<<Advancing Bird Flu-H5N1...Now following MERS and Ebola approaching PANDEMICS>>>

I have frequently highlighted the disgusting lack of information that has been forthcoming regarding the MERS-cov outbreak, which has sugnificantly retarded medical experts attempts to detect the source and vector for this emerging deadly disease that not only threatens people in its country of origin but the whole world at large.

Here we have "on the record" commentary explicitly directed at the Saudi Health Authorities for precisely those same matters, leaving no doubt as to the frustration and the risk that the Saudi Authorities are taking in the manner they doggedly continue to manage, or should I say missmanage this matter.

The last paragraph and the carefully chosen words from none other than Michael Osterholm, a world leading virologist are particularly susinct.

The statements from the WHO and the ECDC both underscored how little the world has learned about the new virus since its existence was 1st publicly announced last September [2012; see ProMED-mail post Novel coronavirus - Saudi Arabia: human isolate 20120920.1302733 for the 1st public announcement. - Mod.MPP].

"It is unusual to have such a degree of uncertainty at this stage in an outbreak," the European health agency's statement noted. It called the information that has been shared about the cases, including the current Saudi outbreak, "insufficient."

Illustrating the problem, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health changed the count on its coronavirus website on Friday [17 May 2013], adding another case, which brings the global total to 41. The ministry revealed only that an infected person had been found in the eastern region and was receiving care.

The ECDC statement also said that at this point, it cannot exclude the possibility that the virus is acting in a SARS-like manner, especially given that outbreaks in hospitals have now occurred in several instances.

Hospitals played a key amplifying role during the 2003 SARS outbreak, with undetected cases infecting other patients, visitors and health-care workers. The MERS virus is from the same family as the SARS virus.

The criticisms and concerns embedded in the 2 statements might appear mild, but in the world of public health diplomacy, they are unusually frank.

One expert called the WHO statement a shot across the bow for the countries that have been the sources of MERS infections.

"When you see those words, you realize that this is not being handled," said Michael Osterholm, director of the Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

"The WHO statement and the ECDC's, both, they're really important statements." But even at that, Osterholm fears the time for carefully worded warnings may be running out.

"You've got to kind of call the code," he said. "Either there is going to be an intensive effort made to understand what's going on in the Middle East and appropriate control measures brought to bear, or potentially we're going to be asking a lot of questions one day as to why we didn't do more

Link here...

[link to www.promedmail.org]

In the left menu under the heading...

18 May 2013 MERS-CoV - Eastern Mediterranean (02): WHO summary, ECDC risk

Recently, even the Director-General of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan, MD, in a speech, chose to highlight the very issues that the Saudi Authorities have been noticably derilict in their observations with their international agreements in this specific matter.

Its a pity the the very same Director-General didnt avail herself of this excellent opportunity to offer up an explaination of why the World Health Organization had chosen to change its reporting scheduleds to monthly rather than their previous practise of immediate reporting.

Global health groups weigh in on H7N9 threat
Lisa Schnirring Staff Writer


May 20, 2013 (CIDRAP News) – China's H7N9 influenza outbreak was one of the high-profile disease topics in the opening address today for the annual World Health Assembly (WHA), as two global health groups issued new assessments of the risk to humans and the poultry trade.

No new human H7N9 cases have been reported in the last several days, keeping the number of infections at 130 on the Chinese mainland, with the death toll staying at 36, Xinhua, China's state news agency, reported today. Citing Chinese health officials, the report said 72 people who were hospitalized with their infections have been discharged.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan, MD, told the group meeting in Geneva today that when the WHA convened a decade ago, the world was grappling with the SARS epidemic, an event that focused attention on the need to share vital information with the international health community and led to important revisions of the International Health Regulations.

The WHA, held each year in Geneva, is the decision-making arm of the WHO. About 3,000 participants are on hand to decide on issues such as disease prevention, monitoring of health improvement markers, polio eradication, and the WHO's budget.

Chan said the world is now juggling two new disease threats, H7N9 and the novel coronavirus, or Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). She praised China's quick response and its transparency in sharing clinical investigation and virus information with the global health community. "I thank China for collecting and communicating such a wealth of information, and for collaborating so closely with WHO," she said.

