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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
 Posted - 07/20/2009 : 05:59:15
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Update on Influenza a (H1N1) as on 19th July 2009
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19:22 IST
World Health Organization has reported 94,512 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection from 135 countries as on 6th July 2009. There have been 429 deaths. There is no further update.
Health screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing in 22 International airports. 50,858 passengers have been screened on 18.7.2009 of which 40,675 passengers were from affected countries. 224 doctors and 112 paramedics are manning 81 counters at these airports. A cumulative total of 3562122 passengers have been screened.
Thirteen new laboratory confirmed cases have been reported today: Delhi (3), Chandigarh (2), Roopnagar, Punjab (1), Kasargod, Kerala (1), Gurgaon (3), Hyderabad (2) and Pune (1).
Out of the three cases in Delhi, two (one 12 year old female child and another 15 year old male child) are school contacts of previous positive cases in Delhi. The third case is a 7 year old boy who travelled from London, U.K by Air India Flight reaching Delhi on 18th July 2009. As he was found to be having fever, headache and running nose he was detected at the airport during screening and was admitted in the identified health facility.
One of the two cases in Chandigarh is a 50 year old female who travelled from Singapore by Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 408 reaching Delhi on 15th July 2009 and proceeding to Chnadigarh on own car. She reported with symptoms of fever and sore-throat on 17th July to the identified health facility. The second case is a 29 year old male who travelled from London, UK by Virgin Airlines Flight VS 300 reaching Delhi on 14th July 2009. On 17th July 2009, he reported with symptoms to the identified health facility.
The case in Roopnagar, Punjab is a 8 year old male child who travelled from Singapore transiting Bangkok reaching Delhi on12th July. On 16th July he reported with symptoms of cough and fever to the identified health facility.
The case in Kasargod is a 6 year old male child who travelled from Sharjah, UAE by Air Arabia Flight GN 0451 reaching Calicut on 14th July. He reported with low grade fever on 16th July and was admitted in the identified health facility.
All the three cases in Gurgaon are female students (aged 14, 11 and 8 years) who are school contacts of a previously reported positive case in Gurgaon.
Out of the two cases in Hyderabad, one is a 58 year old male who travelled from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Hyderabad transiting Mumbai [Air India Flight AI 824 and Jet Airways 9W 541) reaching Hyderabad on 16th July. He reported with fever, sore-throat and bodyache on 17th July and was admitted in the identified health facility. The second case is a 32 year old male who travelled from Kuala Lumpur by Malaysian Airlines Flight reaching Hyderabad on 13th July 2009. He reported with symptoms of fever and bodyache on 17th July to the identified health facility.
The Pune case is a 13 year old female who is a school contact case of previously reported case in Pune.
1549 persons have been tested so far out of which 298 are positive for Influenza A H1N1 [Swine]. 449 out of the 1549 persons have been identified through entry screening, 198 through contact tracing and the rest were self reported.
Inadvertently, on the report of 18th July 2009, a repeat positive test was counted, which has now been corrected and the total positive case as on 19th July is 297.
Of the 297 positive cases, 181 have been discharged. Rest of them remain admitted to the identified health facility.
The situation is being monitored.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2009 : 10:19:31
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Update on influenza a (H1N1) as on 20th July 2009
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20:8 IST
World Health Organization has reported 94,512 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection from 135 countries as on 6th July 2009. There have been 429 deaths. There is no further update.
Health screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing in 22 International airports. 46,696 passengers have been screened on 19.7.2009 of which 34,664 passengers were from affected countries. 224 doctors and 112 paramedics are manning 81 counters at these airports. A cumulative total of 36,08,818 passengers have been screened.
Eleven new laboratory confirmed cases have been reported today: Delhi (4), Hyderabad (2), Pune (2), Cochin (2) and Chennai (1).
Out of the 4 cases in Delhi, one is an 18 year old male who had traveled from Singapore by Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 408 reaching Delhi on 9th July 2009. He reported with symptoms of cough and sore-throat at the identified health facility on 18th July 2009. The second case is a 58 year old male who traveled from Bangkok by Cathay Pacific Flight no. CX 751 reaching Delhi on 15th July 2009. He reported with fever, sore-throat and cough on 19th July to the identified health facility. The third and fourth cases (17 year old and 12 year old females) are school contacts of an earlier reported positive case in Delhi.
Out of the two cases in Hyderabad, one is an eight year old female child who traveled from London by North-West Airlines Flight NW 121 transiting Delhi and Jaipur (by Indigo Airlines) reaching Hyderabad on 15th July 2009. She reported with fever and cough on 19th July 2009 to the identified health facility. The other case in Hyderabad is a 25 year old male who traveled from London transiting Dubai reaching Hyderabad by Emirates Flights EK 012 and EK 524 on 18th July. As he was having fever and cough he was detected during the screening at the airport and admitted in the identified health facility.
In Pune, the two cases are the school contacts (13 and 10 year old male children) of an earlier reported positive case.
Out of the two cases in Cochin, one is a 39 year old female who traveled from Washington DC transiting London reaching Mumbai by Jet Airways Flight 9W 0119 on 16th July. On the same day, she further traveled to Cochin by Jet Airways flight 9W 405. As she was having fever, cough and sore-throat, she was detected during the health screening and is admitted in the identified health facility. The second case in Cochin is an eighteen year old female who traveled from London transiting Doha by Qatar Airways Flight QR 264 reaching Cochin on 16th July. She was found having cough and sore-throat during the screening at the airport and she was admitted to the identified health facility.
