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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
 Posted - 04/27/2009 : 19:05:35
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'Swine flu more dangerous than bird flu'
Melbourne (PTI): Swine flu, which has killed more than 100 people in Mexico is more dangerous than bird flu as it "rapidly spreads", an expert has said even as Australia took series of steps including 'flight screening' for passengers coming from America to protect itself from the outbreak.
Swine flu is more worrying to humans than bird flu because it has the potential to spread to more people, Paul Kelly from Australian National University said.
Mr. Kelly said while swine flu had claimed many lives in Mexico, there had been no deaths elsewhere.
Those killed have been generally young and otherwise healthy. "It's not the typical people that are at greatest risk during a normal flu season," he was quoted as saying by media reports.
Meanwhile, Australian experts said that existing vaccines are unlikely to be effective against an outbreak of swine flu, but anti-viral drugs can help to combat it.
Health officials have given advice about the outbreak to GPs and hospital emergency departments and want any suspected cases to be reported to authorities.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 09:30:45
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Face masks could protect against swine flu pandemic
Sydney (IANS): Donning a face-mask is an easy way to protect oneself from severe respiratory illnesses like swine flu when vaccines are unavailable or in short supply, according to a study.
In the first ever clinical trial of the efficacy of masks, researchers found adult mask wearers at home were four times more likely than non-wearers to be protected against a range of respiratory viruses, including influenza, SARS and even the common cold.
The findings have global implications and are particularly relevant for efforts to combat flu pandemics such as the latest outbreak of swine flu.
“In the event of a severe pandemic, demand for protection could become a law and order issue,” said study co-author, Raina MacIntyre, professor of infectious diseases at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).
“In a crisis, vaccine development is likely to be delayed and drugs may be in short supply or not available at all,” she said.
“Limited supplies will be directed first to front line health workers, so masks are an important means of protection for the community, who otherwise may be last in line for vaccines and drugs.”
Researchers at UNSW, Sydney's Westmead Hospital, Imperial College (London) and the National Centre for Immunization Research studied more than 280 adults in 143 families in Sydney during the winter season of 2006 and 2007. The adults were randomly allocated masks when exposed to a sick child in the household.
MacIntyre said a drawback was participants' low compliance, with less than half reporting having worn the masks often or always, said a UNSW release.
These findings were published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, the journal of the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2009 : 20:01:17
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Measures against swine flu
CHENNAI: The Corporation has taken preventive measures against swine flu and put its Health Department on alert though the probability of transmission, given the climatic conditions in the city, is “very low.” In a release, the Corporation said that the preventive measures included earmarking one ward at the Communicable Diseases Hospital, Tondiarpet for isolating and treating possible swine flu patients and launching pig raids in all zones.
These raids led by the Assistant Health Officer, Assistant Veterinary Surgeon, Sanitary Inspector and other officers had rounded up 81 pigs, which were “removed permanently” with the support of the police department.
General practitioners and private nursing homes have been directed to notify suspected swine flu cases to the Health Officer, the Corporation said.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2009 : 20:12:40
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Is the world staring at the worst health crisis in 90 years?
1 May 2009, 0058 hrs IST, Kounteya Sinha, TNN
NEW DELHI: This could be the worst health crisis facing the world in 90 years. With the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday raising its
alert level to phase five for swine flu — just one step short of seeing a full-blown pandemic affecting at least two regions of the world — health experts were fearing a situation similar to the 1918 Spanish Flu which killed at least 50 million people. That's because H1N1 (the swine flu virus) is the closest so far to the Spanish Flu virus.
While that kind of mortality is ruled out now, given the advance of medical science and the quick spread of information and awareness in today's world, WHO was taking no chances as it now knows that the disease can spread easily between humans and hence raised the alert which is read as a signal that a pandemic is imminent. The Avian Flu (also known as bird flu) had an alert which was two notches lower, which means the danger this time is much higher.
Worldwide, at least 13 countries have confirmed cases of swine flu. Switzerland became the fifth European country to report a case of the disease in a 19-year-old student, and the Netherlands soon after became the sixth, reporting a case of the virus in a three-year-old who had recently returned from Mexico. Britain, Germany, France and Austria are the other European countries where authorities have begun a campaign urging people to sneeze into tissues and wash their hands after that. The campaign was called, ``Catch it, bin it, kill it.'' The disease has also spread to Costa Rica and Peru.
