Category Archives: environment

Bird flu mutating in southern China, pandemic threatens: Shanghaiist

The deadly strain of the bird flu virus H7N9, which first infected humans in Shanghai during 2013, is entrenched in flocks of chickens and ducks in the south of China and mutating, posing an even greater threat to humanity, according to the largest-ever genomic survey of the virus.

In an article for Nature, author Guan Yi and colleagues at the University of Hong Kong warn that unless drastic measures are taken to eradicate the virus, it will continue to mutate. “H7N9 viruses have spread from eastern to southern China and become persistent in chickens,” they wrote. Given that the virus can infect humans, it “should be considered as a major candidate to emerge as a pandemic strain.”

via Bird flu mutating in southern China, pandemic threatens: Shanghaiist.

Avian Flu Diary: Study: Recombinant H5N2 Avian Influenza Virus Strains In Vaccinated Chickens

The `elephant in the room’ is that 10 years ago, when most of these countries elected to rely primarily on poultry vaccinations to control H5N1, there was only one HPAI H5 virus of concern; H5N1.   Now we now have at least a half dozen subtypes (H5N1, H5N2, H5N3, H5N6, H5N5,  H5N8) and literally dozens of clades between them.

This rapid growth is likely due in no small part to the continued use of outdated, poorly matched poultry vaccines which only hid symptoms in birds, and allowed viruses to continue to circulate and reassort.

via Avian Flu Diary: Study: Recombinant H5N2 Avian Influenza Virus Strains In Vaccinated Chickens.

Opinion: Manipulate and Mislead – How GMOs are Infiltrating Africa | Inter Press Service

About 80 percent of Africa’s food is produced by smallholders, who seldom farm on more than five hectares of land and usually on much less.  The majority of these farmers are women, who have scant access to finance or secure land tenure.

That they still manage to provide the lion’s share of the continents’ food, usually without formal seed, chemicals, mechanisation, irrigation or subsidies, is testament to their resilience and innovation.

African farmers have a lot to lose from the introduction of GMOs – the rich diversity of African agriculture, its robust resilience and the social cohesion engendered through cultures of sharing and collective effort could be replaced by a handful of monotonous commodity crops owned by foreign masters.

via Opinion: Manipulate and Mislead – How GMOs are Infiltrating Africa | Inter Press Service.

Nearly Beaten in Sierra Leone, Ebola Makes a Comeback by Sea – NYTimes.com

Sick fishermen came ashore in early February to the packed wharf-side slums that surround the country’s fanciest hotels, which were filled with public health workers. Volunteers fanned out to contain the outbreak, but the virus jumped quarantine lines and cascaded into the countryside, bringing dozens of new infections and deaths.

“We worked so hard,” said Emmanuel Conteh, an Ebola response coordinator in a rural district. “It is a shame to all of us.”

Continue reading the main story

RELATED COVERAGE

Liberia’s President Urges U.S. to Continue Ebola AidFEB. 27, 2015

Fatality Rate Is Falling in West African Ebola Clinics FEB. 26, 2015

Leaders of Ebola Fight at U.N. Express Worry About EradicationFEB. 20, 2015

Public health experts preparing for an international conference on Ebola on Tuesday seem to have no doubt that the disease can be vanquished in the West African countries ravaged by it in the last year. But the steep downward trajectory of new cases late last year and into January did not lead to the end of the epidemic.

via Nearly Beaten in Sierra Leone, Ebola Makes a Comeback by Sea – NYTimes.com.

Modi bets on GM crops for India’s second green revolution | Reuters

Modi bets on GM crops for India’s second green revolution | Reuters.

His bet will mean many deaths for India when monocrops succumb to massive crop failures due to unforeseen new fungi, bacteria, or rust. Will also open doors for new Bhopal type disasters but its all about money and not people or the planet. 

