase I, II and III clinical trials in the country and is proven safe and well tolerated. The release said it is developing the world's influenza vaccine produced in cell culture production process is sterile and control, instead of eggs.

The single dose vaccine will be priced competitively. Bharat Biotech’s CMD, Krishna Ella, said their immediate goal was to get the vaccine easily accessible and at an affordable cost to high risk groups. The key benefit of cell culture vaccine was its potential to scale up and produce large quantities when required and enabling quicker response in the event of a pandemic.

The company received the approval from Drugs Controller General of India earlier this month to launch HNVAC vaccine. It was developed with approved strains from WHO and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Atlanta. “USFDA has discouraged the use of egg-based vaccines due to adverse reactions from egg-based proteins, especially in children,” the release added. HNVAC will be made available in the private market and through government procurement agencies.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Seasonal Flu Shots

Talks about seasonal flu shots offered countywide.

This fall, avoiding influenza (flu) should be a top priority. “The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is by getting this year’s flu shot,” said Dr. Eric Frykman, County Health Officer.
This year the H1N1 flu vaccine has been combined with the seasonal flu vaccine, so only one shot is needed.
Annual flu shots are recommended for everyone over the age of six months.
The flu vaccine is especially important for: pregnant women, children younger than 5 years of age, people 50 years of age and older, people of any age with chronic medical conditions, people who live in nursing homes and other long-term facilities, Health care workers, household contacts and home caregivers for high risk individuals.

Flu shots are available at all ten County Family Care Centers. Walk-in flu clinic hours are 8 – 11:30 a.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. No appointment needed. There is no cost for the flu shots at the Family Care Centers, though donations are accepted.
For more information on influenza or where to get a flu shot in Riverside County,

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

H1N1 Vaccines For Haj Pilgrims

Article about H1N1 vaccines for haj pilgrims.

Abu Dhabi: Haj pilgrims across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi are required to receive vaccinations against H1N1 and Meningitis two weeks prior to travelling, as per an announcement by the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (Haad).

Effective from Monday, the free of charge mandated vaccinations will be available in various primary health care centres across Abu Dhabi.

Educational material about the control of communicable diseases, health care requirements and recommendations will also be distributed to Haj pilgrims, who are expected to travel to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) during Eid Al Adha, from November 14 to 17.

Haj pilgrims are expected to be given two vaccinations this year — one for the seasonal flu, which provides protection against the H1N1 virus, and the Meningococcal vaccine which provides protection against Meningitis.

"All pilgrims must show proof of the vaccination for seasonal flu and Meningococcal vaccination on a valid certificate of vaccination [International Certificate of Vaccination or an authorised vaccination card] before entering the KSA to perform Al Haj," said Dr Farida Al Hosani, acting section head of communicable diseases at Haad.

She added: "Each year millions of people travel to the KSA to perform Haj. Because of the sheer number of pilgrims, and their close proximity to each other in crowded sites, diseases — particularly the bacteria which cause meningitis — can spread quickly between the pilgrims."

Despite H1N1 and meningitis jabs made compulsory for those going to Makkah, Gulf News reported last November, that an expected 6,228 UAE Haj pilgrims would be vaccinated, out of which 5,228 are Emiratis.

However, few turned up for the vaccination.

Vaccinations: Where to go

Haj vaccination is available free of charge in a large number of clinics throughout the emirate.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

H1N1: The Swine Flu Virus

Above info about H1N1. What it is and vaccinating information. Try product from the bottom of this blog under sponsor links. ^_^

The H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu, reached global pandemic levels in 2009. More is known now and you can protect yourself better and stay healthy.

Influenza is a virus that affects millions of people worldwide. There are no cures for viruses and must run their course. Flu shots are available and they are designed to protect against the most common strains of the flu. The H1N1 virus, also dubbed the “swine flu” was a strain mankind had no immunity to, and as a result, caused a global pandemic in 2009.

What the H1N1 Virus is All About

The H1N1 virus is a virus that causes influenza. It is contagious and spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes onto someone else. The germs travel through the air and enter the nose, eyes or throat of someone and infect them. The H1N1 virus can also live on hard surfaces such as countertops and doorknobs and can infect someone when they touch their mouth or nose.

