Neurologic Complications Associated with Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in Children --- Dallas, Texas, May 2009
July 25, 2009 - Source: http://www.cdc.gov/
Neurologic complications, including seizures, encephalitis, encephalopathy, Reye syndrome, and other neurologic disorders, have been described previously in association with respiratory tract infection with seasonal influenza A or B viruses (1--2), but not with novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. On May 28, 2009, the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services (DCHHS) notified CDC of four children with neurologic complications associated with novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection admitted to hospitals in Dallas County, Texas, during May 18--28. This report summarizes the clinical characteristics of those four cases. Patients were aged 7--17 years and were admitted with signs of influenza-like illness (ILI) and seizures or altered mental status. Three of the four patients had abnormal electroencephalograms (EEGs). In all four patients, novel influenza A (H1N1) viral RNA was detected in nasopharyngeal specimens but not in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Antiviral therapy included oseltamivir (four patients) and rimantadine (three patients). All four patients recovered fully and had no neurologic sequelae at discharge. These findings indicate that, as with seasonal influenza, neurologic complications can occur after respiratory tract infection with novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. For children who have ILI accompanied by unexplained seizures or mental status changes, clinicians should consider acute seasonal influenza or novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in the differential diagnosis, send respiratory specimens for appropriate diagnostic testing, and promptly initiate empirical antiviral treatment, especially in hospitalized patients.
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HKU researchers show that pandemic H1N1 influenza virus first infected humans months before outbreak was detected
June 25, 2009
An international collaboration between researchers that the State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases (SKLEID), The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, and University of Edinburgh, University of Arizona and University of Oxford has investigated the origin and evolution of this newly emerged virus using data from long-term influenza surveillance conducted in Hong Kong and resulted in a publication “Origins and evolutionary genomics of the 2009 swine-origin H1N1 influenza A epidemic” in Nature.
Download the HKU press release here.

Influenza A(H1N1)- WHO's update 18
May 6, 2009- Source: http://www.who.int
As of 16:00 GMT, 6 May 2009, 23 countries have officially reported 1893 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection.
Mexico has reported 942 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 29 deaths. The United States has reported 642 laboratory confirmed human cases, including two deaths.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (165), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Colombia (1), Costa Rica (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (5), Germany (9), Guatemala (1), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (5), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (5), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (2), Spain (73), Sweden (1), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (28).
WHO is not recommending travel restrictions related to the outbreak of the influenza A(H1N1) virus.
Individuals who are ill should delay travel plans and returning travellers who fall ill should seek appropriate medical care. These recommendations are prudent measures which can limit the spread of many communicable diseases, including influenza.
Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.

Avian influenza - situation in Egypt - 23 deaths, 58 confirmed cases.
March 11, 2009- Source: http://www.who.int
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has reported a new confirmed human case of avian influenza. The new case is a one and a half year old female from Menofia Governorate. Her symptoms began on 6 March and she was hospitalized on 9 March where she remains in a stable condition. Infection with H5N1 avian influenza was confirmed on 10 March by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratory.
Investigations into the source of her infection indicate a history of close contact with dead and sick poultry prior to becoming ill.
Of the 58 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 23 have been fatal.

Avian influenza - situation in Vietnam - 54 deaths, 109 confirmed cases.
February 27, 2009- Source: http://www.who.int
The Ministry of Health in Viet Nam has announced the death of a previously confirmed case of H5N1 infection. The 32 year old male from Kim Son district, Ninh Binh Province died on 25 February.
Of the 109 cases confirmed to date in Viet Nam, 54 have been fatal.

Vietnam: WHO confirmation of 109th case
February 18, 2009- Source: http://www.who.int
The Ministry of Health in Viet Nam has reported a new confirmed case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case has been confirmed at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE).
The case is a 32-year old man from Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province. He developed symptoms on 5 February 2009 and was hospitalized on 13 February 2009. He is currently in a serious condition. The case is known to have had recent contact with sick poultry prior to the onset of his illness.
Further investigations are currently underway. Control measures have been implemented and close contacts are being identified and monitored.
Of the 109 cases confirmed to date in Viet Nam, 52 have been fatal.

