Category Archives: pandemic

VDU’s blog: MERS in the USA….

The source of all exported MERS-CoV positive people lies within the Arabian peninsula. Very limited local spread has occurred within 3 non-peninsula countries.

Click on image to enlarge.

The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) made its way to another country yesterday; the United States of America (USA).

via VDU’s blog: MERS in the USA…..

Avian Flu Diary: CDC: First Imported MERS Coronavirus Case In the United States

CDC: First Imported MERS Coronavirus Case In the United States

(Crap!)

Coronavirus – Credit CDC PHIL

The CDC has just completed a hastily called press conference, headed by the CDC’s  Dr. Anne Schuchat and Pamela Pontones, State Epidemiologist, Indiana State Department of Health, to discuss the first imported case of MERS into the United States.

Admiral Schuchat, as many will remember, distinguished herself with her expertly handled press conferences during the opening weeks of the 2009 pandemic.

 (AKA= excuse for no steps taken to stop it at source) The arrival of a MERS case into the United States was considered almost inevitable, given the amount of international travelers this country receives, aided by the relatively long incubation period (up to 14 days) for the virus.  Dr. Schuchat stated that the CDC `expected the arrival of the virus’, and that local, state, and national public health agencies have been preparing for this eventuality for over a year..

The CDC released an emailed summary, which states:

On April 24, the patient traveled by plane from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to London, England then from London to Chicago, Illinois.  The patient then took a bus from Chicago to Indiana.  On the 27th, the patient began to experience respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath, coughing, and fever. The patient went to an emergency department in an Indiana hospital on April 28th and was admitted on that same day. The patient is being well cared for and is isolated; the patient is currently in stable condition. Because of the patient’s symptoms and travel history, Indiana public health officials tested for MERS-CoV. The Indiana state public health laboratory and CDC confirmed MERS-CoV infection in the patient this afternoon.

“It is understandable that some may be concerned about this situation, but this first U.S. case of MERS-CoV infection represents a very low risk (no evidence but best guess and hope) to the general public,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, assistant surgeon general and director of CDC’s National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases.  In some countries, the virus has spread from person to person through close contact, such as caring for or living with an infected person. However, there is currently no evidence of sustained spread of MERS-CoV in community settings.

CDC and Indiana health officials are not yet sure how the patient became infected with the virus.  Exposure may have occurred in Saudi Arabia, where outbreaks of MERS-CoV infection are occurring. Officials also do not know exactly how many people have had close contact with the patient.

 

Admiral Schuchat stated that the risk to the general public was `very low’, but that out of `an abundance of caution’ (AKA: CYAs) aggressive airline, bus, and hospital contract tracing was being undertaken by state and federal authorities.  Dr. Schuchat also warned that the situation is very fluid, and the CDC’s guidance and recommendations could change over coming days.

via Avian Flu Diary: CDC: First Imported MERS Coronavirus Case In the United States.

Avian Flu Diary: England: PHE Press Release On MERS Case Transiting London

(not a SciFi script but could be a good start for one but probably would be rejected because who would believe that it could be so easy to carry a potential killed disease from Saudi Arabia to the USA in a matter of hours and not be stopped and taken off the plan and all on the flight put in isolation?)

The passenger, who is not a UK national, was on British Airways Flight 262 from Riyadh to London, and transferred at Heathrow for onward travel to the USA, where they were later hospitalised with suspected MERS-CoV.

 

The risk of the infection being passed to other passengers on Flight 262 is extremely low. However, as a precautionary measure, Public Health England has contacted UK passengers who were sitting in the vicinity of the affected passenger to provide health information.

 

Any UK based passengers on Flight 262 on April 24 who have since become unwell or experienced respiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath are advised to contact NHS 111.

 

PHE will also work with the US health authorities to contact any UK passengers on the April 24 onward flight from London to Chicago, American Airlines Flight 99.

via Avian Flu Diary: England: PHE Press Release On MERS Case Transiting London.

First U.S. case of MERS tied to Chicago, Indiana – chicagotribune.com

The first U.S. case of a respiratory virus that has caused deadly outbreaks in the Middle East is a man who traveled through O’Hare International Airport on his way to Indiana, but officials said the man was in good condition and the risk of others being infected was small.

The man, who was not identified, was being treated for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) at Community Hospital in Munster, which said in a statement it is “maintaining appropriate isolation protocols for the protection of health care staff.”

RELATED

What is MERS?

Saudi Arabia finds 26 more cases of MERS

Slide of MERS-CoV

“Community Hospital has been working cooperatively with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent and the Indiana State Department of Health regarding tracking of patient family members and monitoring of exposed health care workers,” it added. “This patient was not out in the local community and, therefore, any public exposure was minimal.”