The case in Chennai is a 12 year old female child, who traveled from London transiting Frankfurt by Lufthansa Airways Flight LH 754 reaching Chennai on 16th July 2009. She reported with fever and cough on 17th July to the identified health facility where she is admitted.
1595 persons have been tested so far out of which 308 are positive for Influenza A H1N1 [Swine]. 474 out of the 1595 persons have been identified through entry screening, 208 through contact tracing and the rest were self reported.
Of the 308 positive cases, 183 have been discharged. Rest of them remain admitted to the identified health facility.
The situation is being monitored.
DS/
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2009 : 09:44:32
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Pune school closes for week as H1N1 flu attacks more students
Pune (PTI): A reputed school here was closed down on Tuesday for a week following an alarming rise in the number of its students testing positive for H1N1 virus, which now stands at 13.
Ten students of the English medium school, which had earlier shut down one division of class eight, were already admitted to an isolation ward of Civic Naidu Hospital and the test results of more suspected cases were awaited, hospital officials said.
The total number of confirmed H1N1 flu cases in the city has now risen to 24.
According to medical officer of Pune Municipal Corporation R.R. Pardesi, the school authorities were advised by the State Health Department to close all pre-primary, primary and higher secondary sections after the infection, which had been confined to class eight division till yesterday, when it spread to class five with a boy testing positive for the virus.
"There is a possibility of the infection spreading among many primary school students through close physical contact when they travel in a cluster in rickshaws," he said.
The H1N1 flu cases of eight students came to light last week following which preventive measures were initiated by the school and the health authorities.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2009 : 07:16:56
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Wednesday, July 22, 2009 : 1325 Hrs 322 H1N1 flu cases reported in India, says Health Minister
New Delhi (PTI): As many as 322 H1N1 flu cases have been reported in the country so far, with 234 of them being treated and discharged compared to 200 deaths reported in the U.S., Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Wednesday.
"This proves that H1N1 flu is 100 per cent curable in so far as our country is concerned... We are lucky that there have been no deaths in our country," he told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour, noting that over 200 casualties were reported each in the U.S. and Mexico, besides many more in the U.K. and Japan.
Of the 322 cases reported, 256 persons got infected abroad. "Of them, 111 cases came from the U.S., 32 from Australia, 15 from Thailand and some others from Canada, Germany and Singapore," he said.
Noting that almost 36 lakh passengers were screened for H1N1 virus at entry points like airports so far, Mr. Azad said this was almost 45,000 passengers a day for the past two and a half months.
While those found infected were being quarantined in one major hospital in each state, the number of labs to check the virus have been increased from two to 18 now, he said.
Mr. Azad said there was "no dearth of drugs" as ten million Tamiflu doses have already been distributed across the country and congratulated the teams of doctors and paramedics carrying out the screening or treatment of patients.
"The virus in primarily coming from outside. Those found infected at the entry points were being immediately taken to isolation centres," the minister said.
Mr. Azad said his ministry has suggested the External Affairs Ministry to discuss with other countries methods to screen infected passengers at the point of origin itself, "but so far no step has been taken in that direction."
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2009 : 08:52:24
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SSwine flu death toll rises to 31
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
The Prime Minister sought to reassure the public over swine flu today as it emerged at least 31 people in the UK have now died after contracting the virus.
•Lisa Markwell: There could be a bright side to the flu crisis...
Gordon Brown said the Government was making an "enormous effort" to ensure the UK was prepared for dealing with the flu pandemic.
He insisted "robust plans" were in place to fight the virus, and measures were being taken in a "calm and organised and ordered way".
More than 700 people worldwide are known to have died after getting the virus, which the World Health Organisation says is spreading faster than any previous flu pandemic.
Speaking at his monthly press conference in Downing Street, Mr Brown said: "We are putting in an enormous effort to ensure our country is best prepared to deal with the international pandemic of swine flu.
"We are doing so in a calm and organised and ordered way.
"Cases of swine flu in the UK have so far proved to be generally mild in most people but they have been severe amongst a small minority, mostly where patients have had underlying health problems.
"I want the public to be reassured that we have been preparing for the possibility of a pandemic for a number of years."
Mr Brown added: "Robust plans are in place, the NHS is continuing to cope well thanks to the stirling efforts of its staff, but as swine flu cases have started to increase, we need to be able to give greater numbers of antivirals to greater numbers of people quickly.
"From the end of this week the National Pandemic Flu Service in England will be up and running, it will quickly diagnose people who have swine flu and it will give them the opportunity to get antivirals direct from local centres.
"This, of course, will free up GPs and NHS time."
New figures on the numbers of people attending GP consultations will be released tomorrow, together with the latest death toll and the numbers of people with the virus being treated in hospital.
The latest death linked to swine flu occurred in the West Midlands.
The patient, who has not been identified, tested positive for swine flu but it is currently unclear how much it contributed to their death.
A spokeswoman for NHS West Midlands said today: "It is with sadness that we have to announce that a third person from the West Midlands who had tested positive for H1N1 swine flu has died.
"A post mortem will be carried out to determine the cause of death and until that it is complete no further details will be released."
The pharmaceutical giant GSK, which is supplying vaccine to the UK alongside another company, Baxter, said first batches of its vaccine would not be available until September.
The world's first human trials of a swine flu vaccine have begun in Australia, two biotechnology companies announced earlier today.
Adelaide-based Vaxine began trials on Monday with 300 adult volunteers, while Melbourne's CSL has 240 people enrolled in its seven-month trial, which started today.
Vaxine said it would be six to eight weeks before results would verify whether any vaccine was effective.
