Jun 06 Health Alerts
Avian Influenza in Indonesia- Evidence of person to person spread.
26/06/06
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it believes limited human-to-human transmission of H5N1 avian influenza virus did occur in an Indonesian family in May. But it said that the incident did not signal a major change in the spread of the disease. The WHO made its announcement at the end of a 3-day bird flu conference in the
Indonesian capital, Jakarta.
The case of 7 family members who died from bird flu has drawn attention to Indonesia's growing problem. The father died of H5N1 bird flu and probably caught it from his 10-year-old son. This is the first laboratory-confirmed case of human-to-human transmission of the disease, according to a World Health Organization investigation of an unusual family cluster of
bird-flu cases. There was no evidence that the mutated virus is any better adapted to human infection than before. In fact, the World Health Organization has been following 54 neighbors and family members who lived near the family for a month, and none has contracted the virus.
In previous cases where human-to-human transmission was suspected, scientists were not able to say for sure, either because test samples from the patients were not available or because the virus in the patients was the same as that found in poultry in the area. Scientists say the H5N1 virus, which has killed hundreds of millions of birds worldwide, does not spread easily to humans or among them. But they have worried that it might, through normal biological
processes, acquire the ability to do so, potentially setting off a devastating human pandemic.
WHO: Avian influenza - situation in Indonesia - update 20
20 June 2006
The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed the country's 51st case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case, which was fatal, occurred in a 13-year-old boy from South Jakarta. He developed symptoms on 9 June one week after helping his grandfather slaughter diseased chickens at the family home. The boy was hospitalized on 13 June and died on 14 June. The grandfather remains healthy. Contact tracing and monitoring are under way to ensure no further cases arise from this exposure setting.
Of the 51 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 39 have been fatal.
Avian influenza -- situation in China -- update 12
19 June 2006
The Ministry of Health in China has confirmed the country's 19th case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The patient is a 31-year-old man employed as a truck driver in Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, near the border with Hong Kong. He developed symptoms on 3 Jun 2006 and was hospitalized on 9 Jun. He remains hospitalized, in critical condition, with severe pneumonia. Investigation of his source of infection is under way. Preliminary reports indicate the man visited a local market where live poultry are sold on several occasions prior to symptom onset. However, health authorities have not been able to determine whether he was exposed to infected poultry at that market or elsewhere. H5N1 infections in poultry have not been officially reported in the area
Avian Influenza- Canada
19 June 2006
A case of H5 avian flu has been found in a gosling in a small backyard poultry flock in the eastern province of Prince Edward Island . There is no evidence that it I the pathogenic strain.
AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN - CHINA (GUANGDONG)
19 June 2006
ProMED has reported that a 31-year-old man is in a critical condition in a Shenzhen hospital, suspected of having contracted the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus. The case has sparked concern the disease is getting closer to Hong Kong. [Shenzhen is a large and fast-growing city in southern Guangdong province, just over the border from the Special Administrative Region of which Hong Kong is a part. Shenzhen is pproximately 22 miles from Hong Kong and 100 miles from Guangzhou.
The SAR's Centre for Health Protection said Tuesday the victim, who lives in Shenzhen, was taken ill after visiting a wet market in the city where live chickens were on sale. It is not known at this stage whether the patient is a mainlander or a Hong Konger residing in Shenzhen.
If confirmed, the man would be the 19th human case of bird flu in the mainland. The case has not been reported by China's media. More than 80 cases of the virus have been reported in China since February last year, with 18 confirmed human cases, including 12 fatalities, since September 2005.
Health education for travelers will be stepped up at all immigration control points through the distribution of leaflets and the display of health messages. Temperature screening of all inbound travelers remains in place.
Avian influenza - situation in Indonesia - update 19
15 June 2006
The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed the country's 50th case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.
The case, which was fatal, occurred in a 7-year-old girl from Tangerang district, Banten Province. She developed symptoms on 26 May, was hospitalized on 30 May, and died on 1 June. Her 10-year-old brother died of respiratory disease on 29 May, but no specimens were taken for testing and the cause of his death cannot be determined.
An investigation found a history of chicken deaths in the household and neighbourhood prior to symptom onset. Laboratory testing of surviving family members and close contacts has been conducted and no further cases were found.
Of the 50 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 38 have been fatal.