Teresa Rodríguez | Teresa Rodríguez

Teresa Rodríguez-Rubio Vázquez

Eurodiputada de PODEMOS

Tenemos otra forma de entender la política porque tenemos otra forma de entender la vida. Venimos de abajo y en la calle nos encontramos, nos miramos, nos enamoramos en primera del plural, más allá del dual. Confluimos, aprendemos rápido y de repente se nos ocurre que llevamos riendas y que las queremos llevar nosotras y nosotros. Y si metemos un pie en las instituciones es para darles la vuelta, demostrar que sí se puede hacer política de otra manera y reforzar los otros miles de pies que seguimos manteniendo en las calles. Yo soy el resultado de las luchas que me tocó dar, de las victorias que arrancamos y de las que nos robaron: anticapitalista, feminista, antimilitarista, ecologista y defensora de todas las libertades que no pasan por preferir lo injusto. Soy profe de instituto, eventualmente eurodiputada de PODEMOS. Lo que sigue es parte de ese camino que recorremos colectivamente.

via Teresa Rodríguez | Teresa Rodríguez.

peanut allergic – Whole Foods Markets, Inc. Recalls Products Due to Misbranding and an Undeclared Allergen

Can’t outsource quality and care can you?!?

Whole Foods Markets, Inc. is recalling approximately 33,191 pounds of ready to eat products due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains peanut, a known allergen which is not declared on the product label.

The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF Only)]

16 lb bulk containers of “CHILI, TURKEY AND BLACK BEAN” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15.

16 lb bulk containers of “CHILI, BRAISED BEEF” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15

24 oz packages of “CHICKEN CHILI BURRITO” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15.

24 oz packages of “PORK CARNITAS BURRITO” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15.

24 oz packages of “GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST QUESADILLA” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15.

10 lb bulk containers of “CHICKEN CHILI VERDE” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15.

10 lb bulk container of “PORK CARNITAS” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15.

1.5 lb packages of “CHILI, TURKEY & BLACK BEAN” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15.

1.5 lb packages of “CHILI, BRAISED BEEF” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15.

23 oz packages of “BLAZIN’ BEEF CHILI” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15.

10 lb bulk containers of “Beef for Barbacoa (Beef and Onions in Spicy Sauce)” with production dates of 1/14/15 to 2/5/15

via Whole Foods Markets, Inc. Recalls Products Due to Misbranding and an Undeclared Allergen.

BBC News – ‘Wild birds may spread flu virus’

Outbreaks in poultry may become more common in the future, especially in ill-prepared countries, they warn.

A severe strain found at a duck farm in the UK last year may have been carried by wild birds out of Russia, according to Dutch researchers.

The virus is a low human health risk, but wild birds on long migratory routes should be monitored, they say.

H5N8 is a strain of bird flu that appeared late last year in Russia, East Asia, North America and four European countries, including the UK.

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Start Quote

The outbreaks should be monitored closely, given that several animal species are susceptible and that influenza viruses are generally unpredictable”

Flu researchers

Erasmus Medical Center

via BBC News – ‘Wild birds may spread flu virus’.

Happy Lunar New Year – Tet_ Avian flu rampages in Taiwan, hits China, India | CIDRAP

Taiwan yesterday reported more than 100 avian flu outbreaks of three different subtypes, affecting hundreds of thousands of poultry, while China and India reported fresh outbreaks as well.

In addition, Bulgaria reported finding the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus H5N1 in a wild bird, while Nigerian officials said H5N1 outbreaks have struck lately in 11 states around the country.

Scores of Taiwan outbreaks

In a report to the World Organization for animal Health (OIE), Taiwan officials said 108 waterfowl farms were struck by HPAI H5N8 outbreaks. The farms are in Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, and Pingtung counties and the cities of Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Taichung. Officials said 52 of the farms also were affected by HPAI H5N2 viruses.

via Avian flu rampages in Taiwan, hits China, India | CIDRAP.

Avian Flu Diary: Nigeria’s Bird Flu Outbreak Expands To 11 States

total failure – The Federal Government on Wednesday said the H5N1 influenza virus, also known as bird flu, is now present in 11 states in Nigeria.

It confirmed the presence of the virus in four other states apart from the seven states earlier reported on January 22, 2015.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, outlined the additional states to include Oyo, Jigawa, Gombe and Imo.

He said the total number of birds exposed had risen to 232,385 with 51,444 mortalities recorded.

via Avian Flu Diary: Nigeria’s Bird Flu Outbreak Expands To 11 States.