The number of U.S. whooping cough cases has risen to around 18,000

SEATTLE (Reuters) – The number of U.S. whooping cough cases has risen to around 18,000 in an outbreak that is on track to become the most severe in over a half century and could in part stem from possible waning vaccine protection, health officials said on Thursday.

Washington state, which declared an epidemic in April, and Wisconsin were particularly hard hit, with each reporting more than 3,000 cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nine people have died overall and the number of cases was already more than double than at the same time last year.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, causes severe, almost uncontrollable coughing. In the United States, most children are immunized with a DTaP five-dose series vaccine that is given as a series of shots, starting at two months.

All adults, including pregnant women, should get a booster shot because the contagious illness is especially dangerous for children under a year old who have yet to complete a cycle of vaccinations, Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told a media briefing.

“It’s most dangerous for babies,” Schuchat said, adding that the current outbreak at its existing pace could become the most severe since 1959, when 40,000 cases were reported. “Preventing infant deaths from the disease is our primary national goal,” she said.

Lassa Fever, a viral disease which is carried by rats

Epidemic in Sierra Leone, Eastern Province, Sierra Leone, Africa. Friday 20 July, 2012 at 18:17 (06:17 PM) UTC.  RSOE EDIS

Description
Director of Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Amara Jambai, has yesterday disclosed that the outbreak of Lassa fever in Kenema district. Lassa fever is a viral disease which is carried by rats. It is spread from infected rodents to humans through direct contact with urine and droppings of an infected rat. Speaking to journalists at the weekly press briefing at the Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Jambai said the outbreak, which started in three districts but has extended to other parts of the country, should be a serious concern to the government and people of Sierra Leone.
Biohazard name:	Lassa Fever Outbreak
Biohazard level:	4/4 Hazardous
Biohazard desc.:	Viruses and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans, and for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, H5N1(bird flu), Dengue hemorrhagic fever, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic or unidentified diseases. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a Hazmat suit and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, autonomous detection system, and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release.
Symptoms:
Status:	confirmed

Outbreak of the deadly Cholera Disease in Uganda

An outbreak of the deadly cholera disease in Bundibugyo district has killed four people leaving over 150 others hospitalized. The epidemic spread to the district from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. The four persons died before being taken to hospitals for medication according to Isaac Bisunga – the district disease surveillance officer. Bisunga says the epidemic broke out last month but only to realize it was cholera last week. The most affected areas include Bundibugyo town council, Nyahuka town council, Kasithu sub-county, Bukukwanga sub-county, Kisuba sub-county and Bubandi sub-county. Isolation centers have been established at Bundibugyo hospital and Nyahuka health center IV according to the disease surveillance officer

H5N1 Positively Tested Pet Birds Smuggled From Southern China Into Tiawan Were Destroyed

Dozens of pet birds smuggled from southern China into Taiwan tested positive for the deadly H5N1 avian flu virus and were destroyed, Taiwanese authorities said Tuesday. The smuggler bought the 38 birds in the Chinese city of Guangzhou and was caught at the Taoyuan international airport in northern Taiwan when he returned via Macau earlier this month, said the Centers for Disease Control. The birds later tested positive for the H5N1 virus and were killed, it said, adding that nine people who had contact with the birds had not shown any flu symptoms during a ten-day screening. Taiwan has no recorded cases of the deadly H5N1 strain, although in 2005 health authorities said eight pet birds smuggled from China tested positive for the strain and destroyed. The island has reported several outbreaks of the H5N2 bird flu, a less virulent strain of the virus, in recent years. China is considered one of the nations most at risk of bird flu epidemics because it has the world’s biggest poultry population and many chickens in rural areas are kept close to humans

Outbreak of Cholera in Cuba

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Epidemic Hazard in Cuba on Tuesday, 03 July, 2012 at 03:06 (03:06 AM) UTC.