Avian influenza - situation in Vietnam
February 11, 2009- Source: http://www.who.int
The Ministry of Health in Viet Nam has reported a new confirmed case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case has been confirmed at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE).
The case is a 23-year old woman from Dam Ha district, Quang Ninh province. She developed symptoms on 28 January 2009 and was hospitalized on 31 January 2009. She is currently in a serious condition and is known to have had recent contact with sick and dead poultry prior to the onset of her illness. Further investigations are currently underway. Control measures have been implemented and close contacts are being identified and monitored.
Of the 108 cases confirmed to date in Viet Nam, 52 have been fatal.

Avian influenza - situation in Egypt
February 09, 2009- Source: http://www.who.int
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has announced a new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection. The case is a one and a half year old male from the Maghagha District of Menia Governorate. His symptoms began on 6 February and he was hospitalized at the Maghagha Fever Hospital on 7 February where he remains in a stable condition. Infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus was confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratory.
Investigations into the source of his infection indicate a history of close contact with dead poultry prior to becoming ill.
Of the 55 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 23 have been fatal.

Avian influenza - situation in Egypt
February 05, 2009- Source: http://www.who.int
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has announced a new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection. The case is a 2-year-old male from Suez Governorate, Ganain District. His symptoms began on 2 February and he was hospitalized at the Suez Fever Hospital on 3 February. He remains in a stable condition. Infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus was confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratory.
Investigations into the source of his infection indicate a recent history of contact with dead poultry.
Of the 54 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 23 have been fatal.

Ebola Reston in pigs and humans in the Philippines
February 03, 2009- Source: http://www.who.int
On 23 January 2009, the Government of the Philippines announced that a person thought to have come in contact with sick pigs had tested positive for Ebola Reston Virus (ERV) antibodies (IgG). On 30 January 2009 the Government announced that a further four individuals had been found positive for ERV antibodies: two farm workers in Bulacan and one farm worker in Pangasinan - the two farms currently under quarantine in northern Luzon because of ERV infection was found in pigs - and one butcher from a slaughterhouse in Pangasinan. The person announced on 23 January to have tested positive for ERV antibodies is reported to be a backyard pig farmer from Valenzuela City - a neighbourhood within Metro Manila.
The Philippine Department of Health has said that the people who tested positive appear to be in good health and have not suffered from any significant illnesses in the past 12 months. The investigation team reported that it was possible that all 5 individuals had been exposed to the virus as a result of direct contact with sick pigs. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is not common practice among these animal handlers.
From these observations and previous studies of ERV, the virus has shown it can be transmitted to humans, without resulting in illness. However, the evidence available relates only to healthy adults and it would be premature to conclude the health effects of the virus on all population groups. The threat to human health is likely to be low for healthy adults but is unknown for all other population groups, such as immuno-compromised persons, persons with underlying medical conditions, pregnant women and children.
The Philippine Government is conducting contact tracing in relation to the five individuals who tested positive for antibodies. In addition, testing is ongoing for other persons who could have come into contact with sick pigs on the two quarantined farms in the provinces of Bulacan and Pangasinan where pigs co-infected with the Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS) and ERV were reported in 2008. The two farms remain under quarantine and the Philippine Government is maintaining its voluntary hold of exports of live pigs and fresh and frozen pork meat.
The Philippine Government has announced a combined Department of Health and Department of Agriculture strategy to limit the animal and human health risks of the Ebola Reston Virus and emphasized that local governments, the pig farming industry and the public will play a critical role in the strategy.
Along with its international partners, the WHO will continue to support the Philippine Government in its efforts to gain a better understanding of the Ebola Reston virus, its effects on humans, and the measures that need to be taken to reduce any risks to human health.

