february 08 Health Alerts

 

Situation in Egypt - update

28/02/08

The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt announced 28 February a new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection in a 4 years old female from El-Edwa district, Menia governorate. She is receiving treatment and is in a stable condition. Investigations into the source of her infection indicate exposure to sick poultry in the week prior to onset of symptoms.

Situation in China - update

26/02/08

The Ministry of Health in China has reported a new case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case is a 44 year old female from Haifeng county, Shanwei city, Guangdong province. She developed symptoms on 16 Feb 2008, was hospitalized on 22 February and died on 25 Feb 2008. The case was confirmed by the national laboratory on 25 Feb 2008. The case had contact with sick and dead poultry prior to her illness. All contacts have been placed under medical observation. All remain healthy to date. China has reported 4 outbreaks of the disease in poultry since December [2007], when average temperatures across the country hit their lowest in decades. Bird flu tends to be more active in the cold.   With the world's largest poultry population and hundreds of millions of farmers raising birds in their backyards, China is seen as crucial in the global fight against the disease and has struggled to combat the virus with mass inoculations for birds [poultry] and an education campaign for those who handle them.

Situation in Pakistan - update

26/02/08

Pakistani authorities found a fresh outbreak of H5N1 in chickens, the 4th case in a month, in the southern city of Karachi , a government official said on Tuesday [26 Feb 2008].

Situation in Vietnam - update

25/02/08

The Ministry of Health in Viet Nam has confirmed a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. The case has been confirmed by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE).The case is a 23 year old female from Cam Khe district, Phu Tho province. She developed symptoms on 14 Feb 2008, was hospitalized on 19 February, and died on 25 Feb 2008. The case had contact with sick and dead poultry prior to her illness.

Fatal bird flu case in Vietnam

15/02/08

The Director of the Vietnam Ministry of Health's Preventive Medicine Department has reported that a 40-year-old man from Hai Duong province died on Wednesday 13 th February, six days after being admitted to the national tropical disease hospital in Hanoi . Blood test results confirm that he had H5N1 bird flu virus infection. Local media state that "some chickens have died around his house over the past few weeks." This is the 49 th death reported from Vietnam . In a separate report in a news bulletin Vietnam Television said that case had been confirmed from the northern province of Ninh Binh. Although Vietnam television is state run this second case has not to date been officially confirmed.

Situation in Indonesia - update

14/02/08

The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. A 15-year-old female from West Jakarta, Jakarta Province developed symptoms on 2 February, was hospitalized on 8 February and is currently in hospital in a critical condition. The case is the daughter of a previously confirmed case, the 38-year-old female from West Jakarta, Jakarta Province who developed symptoms on 23 January.

Investigations into the source of her infection are ongoing. However, she was exposed to her sick mother on 27-28 January and spent time in a neighbourbood where chickens and other birds were found. Samples from these birds have been taken and are undergoing tests to determine whether they may have been the source of infection.

Of the 127 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 103 have been fatal.

Situation in India

04/02/08

Culling of birds is almost complete in avian influenza-affected West Bengal, where 32 lakh chicken have been destroyed so far, state Animal Resources Development Minister said on Sunday February 3. In all, 13 of West Bengal 's 19 districts have been affected since the outbreak of the disease on January 15. West Bengal borders Bangladesh which has reported a major outbreak of avian influenza. A directive to cull all birds in the radius of 5 km bordering West Bengal has been opposed by authorities in the states of Bihar and Orissa since no case of bird flu has been found in these States. Meanwhile the Times of India reports that, alarmed over bird flu incidence in neighbouring West Bengal, authorities in Assam 's Kokrajhar district have ordered culling of 50,000 birds. The veterinary and animal husbandry department has set the target to create a 'free poultry zone' as a precautionary measure in Kokrajhar, which is adjacent to north Bengal districts.