What The Symptoms of the H1N1 Virus Are

Similar to other flus, the H1N1 Virus displays the following symptoms:

  • Cough and fever
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle aches
  • Sore Throat
  • Headache
  • Loss of Appetit
  • Runny Nose
  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
How the H1N1 Virus is Different from other Viruses

Because the H1N1 virus is new, your body doesn’t yet have immunity against the virus and your body will begin to aggressively attack it. Your body can attack so aggressively it can attack your healthy organs too, known as a “cytokine storm”. Cytokines are not fully understood, but they are responsible for cell communication. A cytokine storm can be so intense it can overpower the nervous system and lead to breathing problems.

Vaccinations for the H1N1 Virus

Annual shots are available if you want to get a vaccination for the H1N1 virus. You can check Health Canada here for flu clinics near you.

The H1N1 vaccination does have side effects and can cause paralysis among other conditions. Be sure to speak with your doctor before getting the vaccination and weigh your risks.

Treatment for the H1N1 Virus

Once you have H1N1 virus you cannot do anything to make it go away right away. You can use pain medicine to relieve fever and headaches. Stay well hydrated and keep your household clean. Prevention is your best defense against the H1N1 virus.

For people who are at risk of severe disease or very sick, your doctor may recommend and antiviral medication, which can reduce how long it will take to recover from the H1N1 virus.

Read more at Suite101: H1N1: The Swine Flu Virus. What it is and Vaccination Information http://www.suite101.com/content/h1n1-the-swine-flu-virus-what-it-is-and-vaccination-information-a296582#ixzz12LD2orn4

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Most People Immune to H1N1 Flu

Here’s article about H1N1.

Swine flu no longer represents a major threat in the United States because so many people are immune to the virus that caused last season's pandemic, health officials said.

Of the 310 million people in the United States, 59 percent are believed to be immune to pandemic H1N1 flu, the researchers said. About 62 million people were vaccinated against the virus, 61 million people were infected by it and another 60 million people 57 or older carry protective antibodies to similar viruses that circulated years ago.

"It's very unlikely that the virus will explode in the fall," said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, or NIAID, an author of the analysis. "We now have evidence of that."

The evidence comes from a flurry of studies of the 2009-10 pandemic carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the researchers said. If this virus follows the pattern set by earlier flu bugs, it will die out completely or circulate among people who still are susceptible a year and a half after the virus emerged, the authors report in the journal mBio.

There still are many people who are vulnerable to swine flu, said David Morens, a virologist and historian at NIAID who co-wrote the report with Fauci and colleague Jeffery Taubenberger. "Even with the majority of people in the U.S. immune to the virus, that leaves many tens of millions of people still susceptible," Morens said. "We know the age groups that are most susceptible - people younger than 55 and those with chronic conditions."

The CDC estimates the 2009 H1N1 flu killed about 12,500 and sent 274,000 people to the hospital with respiratory diseases and other complications, a toll that mirrors the latest averages for people who suffer from seasonal flu. The death rate was relatively low compared with other pandemics, especially the 1918 flu, which killed 675,000 people in the United States, Morens said.

So far, he said, the virus hasn't developed "some terrible new mutation" that would make it more lethal, though that still could occur.

For the first time, federal health officials recommend that all people older than 6 months get vaccinated against flu, unless they have an allergy to eggs.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Get The Flu Shot

Article about H1N1. Read, click and try product from the bottom of this blog under sponsor links. ^_^

Last year at this time, a monster called H1N1 was preparing to make life miserable for more than 25,000 Canadians.

By the time the swine flu pandemic had passed, it was responsible for 427 deaths.

This year? Nothing quite as scary on the horizon, but that doesn't mean you can skip the flu shot. If anything, last year proved why everyone should get vaccinated every year, say Niagara's health professionals.

"I have five grandchildren, and they all get immunized ... because I've seen the results of not being immunized," says Donna Kalailieff, manager of the vaccine preventable disease program with Niagara Region Public Health.

She calls last year an "anomaly" because H1N1 surfaced after the regular flu vaccine was already prepared. This led to many people getting two flu shots, and in the case of the H1N1 vaccine, a long wait.

This year's regular flu shot will include the vaccine for H1N1 and two other strains.

The first shipment of vaccines arrived Wednesday, and doctors can start giving shots immediately.

Public Health's flu clinic opens at the MacBain Community Centre Nov. 3, and at the Leisureplex in Fort Erie Nov. 17.

But if you don't want to wait that long, Urgent Care Niagara's flu clinic at 6150 Valley Way opened Friday. In addition, employers can arrange for a free onsite clinic so workers don't have to leave work to get a shot.