Raising the alert — the second in three days — WHO's director general Dr Margaret Chan asked all countries to activate pandemic flu plans and called on them to be on high alert for a H1N1 swine flu outbreak. Describing Influenza viruses as notorious for their rapid mutation and unpredictable behaviour, Dr Chan said, ``Influenza pandemics must be dealt with seriously and precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world. New diseases are, by definition, poorly understood. WHO and health authorities in affected countries will not have all the answers immediately, but we will get them.''
According to Dr Chan, at this stage, effective and essential measures include heightened surveillance, early detection and treatment of cases, and infection control in all health facilities. ``This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and to the pharmaceutical industry that actions should now be undertaken with increased urgency and at an accelerated pace,'' Dr Chan added.
Preparedness measures undertaken because of the threat from H5N1 avian influenza were an investment, and we are now benefiting from it, said experts. According to WHO, the biggest question, right now, is how severe will the pandemic be, especially now at the start? Dr Chan says it is possible that the full clinical spectrum of this disease goes from mild illness to severe disease.
``From past experience, we know that influenza may cause mild disease in affluent countries, but more severe disease, with higher mortality, in developing countries. This is an opportunity for global solidarity. After all, it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic,'' Dr Chan said.
Justifying raising the pandemic alert to phase five, WHO's assistant director-general Keiji Fukuda said in a global teleconference on Thursday night, ``Phase 5 indicates the spread of the virus among communities, normal people who haven't visited Mexico or come in contact with travellers.''
WHO has been tracking the spread of the virus at the epidemiological, clinical and virological levels.
Dr Fukuda said, ``We found sustained human to human transmission in multiple generations. When we looked at the virus in Mexico and US, we found that it was beginning to behave like a human virus and was becoming part of our community and not just being spread by travellers. This therefore made us increase the pandemic threat.''
He added, ``Pandemic phases aren't intended to be a barometer of epidemiology of the virus but a clear warning and alert that the risk of the virus to reach your country is now significantly high.''
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2009 : 20:55:54
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No case of swine flu in India
Surveillance stepped up; States told to probe and contain suspected clusters of influenza-like illness
GUARDING AGAINST the contagion: Passengers arriving from abroad giving details of their travel plans at special counters at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, in the wake of the swine flu incidence reported overseas.
NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday said there was no case of suspected swine flu in the country, even as it decided to upscale its stockpile of medicines from one million to 10 million doses.
The States were advised to review their preparedness to investigate and contain suspected clusters of influenza-like illness.
The stockpile of medicines would be decentralised strategically and located in every State, along with protective equipment, Vineet Chowdhry, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Ministry, told journalists here.
Supplies of capsules, personal protective equipment, N-95 masks and three-layered surgical masks were decentralised and kept at the Ministry’s Regional Directors’ offices located in 19 cities.
Reacting to newspaper reports of a suspected swine flu case in Hyderabad, Mr. Chowdhry said the passenger had just come from Texas, U.S., and gone to a private hospital for a common cold. As he had returned from the affected region, he was referred to the Government Chest Hospital, but he failed to turn up.
However, he was tracked down and thoroughly examined, but no flu symptoms were detected. However, the case was being followed up as a precautionary measure. His clinical samples were brought to Delhi for testing.
No other suspected case was identified in screening, he said.
As part of enhanced surveillance, keeping in view the global scenario, passengers were being screened at the international airports in all metros.
Eight counters had been set up, each manned by a doctor and two nurses.
Thirty-six beds were available for treating patients with the flu. Doctors had been deployed from the Central Government Health Scheme and the government had received tenders from four pharmaceutical companies – Ranbaxy, Roche, Cipla and Hetro Drugs – for providing medicines.
Still an option
On the World Health Organisation raising the pandemic alert from phase IV to V, implying that containing the disease was not an option any more, Mr. Chowdhry said it was still an option for India as no case had been reported in the country so far.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2009 : 20:57:00
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India fully geared, says WHO
NEW DELHI: The World Health Organisation on Thursday said India had a “tremendous capacity” to deal with the swine flu situation in the event of an outbreak.
Director of Communicable Diseases (WHO) Jai P. Narain told journalists that neither India nor any of the South East Asian countries had reported any case of swine flu. India had a tremendous capacity to handle any situation and it was in the forefront of preparedness as it was in dealing with SARS and Avian influenza.
While Mexico confirmed 26 human cases of infection, Canada reported 13 laboratory confirmed cases, Austria one, Germany and New Zealand three each, Israel two, Spain four and the United Kingdom five.
