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Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections exceed 5000 in Japan

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  • #61
    Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 163 in Japan

    Patients reach 191, 1 year old in better condition
    21:18 May 19, 2009
    Source: http://www.asahi.com/special/09015/OSK200905190104.html

    As of 9 pm May 19, 2009, the number of novel-flu-confirmed patients reached 191, including 4 confirmed in Narita. One year old baby girl, the youngest ever, was confirmed infection in Kobe. Harima-cho and Kami-cho joined cities with infections. Patients reached 111 in Hyogo prefecture and 80 in Osaka.

    Kobe-city stated that the baby girl had 38.9 degree Saturday night, was consulted at a high-fever consultation center Sunday, had a PCR test, took Tamiflu Monday and fever came down. She stays in her home. Her mother was PCR tested negative.

    According to a report from overseas, babies easily have severe symptoms. A pediatrician says: ?Babies need sufficient treatments such as appropriate dose of Tamiflu.?

    Kobe-city investigated 31 pharmacies in the city today. Masks were out of stock in 22 stores and antiseptic were all gone in 19 stores. As many residents had complained that they could not buy masks, Mayor, Tatsuro Yada sent to PM Aso a letter requesting to direct associations of manufacturers for constant supply of goods.


    ______________________________
    SN1987A

    .

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    • #62
      Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 163 in Japan

      Originally posted by tropical View Post
      If that's happened in a developed country with few thousend or few 10 thousends of infected patients, what will happens in the megapolis of milions infected ...

      I know that its easy to blog sentences but hard to drive things on the field, but this decision of allowing going in some alternative back entrance of ordinary hospitals will disseminate infections also, because of the input streaming peoples merging.

      Dislocated field blocks screening places placed in local area schools or similar, could partly mitigate the mingling.

      Maybe they leave it goes its way.

      Who knows if they at least try to make quarantine rings around the region, or they (and us) will witnessing an omnipresent island size spreadings. I hope not.

      Already there are time for instaurate inter-regional barriers.
      I don't know what will come out of this. It may spread infection. It may not.
      Anyway something had to be done to prevent the current novel flu consultation system from collapsing.

      Ordinary patients, especially with a chronic disease, cannot go to their hospitals for fear of infection. Regular patients in a stable condition may be able to request doctors for telephone consultation and get their prescriptions faxed, for example.

      Good news is Kobe association of doctors announced that they would cooperate with the city.

      ________________________________
      SN1987A

      Comment


      • #63
        Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 237 in Japan

        Japan's H1N1 flu cases top 200
        Posted: 20 May 2009 1132 hrs
        Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stori...430487/1/.html


        KOBE, Japan - The number of Influenza A (H1N1) infections in Japan rose to 228 (Note: 237 at 16:00 pm) on Wednesday, most of them school students, as the outbreak spread to a third western prefecture, officials said.

        The western commercial hub of Kobe remained the worst affected, announcing more than 20 new infections of the A (H1N1) virus among roughly three dozen new cases confirmed in Japan in the morning.

        The western prefecture of Shiga became the third locality to confirm a H1N1 flu infection in Japan, with a man in his 20s (Note: a university student), who returned from a weekend trip to Kobe, testing positive for the virus.

        -snip-

        Kyodo news agency earlier reported that 86 per cent of cases detected so far in Japan were between the ages of 10 and 19 -- making it more prevalent among youth in Japan than it is in the United States.:


        _______________________
        SN1987A

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        • #64
          Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

          Here are numbers for school closings:

          Hyogo
          Pre-schools 681
          Elementary 820
          Middle 392
          High Sch 219
          Vocational 120
          Total 2339

          Osaka
          Pre-schools 417
          Elementary 535
          Middle 535
          High sch 275
          Vocational 253
          Total 2093

          Comment


          • #65
            Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

            Experts urge immediate change of policy
            20:34 May 19, 2009
            Source: http://mainichi.jp/select/science/sw...40072000c.html

            In view of changing the domestic counter-measures against the novel flu, the Minister of Health and Welfare, Yoichi Masuzoe, listened to opnions from four experts of infectious diseases Tuesday. Experts one after another suggested a basic change of policy, such as to treat the novel flu in the same way as the seasonal flu as well as to immediately stop the onboard quarantine investigation.