Avian influenza – situation in China
February 02, 2009- Source: http://www.who.int
The Ministry of Health in China has announced a new confirmed human cases of H5N1 infection. The case is a 21-year-old female from Xupu County, Hunan province. She had onset of symptoms on 23 January and remains in hospital in a clinically stable condition. Investigations into the source of her infection indicate possible exposure to sick and dead poultry.
Of the 38 cases confirmed to date in China, 25 have been fatal.

Vietnam confirms girl infected with bird flu
January 06, 2009- Source: http://www.chinaview.cn
An eight-year-old Vietnamese girl from the country's northern Thanh Hoa Province has been infected with bird flu and hospitalized, said an official with the National Steering Committee for Avian Influenza here on Tuesday.
The girl ate chicken before being hospitalized, the official told Xinhua. Specimens from poultry raised in Dien Chung town, where the girl is from, have been recently tested positive to bird flu virus, the official added.
The girl is now being treated at the Vietnam National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, and she is in a stable condition, said the official.
About 7,800 poultry have been culled in the Dien Chung Town to prevent further spread of the disease, said the official.
This is the first human case reported in the country this year.
Vietnamese health officials warned last month country faced risks of bird flu reoccurrence and human infection of the disease due to the cool temperature.
Bird flu outbreaks in Vietnam, starting from December 2003, have caused 106 human infectious cases and led to the killing of dozens of millions of fowls in the country, official figures showed.

Avian influenza ­ situation in Egypt
December 16, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has announced a new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection. The case is a 16-year-old female from Assuit Governorate, Upper Egypt whose symptoms began on 8 December 2008. She was initially hospitalized at the district hospital on 11 December and then transferred to the Assuit University Hospital on 13 December where she died on 15 December. Infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus was diagnosed by PCR at the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratory and subsequently confirmed by the US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 (NAMRU-3) laboratories on 15 December 2008. Investigations into the source of her infection indicate a recent history of contact with sick and dead poultry.
Of the 51 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 23 have been fatal.

Avian influenza ­ situation in Cambodia
December 12, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int
The Ministry of Health of Cambodia has announced a new confirmed case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.
A 19 year old male, from Kandal Province, developed symptoms on 28 Nov 2008 and initially sought medical attention at a local health centre on 30 Nov 2008. The presence of the H5N1 virus was confirmed by the National Influenza Centre, the Institut Pasteur in Cambodia, on Thu 11 Dec 2008. The patient is currently hospitalised and a team led by the Ministry of Health is conducting field investigations into the source of his infection. Contacts of the case are also being identified and provided with prophylaxis.
Of the 8 cases confirmed to date in Cambodia, 7 have been fatal.

Eighth human case of avian influenza in Cambodia
December 12, 2008 - Source: Ministry of Health, Cambodia and World Health Organization, Cambodia [via ProMED-mail MBDS; edited]
The Ministry of Health in Cambodia confirmed that a 19 year old man is the eighth person who has been detected with confirmed avian influenza in Cambodia since early 2005. This is the first case of avian influenza detected in Cambodia in 2008. The patient is from Kandal Steung District in Kandal Province.
The patient became ill with fever, cough, muscle ache and sore throat on [28 Nov 2008] and sought medical attention at local health centres originally on [30 Nov 2008] and again on [2 Dec 2008]. The patient was identified during surveillance for acute fever illness, a research study conducted in the province and confirmatory testing was done by the National Influenza Centre in Phnom Penh on [11 Dec 2008].
The patient is currently being treated in Calmette hospital, Phnom Penh. Field investigation teams, headed by MoH are in the field to identify human contacts and start prophylaxis treatment. The Ministry of Health will continue to go house to house in the affected area looking for people who have a fever, cough and contact with sick or dead chickens. Public education materials will also be distributed.
The Ministry of Agriculture are conducting a detailed investigation into poultry deaths in the area around the village.
This is the 8th confirmed case of human H5N1 influenza in Cambodia. All previous 7 cases died. The last case occurred in April 2007. Globally there have been 389 confirmed cases of human H5N1 infections of which 246 have died.