The WHO regional office had a stockpile of 3 million Tamiflu doses.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 08:43:26
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New swine flu cases in Canada prompts awareness drive
Toronto (IANS): With 15 news cases of swine flu taking the nation's total to 34, Canadian authorities have said they will start an awareness campaign on Friday to stem the spread of the virus.
Of the 15 new cases reported Thursday, five were in British Columbia province, four each in Alberta and Nova Scotia provinces and one each in Ontario and Quebec provinces.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is launching an awareness campaign on Friday to caution people about the steps to be taken to avoid infection.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the spread of "the Mexican flu" was a major concern for his government.
He said Canada was "doing what is necessary at the moment. We obviously recommend to the population to follow any warnings or any advisories that are being given by various health authorities, whether they be federal, provincial, or international".
With the World Health Organization raising the pandemic alert level from phase 4 to phase 5, Canadian Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said: "Canada has been implementing an aggressive approach to the virus for several days based on close information sharing and technical assistance between Canada, US, Mexico and the World Health Organization.
"We are a global leader in pandemic planning and are well advanced in implementing our plan to protect Canadians."
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 10:27:23
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Countries race to contain swine flu, fears prompt quarantine plans
Monday, 27 April 2009
WELLINGTON, New Zealand - New Zealand reported suspected swine flu cases Monday among a second group of teenagers returning from Mexico, as Asian nations with potent memories of SARS and bird flu outbreaks screened travellers for illness with thermal scanners.
Hong Kong assigned a team of scientists to find a quick test for the latest virus to raise fears of a pandemic, following confirmed human cases of the disease in Mexico, United States and Canada.
More than 100 people in Mexico are believed to have died from the new flu and more than 1,600 sickened, prompting widespread school closures and other measures.
In New Zealand, Health Minister Tony Ryall said three students among a group of 15 that had just come back from a class trip to Mexico had mild flu and were being tested for swine flu. On Sunday, officials said 10 students from a separate group that also were in Mexico "likely" have swine flu.
Forty people - students, their families and some teachers - had voluntarily quarantined themselves at home.
In Hong Kong, Thomas Tsang, controller for Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection, said the government and the territory's universities aim to jointly develop a quick test for the new flu strain in a week or two that will return results in four to six hours, compared to existing tests that can take two or three days.
He said in an interview with radio RTHK that researchers will develop the test based on genetic information on the current swine flu virus provided by the World Health Organization.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan on Sunday said the outbreak had "pandemic potential" and held teleconferences with staff and flu experts around the world. She urged governments to step up their surveillance of suspicious outbreaks.
Governments including China, Russia and Taiwan began planning to put anyone with symptoms of the deadly virus under quarantine. Other governments were increasing their screening of pigs and pork imports from the Americas or banning them outright.
Many nations issued travel warnings for Mexico.
Israel said a man who had recently visited Mexico had been hospitalized while authorities try to determine if he has the disease. French officials said four people who recently returned from Mexico were possible swine flu cases. In Spain, three people were under observation for the flu.
In the United States, at least 11 cases of swine flu have been confirmed.
Canada's chief public health officer Dr. David Butler-Jones said six cases had been confirmed and all had links to people who had travelled to Mexico.
Nova Scotia's health officials confirmed four "very mild" cases of swine flu in students ranging in age from 12 to 17 or 18. Officials in British Columbia confirmed two further cases.
In Singapore, the health ministry said it began using thermal scanners Sunday at Changi International Airport to check passengers arriving from the United States for symptoms of swine flu. The checks will be extended to all passengers by Wednesday, it said.
Hong Kong and Taiwan said visitors returning from flu-affected areas with fevers would be quarantined. China said anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms within two weeks of arrival had to report to authorities. A Russian health agency said passengers from North America running a fever would be quarantined until the cause is determined.
Tokyo's Narita airport installed a device to test the temperatures of passengers arriving from Mexico. Indonesia increased surveillance at all entry points for travellers with flu-like symptoms.
Many measures recalled those taken across Asia during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, epidemic and used more recently to monitor bird flu.
Drawing on their fight against SARS, experts in Hong Kong warned that swine flu seems harder to detect early and may spread faster.
"This is a flu virus. SARS was a new virus belonging to a different group. The thing about flu viruses is that they incubate before you have any symptoms," said John Simon, a scientific adviser to Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection.
"Border guardings, thermal imaging will not detect much of this flu when it eventually comes through because a lot of people will be incubating," he said.
A New Zealand student who was among those sickened said her group had stayed with Mexican families in their homes during the last few days of their trip, to better their Spanish language skills.
"Some of us were getting coughs and stuff like that a few days before the end of our trip," the student, who was not named, told New Zealand's National Radio.
