EpiSouth Weekly Epi Bulletin ? N?123 - 21 July 2010 ? 27 July 2010 (Extracts, edited)
[Source: Epi-South, Full PDF Document, (LINK). Extracts, edited.]
EpiSouth Weekly Epi Bulletin ? N?123 - 21 July 2010 ? 27 July 2010
The objective of the bulletin is to report new heath events occurring outside and inside EpiSouth area that have potential implications on EpiSouth population. It does not aim to provide an exhaustive review of international alerts. Since 2006, The French public health Institute (InVS) is issuing an online epidemic intelligence bulletin (Bulletin hebdomadaire International - BHI). In order to limit duplication and to make this already verified information available to a larger audience, information relating to health events of interest for EpiSouth population are translated and integrated in the relevant e-web sections. Despite all verifications, WP6 team would not be responsible for potential errors. The recipient is responsible for the cautious use of this information. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is liable for the use that may be made of the information contained in this report. Data maps and commentary used in this document do not imply any opinion of EpiSouth countries or its partners on the legal status of the countries and territories shown or concerning their borders.
INDEX e-WEB n?123
Location: Egypt
Event: A(H5N1) ? Human
Comments
Location: Vietnam
Event: A(H5N1) ? Epizootic
Comments
REPORT OF NEW HEALTH EVENTS OCCURRING OUTSIDE THE EPISOUTH AREA (not occurring in one or several EpiSouth countries)
Comments:
REPORT OF NEW HEALTH EVENTS OCCURRING OUTSIDE THE EPISOUTH AREA (not occurring in one or several EpiSouth countries)
Location: World
Event: The A(H5N1) influenza pandemic: 500 notified cases
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[Source: Epi-South, Full PDF Document, (LINK). Extracts, edited.]
EpiSouth Weekly Epi Bulletin ? N?123 - 21 July 2010 ? 27 July 2010
The objective of the bulletin is to report new heath events occurring outside and inside EpiSouth area that have potential implications on EpiSouth population. It does not aim to provide an exhaustive review of international alerts. Since 2006, The French public health Institute (InVS) is issuing an online epidemic intelligence bulletin (Bulletin hebdomadaire International - BHI). In order to limit duplication and to make this already verified information available to a larger audience, information relating to health events of interest for EpiSouth population are translated and integrated in the relevant e-web sections. Despite all verifications, WP6 team would not be responsible for potential errors. The recipient is responsible for the cautious use of this information. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is liable for the use that may be made of the information contained in this report. Data maps and commentary used in this document do not imply any opinion of EpiSouth countries or its partners on the legal status of the countries and territories shown or concerning their borders.
INDEX e-WEB n?123
- A(H5N1) Human influenza ? Egypt
- A(H5N1) Avian influenza ? Vietnam
- ?INSIDE? Events:
- Rabies - Italy, Ukraine
- ?OUTSIDE? Events:
- Review of the 500 A(H5N1) human cases - World
Location: Egypt
Event: A(H5N1) ? Human
Comments
- On 24 July 2010, Egyptian sources reported a 110th case of A(H5N1) infection. The case is:
- A 20 year-old woman from Qalyubia governorate (cf. map 1)
- Admitted on 21 July 2010 in a critical condition,
- The patient received tamiflu traitment but died on 27th July.
- Since the beginning of the 1st bird flu occurrence in Egypt. To date, the total rises 110 cases and 35 deaths.
- (...)
- In Egypt, the last human case was reported in March 2010 in Cairo governorate (cf. eWEB n?107).
- The available information does not indicate a change in the epidemiology of the virus in either country.
Location: Vietnam
Event: A(H5N1) ? Epizootic
Comments
- On 26 July 2010, Vietnamese health authorities reported clusters of A(H5N1) influenza infecting poultry in the province of Gia Lai (cf. map 2).
- In Vietnam, the last epizootic was reported on June 19th 2010 in the province of province of Thai Nguyen (cf. eWEB n?119).
- The available information does not indicate a change in the epidemiology of the virus in Vietnam or Egypt.
REPORT OF NEW HEALTH EVENTS OCCURRING OUTSIDE THE EPISOUTH AREA (not occurring in one or several EpiSouth countries)
Comments:
- Since 2008, the North-Eastern Italy experimented a large increase of rabies cases.
- From 9 cases in 2008 to 68 in 2009 and 202 in the first half of 2010 (cf. table 1).
- Most of the affected animals were foxes, but some deer and badger were also involved. It is suspected that virus-carrying foxes wandered into Italy from Eastern Europe, where rabies is common.
- In 2010, the most affected regions were Veneto region with 176 cases of rabies, followed by Friuli regions with 14 cases: cf. map 3.
- Other countries
- In Switzerland.
- In Switzerland, the rabies outbreak which occurred in Northern Italy is a cause for concern for the Federal veterinary Office. While the affected area is around 100 km from the Swiss border, officials are keeping a close eye on the situation. Switzerland has been free of rabies virus since 1998.
- The Veterinary authorities do not exclude that rabies could be re-introduced by foxes in Switzerland.
- Local authorities are now preparing in case of rabies virus spread and have increased observation in canton Graub?nden?s M?nster and lower Engadin valleys, which serve as natural gateways to Italy.
- In Ukraine
- Since, last June 2010, an epidemic of rabies is ongoing in Zhytomyr Oblast region. It is estimated that about 7000 foxes are present in the oblast.
- It is considered that if the fox population is not reduced a rabies epidemic will be unavoidable. Rabid foxes have already infected more than 2 dozen household pets.
- Local authorities
- In Switzerland.
REPORT OF NEW HEALTH EVENTS OCCURRING OUTSIDE THE EPISOUTH AREA (not occurring in one or several EpiSouth countries)
Location: World
Event: The A(H5N1) influenza pandemic: 500 notified cases
- On June 2010, Indonesia reported the world?s 500th case of A(H5N1) influenza infection. Although the overall annual number of cases reported worldwide has decreased since 2003, the virus continues to circulate intensively in some countries.
- Epizootic
- From the end of 2003 to 1st July 2010, 63 countries or territories on the Asian, African or European continents have notified A(H5N1) influenza infections in poultry or wild birds to OIE.
- In 2009, a total of 9 countries notified outbreaks in poultry or were considered enzootic by OIE.
- In 2010, 12 countries have been affected to date.
- Many other countries, notably in Sub-Saharan Africa, have suspected transmission in predominantly backyard flocks, but lack surveillance systems to document it.
- Human epidemic
- From Nov. 2003 to 1st July 2010, a total of 500 confirmed human cases of A(H5N1) influenza, including 296 deaths (case fatality rate CFR, 59%) were notified to WHO by 15 countries (cf. table 2)
- Since Nov. 2003, reported human cases seem to follow a decreasing trend. Cases occur mostly between November and April, a period corresponding to seasonal patterns described also in poultry.
- During the period from Jan. to July 2009, 41 confirmed human cases including 12 deaths (CFR 29%) were notified by China, Egypt and Vietnam. A total of 32 cases were reported for the same period in 2010.
- Conclusion
- Some countries which were heavily affected before 2007 (such as Thailand and Turkey) seem to have controlled the situation and reduced risks to humans.
- The A(H5N1) virus is one of several which could hypothetically give rise to a pandemic in the future.
- Human cases will continue to occur as long as the situation in animals is not brought under control especially in Egypt, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
(...)
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Comment