Description Two people died and more than 50 remain hospitalized in the eastern city of Manzanillo, where an outbreak of cholera required authorities to set up a quarantine at the Celia Sanchez Manduley Provincial Surgical Clinic,” reported the Miami-based Café Fuerte website, though there has been no confirmation or denial of the incidents in the official state-run media. “The hospital can’t cope, the aisles are full of stretchers with patients…now with more than 50 people, including children and adults who are hospitalized as a result of the disease,” was a statement attributed to Manzanillo resident Misleidi Calvente Figueredo. Calvente said several communities have been quarantined, while all Manzanillo health care workers have been mobilized. Police and State Security officers are reported to be guarding the medical center, according to testimonies received from residents. Fortunately, Cuba is not without experience in fighting cholera, as hundreds of Cuban doctors have worked in a campaign against the disease in the neighboring country of Haiti. Biohazard name: Cholera Biohazard level: 2/4 Medium Biohazard desc.: Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, such as hepatitis A, B, and C, influenza A, Lyme disease, salmonella, mumps, measles, scrapie, dengue fever, and HIV. “Routine diagnostic work with clinical specimens can be done safely at Biosafety Level 2, using Biosafety Level 2 practices and procedures. Research work (including co-cultivation, virus replication studies, or manipulations involving concentrated virus) can be done in a BSL-2 (P2) facility, using BSL-3 practices and procedures. Virus production activities, including virus concentrations, require a BSL-3 (P3) facility and use of BSL-3 practices and procedures”, see Recommended Biosafety Levels for Infectious Agents. Symptoms: Status: suspected RSOE EDIS

Salmonella Poisoning in Thailand

The number of students who have fallen ill from salmonella poisoning at a Chiang Mai school has risen to 460. Health authorities say the students fell ill after eating three-day-old boiled eggs tainted with salmonella bacteria. Dr Pornthep Siriwanarangsan, director-general of the Disease Control Department, said Chiang Mai Welfare School students became sick after eating donated eggs that were boiled three days previously and not reheated before they were consumed, allowing the bacteria to develop. On Sunday evening, about 900 students of the school, located in Mae Rim district, ate chilli curry and donated boiled eggs at the cafeteria. After the meal, 75 of the students became ill with headaches, high fever, nausea and diarrhoea. The number of sick students increased to 460 yesterday, health authorities said. Of them, 290 are recovering at home, 123 are still in nine hospitals, and eight students are critically ill. Another 47 students are being treated at the school’s gym, which has been turned into a field hospital as there are not enough hospital beds available to accommodate all the sick students. Students who are yet to show any symptoms are under close watch by doctors. Officials have tracked down the source of the eggs, part of a much larger number which were distributed in the area. Surasing Wisarutrat, of the Chiang Mai public health office, said officials have traced about 10,000 donated eggs distributed to the school and other places in the district and which come from the same source. Elsewhere, the eggs had been re-boiled before consumption, which ensured no one fell ill after eating them

Mix of pathogens caused mystery illness in Cambodia, doctors say

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (CNN) — The World Health Organization, in conjunction with the Cambodian Ministry of Health, will conclude that a combination of pathogens is to blame for the mysterious illness that has claimed the lives of more than 60 children in Cambodia, medical doctors familiar with the investigation told CNN on Wednesday.

The pathogens include enterovirus 71, streptococcus suis and dengue, the medical sources said. Additionally, the inappropriate use of steroids, which can suppress the immune system, worsened the illness in a majority of the patients, they said.

The sources did not want to be identified because the results of the health organization’s investigation have not yet been made public.

Dr. Beat Richner, head of Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospitals — which cared for 66 patients affected by the illness, 64 of whom died — said that no new patients had been seen there since last Saturday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is also expected to advise health care workers to refrain from using steroids in patients with signs and symptoms of the infection, which include severe fever, encephalitis, and breathing difficulties. CNN

Epidemic Hazard in India. “Malaria”

Event Description

Epidemic Hazard in India on Wednesday, 11 July, 2012 at 02:57 (02:57 AM) UTC.

