• FluTrackers.com Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster. The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website. By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.
  • We are not asking for any donations. Do not donate to any entity who says they are raising funds for us.

Pakistan: Human H5N1 Cluster December 2007

Y

yielddude

Senior Moderator
Two ?bird flu? deaths sound alarm bells ringing



Muhammad Kabir

ISLAMABAD: Three suspected cases of human-to-human transmission of bird flu virus have been detected in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), sources told The Post on Monday.

Of these three cases, two people died and the Ministry of Health has collected samples to determine the cause of their deaths.

Sources said about three weeks ago the Ministry of Health obtained blood samples of people suspected of being infected with bird flu virus, but their results have yet to be announced.

Ministry officials said on October 21, 2007, bird flu virus H5-N1 was confirmed at Ijaz Shah Poultry Farm in Abbotabad and a veterinarian, Dr Ishtiaq Durrani, from the NWFP Livestock Department was tasked with culling as many as 3,000 hens in Abbotabad from October 21 to 23.

As many as 200 people have died of bird flu virus all over the world but no case of human-to-human transmission of bird flu virus has been confirmed so far.

Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council Secretary and Registrar Dr Alamdar Hussain Malik said the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) were the final authority to confirm the presence of bird flu virus in human beings.

The final report about the presence of bird flu virus in suspected cases detected in NWFP would be released by the ministry, which has obtained their samples, he added.

He said about 25, 000 poultry farms in the country, out of which 90 percent were working without boundary walls and precautionary measures.

He said the government should register all these poultry farms and start an awareness campaign about bio-safety.

http://thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=133500&catid=17
 
Re: Possible Human H5N1 Infections in Pakistan Reported

Re: Possible Human H5N1 Infections in Pakistan Reported

We have requested verification of the above article from the editor of the news source and have not received an answer yet.
 
Re: Pakistan: 10,000 chickens culled

Re: Pakistan: 10,000 chickens culled

<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr bgcolor="#f4faff"><td class="heading_txt" height="20"> Media can limit impact of disease outbreaks</td> </tr> <tr> <td>
shim.gif
</td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#efefef">
shim.gif
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>
shim.gif
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="small_txt" height="20">By Shahina Maqbool
11/26/2007</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="small_txt">Islamabad</td></tr></tbody></table>

**snipped**

The in-charge of the Epidemic Cell at NIH Dr. Jaleel Kamran told the participants that Pakistan has reported 76 outbreaks of Bird Flu in 2007, the latest being on November 22 at Mansehra. Of these, 56 outbreaks involved commercial and backyard poultry and 20 outbreaks were reported in wild birds, mostly crows. There has not been a single suspected human case in 2007. Last year, 14 people were hospitalized and all tested negative for H5N1.

**snipped**

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=82905
 
Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Bird Flu claims 2 lives in Mansera

ISLAMABAD: For the first time in the history of Pakistan, Bird Flu influenza has been confirmed among human beings after two brothers died at a local hospital in Peshawar.

According to spokesman of Health Ministry, two brothers Muhammad Ilyas and Tariq working in a poultry farm in Mansera suffered flu, few days back that later turned to be critical in the form of Bird Flu influenza (H5N1).

They were admitted to a local hospital in Peshawar where on Monday they died.

After the blood samples of both the brothers were sent for formal testing in Laboratory, it was found that both brothers died due to Bird Flu virus (H5N1).

It is merit-mentioning that this is the first case of human loss in the history of Pakistan where a person died due to Bird Flu.

On the other hand, spokesman of Health Ministry confirmed the death due to Bird Flu adding both the brothers were working in a Poultry farm in Mansera and had direct link with the chickens that resulted in the transformation of the virus (H5N1).

It may be recalled that 208 people lost their lives around the world due to virus (H5NI). Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippine, China, Vietnam, Egypt and South Asian Estates are among the bird flu affected countries.

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=121881
 
Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Looks like both stories in Pakistan have been pulled.
 
Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

it doesnt look that far from china does it.
 
Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Dutchy said:
Bird Flu claims 2 lives in Mansera

ISLAMABAD: For the first time in the history of Pakistan, Bird Flu influenza has been confirmed among human beings after two brothers died at a local hospital in Peshawar.