Chan made no comment about how Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries have handled and communicated about the MERS-CoV outbreak. The countries don't appear to be reporting the cases promptly and have shared little clinical information about infected patients.

"I cannot overemphasize the importance of immediate and fully transparent reporting to WHO, and of strict adherence to your obligations set out in the International Health Regulations," Chan told the group. "As was the case 10 years ago, the current situation demands collaboration and cooperation from the entire world. A threat in one region can quickly become a threat to all."

Link here...

[link to www.cidrap.umn.edu]

Regular readers on here will be very familiar with one of our favorite posters, MzTreeChick.

Most will be aware that for quite some time now she has been fighting her own personal battle for better health.

Now I know beyond doubt that she will chastize me for airing this news but I have to.

Ive just had a welcome private message from her, but with it has come the news that her fight has escallated as her condition has deteorated somewhat.

She is in pain.

In her ever, true to form spirit, she does all to cope and look to the future with a positive approach.

I cannot hope to describe the immense admiration I hold for for this wonderful lady and mother.

I do ask everyone to join with me in offering her all our deepest and most pure wishes for her and for some desperately needed relief from the load that she bears.

If I could, Id trade places with her in a blink.

MzTreeChick you are in all our thoughts and we all do wish the very best for you.

Hopefully you get some small comfort from knowing all this.

And for God's sake GET WELL.

arkay and everyone here.

Thanks arkay. She will be in my prayers. Great lady.

no new cases? meaning no new cases to be made public or reported.

Yes, she'll be in mine as well.

We seldom get to celebrate much good news on this thread, such is the nature of the topic that we deal with.

But when we do it is indeed a sweet thing.

This news of China being able to wind back its surveilance of H7N9 in two of its provinces because they have had no fresh cases being reported in the lst 21 days is indeed reason to enjoy a relaxing breath of fresh air.

Chinese provinces ended their emergency response to the H7N9 bird flu on Friday [17 May 2013] after no new human infections were reported in the past 21 consecutive days, authorities said. The provincial governments of Jiangsu and Shandong, both in eastern China, have announced an end to the level-IV emergency response to the H7N9 avian influenza outbreak.

Shanghai Municipality ended emergency response measures on 10 May 3013, and Zhejiang Province ended them on Thursday [16 May 2013].

Medical observations for those who had close contact with H7N9-infected patients have also ended in these provinces:

Since Jiangsu diagnosed the 1st case of H7N9 on 21 Mar 2013, a total of 27 human cases of the new strain of avian influenza were reported in the province. 8 of these patients died, 13 recovered and 6 remain hospitalized, according to a statement issued by the provincial government.

In Shandong Province, only 2 cases of H7N9 were reported. Both patients recovered and no new cases have been reported for 21 consecutive days

Link here...

[link to www.promedmail.org]

In the left menu under the heading...

21 May 2013 Avian influenza, human (82): China H7N9 update

A young girl in Cambodia has been detected with H5N1 avian influenza.

What is quite unusual with this particular case is the fact that she became ill in January of this year and she remains alive after all this time and against a background of having her H5N1 diagnosis being made as late as May the 2nd this year.

She is indeed a very fortunate individual to have survived for so long and all credit must go to her carers who have done a miraculous job in caring for this poor soul.

Lets hope that she is able to go forward and make a complete recovery.

Miracles can happen.

H5N1 sickens Cambodian girl

Another H5N1 avian flu case has surfaced in Cambodia, that of a 5-year-old girl whose illness was detected retrospectively, according to a May 17 update from the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region office. Her illness, which began on Jan 28, was found during a fever surveillance study conducted by the US Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU). Her respiratory samples tested positive for H5N1 on May 2.

Link here...

[link to www.cidrap.umn.edu]

It seems that migratory ducks have brought their H5N1 avian flu infections into Korea and infected commercially grown ducks which have had to be culled.

According to the Korean Central News Agency on the 20th reported that the DPRK was confirmed highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu, has culled more than 160,000 ducks, and follow-up measures are being taken.

Reported that the Korean Central Veterinary vaccination Veterinary Research Institute of Agricultural Sciences and other relevant units to carry out checks on the 7th confirmed Pyongyang fighting regiment ducks reared ducks occur due to contact with migratory birds H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Link here...