"There is no guarantee any of these vaccines will work," he said. "Swine flu is a very peculiar beast, it's a very different virus that we're dealing with. But we are hopeful."
The UK's vaccine contracts with Baxter and GSK are worth £155.4 million over four years.
The actual cost per dose is being kept confidential.
A spokeswoman for Baxter said the company expected to ship the first batches of its swine flu vaccine at the end of July or early August.
"Commercial production on the vaccine began in early June," she said.
"We expect to have a limited quantity of the vaccine for shipment at the end of this month or early August."
Baxter has contracts with five countries including the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.
The Government's Chief Medical Officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson, has said the first batches of a vaccine should arrive by the end of August.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham has said the UK is at the "front of the queue" for supplies of the vaccine.
The statement from GSK said it was "in active discussions with more than 50 governments of both developed and developing countries for supplies of the vaccine".
So far, GSK has received orders for 195 million doses of the vaccine and first supplies "will be available to governments from September onwards. Shipments are expected in both 2009 and 2010."
The UK Government has ordered up to 132 million doses of the vaccine from both GSK and Baxter.
Around 60 million doses - enough for half the population at two jabs per person - is expected to arrive before the end of the year.
However, there will be a delay between when the first batches arrive and the first jabs are actually given.
A statement from GSK said the company was "making rapid progress" towards producing the vaccine.
Testing of the vaccine would be limited in the early stages but research would continue after it was made available, it added.
"The total population studied in clinical trials will be limited due to the need to provide the vaccine to governments as quickly as possible.
"Additional studies will therefore be required and conducted after the vaccine is made available."
GSK has also increased production levels of its anti-viral Relenza and developed a respirator mask to protect people from inhaling the flu.
The British Medical Association (BMA) insisted today that doctors were not trying to profit from the vaccination programme for swine flu.
The BMA is currently in negotiations with NHS Employers about how any extra costs can be met and at which point GPs stop doing some of their normal workload, for which they are paid according to disease area.
Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the BMA's GPs Committee, said: "Clearly a mass vaccination programme would be on a scale much larger than the seasonal flu jab campaign which targets only at risk groups.
"A range of possible options is being discussed and we would hope to have an agreement very soon.
"GPs are not looking to profit from any vaccination programme but would reasonably expect to have any extra costs met, such as bringing in extra staff to administer the vaccine.
"The BMA is also talking to the Government about when they will decide that the number of flu cases being treated by GPs is so great that the less urgent preventative health work that GPs normally do, such as special clinics for diabetes and heart disease, should be suspended.
"When this happens it will be to free up GP time so they can concentrate on dealing with swine flu as well as urgent cases of patients who are ill with things other than swine flu.
"This has been part of the Government's pandemic planning for a number of years.
"The public can be assured that we are doing everything possible to make sure that patients continue to get the best possible treatment whatever their condition or illness."
Yesterday, a 15-year-old girl with underlying medical conditions was revealed as the 30th British victim linked to the outbreak.
She died in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow and is the fourth person with swine flu to have died in Scotland.
In a briefing note published late last week, the World Health Organisation said "further spread of the pandemic, within affected countries and to new countries, is considered inevitable".
It said the current pandemic "has spread internationally with unprecedented speed.
"In past pandemics, influenza viruses have needed more than six months to spread as widely as the new H1N1 virus has spread in less than six weeks."
While most people with the virus have only experienced mild symptoms, it is causing complications in some people, especially those with underlying health conditions.
In a normal flu season, around 6,000 to 7,000 people can be expected to die but most of these cases will occur in the very old and frail.
Officials are worried about the present swine flu pandemic as the strain appears to be targeting munch younger age groups.
Swine flu has been shown to be five times more harmful than normal seasonal flu, penetrating deeper into the lungs.
The post-mortem examination results on a six-year-old girl from west London, released yesterday, showed she died of septic shock following a bout of tonsilitis.
Chloe Buckley died on July 9 at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington after suffering from the throat infection, which was caused by streptococcus A bacterium.
It is not clear to what extent swine flu contributed to her death but she is known to have had the virus.
Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination on Bedfordshire GP Michael Day, who died on July 11, showed swine flu was a "significant contributory factor in his death".
Dr Day, who was 64, also suffered a blood clot to the lungs and was known to have heart disease and high blood pressure.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2009 : 19:26:49
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Update on Influenza a (H1N1) as on 22nd July, 2009
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19:34 IST
World Health Organization has reported 94,512 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection from 135 countries as on 6th July 2009. There have been 429 deaths. There is no further update.
Health screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing in 22 International airports. 41,179 passengers have been screened on 21.7.2009 of which 28202 passengers were from affected countries. 224 doctors and 112 paramedics are manning 81 counters at these airports. A cumulative total of 36, 95,384 passengers have been screened.
Twenty new laboratory confirmed cases have been reported today: Delhi (8), Hyderabad (4), Pune (4), Chennai (1), Cochin (1), Calicut (1) and Trivandrum (1).
Out of the eight cases in Delhi, five [4/M, 17/F, 12/F, 15/F, 13/F] are contact cases of previously reported positive cases in Delhi. The sixth one is a 38 year old male who travelled from Tanzania by reaching Mumbai on 18th June 2009. He further travelled to Delhi by Rajdhani Express on 20th July and self reported with symptoms to the identified health facility. The seventh case is a 22 year old male who travelled from Australia by Cathay Pacific Flight CX 751 reaching Delhi on 20th July. As he was found to be having symptoms during health screening at the airport, he was admitted in the isolation facility. The eighth case is 37 years old male who travelled to Chandigarh and Mandu/Indore in Madhya Pradesh. He reported with symptoms to a private facility on 18th July and was referred to the identified health facility on 19th July.