According to spokesman of Health Ministry, two brothers Muhammad Ilyas and Tariq working in a poultry farm in Mansera suffered flu, few days back that later turned to be critical in the form of Bird Flu influenza (H5N1).

They were admitted to a local hospital in Peshawar where on Monday they died.

After the blood samples of both the brothers were sent for formal testing in Laboratory, it was found that both brothers died due to Bird Flu virus (H5N1).

It is merit-mentioning that this is the first case of human loss in the history of Pakistan where a person died due to Bird Flu.

On the other hand, spokesman of Health Ministry confirmed the death due to Bird Flu adding both the brothers were working in a Poultry farm in Mansera and had direct link with the chickens that resulted in the transformation of the virus (H5N1).

It may be recalled that 208 people lost their lives around the world due to virus (H5NI). Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippine, China, Vietnam, Egypt and South Asian Estates are among the bird flu affected countries.

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=121881
Click to expand...
New URL for this story (hat-tip, andym!):

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=121912
 
Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Theresa42 said:
The story from the other day (the H2H story) -- "Two ?bird flu? deaths sound alarm bells ringing" -- has moved into the paper's archive here:

http://www.thepost.com.pk/Arc_IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=133500&catid=17&date=12/11/2007&fcatid=14

The other one does seem to be gone, though.
Click to expand...
Just in case:

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>
Two ?bird flu? deaths sound alarm bells ringing​
</TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>Muhammad Kabir
</TD></TR><TR><TD>ISLAMABAD: Three suspected cases of human-to-human transmission of bird flu virus have been detected in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), sources told The Post on Monday.

Of these three cases, two people died and the Ministry of Health has collected samples to determine the cause of their deaths.

Sources said about three weeks ago the Ministry of Health obtained blood samples of people suspected of being infected with bird flu virus, but their results have yet to be announced.

Ministry officials said on October 21, 2007, bird flu virus H5-N1 was confirmed at Ijaz Shah Poultry Farm in Abbotabad and a veterinarian, Dr Ishtiaq Durrani, from the NWFP Livestock Department was tasked with culling as many as 3,000 hens in Abbotabad from October 21 to 23.

As many as 200 people have died of bird flu virus all over the world but no case of human-to-human transmission of bird flu virus has been confirmed so far.

Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council Secretary and Registrar Dr Alamdar Hussain Malik said the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) were the final authority to confirm the presence of bird flu virus in human beings.

The final report about the presence of bird flu virus in suspected cases detected in NWFP would be released by the ministry, which has obtained their samples, he added.

He said about 25, 000 poultry farms in the country, out of which 90 percent were working without boundary walls and precautionary measures.

He said the government should register all these poultry farms and start an awareness campaign about bio-safety.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

For information to those readers in this part of the world, speaking Punjabi in North-East Pakistan and North-West India, here is an Avian Influenza Leaflet in that language: http://new.wales.gov.uk/docrepos/40382/cmo/protection/emergency/avian/avian-punjabi?lang=en

For those who speak the national Pakistan language Urdu, the same leaflet in that language:
http://new.wales.gov.uk/docrepos/40382/cmo/protection/emergency/avian/avian-urdu?lang=en
 
Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>Bird flu claims 2 lives in Mansehra

</TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD>Online

</TD></TR><TR><TD>ISLAMABAD: Bird Flu influenza has been confirmed among human beings in Pakistan after two brothers died of the virus at a local hospital in Peshawar.

According to a Health Ministry spokesman, two brothers Muhammad Ilyas and Tariq working in a poultry farm in Manshera, suffered flu that turned into bird flu influenza (H5N1). He disclosed the blood samples of both the brothers confirmed their death due to the presence of bird flu virus. It is merit-mentioning here that this is the first case of human loss due to bird flu virus in Pakistan. Earlier, 208 people lost their lives around the world due to same virus.

http://thepost.com.pk/MainNews.aspx?bdtl_id=8546&fb_id=2&catid=14

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>​
 
Re: Possible Human H5N1 Infections in Pakistan Reported

Re: Possible Human H5N1 Infections in Pakistan Reported

Florida1 said:
We have requested verification of the above article from the editor of the news source and have not received an answer yet.
Click to expand...

We still have not received any response from that news organization.
 