            The four experts are the minister?s advisors.
            Kentaro Iwata, professor of the graduate school of the Kobe University, pointed out problems of the current measures, stating: ?Influenza is a disease that people naturally get over from, if the symptoms are mild. It is not reasonable to provide uniform medical services ignoring severity.? ?We are doing our best, having help from cardiovascular people. If they are forced to work too much on naturally curable disease, consequently neglecting deadly cardio infarction patients, this is completely wrong. Flu treatment shall be according to the severity.?

            Yuji Morisawa, GM of control of Infection, Jichi Medical University?s hospital, continued: ?A(H1N1) shall be disqualified from the ?Novel influenza? type under the Infectious diseases prevention act, repositioning the disease as similar to the seasonal flu. Surveillance shall be strengthened to determine its social impacts. The action plan shall be revised accordingly.?

            Keita Morikane, Chief researcher at the National institute of infectious diseases, stated about the onboard quarantine investigation which the ministry plans to scale down gradually: ?It is meaningless to continue it while infection is spreading domestically. It shall be immediately discontinued and the doctors shall be sent back to the medical field.?

            *********************************
            Note: Somebody said ?the Ministry of Health and Welfare won?t give up the quarantine easily because it falls under the Ministry?s direct responsibility. Health officials fear of being criticized for failing to screen infected travelers. So, they don?t want to let doctors working on the quarantine to go back to their hospitals to work on the treatment of novel flu patients which is under the responsibility of prefectures and municipalities.?
            I hope this is not the case.

            ______________________________
            SN1987A

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            • #66
              Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

              China step up quarantine at airport
              Source: Japanes consulate in Shanghai, PRC

              The Chinese government has stepped up its quarantine procedures on incoming flights from Japan.

              Body temperature check
              Body temperature of all passengers shall be checked upon arrival. If body temperature is at or above 37.5 degree, the passenger shall stay in a designated room for 3 to 5 hours for the second check. If body temperature is:
              1) 38.0 degree or higher, the passenger shall be immediately transported to a hospital for further medical investigation.
              2) Between 37.5 and 38.0 degree, the passenger shall be transported to a facility for observation.
              3) Below 37.5 degree, the passenger is free to go.

              _____________________
              SN1987A

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              • #67
                Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

                Battle for Tamiflu between officials and doctors- Loose translation
                20:53 May 19, 2009
                Source: http://sankei.jp.msn.com/life/body/0...2057032-n1.htm

                In Osaka and Hyogo where ordinary hospitals are to start consultation of novel flu patients, ordinary hospitals request the prefectures to release their stockpile of Tamiflu, while officials are reluctant to do so because they estimate there is enough quantity of Tamiflu on the market.

                Since the time is out of flu season, many hospitals don?t have Tamifle in their storage. According to a survey by Osaka association of doctors, 59 out of 162 responding doctors stated they have only one or less dose of Tamiflu and 56 responded 5 doses or less. The association requested the prefecture to release its stockpile to ensure quick and stable supply of the antivirals.

                While Osaka and Hyogo prefectures stockpile 720 thousand doses of Tamifle and plan to release them through distributors when Tamiflu become scarce in the market. But the prefectures consider now is not the time for release because major distributors said that they had 57 thousand doses of Tamiflu as of May 19.

                Then, why doctors are worried about the supply of Tamiflu?
                This is because the prefectures have been controling supply of Tamiflu very severly; in order to keep hospitals from stockpiling Tamiflu more than necessary, the prefectures instructed distributors to supply Tamiflu little by little, for example one dose for a prescription of one dose.

                Distributors are caught in dilemma between the prefectures and hospitals. A distributor received an avalanch of orders from northern Osaka where there are many patients. Hospitals say that they need Tamiflu not only for patients, because some patients would strongly request more Tamiflu for their family members. Distributor said ?I understand doctors who want to prepare well for the situation but I cannot go against the prefecture?s instruction.?
                ___________________________________________
                This is a minimal issue. A storm in a glass of water. But in an emergency situation, these minimal issues take up precious time of doctors and keep them sleepless.
                Japanese doctors are often criticized for using too many Tamiflu too easily. This is because, in the first place, their patients request.
                I myself think we should keep as much Tamiflu as possible for a possible future epidemic of four types of flu this winter or a future pandemic of H5N1 that may require four times more doses than usual. But at the same time, I think it would be very difficult to let patients with mild symptoms go home empty handed. It may be possible to do so if doctors take time to convince them but doctors simply wouldn?t have time.
                This is something the prefectures have to address to the residents.