Tim Windsor, clinical services director, says there are about 12,000 people in Urgent Care Niagara's database awaiting word on the opening of this year's flu clinics.

As always, part of flu season is educating people what, exactly, the flu shot is.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Protecting Vulnerable Against Influenza

Above thought about influenza.

Many minorities go unvaccinated against influenza, and a huge gap exists between the vaccination of minority and majority populations. In at least 12 states last influenza season, fatalities from H1N1 were four times greater among American Indians and Alaska Natives than for the general population. One study showed that among patients hospitalized by H1N1 in 13 metropolitan areas of 10 states, about 35% were black, whereas 16% were non-Hispanic white.

Influenza resulted in 23,607 deaths per year in the United States during the previous 3 decades. A total of 344 laboratory-confirmed deaths from H1N1 occurred in the pediatric population during the 2009–10 season, compared with 88 in 2007–08 and 69 in 2008–09, with data from specific communities showing that black and Hispanic children were more likely to die from H1N1.

The message is clear: influenza is deadly, costly to society because of lost productivity, and personal—protecting yourself through vaccination is the best way to protect others, particularly those who are susceptible to serious harm from the virus. These and other vital topics were discussed during a webinar titled Reaching Minority and Vulnerable Populations: Getting Ahead of the Curve to Prevent Seasonal Flu, held on October and presented by the Society for Public Health Education.

Urged to Get Flu Shots

Above about health-care workers again urged to get flu shots.

In years past, about six in 10 health-care workers nationwide would skip the annual flu shot, even as public-health experts preached its importance.

Last year, because of the H1N1 flu scare, those numbers were reversed - 60 percent of health-care workers nationwide were vaccinated, according to preliminary data.

National health leaders want to build on that interest by telling health-care workers that they have an ethical obligation to lower the risk that they'll get sick.

"Every health-care worker has a responsibility to protect their patients and that includes vaccination," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That message appears to be getting through in Columbus, where a majority of hospital employees were vaccinated last season and hospital leaders continue to push for higher rates.

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases shared survey results yesterday showing that 95 percent of 400 primary-care physicians said they have been or plan to be vaccinated against flu this year.

Dr. William Schaffner, president of the group, said that news was encouraging, especially considering the historically low rates of vaccination among all health-care workers.

Although H1N1 was the motivation last year, 60 percent of health-care workers got the seasonal vaccine that was available earlier. Since the H1N1 vaccine became available later in the year, less than 40 percent of have gotten that vaccine.

Health officials now say that everyone 6 months and older should be vaccinated.

Columbus hospitals last season drove their vaccination numbers much higher than the national average of about 40 percent among all health-care workers.

Nationwide Children's Hospital is continuing last year's policy of withholding raises for those employees who refuse the vaccine. Last year, that policy (which exempts those who have a medical or religious reason) helped them get about 97 percent of employees vaccinated with the H1N1 and seasonal vaccines, said Dr. Dennis Cunningham, physician director for epidemiology and infection control.

"You have to have some teeth in the policy," he said.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Strategies Halt Pandemic Diseases like H1N1

Here’s thought about H1N1.

A recent study led by Dr. Parviez Hosseini, a senior research fellow from EcoHealth Alliance (formerly Wildlife Trust), explains the importance of identifying global pandemic risk factors as early as possible, in order to predict the spread of diseases like H1N1 "swine" flu and SARS. "Predictive Power of Air Travel and Socio-Economic data for Early Pandemic Spread," recently published in the scientific publication PLoS ONE, examines the interplay among travel, trade, and national healthcare resources in predicting the emergence and spread of H1N1 and other viruses.

The report points to the need for improved surveillance of diseases in traded livestock and rapid deployment of control measures in those countries first affected – especially countries in the predicted path of the disease and those with fewer healthcare resources. "The most benefit accrues when higher-income countries provide additional resources to lower-income countries, particularly those that have high-volume air traffic," said Dr. Hosseini. "International authorities should earmark more aid for the poorest countries where the risk of emerging infectious diseases is highest, in order to detect infections as early as possible, and to reduce the human and economic disaster of global pandemics."

2009 H1N1 Outbreak Lessons Learned

By May 2009, two weeks after cases of the A/H1N1 strain was first reported, the disease had already spread to 24 countries, 40 U.S. states, and nine Canadian provinces. The rapid spread of this disease was due in large part to consumer air travel exacerbated by slow reporting in countries with the fewest healthcare resources. "We might one day be able to predict the emergence of viruses and develop vaccines more quickly; however, in order to do so, we first need to have greater surveillance in countries with the fewest healthcare resources," Hosseini said.