Out of the four cases, two of the cases [3/F, 7/F] in Hyderabad are close family contacts of previously reported case. The third and fourth cases are mother [27/F] and child [5/M] who travelled from USA via Dubai by Emirates Flight EK 524 reaching Hyderabad on 17th July. They reported with symptoms to the identified health facility on 18th July.
Out of the four cases, three [10/F, 72/F, 6/F] of them are contact cases of previously reported positive cases in Pune. The fourth one is a 30 year old male who travelled from Australia via Hongkong by Cathay Pacific Flight CX 134 and CX 709 reaching Mumbai on 19th July 2009. She developed symptoms and was admitted to the identified facility on 21st July 2009.
The case in Chennai is a 52 year old female who travelled from London reaching Chennai on 18th July. She developed symptoms on 19th July 2009 and was isolated.
The case in Cochin is a 46 year old female who travelled from UK reaching Mumbai by Air India flight AI 130 and as from there to Cochin by Air India flight AI 690. She reported with symptoms to the identified health facility on 19th July 2009 and was admitted.
The case in Calicut case is a 31 year old male who travelled from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia by Air India Flight AI 922 reaching Calicut on 19th July 2009. He reported with symptoms on 20th July and was admitted to the identified health facility.
The case in Trivandrum is a 25 year old male doctor who is a workplace contact of a previously reported positive case.
1695 persons have been tested so far out of which 342 are positive for Influenza A H1N1 [Swine]. 510 out of the 1695 persons have been identified through entry screening, 237 through contact tracing and the rest were self reported.
Of the 342 positive cases, 234 have been discharged. Rest of them remain admitted to the identified health facility.
The situation is being monitored.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2009 : 19:48:01
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‘Swine flu situation under control’
NEW DELHI: To reassure parents and school children that the swine flu situation here is under control, Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia visited St. Thomas School on Thursday and interacted with students, parents and school authorities.
“The situation is under control and there is absolutely no need to worry,” she said.
Meanwhile, another student of St. Thomas School tested positive for the flu on Thursday taking the total number of students who have tested positive for the flu so far to 22.
The Minister also interacted with the school authorities and asked them about their preparedness for tackling the flu. “There is apprehension among parents and school children about swine flu and I have reassured them that this is a mild flu and so far there have been no deaths. I also told the students that anyone with the symptom should take medical help immediately,” she said.
City schools have been given information about swine flu and measures to be taken in case anyone is detected with the symptoms. Schools are also trying to ensure that they are able to minimise human-to-human transmission of the flu by reducing the contact with students who have tested positive for the flu.
“Our rapid response team tracking contacts of those who have tested positive are ensuring that we are able to reach people with the symptoms and provide them proper treatment. We are also happy that patients are getting better and getting discharged after proper treatment,” said the Minister.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2009 : 19:30:16
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Saturday,25 July 2009 Friday, July 24, 2009
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
H1N1 update for 24th July, 2009
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20:7 IST
World Health Organization has reported 94,512 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection from 135 countries as on 6th July 2009. There have been 429 deaths. There is no further update.
Health screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing in 22 International airports. 47,605 passengers have been screened on 23.7.2009 of which 34,172 passengers were from affected countries. 224 doctors and 112 paramedics are manning 81 counters at these airports. A cumulative total of 37,85,239 passengers have been screened.
Twenty one new laboratory confirmed cases have been reported today: Delhi (12), Hyderabad (4), Bangalore (1), Goa (1), Mumbai (1), Dehradun (1) and Gurdaspur, Punjab (1)
Out of the 12 cases, the first two [17/M, 13/F] are contact cases of previously reported cases. Five cases [20/M, 19/F, 21/M, 19/F and 18/F] travelled from Singapore by Air India Flight AI 0481 reaching Delhi on 22nd July 2009. They were found symptomatic during airport screening and admitted in isolation facility. The eight case is a 29 year old male who travelled from Thailand by Thai Airways flight TG 315 reaching Delhi on 20th July. He reported with symptoms to the identified health facility on 21st July. The ninth case is a 29 year old female who travelled from USA by American Airlines Flight AA 293 reaching Delhi on 21st July 2009. She self reported with symptoms on 22nd July and was admitted. The tenth case is Japanese National [37/M] who travelled from Tokyo by Thai Airways flight TG 315 reaching Delhi on 22nd July 2009. He was found symptomatic during the screening at the airport. The eleventh case is 16 year old male who travelled from Thailand by Cathay Pacific Flight CX 751 reaching Delhi on 22nd July 2009. As he was found symptomatic during the airport health screening, he was admitted to the identified health facility. The twelve case is a two year old male whom came from London by Air India Flight AI 112 reaching Delhi on 23rd July. He was also found symptomatic during the airport screening and admitted in the identified health facility.
Out of the four cases in Hyderabad, one [32/M] is a contact case of a previously reported positive case. The second case is a 34 year old case who came from US via Dubai by Emirates Flight EK 202 and EK 524 arriving Hyderabad on 17th July. He self reported with symptoms on 22nd July. The third case is a 29 year old male who travelled from France by Lufthansa Airlines Flight LH 752 reaching Hyderabad on 19th July 2009. He self reported with symptoms on 22nd July. The fourth case is 29 year old male who travelled from USA by British Airways Flight BA 277 reaching Hyderabad on 19th July. He self reported with symptoms on 22nd July.