Re: Possible Human H5N1 Infections in Pakistan Reported

Re: Possible Human H5N1 Infections in Pakistan Reported

Florida1 said:
We still have not received any response from that news organization.
Click to expand...
Even Promed is on board

AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (163): PAKISTAN FIRST REPORT
***************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Thu 13 Dec 2007
Source: onlinenews.com, Islamabad [edited]
<http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=121912>


Bird Flu claims 2 lives in Mansera
----------------------------------
For the first time in the history of Pakistan, Bird Flu influenza has
been confirmed among human beings after 2 brothers died at a local
hospital in Peshawar.

According to a spokesman of the Health Ministry, 2 brothers working in
a poultry farm in Mansera suffered flu a few days back that later
turned [out] to be critical in the form of Bird Flu influenza (H5N1).
They were admitted to a local hospital in Peshawar where on Monday [10
Dec 2007] they died.

After the blood samples of both the brothers were sent for formal
testing in a Laboratory, it was found that both brothers died due to
Bird Flu virus (H5N1).

It is [worth] mentioning that this is the first case of human loss in
the history of Pakistan where a person died due to Bird Flu. On the
other hand, the spokesman of the Health Ministry confirmed the death
due to Bird Flu adding both the brothers were working in a poultry
farm in Mansera and had direct links with the chickens that resulted
in the transformation [transmission?] of the virus (H5N1).

It may be recalled that 208 people lost their lives around the world
due to the virus (H5NI). Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, China, Vietnam,
Egypt & South Asian States are among the bird flu affected countries.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[This is the first report of human cases of H5N1 avian influenza
virus infection in Pakistan, and indeed in the Indian Sub-continent.
Confirmation of the diagnosis by an independent laboratory is
awaited. No information is provided in this report on the presence of
disease in poultry or of the the occurrence of non-fatal cases of
human avian influenza.

An interactive HealthNet map of Pakistan can be accessed at
<http:// healthmap.org/promed?v=30,69.4,5>.
Mansera is close to Peshawar in the north of Pakistan. - Mod.CP]
 
Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Hospitals put on alert



By Muhammad Qasim
12/14/2007
Rawalpindi

The National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, has advised health departments at both provincial and federal levels to be ready to deal with any untoward situation after confirmation of avian influenza virus in birds in various parts of the country.

The letter that Rawalpindi General Hospital has received from NIH says that during last two to three weeks, a number of avian influenza outbreaks have been reported from Islamabad, Murree, Abbottabad, Mansehra and adjoining areas. ?The environmental sampling shows high concentration of H5N1 influenza virus which posed a serious threat to human health as well,? stated the letter.

A top official, who wanted his name not to be mentioned, told ?The News? on Thursday that the NIH has advised hospitals to be ready for any untoward situation and ensure all necessary measures including facilities for effective management and care of expected bird flu victims. ?Adequate stock of Tami flu, ventilators, nursing and personal protective equipment should be ensured,? adds the letter. Tami flu can reduce severity and duration of illness caused by avian influenza.

Rawalpindi General Hospital (RGH) Chief Dr. Habib Ahmed Khan, when contacted by ?The News,? confirmed that the hospital had received directions from the NIH for clinical management of avian influenza and infection control. ?I am about to circulate among staff a protocol for handling and treatment of patients with strain of avian influenza. We would soon identify wards which would be isolated in case of bird flu outbreak in the city,? he said while responding to a query.

The greatest disaster involving the virus was the ?Spanish flu? outbreak in 1918 that claimed 20 million to 50 million lives around the world. The most effective way of fighting avian influenza at present available to man is destruction of infected birds or those at risk of infection.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=86157
 
Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=86156

Education for poultry workers
By Shahina Maqbool

Islamabad

The deaths of two brothers of a veterinarian, who acquired the deadly H5N1 Avian Influenza virus after coming into contact with infected poultry at a farm in Abbottabad late-October, and the recent hospitalisation of a Mansehra-based poultry handler who has also tested positive for the disease, provide sufficient evidence for the government to institute concrete measures for interruption of human transmission of the disease from birds to poultry handlers and their close contacts.

Of the 40 suspected human samples collected from Peshawar and Abbottabad in the wake of the first-ever confirmed human transmission of H5N1 in Pakistan, 36 have tested negative, while four are positive, investigations conducted by ?The News? have revealed.