Last year's strain of H1N1 was relatively mild; however, if a more dangerous strain like the H5N1 "avian flu" subtype were to spread similarly, the outcome would be catastrophic in terms of human suffering and economic damage. Were this to occur, the economic cost has been estimated between $71 billion and $167 billion. "The measures we propose are likely to have economic benefits that far outweigh their costs," according to Hosseini.

Among the key conclusions and strategies recommended in the report were the following:

  1. Expanded surveillance for diseases in livestock populations – Only through surveillance can scientists predict the emergence of diseases, and develop vaccines in advance of their spread; however, even dramatic reductions in the international live animal trade may not prevent the exposure of local livestock to new types of viruses from distant locations.
  2. Leverage major airport hubs to halt the spread of disease – Rather than rely solely on travel restrictions, airports serving as major transportation hubs could also become venues both for disease surveillance, as well as serve double duty as facilities to train people and stockpile medicines in preparation for pandemics.

Read more: http://www.centredaily.com/2010/10/06/2254487/ecohealth-alliance-study-highlights.html#ixzz11kko0hHV

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

400 new Patient in North

Above about 400 new patient.

Over 400 new patients in the northern region of Thailand have been diagnosed as infected with Influenza Type A(H1N1) in only the month of September, the Office of Disease Prevention and Control 10
in Chiang Mai reported on Wednesday.

Following the ongoing spread of the A(H1N1) virus in the eight northern provinces, Dr Saowanee Wiboonsanti, deputy director of the Chiang Mai prevention and control office, confirmed that 437 new patients had contracted the A(H1N1) flu based on laboratory test results last month.

Most new infections were found in Chiang Mai, Lampang and Phayao.

In Chiang Mai, the number of new patients stands at 97 while this year’s cumulative toll has reached 664.

Meanwhile, 157 new cases were reported in Lampang with the 2010 total of 226 patients.

Phayao residents currently suffering from the A(H1N) strain reached 145 while the number of overall patients totalled 271 persons.

Dr Saowanee explained that most new infections, 53 per cent of the new patients, were students, followed by young children.

According to the report, this year’s cumulative number of deaths in the eight northern provinces was 11 which included nine fatalities registered in Chiang Mai.

In response to the current spread of the A(H1N1) flu, local health workers will closely monitor the situation, and common flu patients, as well as educating the public about hygienic measures to prevent the spread of the disease,
Dr Saowanee said.

She also urged high-risk groups to receive anti-A(H1N1) flu shots, aiming to boost immunity against the virus.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Mexico Ends H1N1 Alert After 14 Months

Here’s about H1N1.

The Mexican administration has declared the end of the health alert for the deadly virus A/H1N1 after 14 months in which 1,289 people lost the lives in this country and 72,000 cases were recorded.

Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos announced this at a press meet on Tuesday.

The decision was taken unanimously by the General Health Council after monitoring the progression of the outbreak that caused its last casualty during the last month (May 2010) and in agreement with WHO and the Pan American Health Organization.

Whilst there were 216 people hospitalized in October last year, by June 25 there were just 22.

"The ciruculation of the virus is minimal," Villalobos said.

Nonetheless, the country is not lowering its guard and still has some 875,000 doses of anti-influenza A (H1N1) vaccine on hand. (With Inputs from Agencies)

Saturday, June 26, 2010

H1N1 Positive Cases

Four more positive H1N1.

Four relatives of the 27-year-old woman from Mahbubnagar who succumbed to swine flu on Thursday, tested positive on Friday.
The four have not been admitted to the hospital but have been home quarantined. All four had been in contact with the woman before she passed away. These four cases are among the 14 who are currently under observation for showing symptoms of the virus.
State health officials said that people with swine flu symptoms should report to notified health facilities at the earliest.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Woman Succumbs With H1N1

Above some info about it.

Woman succumbs to H1N1 virus

BS Reporter / Chennai/ Hyderabad June 25, 2010, 0:28 IST

A 27-year woman succumbed to H1N1 virus on Thursday. The woman, a native of Mahbubnagar district, was referred to Hyderabad by Sri Venkateshwara Medical College in the district. She was admitted to a corporate hospital in Malakpet on June 21 and samples were sent for testing on June 22.