The lone case in Bangalore is a 36 year old female who travelled from USA by American Airlines AA 192 reaching Bangalore on 22nd July. As he was found symptomatic during the airport screening, she was admitted in the isolation facility.
The case in Dehradun is a 28 year old female who is a contact case of a previously reported positive case.
The lone case in Mumbai is a 24 year old male who travelled from Singapore by Jet Airways Flight 9W 11 reaching Mumbai on 20th July 2009. He self reported with symptoms on 22nd July.
The lone case from Goa is a 38 year old male who travelled from Netherlands by Cathay Pacific Flight CX 0270 and CX 0685 via Hong Kong reaching Mumbai on 18th July and proceeding to Goa by Kingfisher Airlines Flight IT 3131. He self reported with symptoms on 22nd July.
The case from Gurdaspur, Punjab is a 40 year old female who travelled from Dallas to Delhi via Washington and New York by Air India Flight AI 0102 reaching Delhi on 9th July 2009. She reported with symptoms on 17th July. 1868 persons have been tested so far out of which 392 are positive for Influenza A H1N1 [Swine]. 551 out of the 1868 persons have been identified through entry screening, 296 through contact tracing and the rest were self reported.
Of the 392 positive cases, 273 have been discharged. Rest of them remain admitted to the identified health facility.
The situation is being monitored.
DS/
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2009 : 05:45:50
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Health
Copper can boost fight against H1N1 flu
London (IANS): Copper is quite effective in inhibiting the influenza A H1N1 virus commonly known as Swine flu, according to the latest study.
Copper appears to have a broad spectrum in antiviral activity due to its effectiveness against RNA (Ribonucleic acid)-based influenza and DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)-based adenovirus 40/41, which causes gastrointestinal infections.
Bill Keevil, professor at the University of Southampton School of Biological Sciences, said that he believed copper could be used to reduce the spread of flu in public places.
"With the ongoing threat of contamination by influenza A virus, such as H1N1, there is a real and pressing need to utilise all appropriate and effective measures with proven antimicrobial qualities," said Prof. Keevil.
"It is recognised that many infectious diseases are contagious and studies have now shown that the use of copper as a surface material in key public places such as hospitals and food preparation areas offers the potential to substantially restrict and reduce the spread of harmful infections."
The influenza aspect of the study involved a series of experiments testing incubation of influenza A on copper and stainless steel surfaces.
Results showed that after incubation for one hour on copper, 75 percent of the virus was eradicated. Similar inactivation rates have now been observed for adenovirus 40/41.
The study has contributed further to the understanding of copper's antimicrobial qualities, which actively inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi and viruses, said a University of Southampton release.
These findings were presented at the BIT Life Sciences' Second Annual World Summit on Anti-virals in Beijing this week.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2009 : 09:28:00
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H1N1 update for 25th July, 2009
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19:56 IST
World Health Organization has reported 94,512 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection from 135 countries as on 6th July 2009. There have been 429 deaths. There is no further update.
Health screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing in 22 International airports. 47,014 passengers have been screened on 24.7.2009 of which 37,456 passengers were from affected countries. 224 doctors and 112 paramedics are manning 81 counters at these airports. A cumulative total of 38,32,253 passengers have been screened.
Twenty one new laboratory confirmed cases have been reported today: Delhi (2), Pune (10), Jaipur (4), Vishakhapatnam (2), Hyderabad (1), Cochin (1) and Bangalore (1).
Out of the 2 cases in Delhi, the first is a 14 Year Old Female who travelled from UK by Virgin Airlines flight VS 300 reaching Delhi on 5 July 2009. She became symptomatic on 22 July 2009 and was admitted to identified health facility. The other case in Delhi is a 30 Year old male who arrived from Singapore by Cathay Pacific flight no. CX 751 reaching Delhi 23 July 2009. He was found symptomatic at the Airport and was admitted to the identified health facility.
All 10 cases in Pune were contact cases of previously reported positive cases. Two of the contacts (5/F & 25/F) developed symptoms on 23 July and were admitted. Eight others (38/F; 11/F; 28/M; 10/M; 10/F; 16/M; 10/M & 13/F) developed symptoms and were admitted to the identified health facility on 24 July 2009.
All four cases (50/F; 15/F; 38/F & 13/F) in Jaipur belong to one household/family and are contacts of a previously reported positive case. They developed symptoms on 23 and 24 July and self reported to the identified health facility.
Two cases (5m/F & 48/M) reported on the day from Vishakhapatnam belong to the same family and are contacts of a previously reported case in Vishakhapatnam.
The case is Hyderabad is a 54 year old male who travelled from US to Hyderabad by Emirates Airlines flight no. EK 526 via Dubai reaching 21 July. He self reported with symptoms on 23 July and was admitted to the identified health facility.
The case (74/F) in Cochin is household contact of a previously reported positive case. She developed symptoms on 23 July 2009 and was admitted to the identified health facility.
The case (24/M) in Bangalore travelled from Seoul in South Korea via Hongkong by Cathay Pacific Flight no. CX 152 reaching Bangalore on 20 July 2009. He self reported with symptoms on 22 July 2009 and was admitted to the identified health facility.
1946 persons have been tested so far out of which 413 are positive for Influenza A H1N1 [Swine]. 570 out of the 1946 persons have been identified through entry screening, 333 through contact tracing and the rest were self reported.
Of the 413 positive cases, 294 have been discharged. Rests of them remain admitted.
The situation is being monitored.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2009 : 19:45:09
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In 2 years, 2 billion will get swine flu: WHO
Kounteya Sinha, TNN 26 July 2009, 12:13am IST
NEW DELHI: Two billion — that's the number of people that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated will get infected with the deadly H1N1 influenza virus in the next two years. Earlier pandemics have infected one-third of the world's population. But this virus is especially dangerous.