                _________________________________
                SN1987A

                Comment


                • #68
                  Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

                  Kobe Mayor request Health Minister to lift School closure
                  19:16 May 20, 2009
                  Source: http://www.ntv.co.jp/news/135768.html

                  Mayor of Kobe-city, Tatsuro Yada, visited Minister of Health and Welfare, Yoichi Masuzoe, this afternoon and requested to discontinue the current school closure by May 23.

                  ?As for the schools in which no infection is confirmed, the city wants to consider school closure on a school by school basis.? Mayor Yada stated to Masuzoe.

                  Mayor also stated: ?As novel flu patients swamp ordinary hospitals in Kobe, it is extremely difficult for hospitals to take specimens for infection confirmation from all patients.? To which Masuzore responded: ?PCR tests are necessary for the ministry to monitor the spread of infection.? and requested Kobe to continue PCR tests as the ministry would help the city by making Kobe quarantine bureau under the ministry partially perform tests.

                  ___________________________________
                  SN1987A

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                  • #69
                    Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

                    Hospitalization is not necessary for all 43 confirmed patients
                    19:43 May 20, 2009
                    Source:http://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newseye4137203.html

                    The Minister of Health, Yoichi Masuzoe, announced that he was reported that hospitalization was not necessary for all 43 confirmed patients in Kobe. Their symptoms are similar to the seasonal flu?s.

                    90% of the 43 patients in Kobe had almost the same symptoms as seasonal flu, i.e. fever of above 38 degree. Except for a patient with a strong stomac pain, 42 remaining patients need not to remain in the hospital. (Note: inconsistent with the title)

                    Dr. Hitoshi Oshitani, professor of Tohoku University, (Note: and Regional Adviser in Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response (RA/CSR), WHO) commented:
                    In case of seasonal flu, older people get severe symptoms while their direct causes of deaths are usually other illnesses. In case of novel flu, however, it causes viral pneumonia and respiratory failures to children and adults of 20 to 50 years old. These two types of flu have largely different symptoms.

                    He also speculated that as many as 2000 people, ten times more than confirmed patients, may have contracted novel flu.

                    __________________________________________
                    SN1987A

                    Comment


                    • #70
                      Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

                      262 confirmed cases in 3 prefectures
                      20:51 May 20, 2009
                      Source: http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=soc&k=2009052001033

                      Osaka prefecture and others announced today that they found 25 new confirmed cases of novel flu infection, bringing the total number to 262. All of them are in Osaka, Hyogo and Shiga prefectures.

                      18 new cases in Osaka and 7 in Hyogo.
                      Osaka?s patients are students of 10 to 17 ages, including new schools.
                      Hyogo?s 7 patients are 5 high school students, one junior high student and a high school teacher.
                      All 25 are recovering.
                      ***************
                      More school infections
                      ________________________________
                      SN1987A

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                      • #71
                        Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

                        Originally posted by SuperNova1987A View Post
                        ...
                        Dr. Hitoshi Oshitani, professor of Tohoku University, (Note: and Regional Adviser in Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response (RA/CSR), WHO) commented:
                        In case of seasonal flu, older people get severe symptoms while their direct causes of deaths are usually other illnesses. In case of novel flu, however, it causes viral pneumonia and respiratory failures to children and adults of 20 to 50 years old. These two types of flu have largely different symptoms.

                        He also speculated that as many as 2000 people, ten times more than confirmed patients, may have contracted novel flu.
                        __________________________________________
                        SN1987A
                        What is the meaning of what the Professor/WHO Regional Adviser said with the formulation: "these 2 types of flu"?

                        1 - that there are 2 distinct strain of novel AH1N1 flu:
                        - one with seasonal type of action and milder, but still serious for the chronic/oldies
                        - the other with viral pneumonia, pandemic action, but mainly milder, serious for some

                        2 - or that there are 1 universal strain only, but it is manifesting:
                        - in old people with the dangerous seasonal exacerbation of already existed patient's illness, so it is severe in this part of population
                        - in babys, childs, and 20-50 population with viral pneumonias, as an primary mild pandemic strain for this part of the population, but with some serious severe episodes

                        Until now, it seems that it is an universal triple-faceted strain

                        Comment


                        • #72
                          Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