She said the symptoms were not bothering her so much, but the that official reaction and being quarantined was a strange experience.
"It's a bit movie-like, it doesn't really feel real," she said.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 10:29:58
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Swine flu: All airports to screen passengers from tomorrow
New Delhi (PTI): With the swine flu virus, renamed as the H1N1 virus, spreading to more countries across the globe, the government on Friday said passengers from he affected countries were being screened earnestly and by Saturday the process would begin at all airports of the country.
A total of 2,000 passengers, who have come in from the affected countries, have already been tracked and are being kept under watch, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health Vineet Chaudhary told reporters here on Friday.
Screening has started at 10 airports and by Saturday all airports would begin screening passengers, he said, adding 96 doctors have been deployed for the purpose.
While Delhi has the largest number of 8 screening counters, Tiruchi has the least that is only one.
The Centre has decentralised its stockpile of Oseltamivir, the drug which is most effective against the virus and Personal Protection Equipments (PPE) for the health workers.
Director of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) V N Katoch said the Indian strategy for containment of the disease was very similar to that of the United States-- the country which has reported the least mortality due to the disease.
Asked if the searing heat can be a factor in stopping the transmission of the disease, he said, though it can kill the virus outdoors, the germs will survive in closed spaces like planes, residences and offices.
Mr. Katoch said the H1N1 virus was actually a combination of three viruses namely Avian, Swine and Human.
"The cause for worry is that it can be transmitted human to human," he said.
Mr. Chaudhary said no samples have as of now been picked up for checking in India apart from that of the Hyderabad resident.
He cautioned against culling of pigs as the virus was not transmitted through eating pork.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 10:34:17
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MEMORIES OF AN EARLIER SCARE : Docs who treated patient recall quarantine
ANURADHA MASCARENHAS
The swine flu outbreak in Mexico has revived memories of the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) six years ago, when Pune had its share of anxious moments.
Dr Vijay Sethiya, Medical Director of Siddharth Hospital at Gultekdi, recalls how Stanley D’Silva, who had returned from Indonesia, went for a medical check-up to his clinic on April 17, 2003.
“He had a cough, a sore throat and weakness and Dr Anand Kench admitted him to the hospital,” Sethiya reminisced. On April 19, his mother Vimal was also admitted. On April 22 Stanley was discharged from the hospital, only to be sent into quarantine with his mother and uncle Joseph Pawar.
Suspecting symptoms of SARS, they contacted the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and tests returned positive. PMC and state health officials were informed. “It was a huge challenge for us,” recalled Sethiya. “We had to literally stop our daily routine and shut the out-patient department from April 22. The D’Silvas, though discharged, went into quarantine at the state-run hospital till further instructions, and my entire staff of 22 and seven indoor patients had to wait in the hospital. It was only on April 26 that our blood samples were sent to NIV,” he added.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 10:38:31
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New Delhi:
Government said on Thursday that it was screening around 50,000 passengers coming from swine flu-affected countries even as it assured that there was no suspected case of the disease in the country as of now.
"There is no suspected case of swine flu in the country so far," Joint Secretary Ministry of Health, Vineet Chaudhary told reporters in New Delhi.
The clarification came in the wake of reports that a Hyderabad resident had come back from Mexico with flu like symptoms.
"The patient is not showing any symptoms now. In fact he had reported to a nearby health centre for check up after he developed flu like symptoms after coming back from Mexico," Chaudhary said.
Director, NICD, Shivlal said fresh samples have been taken from the Hyderabad resident and are being flown to Delhi and the results will be available in the next 24 to 48 hours.
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The Centre has also decided to increase its Tamiflu stalk from one million to 10 million doses over the next seven days, he said, adding the stockpile would be decentralised all over the country so that any emergency situation can be dealt with quickly.
A total of 50,000 passengers who have come from countries affected by swine flu have been traced and checks would be carried out on them.
Chaudhary said 8 counters have been set up at the Delhi airport and each counter will be manned by one doctor and two nurses.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation said on India has "tremendous capacity" to deal with the situation in the event of an outbreak of the influenza.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 10:43:44
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THE WORLD FROM BERLIN
'Public Complacency Will Make Swine Flu More Dangerous'
The world doesn't know enough about the swine flu virus to predict how much damage it will do. At the same time, many people may be underestimating the risks of the outbreak because the 2006 bird flu scare petered out so quickly, warn German commentators.