Why? Because it is brand new, one nobody has seen before. And this means that everyone on this planet is immunologically vulnerable. The threat is clear from the way the virus has spread till now. Over 160 countries have already confirmed over 130,000 cases, with the virus spreading as much in less than six weeks as past pandemic flu viruses spread in more than six months.
WHO has already designated this as the "planet's fastest-moving pandemic". In most countries, those mostly infected belong to the age group of 12 to 17 years. However, persons requiring hospitalization and patients with fatal illness have been found to be slightly older. Almost 800 people have died from it in the past four months — more than what the H5N1 bird flu strain has killed in six years.
India is now worried and says it's just a matter of time before the country starts to see large scale community clusters of the virus.
According to Randeep Guleria, professor of medicine at AIIMS, who has also helped prepare India's treatment protocol, weather conditions like the end of monsoon and the winter months will be perfect for the H1N1 virus to thrive. "The current strain of H1N1 has high transmissibility rate which the H5N1 bird flu virus did not. Overcrowding in India will see the H1N1 virus spread very fast in the community in the post-monsoon months. And since it is a new virus, there is no herd immunity against it," Dr Guleria said.
An internal government estimate says that 3-5 million people will be required to be vaccinated soon after the full-fledged pandemic hits India.
"This would include health workers, police, customs and emergency relief workers — those who will work towards containing the pandemic. Then will be the high risk groups — the aged and those with underlying health conditions like diabetes, obesity and cardio-vascular disease," a health ministry official said. Globally, experts have reported five isolated cases of the H1N1 virus showing resistance to Tamiflu, the anti-viral of choice. But no changes to the virus' behaviour have been detected for now.
"But how it could potentially change and whether it mutates to become worse over the coming weeks is still unknown," WHO's spokesperson Gregory Hartl said.
Health officials in India are trying to determine which groups are most likely to get severely ill so measures to best protect them can be taken. A crucial meeting is scheduled next week to finalise the priority list. Drug makers in India have also started working on a vaccine to fight the scourge.
The Drug Controller General has given licence to three vaccine manufacturers to import WHO released seed strains for producing the H1N1 vaccine. "Serum Institute, Panacea and Bharat Biotech are the three companies working in India to make a vaccine against H1N1," NICD director Dr Shiv Lal said. WHO is, meanwhile, supporting three other companies in three countries — India, Thailand and Indonesia — to make an H1N1 vaccine.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2009 : 20:15:47
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Sunday, Jul 26, 2009
Global swine flu death toll swells to 800
Seema Hakhu Kachru/PTI / Houston July 25, 2009, 14:32 IST
The death toll due to swine flu around the world has swelled to around 800, World Health Organisation has reported.
The A(H1N1) virus that first caused illness in Mexico and the US in March and April is continuing to spread through the world, the UN body said yesterday.
WHO spokesperson Gregory Hartl warned that the virus is expected to increase this winter in the Northern Hemisphere due to cold weather.
Dr Anne Schuchat, director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Immunisation and Respiratory Diseases, agreed to this saying "We had a 6 to 8 per cent attack rate just during the spring months... We think that in a longer winter season, attack rates would be two to three times as high as that."
Around 160 countries and territories have now reported laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus, but how it could potentially change over the coming weeks is still unknown, the WHO spokesperson told reporters in Geneva.
Meanwhile, the US officials say that the swine flu could end up affecting as many as 40 per cent of Americans, if one includes workers who stay home to care for people who contract the illness.
"Our assumptions for a severe pandemic were that up to 40 per cent of the workforce might be affected and not able to work either because they were ill or they needed to stay home to care for an ill family member," they said.
The CDC reported that there have been 43,771 confirmed cases of H1N1 virus and 302 deaths in the US, but officials believe that over one million Americans have been stricken with swine flu.
The highest percentages of deaths from the pandemic are among adolescents and youths, he said, adding that the virus is likely to spread more quickly in schools and institutions. WHO expects the first doses of vaccine against A(H1N1) to be ready by early fall.
Two manufacturers have guaranteed that 150 million doses will be made available and the agency is pressing other partners to secure more doses, Hartl pointed out.
The projection from the CDC is based on influenza pandemic in 1957 when almost 70,000 people in the US died from the flu.
A public health campaign and a vaccination programme, which will probably begin in October, can reduce the impact of the swine flu, she said.
Vaccine trials, already underway in Australia, are expected to begin in the US next week, Schuchat said. US officials hope to have 160 million doses of injectable swine flu vaccine on hand by October, with more doses coming in the form of a nasal spray -- if trials of experimental vaccines are successful.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2009 : 05:59:50
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Europe fast-tracking swine flu vaccine
LONDON (AP): In a drive to inoculate people against swine flu before winter, many European governments say they will fast-track the testing of a new flu vaccine, arousing concern among some experts about safety issues and proper vaccine doses.
The European Medicines Agency, the EU's top drug regulatory body, is accelerating the approval process for swine flu vaccine, and countries such as Britain, Greece, France and Sweden say they'll start using the vaccine after it's greenlighted _ possibly within weeks.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the World Health Organization's flu chief, warned about the potential dangers of untested vaccines, although he stopped short of criticizing Europe's approach outright.
``One of the things which cannot be compromised is the safety of vaccines,'' he said Friday. ``There are certain areas where you can make economies, perhaps, but certain areas where you simply do not try to make any economies.''