The tests turned positive. The hospital authorities asked the family members to shift the woman to Gandhi Hospital, where she succumbed. This is the second death from swine flu in Hyderabad and third in the state this season.

Vaccine H1N1 offered

Above about free H1N1 vaccine offered in Johnson County.

The Johnson County Health Department is still offering free H1N1 vaccine, it announced Thursday.

People are still contracting the flu, though in much smaller numbers, and officials are recommending that people get vaccinated.

Johnson County has enough vaccine to last until about September, officials said, when a new seasonal flu vaccine will come out that includes protection against the H1N1 strain.

Of 309 million residents in the United States, officials said, about 60 million were infected with H1N1 in the past year and 75 million got the vaccine.

That leaves more than half of citizens still vulnerable, they said.

The vaccines are offered without appointments to all who want them, officials said. They can get them at the clinic in Olathe at 11875 S. Sunset Drive or the one in Mission at 6000 Lamar Ave.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/24/2041454/free-h1n1-vaccinations-offered.html#ixzz0rrHyEHpW

Friday, June 18, 2010

An update on H1N1

These about H1N1.

The number of GP consultations for influenza-like illness appears stable after increasing over the past three weeks. Many general practices are seeing more young children who are unwell. There is certainly evidence of winter illnesses in the community and the predominant influenza virus is likely to be the pandemic strain. 
Healthline, New Zealand's free health 24 hour health advice line has seen a slight increase in the number of calls regarding people with influenza-like illnesses. Over the past week just over 17% of all calls to Healthline were people calling with influenza-like illnesses.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

H1N1 Vaccination coming in the fall

These are info about H1N1 vaccination.

We're a few months away from Flu season, but the Centers for Disease Control continues to prepare for Influenza and the H1N1 virus.

In La Crosse County, there is still potential for another wave of H1N1 to hit our community.  However, testing in La Crosse County and throughout the country shows there's been a longer period of time between outbreaks which means the spread of the virus is slowing.

To continue in this direction, the La Crosse County Health Department is still recommending people get their vaccination.  And there's good news, there will be a change to the vaccine this fall.  La Crosse Co. Health Director Doug Mormann says, "my understanding at the moment is we'll be looking at one influenza vaccine this fall rather than the two vaccines that we had last fall."

The CDC and vaccine manufacturers are still working out the exact details for this fall's influenza vaccination.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Kerala: H1N1 takes on 16 lives

Above about H1N1 in Kerala.

New Delhi, June 15th: The Union Government today decided to send a three-member team to Kerala as a fresh outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) in two districts of the state has caused at least 16 deaths in the past one month.

An official press release said the the pandemic had started showing an increasing trend with the onset of the monsoon in Kerala. It said the outbreak was confined to Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts of south Kerala.

In all, there had been 201 laboratory-confirmed cases of the flu and 16 deaths, the release said. Nine of those who died were pregnant women.

The central team, that is expected to leave here tomorrow, will consist of Dr Sunil Gupta, Joint Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi, Dr Pradeep Khasnobis, Epidemiologist, NCDC, and Dr B V Tandale, Scientist, National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.

The release said the State Government had sought support in terms of drugs, vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) and these were being sent to the state immediately. The items include oseltamivir capsules, oseltamivir suspension, vaccines and masks.

The release said Kerala had earlier received 45,000 doses of vaccine. The utilisation for healthcare workers is about 92 per cent, it said.

According to the release, the state government had sought one lakh doses of vaccine to vaccinate pregnant women. It said the bridging study of Sanofi Pasteur or the clinical trials conducted by Zydus Cadila did not include pregnant women.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Kerala largely hit by swine flu

Above about Kerala was hit by swine flu.

Monsoon this year did bring more of bad news than good, especially for people of Kerala where swine flu is set to widen its grip with each passing day. The state is worst hit due to the H1N1 influenza that spreads the highly contagious respiratory disease. The cases tested positive for the H1N1 virus are reported from the districts of Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kannur, Alappuzha, Erunakulam, Malappuram and Thrissur. The number of swine flu positive cases in one month has been increased by 40 by June 14 of this year. However the total number of deaths due to the deadly flu is reported to be more than 45 since its outbreak in the state last year in August.
Apart from swine flu cases, the state has also