Bird flu spreads its wings, affects 9 Assam districts
December 11, 2008 - Source: http://www.zeenews.com/states/2008-12-11/490211news.html
With the avian influenza spreading to fresh areas, 9 Assam districts are now bird flu affected and health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday [11 Dec 2008] warned that it could become a major human disaster. The affected districts were Kamrup (Rural), Kamrup (Metro), Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Baksa, Dibrugarh, Goalpara and Bongaigaon, official sources said.
Sale of poultry and eggs, either cooked or raw, has been banned in Guwahati and Kamrup (Metro) district which comprises Guwahati and adjoining areas. Culling of poultry, ducks and other birds has been continuing in the affected districts with over 1.5 lakh [150 000] birds killed so far, the sources said."People are taking the disease very casually. Chicken and ducks are being kept away from culling without realising the seriousness of the disease," Sarma told reporters here. "We will not be able to handle it, if the disease spreads to humans from the birds. The way the disease is spreading, it will be a greater disaster than bomb blasts or floods," Sarma said. "The human disaster will be immense. The health department is very worried about human transmission of the disease as it is not 100 percent equipped to handle a large scale outbreak as there are no isolation facilities here," he said.
The disease, starting from Hajo revenue circle in Kamrup (Rural) district about 20 km [12.4 miles] from here [Guwahati] on 2 Dec 2008 and spread to Guwahati in Kamrup (Metro) district, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Baksa, Bongaigaon and Goalpara districts in Lower Assam spreading to Dibrugarh district in Upper Assam.
Taking in view that the bird flu is spreading to new areas in neighbouring Assam, Meghalaya banned the entry of poultry and poultry products from Assam and Bangladesh.
"The ban comes into force with immediate effect. However, the ban does not imply to the sale of poultry and poultry products produced within the state," a Veterinary Department release here said. A senior veterinary official told media that they were preparing to cull birds and poultry in the bordering areas with Assam as soon as the centre asks to do so. "Normally culling operations are done in a radius of 3 km [1.8 miles] of the place of disease outbreak. With the bird flu outbreak in Assam's Khanapara, lying along Assam-Meghalaya border, it is likely that culling would be done in the bordering areas of Meghalaya too," he said.
Deputy commissioner of Ri Bhoi district that borders Khanapara in Assam's Kamrup (Rural) district is on a visit to the bordering areas along with a team of veterinary officials to take stock of the situation. The government has set up control rooms in all districts to facilitate information to the poultry farms. Veterinary officials have been regularly adopting measures to prevent spread of the disease into the state and deputy commissioners of all the districts have been alerted, sources said. Meghalaya already has in place 150 rapid response teams along with 2170 personnel protective equipment that were constituted last year [2007] after the outbreak of avian flu in West Bengal.

Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update 45
December 9, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced two new confirmed cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. A 9-year-old female from Riau Province developed symptoms on 7 November and was hospitalized on 12 November. She recovered and was discharged from hospital on 27 November. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the H5N1 avian influenza virus. Investigations into the source of her infection indicate poultry deaths at her home on 2 November.
The second case, a 2-year-old female from East Jakarta, developed symptoms on 18 November, was hospitalized on 26 November and died on 29 November. Laboratory tests have confirmed infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. Initial investigations into the source of her infection suggest exposure at a live bird market.
Of the 139 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 113 have been fatal.