The bird flu outbreak of 2006 raised awareness of the need for up-to-date medical response plans but the fact that it petered out quite quickly may have made the public complacent about the current outbreak of swine flu, German media commentators warn on Tuesday.
AFP
An elderly man wears a surgical mask in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
That may be perilous given that swine flu is more dangerous than its avian counterpart -- and no one knows how much damage it will end up doing, the commentators write.
There is no historical precedent that could help predict the spread and development of the disease. The 1918-1919 Spanish influenza pandemic, which killed an estimated 50 million people, took place in a world without civil aviation.
Besides, doctors don't know enough yet about the makeup of the virus. The disease could fizzle out or spread rapidly enough to interrupt economic life. Despite assurances from the government, commentators have their doubts about the preparedness of Germany's health system for a serious pandemic.
Center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:
"The international community isn't protected against a global pandemic. Research and contingency plans are insufficient. If millions of people do end up getting infected, there won't be enough medication or hospital beds to cope with it. In any case, there won't be a vaccine for a couple of months at the earliest."
"It could be that the swine flu will be over in a few days; some infections end up containing themselves, for unknown reasons. No expert can predict the potential of this flu to cause a disaster. It may cause deaths on all continents and show this interconnected world how much more vulnerable it has become despite all the advances of medicine."
PHOTO GALLERY: A GLOBAL PANDEMIC OF FEAR
Click on a picture to launch the image gallery (16 Photos)
Left-wing Berliner Zeitung writes:
"There's no need for anyone to panic today. Most countries have national, regional and local pandemic plans. Those in charge know what has to be done."
"The rich countries with functioning health systems and stocks of medication are far better prepared for a viral attack. It hardly bears imagining what a flu outbreak could wreak in Congo or in Bangladesh. Germany is bracing itself for its first case with a mixture of watchful concern and calmness. It's the right approach, both for the state and the well-informed individual."
The Financial Times Deutschland writes:
"There was huge alarm when bird flu was heading for Germany in 2006. Media reported about the spread of the disease from Asia via Turkey to Western Europe as if they were covering the advance of a hostile army. And when the fist sick swan was reported on German soil, a visibly agitated German Agricultural Minister hastily convened a news conference to call for calm."
"Compared with the hysteria then, the reaction in Germany to the spread of swine flu has been remarkably calm despite the first reports of suspected infections. The flu strain that is rapidly spreading from Mexico is far more dangerous than the bird flu virus H5N1. The horror scenario that had alarmed people with bird flu has become reality with the Mexican flu -- the virus can be transmitted from human to human.
"For Germany, the alarm over bird flu is now turning into both a curse and a blessing. It's an advantage in that the efforts made then to organize an appropriate disease prevention system have led to a national pandemic plan, and reserves of flu medicine have been stockpiled for part of the population. But the bird flu hysteria could now backfire: Because the alarm in 2006 quickly turned out to be exaggerated, there's a big risk that many won't take the new flu strain seriously enough. That would make it even more dangerous."
Conservative Die Welt writes:
"Is everything under control? A closer look reveals imponderables. Doctors don't yet know the exact character of the virus, so they can't say whether the virus will develop the same murderous capacity of the Spanish influenza of 1918-1919. It's totally unclear what could happen in a worst case scenario because there's no precedent to guide an appropriate response, despite the pandemic 90 years ago. The traffic flows of 1919 can't even begin to be compared with today's levels."
"There were also no antiviral drugs that could be distributed. Given the complexity of modern society, there's no historical example that could enable us to predict what will happen. What would happen if the disease spreads so rapidly that the foundations of our society are affected, if staff shortages started affecting the supply of drugs and even of goods and services in general, if power stations and water plants run into trouble and doctor's practices and clinics are put out of action?"
"The pandemic hasn't arrived yet. If it doesn't materialize, swine flu should serve as a warning. Planning for an epidemic disaster must be put on a more solid footing in Germany."
-- David Crossland 2 p.m. CET
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 18:30:55
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Police are guarding the Hong Kong hotel where the man stayed
About 300 people at a Hong Kong hotel have been placed under quarantine after a guest there became China's first confirmed swine flu case.
The 25-year-old man, who is now in hospital after testing positive for the virus, had travelled from Mexico via Shanghai, Hong Kong's leader said.
Local TV footage showed police wearing masks guarding the hotel exits.
Meanwhile, the UK joined Canada, Spain, Germany and the US in reporting person-to-person transmission of the virus.
Mexico, where the outbreak began, has started a five-day shutdown of parts of its economy in a bid to curb the virus's progress.
Mexican officials say the spread of swine flu - suspected in more than 160 deaths - is slowing, but international experts are more cautious.