reported other types of fever including dengue fever, rat fever and Chikunguniya. The spread of other types of viral fever has become a reason to worry for the health officials as the number of people reporting to various government and private hospitals has swollen to 9,700. The onset of monsoon has definitely triggered the number of fresh cases of swine flu in Kerala and its neighboring Tamilnadu in the last two days. The government has alerted the health authorities to take adequate preventive measures and be prepared.
With the report of 11 new swine flu cases from the neighboring Kerala, the government seems more concerned. The Health Secretary Mr. V K Subburaj informed that the increasing number of swine flu cases in Kerala and Tamilnadu is due to the arrival of monsoon in two states. Meanwhile the Kerala government has also asked Centre to send a team of experts to study the epidomology study of swine flu. It has also asked the centre to urgently send more H1N1 preventive medicines to the state.

Monday, June 14, 2010

One Year Later

Here’s info about H1N1.

A year ago, swine flu was a major issue. Now the attention to the so-called H1N1 virus has died down, but state health officials say the threat is still there.

It was last April that swine flu cases first started appearing.

“It’s been one heck of a year.”

California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Mark Horton says the state’s been through two waves of the illness. About nine-thousand Californians have been hospitalized with H1N1 and nearly 600 have died from the virus. Horton says though the pandemic has receded for now, H1N1 is still out there:

"When we’ve looked back historically what has happened with similar pandemics in the past there have been in many cases third and fourth waves.”

Horton says if that does happen, the state still has a network of doctors set up to alert health officials:

The surveillance mechanisms are still in place to allow us to at the earliest possible sign to detect any re-increase of influenza activity in the community and we’ll be ramping that up again as we move closer to the fall.”

Sunday, June 13, 2010

H1N1 (Swine Flu)

Here’s about H1N1 nowadays.

The head of the WHO said Tuesday that her decisions about swine flu were not influenced by advisers’ links to pharmaceutical companies, which were pointed out in a critical journal article this month.

Three scientists out of 22 who worked on the guidelines were named as having received some money from pharmaceuticals. The scientists did not work at the drug companies, but were paid for things like speaking at meetings sponsored by them.

The guidelines recommend, among other things, that countries consider buying antivirals and vaccines to combat a pandemic. The authors of the BMJ article suggest, without providing direct evidence, that these scientists’ ties to pharmaceutical companies influenced WHO’s recommendation that countries buy drugs and vaccines — adding to those drug companies’ profits. “Our investigation has revealed damaging issues,” wrote Deborah Cohen of BMJ and journalist Philip Carter. “These conflicts of interest have never been disclosed by WHO.

WHO’s handling of the outbreak is being reviewed by a 29-member expert panel that will report its findings next year. Critics say many of those panelists are also trusted WHO advisers and government employees who could end up whitewashing any failures. “At no time, not for one second, did commercial interests enter my decision-making,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said.

Chan insisted she was open to the panel’s criticism. “Should this committee decide that the current definition of a pandemic and the phases leading up to its declaration need to be tightened or otherwise revised, this will be another recommendation that we will welcome, and act on.”

The U.S. Health and Human Services department defended the U.N. body. “WHO handled the outbreak in a very measured and appropriate manner,” said Bill Hall, an HHS spokesman. “Their decisions were driven by the existing and evolving conditions at the time.” He said there was “no indication whatsoever that any of their decisions were influenced by industry.” Other leading officials agreed.

“There was nothing in those guidelines that was not based on the best science available,” said Michael Osterholm, a flu expert at the University of Minnesota who has advised the U.S. on pandemic preparations. He said the scientists consulted were the world’s top flu experts and to not include them would have been a major flaw. Osterholm said that because flu viruses are unpredictable, it was impossible for anyone to predict last spring that swine flu would not evolve into a more lethal strain.

He slammed the BMJ article, calling it “irresponsible and reckless,” and said its authors had not substantiated their claims WHO behaved inappropriately during the pandemic. “It’s akin to shouting ‘fire’ in a crowded theatre without regard to the consequences,” Osterholm said. He said while WHO should be subjected to the highest scrutiny, BMJ’s accusations had done “untold damage to the public health infrastructure of the world.”

Harvey Fineberg, the president of the Institute of Medicine in Washington, said the review panel which he heads will hear from critics of WHO when it next meets from June 30 to July 2. A report published by the Council of Europe last week said the guidelines from WHO, European Union agencies and national governments led to a “waste of large sums of public money and unjustified scares and fears about the health risks faced by the European public.” The agency is not an EU body.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Dangerous or exaggerated?