[link to health.hsw.cn]

Google translated

Brasil is reporting that it has had 61 deaths from influenza this year with 55 of these being caused by H1N1 Swine Flu.

For some unknown reason, swine flu seems to continue to stubbornly remain a real concern in this region of the world.

BRASILIA - O Estado de Sao Paulo reported so far 55 deaths from H1N1 flu, 90% of all deaths recorded so far in the country "We are very concerned," said the director of the Department of Communicable Disease Surveillance, Claudio Maierovitch.

Link here...

[link to www.estadao.com.br]

Google translated.

This article might raise a few eyebrows in the UK.

Chickens and eggs sold at Tesco may come from birds fed on GM food 12 April, 2013

The British supermarket store Tesco has announced that its own-label fresh and frozen poultry and eggs will in future be fed with genetically modified soya made by Monsanto. The soya, which is grown in North America and South America, is resistant to the weedkiller glyphosate - which Monsanto sells under the brand-name RoundUp. The retailer said that new farming methods meant it could no longer promise that its birds had a diet free of GM material, as it lifted its own 11-year ban on such products.

Link here...

[link to www.poultrymed.com]

Kathmandu continues to struggle in its fight against fresh outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in its poultry flocks, with this report of three seperate outbreaks in just seven days.

Three bird flu outbreaks in last seven days

KATHMANDU, May 21: The rapid response team comprising vet officials and technicians on Monday evening culled 475 chickens and 335 ducks following confirmation of bird flu virus in a poultry farm owned by Santosh Chaudhary of Dhapasi-6, Kathmandu.

The team deployed by the Directorate of Animal Health (DoAH) had also destroyed 200 kg chicken feed stored in farm. The vet technicians had also destroyed droppings and disinfected the farm by late night.

Officials at DoAH said the latest outbreak is the third over the last seven days.

Link here...

[link to www.myrepublica.com]

Vietnam is reporting 5 new cases of H1N1 swine flu.

Further comments make the observation that since the beginning of this year 48 percent of flu cases have been H1N1 swine flu.

Health authorities in the northern province of Lao Cai on Saturday announced the province’s first five cases of the year involving humans infected with influenza A subtype H1N1, known as swine flu.

Link here...

[link to www.thanhniennews.com]

Coronavirus claims another life in Saudi Arabia; Tunisia announces 3 cases
- Dubai Chronicle - [link to www.dubaichronicle.com] - May 21, 2013

[link to www.phac-aspc.gc.ca]

261 flu deaths in India alone- and that was as far back as Feb-March...

Venezuela is reporting that they are battling a substantial H1N1 swine flu outbreak.

One must wonder if this H1N1 virus has the "M" gene which gives it a more contagous charasteric.

At least 160 cases and three deaths have been registered in Venezuela from swine flu, officials said. "We have officially registered 11 cases and sadly have two people dead from this disease here in Aragua state as of now," Aragua Gov. Tareck El Aissami said. "We are taking all the epidemiological measures," the governor said. One death has occurred in Lara state, where 16 people have tested positive for AH1N1 out of 65 suspected cases, Lara Government Secretary Teodoro Campos said.

Link here...

[link to hisz.rsoe.hu]

Saudi Arabian Health authorities have been busy collecting large numbers of samples which will now undergo testing in an effort to locate the reservour for the MERS-cov that has so far avoided being identified in the Ababian peninsula.

Saudi Arabia said Friday [24 May 2013] it would send samples taken from animals possibly infected with a deadly SARS-like virus to the United States for testing in a bid to find the source of disease.

The Saudi health ministry has "collected large samples from bats and other animals, including camels, sheep and cats," said Saudi Deputy Health Minister Ziad Memish.

So far, there have been 44 lab-confirmed cases worldwide of the virus, which until now has been known as the novel coronavirus, or nCoV-EMC, but was this week redubbed the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, or MERS.

Link here...

[link to www.promedmail.org]

In the left menu under the heading...

24 May 2013 MERS-CoV - Eastern Mediterranean (10): animal reservoir, research

Back to the H7N9 situation in China.

There have been no new cases publicly reported recently which has to be a tremendous relief.

And now researchers who have been studying this virus have found some interresting factors with this viruses transmissability and how that impacts on humans.