                          The first confirmed new infection INFURU Tokyo high school girl in Hachioji <!--// headline_end //--><!--// article_start //--><!-- google_ad_region_start=region1 -->
                          New INFURU
                          都内で初の新型インフルエンザ感染を報道陣に発表する都の健康安全課長(左)(20日夜、都庁で)=江口聡 子撮影
                          Health and safety director of the capital to a press release of the first avian flu infection in Tokyo (left) (20 day and night in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government) = Eguti Akiko shooting



                          東京都によると、八王子市在住の女子高校生(16)が、新型インフルエンザ(豚インフルエンザ)に感染して いることが20日、都の健康安全研究センターによる遺伝子検査で確認された。
                          According to a Tokyo high school girl living in Hachioji (16), new influenza (swine flu) have been infected in 21 days, was confirmed by genetic tests by health and safety of the Capital Research Center.
                          都が同日午後10時をめどに発表する予定。
                          Capital afternoon will announce over the next 10 hours.

                          関西圏以外で、国内で新型の感染者が確認されたのは初めて。
                          Outside the Kansai region, were infected in the first of the new.

                          ( <!--// date_start //-->
                          2009年5月20日21時13分
                          2009 May 20 21:13 <!--// date_end //-->
                          読売新聞)
                          Yomiuri Shimbun)

                          【読売新聞】読売新聞オンラインは読売新聞のニュース・情報サイト。社会、スポーツ、政治、経済、国際などの最新ニュースや教育、医療などの読み物、映像ニュースも充実。ポケモン、発言小町、クーポンやプレゼントも。2019年2月にYOMIURI ONLINEからサイト名を変更しました。

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                          • #73
                            Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

                            #73:
                            "new influenza (swine flu) have been infected in 21 days, was confirmed by genetic tests by health and safety of the Capital Research Center."


                            The girl have been infected herself during the last 21 days,

                            or

                            the novel flu virus could lasts into a person for 21 days,
                            confirmed by this girl case in a lab?

                            Comment


                            • #74
                              Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

                              Different from seasonal. Severe and fatal cases in adults. Dr. Oshitani
                              20:04 May 20, 2009
                              Source: http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=soc_30&k=2009052000981&j1

                              Dr. Hitoshi Oshitani, professor of Tohoku University, who also works for WHO’s pademic influenza plan, lectured in Tokyo today and warned: “While novel flu is stated to be similar to ordinary seasonal flu, damage may appear in a completely different manner. Serious consideration shall be given as to how we should respond to speculated damage.”

                              According to Dr. Oshitani, while nearly all the infected have mild symptoms, there are severe cases in children of less than 6 years old and adults of 20 to 50 ages. Few severe case for older people. Other than people with chronic diseases and people who were treated too late, ordinary healthy adults suffer from severe viral pneumonia “which is very difficult to deal with even in developed countries.”

                              Because occurrence is very scarce, we cannot see cleary when the case count is in an order of 100 or 200. But it will become clear when it reaches 100 to 200 thousand.” He emphasized: “While seasonal flu kills mostly old people or people with serious illnesses (and direct cause of deaths are usually different illnesses)*, the present flu is totally different because the virus kills people directly.”

                              Severe case patients need to be treated in Intensive Care Units (ICU). “However, ICUs area eliminated because of budget cuts in some regions. Or they simply don’t have any ICU in some regions. ICUs are not sufficient even in big cities.”
                              **********************************************
                              * Note: I put the passage from another article because I thought it's easier for understanding. (see post #70)

                              This is a very courageous move by Dr. Oshitani in the middle of big chorus of many experts chanting “this is the same as seasonal.”
                              Because he is a very reputed and reliable scholar and practitioner, I feel compeled to listen to him.
                              Only, I am not sure if general public would listen to him or wait until the case count hit 100 thousand.

                              _____________________________________________
                              SN1987A

                              Comment


                              • #75
                                Re: Aso calls for calm response as new flu infections reach 191 in Japan

                                Tokyo's first flu case confirmed

                                <DL class=columnistProfile><DD>By: AFP <DD>Published: 20/05/2009 at 07:27 PM </DD></DL>The first case of swine flu in Tokyo has been confirmed in a 16-year-old high school girl, press reports said Wednesday.
                                The girl had recently visited the United States, the Jiji and Kyodo news agencies reported citing metropolitan administration officials.
                                Japanese cases of the (A)H1N1 virus had been concentrated in the western prefectures of Hyogo, Osaka and Shiga with the number rising to 232 on Wednesday.

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