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Amazon Indian tribe hit by swine flu

Gert van der Hoek

In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
Amazon Indian tribe hit by swine flu

04 Nov 2009 14:06:29 GMT

Source: Reuters

LONDON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Swine flu has hit an isolated tribe of Indians in the Amazon jungle, with seven dying in the last two weeks, Survival International said on Wednesday.

A further 1,000 members of the Yanomami tribe in Venezuela are believed to have caught the flu, the indigenous peoples rights group said.

It is feared the flu could sweep through the area and kill many more Yanomami as the Indians have little resistance to introduced diseases.

About 32,000 Yanomami live in the Venezuela-Brazil border region and form the largest relatively isolated tribe in the Amazon.

Survival director Stephen Corry said the situation was critical and the Venezuelan and Brazilian governments must act immediately to halt the epidemic and improve health care for the Yanomami.

"If they do not, we could once more see hundreds of Yanomami dying of treatable diseases. This would be utterly devastating for this isolated tribe, whose population has only just recovered from the epidemics which decimated their population 20 years ago," he said in a statement.

About 20 per cent of the Yanomami tribe died from flu, malaria and other diseases in the 1980 and 1990s when goldminers invaded their land, Survival said.

The Venezuelan government has closed the border and sent medical teams.
The H1N1 virus -- the correct medical term for swine flu -- has spread globally and killed nearly 5,000 people since appearing early this year, according to the World Health Organisation.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/B189843.htm
 
Re: Amazon Indian tribe hit by swine flu

Swine flu outbreak suspected in 7 deaths among isolated Yanomami Indians in Venezuela
By Ian James (CP) ? 1 hour ago

CARACAS, Venezuela ? Swine flu has appeared among Venezuela's Yanomami Indians, one of the largest isolated indigenous groups in the Amazon, and a doctor said Wednesday that the virus is suspected in seven deaths, including six infants.

The deaths happened in forest villages near Venezuela's border with Brazil over the past 2? weeks, said Raidan Bernade, a Venezuelan doctor on a team working to contain the outbreak and treat the ill.

Bernade told The Associated Press that doctors confirmed one of those who died had swine flu - a 35-year-old Yanomami woman who doctors believe was pregnant.

Six babies, the oldest of whom was about 1 year old, died from similar symptoms, though samples weren't taken in time to confirm it was swine flu, Bernade said by phone from La Esmeralda, a riverside town at the edge of the vast rain forest territory where the Yanomami live.

He said the victims had fever and coughing at first, and suffered complications from pneumonia.

The deaths were reported Wednesday by the London-based indigenous rights group Survival International, which warned that if not properly contained the virus could spread and cause more deaths among people who are particularly susceptible to disease due to their limited contact with the outside world.

Yamilet Mirabal, the government's deputy minister of indigenous affairs for the region, told the AP she was informed of six Yanomami deaths suspected of being due to swine flu. She said the outbreak was detected about three weeks ago and health officials have taken precautions since to prevent the illness from spreading.

She said suspected swine flu cases appeared in three Yanomami villages - Mavaca, Platanal and Hatakoa - and a Cuban-trained team of Venezuelan doctors known as Battalion 51 was sent to the area to treat the ill and track possible cases.

Two swine flu cases have been confirmed among the ill, Mirabal said.

Doctors have identified more than 3,000 people with various respiratory illnesses in the zone and took samples from those with serious cases, Bernade said.

He said about 110 sick people are being evaluated to see if they might have swine flu, though doctors believe most have a seasonal flu that appears regularly in the area. He said the number of people who are ill has been declining.

It is unclear how swine flu reached the Yanomami.

There are an estimated 28,000 or more Yanomami living in communities on both sides of the Venezuela-Brazil border. They have maintained their language as well as traditions including face paint and wooden facial ornaments piercing their noses, cheeks and lips.

The Yanomami often suffer from malaria and also have seen deaths in the past from outbreaks of illnesses such as measles, yellow fever and hepatitis. In many cases, they have become sick after contact with outsiders.

Last month, Venezuela confirmed there have been 90 deaths nationwide from swine flu, and 1,910 cases of the virus.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hmtm_8QC3t0cB2J2a_QUmaDjS4vQ

Associated Press Writer Rachel Jones contributed to this report
 
Re: Amazon Indian tribe hit by swine flu

Swine flu ravages Amazon tribe

Medical team heading to remote corner of Amazon jungle to help isolated tribe. -AFP

Thu, Nov 05, 2009
AFP

WASHINGTON, US - The swine flu pandemic is spreading quickly among the Yanomani tribe, in a remote corner of the Amazon jungle straddling Brazil and Venezuela, and a medical team is heading there to help, government officials said.

At least seven members of the tribe have died in the last two weeks and 1,000 others are infected with the H1N1 virus, out of an estimated population of 32,000 Yanomani, the non-governmental Survival group said in a statement.

The Venezuelan government did not confirm the infection data provided the the London-based organization supporting tribal peoples worldwide.

However, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday said the swine flu 'has struck harshly an indigenous population' in southern Amazonas state, adding that the situation was 'under control.'
:rolleyes:

'We responded quickly,' Chavez said without giving any details on the extent of the infection in the area.

Government officials said the health ministry had sent a medical team to the Yanomani territory, which covers both sides of the Brazil-Venezuela border.

'The situation is critical,' Survival director Stephen Corry said in the statement.

'Both governments must take immediate action to halt the epidemic... If they do not, we could once more see hundreds of Yanomami dying of treatable diseases.'

'This would be utterly devastating for this isolated tribe, whose population has only just recovered from the epidemics which decimated their population 20 years ago.'

Survival said a flu and malaria epidemic introduced by miners in the 1980-90s killed one out of every five Yanomani then living in Brazil.

The swine flu pandemic has so far killed 95 people in Venezuela, according to government data. Venezuela said it has ordered five million doses of the H1N1 vaccine, which it expects will be delivered early next year. Venezuela has a population of 27 million.

http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/World/Story/A1Story20091105-177966.html
 
Re: Amazon Indian tribe hit by swine flu

http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/11/10/pol_art_controlan-brote-de-a_1648390.shtml

AH1N1 control outbreaks of attacking Yanomami tribe

Puerto Ayacucho .- A potentially devastating outbreak of influenza AH1N1 among Yanomami Indians in Venezuela's Amazon rain forest appears to control after a rapid medical response in the area, virtually isolated.

The recent deaths of six Aboriginal tribe that came under investigation because of possible links with the virus of pandemic flu AH1N1. Neris Villalobos, head of the Amazonas state epidemiologist, said the initial outbreak peaked in late October and was waning, citing Reuters.

Foreigners can be expanded by at an event organized by the Government last month, flu symptoms appeared in more than 1,000 Yanomami, local health officials said. The number of new cases dropped dramatically since then. "The actions taken have been successful, but we can not speak of the situation has ended," Villalobos said. The Minister added that doctors have yet to visit remote villages to control any possible infection if undetected.

"There is a control of the situation, but it is necessary to maintain and continue with the actions and strategies designed and implemented to secure and completely contain the outbreak."

Yesterday, Health Minister Carlos Rotondaro, reported that 100 people have died in the country because of the flu virus AH1N1.
 
Re: Amazon Indian tribe hit by swine flu

Apparently both seasonal and Pandemic flu are involved in this outbreak.