Description There has been a sudden spurt in malaria cases detected at the Candolim primary health centre (PHC) in the last two weeks. While 26 cases were detected in the six months till June, the intense monsoon spell of the last two-three weeks saw 50 new cases of malaria being detected, according to medical officer in-charge Dr Sachin Govekar. “There has been a large influx of migrant labour in the last couple of weeks,” he said. “I was a little worried in the last 15 days because of the large number of malaria cases. So we doubled our efforts and I also requisitioned the services of a malaria inspector to bring the situation under control,” he said. He said staff from the Candolim PHC have been visiting areas from where the malaria cases have been reported to check all residents living in those localities. The blood samples are collected on slides and examined the same day at the laboratory at the PHC. If any more malaria cases are detected then the treatment is given on the same day by evening. Apart from this, they have also started fogging in some areas, besides taking other preventive measures. The cases have been reported from different areas of Candolim, Calangute and other neighbouring villages. “After two weeks we should not be having any problem,” Govekar said. “Last year, we had a total of 228 cases. This year, I don’t think there will be more than 150 cases.” There have, however, not been any cases of filaria, chikungunya, dengue or Japanese encephalitis. The Candolim PHC had only recently held a workshop on vector-borne diseases to create awareness amongst villagers at the Calangute panchayat hall. At the workshop, Govekar had cautioned that malaria is usually brought into the area by newly-arriving migrant labourers. Monsoon time is the peak season for malaria, he added. RSOE EDIS Biohazard name: Malaria Biohazard level: 2/4 Medium Biohazard desc.: Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, such as hepatitis A, B, and C, influenza A, Lyme disease, salmonella, mumps, measles, scrapie, dengue fever, and HIV. “Routine diagnostic work with clinical specimens can be done safely at Biosafety Level 2, using Biosafety Level 2 practices and procedures. Research work (including co-cultivation, virus replication studies, or manipulations involving concentrated virus) can be done in a BSL-2 (P2) facility, using BSL-3 practices and procedures. Virus production activities, including virus concentrations, require a BSL-3 (P3) facility and use of BSL-3 practices and procedures”, see Recommended Biosafety Levels for Infectious Agents. Symptoms: Status: confirmed

Epidemic Hazard in Cuba. Possibly Cholera ?

Two people died and more than 50 remain hospitalized in the eastern city of Manzanillo, where an outbreak of cholera required authorities to set up a quarantine at the Celia Sanchez Manduley Provincial Surgical Clinic,” reported the Miami-based Café Fuerte website, though there has been no confirmation or denial of the incidents in the official state-run media. “The hospital can’t cope, the aisles are full of stretchers with patients…now with more than 50 people, including children and adults who are hospitalized as a result of the disease,” was a statement attributed to Manzanillo resident Misleidi Calvente Figueredo. Calvente said several communities have been quarantined, while all Manzanillo health care workers have been mobilized. Police and State Security officers are reported to be guarding the medical center, according to testimonies received from residents. Fortunately, Cuba is not without experience in fighting cholera, as hundreds of Cuban doctors have worked in a campaign against the disease in the neighboring country of Haiti.
Biohazard name:	Cholera
Biohazard level:	2/4 Medium
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, such as hepatitis A, B, and C, influenza A, Lyme disease, salmonella, mumps, measles, scrapie, dengue fever, and HIV. “Routine diagnostic work with clinical specimens can be done safely at Biosafety Level 2, using Biosafety Level 2 practices and procedures. Research work (including co-cultivation, virus replication studies, or manipulations involving concentrated virus) can be done in a BSL-2 (P2) facility, using BSL-3 practices and procedures. Virus production activities, including virus concentrations, require a BSL-3 (P3) facility and use of BSL-3 practices and procedures”, see Recommended Biosafety Levels for Infectious Agents. –RSOE EDIS

Officials make break in baffling disease killing Cambodian children

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (CNN) — Health officials say they have made an important discovery in the mystery surrounding the deaths of 64 children in Cambodia.

The Institut Pasteur in Cambodia tested samples taken from 24 patients and found 15 had tested positive for Enterovirus Type 71 — a common cause of hand, foot and mouth disease that can also cause severe neurologic complications, mainly in children.

“These results now give a good explanation to this outbreak,” Dr. Philippe Buchy, head of the institute’s virology unit, said in an e-mail. “We will get more results hopefully by next Tuesday or Wednesday.” Full story CNN