On Friday, French Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said two people were infected with swine flu, France's first confirmed cases.
The minister said a third person "very probably" had the virus. She said all three had recently been to Mexico.
The announcement takes to 15 the number of countries where swine flu has been confirmed.
'No panic'
In cases outside Mexico the effects of the virus do not appear to be severe, although one death of a Mexican child has been confirmed in the US.
CONFIRMED CASES
Mexico: 168 suspected deaths - 15 confirmed
US: One death, at least 109 confirmed cases
New Zealand: 4 confirmed, 12 probable cases
Canada: 35 confirmed cases
UK: 11 confirmed cases
Spain: 13 confirmed cases
Germany: 4 confirmed cases
France: 2 confirmed cases
Israel, Costa Rica: 2 confirmed cases each
The Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong: 1 confirmed case each
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Countries with confirmed cases of secondary transmission
US
Canada
Spain
Germany
UK
Mapping the outbreak
Mexico: First swine flu cases
Border town not slowing down
Price hikes in Mexico amid flu panic
The WHO has set its pandemic alert level at five - but says it has no immediate plans to move to the highest level of six.
In Hong Kong, the authorities have raised the alert level to emergency but urged residents to carry on life as normal.
"I assure you the Hong Kong government will try its best to conquer the virus," Chief Executive Donald Tsang said.
"I stress we don't need to panic."
The Mexican man is said to be in a stable condition in Hong Kong's Princess Margaret Hospital, after seeking treatment on Thursday night after becoming unwell.
The Metropark Hotel in Wanchai district where he briefly stayed will be sealed off for seven days, health officials said, and the antiviral drug Tamiflu given to about 200 guests and 100 staff there.
Medical staff wearing protective clothing were seen carrying boxes of equipment into the building.
Efforts are also under way to trace people who travelled on the same flights as the Mexican, and taxi drivers with whom he came into contact.
BBC China Editor Shirong Chen says confirmation that the man has tested positive for the virus has set alarm bells ringing beyond Hong Kong.
Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu said the virus was very likely to enter mainland China and urged the country to prepare for an outbreak, as millions start travelling over the May Day long weekend.
Schools closed
Meanwhile, the authorities in Mexico hope a nationwide shut-down ordered from Friday, covering two public holidays and a weekend, will help curb the spread of the virus.
SYMPTOMS - WHAT TO DO
Swine flu symptoms are similar to those produced by ordinary seasonal flu - fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue
If you have flu symptoms and recently visited affected areas of Mexico, you should seek medical advice
If you suspect you are infected, you should stay at home and take advice by telephone initially, in order to minimise the risk of infection
Q&A: What is swine flu?
Mexican economy squeezed by flu
In pictures: Flu concern grows
The quest for a swine flu vaccine
Some factories will stop production and schools are already closed. Residents have been urged to stay at home, but it is not clear how widely the shut-down order will be followed.
The number of confirmed cases of swine flu infection in Mexico now stands at more than 300, officials say.
Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said on Friday that three more deaths from swine flu had been confirmed, bringing the toll to 15.
Announcing the figure, Mr Cordova said that new cases of the virus were levelling off.
But Dr Keiji Fukuda, acting assistant director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said fluctuations were to be expected.
In other developments:
• The US announces that it will buy 13 million new courses of antiviral treatment and send 400,000 of them to Mexico
• A flight from Germany to Washington DC is diverted to Boston after a female passenger complains of flu-like symptoms
• An aide to US Energy Secretary Stephen Chu who helped arrange President Barack Obama's recent trip to Mexico is being tested for swine flu, although the aide is said not to have been in contact with the president
• The head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is fine for people without flu symptoms to fly and use the subway, a day after Vice-President Joe Biden said he would advise his own family members against using public transport
• Denmark reports its first confirmed case of swine flu
• German authorities confirm that a nurse who treated a patient with swine flu also contracted the disease, in the first person-to-person transmission in the country
• Test results confirm the UK's first person-to-person transmission of swine flu, in a friend of a couple from Scotland who were first in the country to be diagnosed with the virus
Several countries have restricted travel to Mexico and many tour operators have cancelled holidays.
The WHO, meanwhile, says it will now call the virus influenza A (H1N1) rather than swine flu - which it says is misleading as pork meat is safe and the virus is being transmitted from human to human.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 18:59:48
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Swine flu: 4,650 travellers screened at BIA
Staff Reporter
Bangalore: With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring a Phase-5 alert in the wake of swine flu outbreak in Mexico and the U.S., the State Health Department has geared up to deal with the situation.