Scientists have completed the 1st assessments of how readily the H7N9 flu virus in China can pass among ferrets and pigs. The mammals provide the best inkling of how dangerous these bugs may become for humans.

The news is both bad and good. They've found the new bird virus is easily passed between ferrets sharing the same cage. "This is a more infectious virus -- it has a higher intrinsic transmissibility [among mammals] -- than most of the avian viruses we've seen in the past," Dr. Richard Webby, a study co-author, tells Shots. But the saving grace, so far, is that H7N9 doesn't travel very well through airborne secretions from sneezing and coughing. It requires direct, intimate contact for infection. Researchers have found that pigs, which often serve as incubators of flu strains that go on to cause big outbreaks in people, can get infected with H7N9, but infected pigs don't pass it on very well, either through direct contact with other pigs or through airborne secretions.

This all fits with the picture that has emerged in China this spring [2013], where H7N9 has so far sickened 131 people and killed 36. At least 3/4ths of those victims apparently got the virus from contact with poultry or markets selling live chickens. Only a few seem to have gotten it from family members. Apparently, no one has been infected by breathing the same air as an infected person. The new data, published online by the journal Science [see abstract below], come from researchers in China and collaborators in North America. Webby is an influenza expert at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. Other labs have reportedly found the same thing.

Link here...

[link to www.promedmail.org]

In the left menu under the heading...

24 May 2013 Avian influenza, human (83): China, H7N9 transmissibility in ferrets & pigs

It appears that the Saudi authorities continue with their distorting and censoring of any news that is related to the MERS-cov.

Here we see a conflict in the report of a person dying but the cause of death is being argued over as it may have been MERS-cov, but there appears to be a reluctance to accept this diagnosis.

This leaves us all just wondering exactly how much we really being told about with this MERS-cov by the Saudi Authorities.

It certainly doesent do anything for public trust and confidence in those who are charged with telling us the facts.

Corona bundled" set off a crisis between the Hospital and the University of

The second fell after health authorities denied

Consolidated: Turkish Alstilla of 2013-05-26 2:16 AM

End result is that faculty member at the University of bundled "Jordanian nationality" died.
But the circumstances of the death were divided around the university administration and management of the King Khaled Hospital in the province, the former claimed that the death occurred last Thursday, was due to the corona, the second &#1601;&#1606;&#1601;&#1578;, confirmed that the patient had blood cancer (leukemia).

Link here...

[link to alwatan.com.sa]

Google translated.

This next article appears to again be highlighting the conflicts that seem to arise whenever there is news of more cases of the MERS-cov in Saudi Arabia.

This case appears to be a new case in a region that had previously not seen any MERS-cov cases.

And Pentecostal death after entering into a verbal altercation with her news to indicate the presence of another case in the region ...
Citizen dies after exposure to the symptoms of "Corona" in Najran
0:29 - 26 May 2013 seen 4986 Aloiamalrisah the> local Najran harmony Awad Al Atef:

Najran region has seen the case of the death of a citizen suspected of being due to illness "Corona."

He said one of the relatives of the citizen for "harmony" that initial reports indicate illness "Corona" two documents so that the symptoms are the same symptoms of the disease while the sample was raised from case to specialized laboratories for sure.

Link here...

[link to www.alweeam.com.sa]

Google translated.

[link to crofsblogs.typepad.com]

Saudi Arabia: Five new MERS cases in eastern region.

Hi Vic-chick.

Thank you for that excellent pick up.

Having read the commentary from your link, the particular comment from it would appear that all the fuss I and others have been making over the way that the Saudi Authorities have and continue to handle and are (miss)managing this whole matter is one that we should all be very very concerned about.

The lives on many thousands of people are very much in the hands of these Saudi Authorities and I have very grave fears that the way that entire matter is being dealt with will ensure that far too little will be done and far too late, which will almost certainly see this MERS-cov become an even deadlier killer than was the case of SARS or for that mater any pandemic that has dogged humanity in the last century, including the Spammish flu that killed millions.

Here is that comment that I referred to...

Judging from the tweets at #MERS, no one is happy about the brevity of this announcement.