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1060,80151

INFLUENZA, H1N1, OUTBREAK, DEATHS, Yanomami - VENEZUELA (02) ************************************ ****************** A ProMED-mail ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org> Date: November 19, 2009 Source: El Universal, Venezuela <20091107.3848 Published 07-NOV-2009T?tulo PRO / EDR> Avian influenza, H1N1, outbreak, deaths, Yanomami - Venezuela> [Edited by J. Torres] Al menos ocho yanomamis han muerto por gripe AH1N1. Torres] At least eight Yanomami have died of bird AH1N1. Las comunidades m?s afectadas son Mavaca, Platanal, Hatakoa y otras de ejes fluviales Muy al sur, la influenza AH1N1 se ha convertido en una gran tragedia. Poblaciones ind?genas, que cuentan con menos recursos m?dicos que el resto del pa?s est?n sufriendo el ataque del virus pand?mico. Son al menos ocho los ind?genas fallecidos por AH1N1 que contabiliza la Red de Sociedades Cient?ficas de Venezuela. The communities most affected are Mavaca, Pantanal, and other Axis Hatakoa river as far south AH1N1 influenza has become a great tragedy. Indigenous people, with fewer medical resources than the rest of the country are suffering from the virus attack pandemic. There are at least eight killed by Indians AH1N1 Network which represents the Scientific Societies of Venezuela. La etnia m?s afectada es la yanomami y, en concreto, las comunidades de Mavaca, Platanal, Hatakoa y las ubicadas en ejes fluviales del Ocamo y Orinoco. Seg?n las cuentas que presenta la Red, el Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Salud ha admitido el fallecimiento de cinco ind?genas y 200 afectados. The ethnic group is the Yanomami, in particular, communities of Mavaca, Pantanal, located in Hatakoa and axes of Ocamo and Orinoco river. According to the accounts presented by the Network, the Ministry of Popular Power for Health has admitted Death of five Indians and 200 affected. Sin embargo, otras fuentes internacionales, espec?ficamente la ONG Survival, de Reino Unido, estima entre 2 mil y 3 mil enfermos y siete fallecidos, entre ellos seis menores de edad y una mujer de 35 a?os, aparentemente embarazada en los primeros meses. However, other international sources, specifically the NGO Survival International, the UK, estimated between 2 thousand and 3 thousand patients and seven deaths, including six children and a woman aged 35, apparently in the early months pregnant. Por su parte, la Organizaci?n Panamericana de la Salud reporta ocho decesos ind?genas por esta causa. No existe informaci?n oficial, de car?cter p?blico y detallado, sobre la epidemia en la etnia yanomami. Meanwhile, the Pan American Health Organization reported eight indigenous deaths from this cause. There is no official information of public character, detailed on the epidemic in the Yanomami. Sin embargo, la Red Cient?fica obtuvo los datos m?dicos de los boletines epidemiol?gicos semanales del estado Amazonas, elaborados por la Direcci?n de Epidemiolog?a y An?lisis Estrat?gico Regional. La confirmaci?n de que a los ind?genas del Amazonas les hab?a alcanzado la gripe AH1N1 se hizo el 25 de octubre, cuando dos de 12 muestras tomadas y analizadas reportaron presencia positiva del virus y otra registr? influenza A estacional. However, the Scientific Network of medical data obtained from the Weekly Epidemiological Amazonas state, prepared by the Bureau of Epidemiology and Regional Strategic Analysis. Confirmation that the Amazon Indians had reached AH1N1 influenza was 25 October, when two of 12 samples taken and tested positive reported presence of the virus and other influenza A seasonal recorded. En el informe, las autoridades del estado aseguraron que tales diagn?sticos provocaron que "se procediera a la b?squeda activa de casos y el tratamiento masivo de las comunidades con antiviral (sintom?ticos y asintom?ticos)". Hasta el 31 de octubre, se registraron 1.013 casos de insuficiencia respiratoria aguda, 251 casos de neumon?a y se administraron antivirales a 1.910 personas del municipio Alto Orinoco. In the report, state officials asserted that such diagnoses led to "proceed with the active case finding and mass treatment of communities with antiviral (symptomatic and asymptomatic). Until 31 October, 1013 cases were registered acute respiratory failure, 251 cases of viral pneumonia and was administered to 1,910 people in the municipality of Alto Orinoco. Las comunidades m?s afectadas son Mavaca, con 327 casos de insuficiencia respiratoria aguda y 86 neumon?as, por lo que recibieron 383 tratamientos antivirales y La Esmeralda, con 123 casos de insuficiencia respiratoria, 14 neumon?as y 479 tratamientos antivirales. La organizaci?n Survival International, que monitorea y asiste a comunidades ind?genas de todo el mundo, ha reportado que suelen ser poblaciones m?s vulnerables a enfermedades tra?das de otras civilizaciones, con el agravante de que cuentan con menor asistencia asistencial. "No es ninguna sorpresa que los pueblos tribales est?n entre los m?s afectados por la gripe AH1N1. Los a?os de colonialismo y la pol?tica de asimilaci?n forzada los han abandonado con problemas de salud cr?nicos", comentan en su informe. Entre las recomendaciones que efect?a Survival International para aminorar el impacto de la pandemia en las comunidades ind?genas se encuentra "expulsar inmediatamente a todos los madereros ilegales, trabajadores petrol?feros, ganaderos y cazadores furtivos que se mueven en tierras que pertenecen a pueblos ind?genas aislados o no contactados". Survival tambi?n le da importancia a que los gobiernos mantengan informadas a las comunidades ind?genas sobre la epidemia de AH1N1, sus s?ntomas y las medidas preventivas. The communities most affected are Mavaca, with 327 cases of acute respiratory [insufficiency] and 86 pneumonia, 383 received as antiviral therapies and La Esmeralda, with 123 cases of respiratory [insufficiency, 14 pneumonias and 479 antiviral treatments. The organization Survival International, which monitors and assisting indigenous communities worldwide, has reported that populations are often more vulnerable to diseases brought from other civilizations, with the aggravation that they have less welfare assistance. "It's no surprise that tribal people are among those most affected AH1N1 the flu. The years of colonialism and forced assimilation policies have abandoned with chronic health problems, discussed in the report. Among the recommendations made Survival International to lessen the impact of the pandemic in indigenous communities is "immediately expel all illegal loggers, oil workers, ranchers and poachers moving on land belonging to indigenous peoples in isolation or out of contact." Survival also gives importance to governments kept informed by indigenous communities about the epidemic of AH1N1, its symptoms and preventive measures. Pero alerta que debe hacerse en la lengua propia de la comunidad. Las autoridades de salud tambi?n deben proporcionar, con la mayor rapidez posible, los suministros necesarios de medicamentos y de material sanitario de protecci?n, incluso a aquellas comunidades m?s aisladas. But that warning should be in the language of the community. The health authorities should also provide, as quickly as possible, the necessary supplies of medicines and medical material for protection, even those isolated communities. Tambi?n debe alertarse a los profesionales sanitarios acerca del alto riesgo de los abor?genes de contraer el virus. Comunicado por: Jaime R. You should also alerted healthcare professionals about the high risk of contracting the virus Aborigines. Reported by: Jaime R. Torres < torresjaime@cantv.net > -- ProMED-ESP [Ver tambi?n Influenza, H1N1, brote, muertes, yanomamis - Venezuela 20091107.3848 ] ----- ProMED-mail .................................jt
 
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