Hong Kong to cull chickens after detecting bird flu
December 9, 2008 - Source: http://www.promedmail.org
Hong Kong health authorities said on Tuesday [9 Dec 2008] that they would slaughter 80 000 chickens after 3 dead birds tested positive for the H5 avian flu virus. [These figures pertain to the number of samples sent to the laboratory. For number of cases on the farm, see item 1 above. - Mod.AS] The outbreak, Hong Kong's first in 6 years, raises fresh questions about the city's efforts to prevent bird flu.
The news could also hit public sentiment as the financial center struggles with the economic impact of the global slowdown. The city, a special administrative region of China, fell into recession in the 3rd quarter, and the city's leader warned this week that the territory faces a difficult 2009."Hong Kong is facing a new alert for bird flu," York Chow, Hong Kong's secretary for food and health, said on Tuesday [9 Dec 2008] at a press conference, according to the Associated Press. Mr Chow said the chickens were found Monday [8 Dec 2008] on a farm with 60 000 birds that has since been designated an infected zone. He added that Hong Kong would suspend poultry imports for 21 days and begin slaughtering 80 000 birds.
Officials said they hadn't yet determined if the virus they found was the H5N1 strain of bird flu that has proven deadly for humans. Still, the outbreak raises questions about how birds at the farm were infected. Yi Guan, a microbiologist and avian flu expert at Hong Kong University, said Hong Kong has some of the highest safety standards in the region but warned of "leaking holes" in the system. "We have a high-tech biosecurity system," Mr Guan said. "But how the farmer runs the farm is another story." Mr Guan said it would take scientists "a couple of days" to determine the particular strain of the virus, but warned that several strains within the H5 family of viruses could pose threats to humans.
In June [2008], a routine inspection of an outdoor food market turned up 5 cases of avian influenza, spurring officials to slaughter chickens and suspend supplies of live chickens from local and Mainland Chinese farms for 3 weeks. An investigation was launched to determine the source of that outbreak, but a government spokeswoman said Tuesday [9 Dec 2008] that the source of June's outbreak had "posed some difficulties" and wasn't yet determined. So far, the disease's impact has been muted by its inability to easily pass from human to human. Since 2003, it has infected 387 people in 15 countries, including China, Indonesia and Viet Nam, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Of those confirmed cases, 63 percent have proved fatal. Scientists worry that the flu could mutate into a tougher and more contagious form.
Hong Kong has seen occasional bird-flu incidents but no major outbreaks since 1997, when the virus killed 6 people and led to a slaughter of the territory's 1.5 million birds. There are currently about 60 000 birds in Hong Kong, according to Hong Kong's government, which is discouraging vendors from selling live chickens. The incident comes at a time of heightened scrutiny on food safety in the region. Hong Kong officials have been scrutinizing the city's food supply for signs of melamine, a toxic chemical that has been found in milk products and eggs from the mainland. Mr Guan, the Hong Kong University microbiologist, said now would be a good time to review current safety standards. "After this event, we will go and check to see whether the system is good or not, or if it can be improved," Mr Guan said. "I think that will be the next topic to discuss."

Increase in incidence of Human Metapneumovirus in 2 sites of hospital based surveillance for severe respiratory diseases in Cambodia
October 10, 2008 - Source: Institut Pasteur Cambodia, MoH CDC, WHO CSR Cambodia
In Cambodia, data on causative pathogens for severe respiratory infections have been collected within the framework of SISEA project - an hospital-based regional surveillance - in two provincial hospitals located in south and center of Cambodia (Takeo and Kampong Cham provinces) since April 2007 and February 2008 respectively.
The numbers of hMPV infections detected have markedly increased in both sites since June 2008. A total of 17 new hospitalized cases were identified in August 2008, which represents a 3-fold increase from the previous month. No death was reported.
This increase especially in infants raises concerns about the circulation of hMPV in Cambodia. Both MoH, WHO and Institut Pasteur in Cambodia are scheduling a investigation to confirm the hMPV infection outbreak in the community and to describe the patterns of transmission of the infection.