Hi Arkay!
Just happy to share. :)

Bit of an update re: the five new cases
[link to crofsblogs.typepad.com]

Hi All,

Thank you for your kind words they are greatly appreciated.




Arkay , another dr visit, another push for meds, another dr visit in 3 weeks, its like a twilight zone episode.


... AND the band played on!

hope you get through this wishing all the strength and best for you

You hang in there just like you know how to.

Stay focussed and FIGHT.

We are all with you, remember that always.

arkay and everyone else.

Turning to why we do this, there has been a new report of two more people testing positive for MERS-cov again in Saudi Arabia.

While every case is equally very worrisome , to see health care workers contracting this horrible disease when they are doing all they can to help others suffering from it, just seems to add an extra edge of distastefullmess to this mennace.

Lets hope and pray that they are able to make a speedy and complete recovery.

Two healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia became ill from patients who have the SARS-like virus - newly named the MERS-CoV virus, experts say. The SARS-like virus, identified as the novel coronavirus, was first detected in March 2012. It has caused 49 confirmed cases of infection and 27 deaths, officials at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, said.

Link here...

[link to hisz.rsoe.hu]

Good to see you back and still fighting ! I hope all is going better for you.

ALERT>>>THIS IS BAD NEWS.

Ok folks, first up I apolagize for being a bit lax over the last week or so.

While I have spotted some information worthy of posting Im guilty of putting it off for a bit, based on the relatively low level of genuine threat and importance.

Unfortunately today this has changed and quite substantially so.

I still just dont have the time available right now to thoroughily plow through all my sources but for the present that may not be entirely relevant against this emerging news.

As we all know the Saudi Authorities have been a very long way from being at all helpful in providing even the most basic of information of the developing MERS-cov situation there.

Really basic details like age, gender, etc of patients who have been diagnosed with this really deadly coronavirus.

The World Health Organization has been regularly criticized by researchers and numerous groups and individuals as well, for their failure to enforce international agreements that would provide the information mentioned above as well as far more concise information that would have permitted researchers and other health experts to better understand this coronavirus and more than likely contribute considerably to limiting the danger that it has been threatening to present to humanity at large.

These next couple of posts will give us all some now up to date insight into just how serious this problem has advanced to.

I will post more information soon, but I now have very little doubt that we should now all be sourcing certain basic protective equipment for our individual and families protection, certainly now before this situation develops much further and the massive rush will instantly place these essential items into the relm of completely unavailable for months, months that will be far too late to be of real help and exposing those without those pretections to grave risks for their lives.

To not source these relatively innexpensice and essential basics now could be your worst decision ever, and though I may be sounding somewhat alarmist, I far prefer to be doing that, possibly saving lives than lamenting the fact that we just didnt heed the warning signs early enough.

I have my supply now safely on hand.

I was able to obtain it all, face masks, anticeptic hand gells, antiseptic surface wipes and a few other essentials that I am certain will all be fully utilized if or perhaps now, when this coronavirus does go pandemic.

For those interrested I obtained my supplies from the link below.

Simple transaction over the internet, fast and efficient service, I can and certainly do recommend this supplier.

[link to www.exitkitsaustralia.com.au (secure)]

So, moving back to these serious posts.

They show that after enough people died from this disease the information sadly has eventually become available via these channels and now some real facts and trends have emerged.

And they are of serious concern.


Commentary

More MERS-CoV Cases and Deaths In Eastern KSA
Recombinomics Commentary 14:00
May 29, 2013

Of the 49 known infections with the MERS-CoV virus, 27 have resulted in death, the organization said.

The latest deaths were reported in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi health ministry said Wednesday that three people died from their infections in the country's eastern region.

The above comments indicate that three more MERS-CoV cases have died, raising the total to 21 in Saudi Arabia, Since only 9 of the Saudi Arabia cases have been discharged, the case fatality rate (CFR) in Saudi Arabia based on the 30 outcomes is 70%. This high CFR strongly suggests that the current testing / reporting in Saudi Arabia is describing a sub-set of the cases. Three days ago the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health (KSA-MoH) had noted a halt in the increase in confirmed cases in the Eastern Province. However, 5 new cases were announced yesterday, and the above comments indicated three more deaths from the region have been confirmed (see map).

Link here...

[link to www.recombinomics.com]