This is the first time that human cases have been reported in Pakistan, placing an onerous responsibility on the government and its partners to eradicate some of the dangerous trends in the poultry industry that could spell disaster for the country.

It is learnt that both the veterinarian, Dr. Ishtiaq Durrani, who is working as livestock production officer at the Department of Livestock and Dairy Development, NWFP, as well as the poultry handler from Mansehra, did not follow the recommended protective measures while handling infected birds. They may either have come into contact with the saliva, nasal excretions and faeces of the infected birds, or the feed and water that are given to them.

Dr. Ishtiaq was involved in culling of 3,000 birds following the October 21 outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm in Abbottabad. The other victim from Mansehra happens to be a daily wage labourer who was commissioned for culling without being advised on how he should protect himself. The labourer?s daughter, along with another male, is also under observation at a hospital in Abbottabad.

While Dr. Ishtiaq himself is on the path to recovery, his brothers Mohammad Ilyas Durrani and Mohammad Owais Durrani ? both of who were attending him at the Khyber Teaching Hospital during his illness ? died on November 19 and November 29, respectively. The symptoms of avian flu infection in humans include muscle aches, fatigue, fever, coughing, sneezing, sore throat and eye infections. In severe cases, infection may lead to fatal pneumonia, blood disorders and multiple organ failure.

Ilyas has been confirmed as being the first casualty of H5N1 in Pakistan. Even though his brother?s blood sample could not be collected, health experts talking to ?The News? said clinical evidence suggests that he too succumbed to the deadly virus. The blood samples of two of the three brothers were received by the National Institute of Health on October 28.

The engagement of daily wage labourers for culling ? a task that should not be performed without observing strictest possible protective measures ? is criminal, to say the least. It is na?ve to expect a labourer to be aware of the health risks involved in the activity.

The government needs to appoint trained workers for swift and complete culling of infected poultry in the event of an outbreak. It must also make arrangements for prompt payment of dues to such workers so that they perform their job with diligence.

Since testing of human samples is a costly affair, it is better to adopt protective measures rather than expecting all persons engaged in culling and handling of birds to be tested. Measures to restrict the movement of infected birds should also be enforced, along with licensing and regular inspections of poultry farms. At present, anyone can open a poultry farm by obtaining a certificate from the relevant ministry.

Avian Infleunza is primarily a disease of birds and under normal circumstances, does not affect humans. However, people who are exposed to infected poultry are at a risk of contracting the virus because the infected birds shed large amounts of virus in their droppings. It is, therefore, essential to ensure that poultry farm workers, particularly those handling birds or engaged in their culling, take due precautions. Before retuning home, they should change their clothes and properly disinfect their bodies so that they do not carry the infection with them.

Poultry workers also need to be educated on prompt identification of infected birds. Some of the key symptoms of sick birds are difficulty in respiration; decrease in weight; loss of hunger; falling of wings; decrease in number of eggs; tremors; diarrhoea; head tilt and paralysis; and, staggering. Given the role of sick chicken in the transmission of the disease from birds to humans, the government must direct all its energies and resources towards stopping the spread of the disease in poultry through improved surveillance and biosecurity measures.

Meanwhile, the NIH is reported to have sought the assistance of the World Health Organisation for confirmation of results and establishment of epidemiological links between the recent episodes. The Centres for Disease Control-Atlanta has also offered its services for provision of necessary tests and investigations, ?The News? has learnt on good authority.

The NIH has also instructed the provincial and districts governments to follow the recommended preventive measures in view of the high transmission season of Avian Influenza, as previously reported in the media. The viral transport medium required for the transport of suspected human samples, as well as protective gears and medicines, have also been dispatched to over 22 identified high-risk districts. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

Re: Pakistan: Bird Flu claims 2 lives

So the doctor (vet) contracts AI. His two brothers that are caring for him then contract AI, and both die, though ten days apart (I'm assuming one of them was able to fight off the disease longer than the other). And then in addition to those three brothers, there are 4 others (out of 40) that also tested positive for AI.
Does this sound right?
Sounds like enough news is starting to come out of Pakistan, that they won't be able to keep much of a lid on it now?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top