Though no case has been reported in the State, the department has roped in medical colleges and private hospitals to ensure that regular screening of passengers at the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) is not affected. So far, 4,650 travellers have been screened at BIA and all have been given health clearance.
Top health officials met on Friday to discuss strategies on how to deal with the situation if any case was reported.
“Three teams of 24 doctors have been deployed at the airport. I have asked the Director of Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) to deploy three teams of six junior doctors each to assist the screening at the airport,” Health Commissioner P.N. Sreenivasachari said. To ensure that screening was conducted fast and passengers were not put to hardship, 10 counters had been set up at the airport.
“Though the initial screening will only be symptomatic, the doctors will prescribe laboratory investigations if they suspect any flu symptoms,” the commissioner added.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 20:39:21
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A second person in the UK has caught swine flu without having visited Mexico, tests have confirmed.
The news follows the case of Graeme Pacitti from Falkirk, who was infected after contact with the first Britons to develop the flu, Iain and Dawn Askham.
The UK's second "onward transmission" case is thought to be a 42-year-old man from South Gloucestershire.
Meanwhile, a new case of swine flu has been announced in South-East England, bringing the UK total to 13.
Director of Public Health for South-West England Dr Gabriel Scally said the Gloucestershire patient had not been taken to hospital.
"The man himself is as well as can be expected and he has been very effectively and very rapidly treated. Like many of the other cases in the UK, it has been a relatively mild illness for him," he told the BBC.
Symptoms of swine flu in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu.
Cases 'not connected'
In cases outside Mexico - where the virus is suspected in more than 160 deaths - the effects do not appear to be severe, although the death of a Mexican child has been confirmed in the US.
The World Health Organization has set its pandemic alert level at five but says it has no immediate plans to move to the highest level of six.
Earlier the Health Protection Agency confirmed that a woman from the Merseyside area and a schoolgirl in South-West England had contracted the virus.
Both had recently returned from Mexico.
The girl's school - Downend, which is also in South Gloucestershire - will be closed until 11 May and parents have been told to contact their family doctor if any child shows symptoms.
Officials said the two Gloucestershire cases were not connected.
SWINE FLU ADVICE
Use clean tissues when you cough or sneeze
Bin tissues after use
Wash hands with soap, hot water or gel
NHS: Important Information About Swine Flu [118 KB]
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Another school in Paignton, Devon, also closed its doors this week after it was confirmed a 12-year-old girl had contracted swine flu.
Experts warned it was "inevitable" that more people would fall ill through onward transmission, as has already happened in the US, Canada, Spain and Germany.
Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Harry Burns said: "What we will do is try and mitigate the rate of spread but it's inevitable that we're going to see more cases."
Mr Pacitti himself told the BBC he was really "disappointed" to find out he had contracted the illness.
He plays in the same six-a-side football team as the UK's first swine flu patient Iain Askham.
He said he had been given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu as a precaution after meeting him in a pub.
Now confined to home, Mr Pacitti said by telephone: "Today I started to feel better than I have done all week. I'm quite gutted.
"It started last Saturday when I started to feel like I had an upset stomach. From then my throat began to get sore.
"The worst was when I started to get headaches and feel quite feverish."
Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said Mr Pacitti's infection was a "significant development" but that the risk to public health remained low.
CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES
Mexico: 168 suspected deaths, 12 confirmed
US: one death, at least 109 confirmed cases
New Zealand: 4 confirmed, 12 probable cases
Canada: 35 confirmed cases
Spain: 13 confirmed cases
UK: 13 confirmed cases
Germany: 4 confirmed cases
France, Israel, Costa Rica: 2 confirmed cases each
The Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong: 1 confirmed case each
How the UK is trying to contain flu
Mapping the outbreak
Swine flu: Your experiences
"It is concerning but I have to stress that it doesn't mean there's more reason for people to worry," she said.
"We are still very much in the containment phase of this infection."
Of the 13 UK cases confirmed so far, all are thought to have responded well to treatment.
Prime Minster Gordon Brown, who was visiting an NHS Direct centre in Beckenham, south-east London, said the UK was in a good position to cope with the illness .
"There will be more cases, but at the same time it is treatable," he said.
"If we can get to people quickly, we can trace their contacts and if we can give those affected Tamiflu [anti-viral drug], then we can avoid the problems that we see in some of the other countries," he said.
England's Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson has said it is impossible to predict how many deaths there could be in the UK until more is known about the virus strain.