Above about H1N1.

When H1N1 broke out in Mexico, many reports of death and widespread illness were made. While it is true that many people died or became very ill in countries like Mexico, this is mostly because of a lack of treatment opportunities. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization, or WHO, has blown it out of proportion and made US citizens think it was fatal no matter where you lived. I do think that H1N1's reputation was amplified when people got word of it and panicked. Many schools were actually shut down because of just a couple of cases, and clinics were created just to test for symptoms.


There were fewer deaths from Swine Flu than from the normal influenza, and less than 1% of patients are currently being hospitalized. H1N1 is expected to come back during the normal time when flu comes, and seems like it will be around for a while. However, unless if it mutates into something worse, there is nothing to be afraid of.

H1N1 pandemic slowing

Here about H1N1.

In a statement published on its website, said the World Health Organization's Emergency Committee Tuesday that the worst outbreak of H1N1 influenza pandemic, which spread rapidly last summer seems to have passed, call if not to the point wiped away.

Tropical areas such as the Caribbean and Southeast Asia remain the most active regions where pandemic influenza virus is being spread, though, according to the WHO release, they are experiencing only a "low-level resurgence of cases after experiencing more intense activity during July 2009."
The release states that, "After extensive discussions and questions, the Committee expressed the unanimous view that from a global perspective while pandemic activity is continuing, the period of most intense pandemic activity appears likely to have passed for many parts of the world."
Despite the ebbing of the disease, the WHO warns, countries should remain vigilant in taking public health precautions to prevent the spread of the pandemic, such as continued vaccination and surveillance of the disease, the release stated.
Pandemic disease is likely to continue to happen, and the Emergency Committee will gather once more in July to discuss information about the winter influenza season in the Southern Hemisphere.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Obesity risk of poor H1N1 outcome

Here about H1N1

Severe obesity that is nearly five times more likely than adults infected with H1N1 influenza pandemic will be enough patients to be hospitalized, and more likely to die under certain conditions, new research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Find frequent observation quantifies for the first time, made during clinical care and approved by the surveillance, prevention and treatment of obesity to play more than expected role in H1N1 disease and death. Writing in Medical Journal (online) public library Science (PLoS One), the researchers say that obesity seems to play the powerful role that exerts its effects independently of any underlying disease that patients may be chronic is.
Obesity researchers could tell how the effects of exercise, but irrelevant piece of research may provide a preview. Study using rats, University of North Carolina researchers report in the Journal of Immunology that overeating causes obesity seems to affect the immune system's ability to create an immunological memory which allows the body to recognize and respond the flu is an infection.
Study the information the CDC used hospitalization and mortality in the group health education in the earlier outbreaks between April and July 2009 Ydlaymkhyrat collected. As a control, the researchers compared the case of normal work, using data from NHANES National Health and Test Nutrition Survey), nationally representative examination.
For each group, the researchers calculated the body mass index (BMI), ratio of height weight that global action is used under or overweight. They also noted that at least some members suffer from chronic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary diseases, liver diseases, cancer and diabetes - that federal health authorities already play a role as defined influenza is severe.
Pregnant women were not included in the study even if they also had exposure to a higher risk of disease and death are H1N1, because the BMI - related definitions of overweight does s not apply to them.
The results indicate that obesity seems decisive role in the disease of influenza and death, although its influence has been calculated degree of quality information on some of the groups is limited. Effect of obesity on disease and mortality in adolescents and children below 20, which was more likely to be very serious if the feet instead of weight, are underweight.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

31 deaths because H1N1

31 H1N1 death in Georgia.

Bird flu deaths in Georgia on Tuesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control in the country and arrived in 31 days.
32 Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Tbilisi year-old woman died of the virus, according to the center.
Mtskheta women, residents in about 20 kilometers north of Tbilisi, the capital.
This case has been confirmed experimentally.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

H1N1 flu incidence rated low

Above About H1N1.

The last update of the spread of influenza in Florida, shows sporadic activity in Santa Rosa and Escambia counties and 24 counties reported no known activity at all.
Florida Department of Health has published its findings on Wednesday, February 3rd. They showed that 201 Floridians died of the flu virus H1N1, which began the exchange in the world last spring. A total of 1233 people were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed H1N1. Influenza activity is similar to the flu season earlier this time.
There is no evidence that the virus has evolved into a more virulent form, or in Florida, and the rest of the United States or elsewhere in the world.

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