JuL 06 Health Alerts
New outbreak detected in Laos
31/07/06
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has reported an outbreak of H5N1 infection in a poultry farm in Laos. This is the first outbreak since 2004 apart from an isolated case in a duck in May this year. The outbreak occurred on a commercial farm 25 km south of Vientiane, where about 2500 chickens died last week.The same farm experienced an outbreak in early 2004.
WHO: Avian Influenza - situation in Thailand
28/07/06
The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand has confirmed a case of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza. The patient, a 17-year-old man from Thap Khlo district of Phichit province in the north, developed symptoms on 15 July, was hospitalized on 20 July and died on 24 July.
On 10 July, the young man had buried the carcasses of dead chickens. This case coincides with a recurrence of a confirmed H5N1 outbreak in animals in the province. Control measures have been implemented to contain the animal outbreak and human surveillance has been strengthened. Field investigations have not found any indications of respiratory illness in close contacts of the young man.
This is the first human case of H5N1 infection reported from Thailand in 2006.
Resurgence of avian influenza in Thailand
28/07/06
Thai officials have reported a new outbreak of avian influenza in the northern province of Pichit. The area within a 10-km radius of the infected farm had been put
under a 21-day surveillance since the first finding of the infection in a fighting cock and The Agriculture and Co-operatives department has now employed extreme measures to contain the outbreak, including imposing a total ban on fowl movements in the province and sealing borders to prevent smuggling of poultry from
neighbouring countries.
WHO: Situation in Indonesia - update 23
25/07/06
The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed the country's 54th case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.The case, which was fatal, occurred in a 44-year-old man from East Jakarta, Jakarta Province. He developed symptoms on 24 June, was hospitalized on 10 July, and died on 12 July.
The case may have acquired the infection from poultry around his home and animal health authorities have taken samples for testing. Another potential source of infection was a local wet market, which he regularly visited during the course of his work as the owner of a food stall.
Of the 54 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia , 42 have been fatal.
WHO: Situation in Indonesia - update 22
20/07/06
The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed the country's 53 rd case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.
The case, which was fatal, occurred in a 3-year-old girl from a suburb of Jakarta. She became ill on 23 June, was hospitalized on 5 July and died the next day. Specimens collected from the girl were confirmed positive for H5N1 avian influenza virus.
An investigation found that the case handled chickens that had died in the neighbourhood, to dispose of them, two days before the onset of her symptoms. Samples taken from chickens in the neighbourhood were found to be positive. An investigation has found no further cases of influenza-like illness and monitoring of close contacts is under way.
Latest reports from Spain, Denmark, Egypt and Indonesia
13/07/06
Spain, Europe's biggest tourism destination by revenue, confirmed its 1st case of bird flu. The National Laboratory at Algete near Madrid found the H5N1 virus in a sample taken from a grebe found in the province of Alava, the Agriculture Ministry today said on its Web site.
Danish authorities have ordered thousands of ducks and pheasants culled at a breeding farm for wild birds after detecting that some were infected with the bird-flu virus, news reports said today. The exact virus typing is not complete.
In Egypt, a 7th person has died as a result of H5N1 infection, according to local reports. An 18-year-old woman died at the general hospital of Qena, in southern Egypt, several days after her hospitalization. This has not been confirmed by WHO as yet.
A 3-year-old Indonesian girl who died this week has tested positive for bird flu, a Health Ministry official said on Friday [7 Jul 2006], citing a local test. If confirmed by a World Health Organisation (WHO) laboratory, the girl from Jakarta's western suburbs will be the 41st bird flu death in Indonesia.