Flu vaccines have been used for 40 years, and many experts say extensive testing is unnecessary, since the swine flu vaccine will simply contain a new ingredient: the swine flu virus.
But European officials won't know if the new vaccine causes any rare side effects until millions of people get the shots. Still, they say the benefit of saving lives is worth the gamble.
``Everybody is doing the best they can in a situation which is far from ideal,'' said Martin Harvey-Allchurch, a spokesman for the European Medicines Agency. ``With the winter flu season approaching, we need to make sure the vaccine is available.''
In Europe, flu vaccines are usually tested on hundreds of people for several weeks or months, to ensure the immune system produces enough antibodies to fight the infection.
But to ensure swine flu vaccine is available as soon as possible, the European Medicines Agency is allowing companies to skip testing in large numbers of people before the vaccine is approved.
The main issue is probably that without thorough testing it's difficult to gauge the effective dosage _ meaning Europeans might get too weak a vaccine. It's unlikely the vaccine would endanger anyone, but until it is used in large numbers of people, no one will know for sure.
Europeans appear ready to use the vaccine widely before conducting any big studies to prove it is safe and effective. Neither the vaccine makers nor the European Medicines Agency would specify what basic safety tests are being done.
The U.S. is taking a more cautious approach: the government called Wednesday for several thousand volunteers to be injected with the swine flu vaccine in tests beginning in August to assess the vaccine's safety. American officials said results should be ready by the time the U.S. plans to roll out a vaccination campaign in October.
Results from the U.S. tests will be of limited use to Europe, since countries like Britain plan to start vaccinating as early as August _ before any American trial data is available. The vaccines used in the U.S. will also be different from those in Europe.
Some experts favor urgent action.
``The consequences of not having a vaccine if this virus gets worse are very high,'' said Leonard Marcus, a public health expert at Harvard University. ``If (regulatory authorities) took all the time that was necessary to make sure there are no side effects, ironically, in the effort to save a few lives, many lives could be lost.''
But critics say dangers lurk in any strategy to vaccinate without robust testing.
Scant information exists on flu vaccines with adjuvants, a component used to stretch the active ingredient that is commonly found in European flu vaccines. There are no licensed flu vaccines with the ingredient in the U.S.
There is also limited or no data on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines with adjuvants in children under 3 and pregnant women _ two of the most vulnerable groups in a pandemic _ a global outbreak.
Mass swine flu vaccination campaigns will also take place in the shadow of the 1976 swine flu disaster, when hundreds of people in the U.S. developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, a paralyzing disorder, after being vaccinated.
Experts don't know why that happened, but say modern vaccine production techniques have improved since 1976. To avoid a similar episode, some say comprehensive testing before the vaccine is rolled out is essential.
``I can't see any possible excuse to not test it for safety before it's given to anyone,'' said George Annas, a bioethics expert at Boston University.
If the vaccine turns out to have dangerous side effects, it could generate a public backlash, particularly in a country like Britain, where many people remain suspicious of vaccines because of unsubstantiated allegations linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism. That could lead to millions of people refusing vaccination.
When the bird flu crisis hit several years ago, the European Medicines Agency designed a special protocol to approve a vaccine for use in a pandemic as soon as possible.
The agency let companies submit data for a ``mock-up'' vaccine, using H5N1 bird flu. The idea was to do most of the testing before the global epidemic hit so when it did, drugmakers could insert the pandemic virus into the vaccine at the last minute.
When the first swine flu vaccine doses are ready, the European Medicines Agency will approve them largely based on data from the bird flu vaccine, since both will have the same basic ingredients.
If the agency thinks the bird flu data predicts how the swine flu virus will work, they will approve it, said spokesman Harvey-Allchurch.
The agency will then require regular reporting of the vaccine's effects as it is being administered _ monitoring that is normally done beforehand.
WHO's Fukuda said everyone involved in making the vaccine, from manufacturers to regulatory agencies, is looking at what steps can be taken to streamline the process.
``But there is no one who disagrees that one of the absolutes is that there can't be any question whether the vaccine is safe or not,'' he said.
WHO reported that the swine flu viruses aren't producing enough of a key vaccine ingredient, which may limit how much vaccine is available. Its laboratory network is now working to produce a new set of viruses that it hopes will work better.
Drugmakers including Baxter International, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Novartis and Sanofi-Pasteur, however, insist they will be able to start shipping the first batches of vaccine soon.
British health officials have repeatedly said they will start vaccinating in August, as soon as the vaccine is approved. Other European countries, including Greece, France, Sweden, say they will use the vaccine after it gets the green light from the European agency, but none other than Britain expect to start the shots next month.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2009 : 10:08:20
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Monday,27 July 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
H1N1 update for 27th July, 2009
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20:15 IST
World Health Organization has reported 94,512 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection from 135 countries as on 6th July 2009. There have been 429 deaths. There is no further update.
Health screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing in 22 International airports. 45,235 passengers have been screened on 26.7.2009 of which 36,334 passengers were from affected countries. 224 doctors and 112 paramedics are manning 81 counters at these airports. A cumulative total of 39,24,587 passengers have been screened.