The man is a health care worker who had been in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He flew to London, then grabbed a flight to O’Hare on April 24 and took a bus to Indiana, according to the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The man began to experience increasing respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath, coughing, and fever three days later, according to the Indiana health department. He went to the emergency room at Community Hospital on the evening of April 28 was was admitted.

via First U.S. case of MERS tied to Chicago, Indiana – chicagotribune.com.

Ebola epidemic not yet over, says MSF

“We remain vigilant and cannot say that the outbreak is over, as we continue to see new confirmed patients and are continuing to provide care for the patients who remain in treatment centres,”   said Marc Poncin, emergency coordinator for MSF in Guinea. “Tracing the people who have had contact with known patients remains an key ongoing task.”

Bringing an Ebola outbreak under control requires close collaboration with the affected populations, which can be challenging.

“We have to remember that this is a new disease for Guineans, and that there remains significant fear and stigma associated with it,” said Armand Sprecher, the project’s medical coordinator and an Ebola expert.

“We understand this fear, and have seen it in previous outbreaks in other countries. More work by all the actors involved in the epidemic is still needed to ensure that populations affected have the correct information, and seek prompt medical attention.”

via Ebola epidemic not yet over, says MSF.

Shanghai resumes live poultry sales, still urges people to buy frozen: Shanghaiist

(Mistake – influenza will come back again unless markets clean up big time – just adopt slaughter and keep cool for “fresh” sale.)

After a 3-month long live poultry ban due to H7N9 bird flu concerns, Shanghai has resumed live fowl sales – but only after strict inspections (we hope) of purveyors. Still, we’re not going to be rushing to the wet market to snuggle with any Silkie chickens anytime soon. In fact, the city still urges consumers to purchase pre-frozen specimens as a precaution.

via Shanghai resumes live poultry sales, still urges people to buy frozen: Shanghaiist.

WHO Calls Antibiotic Resistance ‘Serious, Worldwide Threat’

WHO Calls Antibiotic Resistance ‘Serious, Worldwide Threat’.

“Without urgent, coordinated action by many stakeholders, the world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill,” says Dr Keiji Fukuda, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Health Security. “Effective antibiotics have been one of the pillars allowing us to live longer, live healthier, and benefit from modern medicine. Unless we take significant actions to improve efforts to prevent infections and also change how we produce, prescribe and use antibiotics, the world will lose more and more of these global public health goods and the implications will be devastating.”

Egypt warns against travel to Saudi Arabia due to MERS virus | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR

Egypt warns against travel to Saudi Arabia due to MERS virus

May 02, 2014 03:46 PM

A Saudi man wears wears a mouth and nose mask as he walks in a street of the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on April 27, 2014. AFP PHOTO/STR

CAIRO: Egypt’s Health Ministry issued a warning on Friday against children, elderly people and anyone suffering from chronic heart and chest diseases travelling to Saudi Arabia due to an outbreak there of a deadly new virus.

Saudi Arabia said on Thursday the number of cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), an often fatal disease caused by a coronavirus, had nearly doubled in April, with 26 more infections reported on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Of the more than 370 people who caught the disease in Saudi Arabia, 107 have died since MERS first emerged two years ago.

via Egypt warns against travel to Saudi Arabia due to MERS virus | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR.

Avian Flu Diary: Saudi MOH Announces 7 New MERS Cases

In Riyadh

​31 year old woman. She displayed respiratory symptoms and was admitted to a government hospital on 28/4/2014. Now, her condition is stable. She has been in contact with a confirmed case.

28 year old woman. She was admitted to a government hospital. She has been in contact with a confirmed case and has not displayed any symptoms.

28 year old man. He displayed respiratory symptoms and was admitted to a private hospital on 26/4/2014. Now, his condition is stable. He has been in contact with a confirmed case.

50 year old woman, suffering from diabetes. On 1/4/2014, she displayed respiratory symptoms. She was admitted to a government hospital on 22/4/2014.  Now, she is being treated in the ICU.

In Jeddah

​38 year old woman. On 19/4/2014, she displayed respiratory symptoms. She was admitted to a government hospital on 24/4/2014. Now, her condition is stable.

28 year old woman. She displayed respiratory symptoms on 24/4/2014. On 27/4/2014, she was admitted to a private hospital. Now, her condition is stable. She has been in contact with a confirmed case.

60 year old man. He displayed respiratory symptoms on 23/4/2014. He was admitted to a private hospital on 24/4/2014. Now, he is being treated in the ICU.

via Avian Flu Diary: Saudi MOH Announces 7 New MERS Cases.

Avian Flu Diary: Voting On MERS Transmission: Do The Eyes Have It?

Avian Flu Diary: Voting On MERS Transmission: Do The Eyes Have It?.

Viruses of many kinds are transmitted by contact with sweat, saliva, body excretions, body fluids. So how many times a day or hour do people touch or scratch their nose, eye, or ear with their hand? MERS like Ebola and SAMS, and two types of Avian Influenza have high enough kill ratios to justify – using as many precautions as possible.