Members of the public can call 0800 1513513 for recorded information about swine flu. In Scotland, anyone with concerns about the virus can call 08454 24 24 24.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 20:41:24
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What scientists know about swine flu
Emma Wilkinson
Health reporter, BBC News
Influenza viruses are able to swap genetic material
Preliminary analysis of the swine flu virus suggests it is a fairly mild strain, scientists say.
It is believed that a further mutation would be needed in order for the H1N1 virus to cause the mass deaths that have been estimated by some.
But at this point, it is impossible to predict with any accuracy how the virus will continue to evolve.
UK experts at the National Institute for Medical Research outlined on Friday the work they are due to start on samples of the virus sent from the US.
The research, being done at the World Influenza Centre in Mill Hill, will be vital for working out the structure of the virus, where it came from, how quickly it is capable of spreading and its potential to cause illness.
Structure
Analysis done so far suggests what they are dealing with is a mild virus and nowhere near as dangerous as the H5N1 avian flu strain that has caused scientists so much concern over the past decade.
Influenza A viruses are classified according to two proteins on the outer surface of the virus - hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N).
FLU STRAINS COMPARED
H1N1 (seasonal flu/swine flu)
Spreads easily through coughing and sneezing
Less severe symptoms, but can be deadly H5N1 (avian flu)
Can mutate rapidly
Causes severe illness and can trigger pneumonia
Spreads easily between birds but human transmission rare
The swine flu strain is a H1N1 virus, the same type as seasonal flu which circulates throughout the world every year, and kills roughly 0.1% of those infected or higher in an epidemic year.
Professor Wendy Barclay, chair in influenza virology at Imperial College London says initial indications suggest there is nothing about the genetic make-up of the new virus which is a cause for particular concern.
The key to its potential lies largely in the H1 protein.
"There are two aspects - one is which receptors the virus tends to bind to and what we see is that it is binding to the upper respiratory tract rather than deep in the lungs."
H1N1
Can spread between humans
Attaches to receptors in the upper respiratory tract causing mild illness
A pandemic is thought to be imminent
When a flu virus binds to the upper respiratory tract, it tends to cause mild illness but can be easily spread as people cough and sneeze, Professor Barclay explains.
If a virus binds further down in the lungs, it tends to cause much more severe illness, as in the case of the H5N1 avian flu virus which has caused concern in recent years.
"With the H1 gene we also look at the cleavage site," she adds.
"The virus has to be cut into two pieces to be active and it uses an enzyme in the host to do that.
"Most influenza viruses are restricted to the respiratory tract because they use enzymes in the lungs.
"But some, like H5 viruses can evolve to cut into two pieces outside the lungs, so they can replicate outside the respiratory tract."
Analysis
These initial indications are largely guesswork from looking at the genetic sequence of the virus and comparing that to what is known from work on other influenza viruses.
It will take weeks and months of biological analysis to properly get a handle on the potential of the H1N1 virus.
The team at Mill Hill, one of four World Health Organisation's centres for influenza research will be working in close collaboration with the Health Protection Agency who are carrying out testing in the UK, and their findings will also feed into the development of a potential vaccine.
What this outbreak does highlight is how difficult it is to predict new pandemic strains
Professor Jonathan Ball, Nottingham University
Soon, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge will begin the genetic sequencing of the virus and will also be monitoring any mutations or changes in how virulent it is.
However, there is one other reassuring aspect about what is known so far.
That is there seems to be nothing unusual as yet in another protein in the centre of the virus, called NS1, which is linked to the strength of the immune response the virus produces.
In some more pathogenic viruses, it is this NS1 protein which initiates a "cytokine storm", a particularly severe immune reaction that can be fatal in even healthy young people.
Predictions
Scientists have also played down concerns that the milder H1N1 virus, could combine with the more dangerous H5N1 avian flu virus, causing a super virus that has the ability to both spread easily between humans and cause severe illness.
This is unlikely - or at least just as unlikely as it ever was and the H5N1 virus has been around for a decade without combining with normal seasonal flu.
Professor Jonathan Ball, an expert in molecular virology at the University of Nottingham said: "The chance of swine H1N1 combining with H5N1 is as likely as any other strain recombining.
"What this outbreak does highlight is how difficult it is to predict new pandemic strains.
"Many people suspected that H5N1 was the most likely candidate for the next pandemic strain, but now it appears that this was a mistake - but that's not to say H5N1 or another reassortment containing parts of H5N1 may not happen in the future.
"That's the trouble - you can't predict."
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'Swine flu more dangerous than bird flu'