Twenty five new laboratory confirmed cases have been reported today: Delhi (7), Pune (8), Chennai (4), Hyderabad (3), Bangalore (1), Chandigarh UT (1) and Patiala, Punjab (1)
Out of the seven cases in Delhi, two cases [49/F and 26/M] travelled from Singapore by Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 190 transiting Kuala Lumpur reaching Delhi on 25th July 2009. As they were found to be symptomatic at the airport, they were detected during the screening at the airport. The third case is a 58 year old male who travelled from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia by flight no SV 0758 reaching Delhi on 26th July 2009. He was also detected at the airport. The fourth case [15/male] is a contact case of a previously reported positive case. The fifth case [35/F] who travelled from Bangkok by Thai Airways TG 316 reaching Delhi on 15th July 2009. She reported with symptoms on 25th July at the identified health facility. The sixth case [14/M] is a contact case of previously reported case. The seventh case [19/M] travelled from Singapore transiting Bangkok by Cathay Pacific flight CX 721 reaching Delhi on 22nd July 2009. She self reported with symptoms on 26th July at the identified health facility.
Out of the four cases in Chennai, two cases of a family [37/F and 8/F] They were found symptomatic at the airport. The third case [12/F] travelled from U.K via Doha reaching Chennai on 25th July. As she was found symptomatic at the airport, she were detected at the airport. The fourth case [17/M] travelled from Singapore reaching Chennai on 24th July. He self reported at the identified health facility on 25th July.
Out of the three cases in Hyderabad one [30/F] is a contact case of a previously reported positive case. The second case [11/F] travelled from UK by Jet Airways Flight 9W 117 via Mumbai by 9W 451 reaching Hyderabad on 22nd July. She self reported with symptoms on 24th July and was admitted in the identified health facility. The third case [54/M] travelled from Saudi Arabia by Oman Airways Flight reaching Hyderabad on 23rd July. He reported at the identified health facility with symptoms on 24th July.
The lone case [28/M] in Bangalore is a contact of a known positive case.
The single case [23/M] in Chandigarh travelled from Bangkok by Jet Airways Flight 9W 063 reaching Delhi on 23rd July and further proceeding to Patiala by road. He started having symptoms on 23rd July and got admitted at identified health facility at Chandigarh.
The case [16/M] in Patiala travelled from Singapore by Cathay Pacific Flight CX 712 reaching Delhi on 22nd July 2009 and proceeded to Patiala by Taxi. He reported with symptoms on 25th July and got admitted at the identified health facility.
2077 persons have been tested so far out of which 454 are positive for Influenza A H1N1 [Swine]. 440 out of the 2077 persons have been identified through entry screening, 385 through contact tracing and the rest were self reported.
Of the 454 positive cases, 311 have been discharged. Rest of them remain admitted.
The situation is being monitored.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/28/2009 : 19:23:47
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Update of Influenza A [HiNi] as on 28th July, 2009
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19:51 IST
World Health Organization has reported 94,512 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection from 135 countries as on 6th July 2009. There have been 429 deaths. There is no further update.
Health screening of passengers coming from affected countries is continuing in 22 International airports. 42,138 passengers have been screened on 27.7.2009 of which 34,360 passengers were from affected countries. 224 doctors and 112 paramedics are manning 81 counters at these airports. A cumulative total of 39, 66,725 passengers have been screened.
Twenty one new laboratory confirmed cases have been reported today: Delhi (5), Pune (7), Gurgaon (2), Bangalore (2), Mumbai (1) Hyderabad (1), Kozhikode (1), Trivandrum (1) and Amritsar, Punjab (1)
Out of the Five Cases in Delhi, four cases [25/F, 2/M, 13/M and 15/M] are contacts of previously reported cases. The fifth case [10/M] travelled from Frankfurt by Lufthansa Flight LH 760 reaching Delhi on 27 July 2009. He was found to be symptomatic at the airport and was admitted to the identified health facility.
All seven cases [15/F, 15/F, 7/M, 15/M, 11/M, 35/M, 41/M] in Pune are contacts of previously reported cases are admitted in the identified health facility.
The two cases in Gurgaon [18/F, 46/F] are contacts of a previously reported positive case. They self reported with symptoms on 26 July 2009 and remain admitted to the identified health facility.
Out of the two cases from Bangalore, the first case is 26 year old female who is a contact of a previously reported positive case. She was found to be symptomatic on 26 July 2009 and stays admitted to the identified health facility. The second case is a 27 year old female who travelled from New Jersey, USA by British Airways Flight BA 119 reaching Bangalore on 21 July 2009. She developed symptoms on 25 July 2009 and was admitted to the identified health facility.
The case[23/F] in Mumbai travelled from Bangkok by Cathay Pacific Flight CX 709 reaching Mumbai on 25 July 2009. She developed symptoms on 26 July 2009 and was admitted to the identified health facility.
The case in Hyderabad is 36 year old female who is a contact of a previously reported positive case. She self reported with symptoms on 26 July and stays admitted to the identified health facility.
The lone case [8/F] in Kozhikode travelled from Bahrain by Bahrain Air Flight No 2B 515 reaching Kozhikode on 26 July, 2009.She was detected to b symptomatic at the airport and was admitted to the identified health facility is a contact of a known positive case.
The case in Trivandrum is a 1 year old male who travelled from London by Emirates Flight EK 522 reaching Trivandrum on 19 July 2009. He self reported with symptoms on 26 July 2009 and was admitted to the identified health facility
The case from Amritsar is a 19 year old male who travelled from Malaysia by Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 190 reaching Delhi on 24 July 2009 and further travelled to Amritsar by Shatabdi Express on 25 July 2009. He was found to be symptomatic on 26 July and was admitted to the identified facility.
2184 persons have been tested so far out of which 475 are positive for Influenza A H1N1 [Swine]. 452 out of the 2077 persons have been identified through entry screening, 420 through contact tracing and the rest were self reported.
Of the 475 positive cases, 353 have been discharged. Rest of them remain admitted.
The situation is being monitored.
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'Swine flu more dangerous than bird flu'
