Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2014/03/news-scan-mar-17-2014
News Scan for Mar 17, 2014
BC measles outbreak spreads; Guinea-worm disease
Filed Under:
Dracunculiasis; Measles
BC measles outbreak sparks Vancouver college alert
A measles outbreak that started at a Christian school in Chilliwack, British Columbia, has now spread to a college campus near Vancouver, according to reports from Fraser Valley Health, the area's public health department, and British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).
Fraser Health said in a Mar 15 statement that an outbreak case has been confirmed at the BCIT campus in Burnaby, about 57 miles west of Chilliwack. The student was on campus on Mar 6 and Mar 7.
The statement said that health officials are working with BCIT to alert students who may have been in contact with the sick student about possible measles exposure. Officials said students who attended class in the building on those 2 days can return to class today if they have had two documented doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, if they were born before 1970, or have had measles in the past.
So far about 100 measles cases have been reported in the outbreak. Last week officials noted that the outbreak had spread to communities beyond the Chilliwack area.
Mar 15 Fraser Health statement
Mar 16 BCIT statement
Niger, Nigeria certified as free of guinea worm disease
Two of five African nations declared free of guinea worm disease in December have received certificates indicating their new status, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today.
Nigeria and Niger were certified by the WHO on Dec 13 as being free of the disease, whose scientific name is dracunculiasis, but did not receive their certificates from the agency until this year, the WHO said in a news release. The other three countries are Cote d'Ivoire, Somalia, and South Africa. Nigeria received its certificate on Jan 15 and Niger on Feb 17, the agency said.
Now only four countries in the world have endemic guinea worm disease, the WHO said: South Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia, and Mali.
Mar 17 WHO press release
News Scan for Mar 17, 2014
BC measles outbreak spreads; Guinea-worm disease
Filed Under:
Dracunculiasis; Measles
BC measles outbreak sparks Vancouver college alert
A measles outbreak that started at a Christian school in Chilliwack, British Columbia, has now spread to a college campus near Vancouver, according to reports from Fraser Valley Health, the area's public health department, and British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).
Fraser Health said in a Mar 15 statement that an outbreak case has been confirmed at the BCIT campus in Burnaby, about 57 miles west of Chilliwack. The student was on campus on Mar 6 and Mar 7.
The statement said that health officials are working with BCIT to alert students who may have been in contact with the sick student about possible measles exposure. Officials said students who attended class in the building on those 2 days can return to class today if they have had two documented doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, if they were born before 1970, or have had measles in the past.
So far about 100 measles cases have been reported in the outbreak. Last week officials noted that the outbreak had spread to communities beyond the Chilliwack area.
Mar 15 Fraser Health statement
Mar 16 BCIT statement
Niger, Nigeria certified as free of guinea worm disease
Two of five African nations declared free of guinea worm disease in December have received certificates indicating their new status, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today.
Nigeria and Niger were certified by the WHO on Dec 13 as being free of the disease, whose scientific name is dracunculiasis, but did not receive their certificates from the agency until this year, the WHO said in a news release. The other three countries are Cote d'Ivoire, Somalia, and South Africa. Nigeria received its certificate on Jan 15 and Niger on Feb 17, the agency said.
Now only four countries in the world have endemic guinea worm disease, the WHO said: South Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia, and Mali.
Mar 17 WHO press release