Hantavirus infection in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City)
October 10, 2008 - Source: http://www.thanhniennews.com/healthy/
A 25-year-old woman who lives in District 12 [of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)], has a hantavirus [infection], which is transmitted by inhaled dust exposed to rodent feces or urine, or transmitted by rodent bites, according to Phan Ngoc Nam, head of Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease at People's Hospital 115. The woman fell ill late last month [September 2008], but was not diagnosed correctly until a couple of days ago as the disease is very rare in Viet Nam, he said. Vu Thi Que Huong, head of HCMC Pasteur Institute's Department of Micro-organisms and Immunity, said on Monday [6 Oct 208] that the woman [presents] a very typical case of the disease. But she said the virus had yet to be properly studied.
The woman fell ill with a high fever on 20 Sep 2008 and was diagnosed with dengue fever by her doctor. As the fever had not subsided 3 days later, she was hospitalized and with viral fever. The patient then began having kidney problems, difficulty breathing, and blood showed in her urine, plus her stomach swelled and her lungs began to fill with fluid. She was moved to the cardiovascular department when her heartbeat slowed. She also had polyuria (excessive urination), fluid leakage in the outer cardiac membrane, and other lung problems.
On Fri 3 Oct 2008, the patient was diagnosed with hantavirus [infection] at HCMC Pasteur Institute. The patient said she had seen mouse feces in her home. The institute has given her family 8 mousetraps to catch mice in her house and some nearby houses.
The institute previously diagnosed another patient with hantavirus [infection], but the case was not as typical as this case, Huong said. Hantavirus disease has an incubation time of 9 to 35 days in humans before symptoms of infection occur, according to Nam. Nam said the symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headaches, dizziness, chills, stomach problems, and problems related to the heart and lungs.
Hantavirus [infection] has historically killed more than half those infected since its discovery in 1993.

Cholera in Guinea Bissau
September 24, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
Since the beginning of May 2008, Guinea-Bissau has been facing a large cholera outbreak. As of 21 September, 7 166 cases had been reported throughout the country, among whom 133 people had died. The overall case-fatality rate stands at 1.9%, and decreases below 1% for hospitalized cases. However, the case-fatality rate reaches 9% in remote areas, indicating that rural populations affected by cholera do not have access to treatment rapidly enough to save lives. The fact that Bissau, the capital, accounts for more than 70% of all cases but only 31% of deaths also illustrates this issue. The areas with the highest attack rates are Bissau, Biombo, Bijagos and Oio. Cholera epidemics regularly resurge in Guinea-Bissau. In 2005-2006, cholera affected 25 111 people and killed 399.
Numerous national and international partners are supporting the Ministry of Health. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF-Spain) took charge of cholera treatment centres by building local capacity, and improving early detection and treatment of cases through systematic patient home visits. UNICEF is providing technical expertise and material in the area of water and sanitation; WHO is deploying an epidemiologist. A team from The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - Brazil team - have also arrived in the country to support the outbreak investigation. In addition, efforts are being made to strengthen community mobilization, health and hygiene education, and to de-stigmatize cholera among potentially-affected populations.
Cholera is mainly transmitted through contaminated water and food and is closely linked to inadequate environmental management. In many areas of Guinea-Bissau, basic infrastructures appear to be largely inefficient. The overall quality of water and sanitation remains very poor, therefore facilitating cholera transmission. Long-term prevention of cholera depends on access to safe water and adequate sanitation to prevent exposure and interrupt transmission. In addition, corpses of deceased cholera patients should be handled with extreme caution and correctly disinfected before proceeding with the burial ceremony to avoid further contamination.
WHO does not recommend any restrictions to travel or trade to or from affected areas as a means to control the spread of cholera.

Melamine-contaminated powdered infant formula in China - Update
September 22, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
China’s Ministry of Health reported over the weekend that nearly 40,000 children have sought medical treatment related to the consumption of melamine-contaminated powdered infant formula. Almost 12,900 are currently hospitalized.
Three deaths have been confirmed as being related to contamination of infant formula. One is under further investigation.
Authorities of Singapore and Hong Kong SAR reported finding melamine in dairy products manufactured in China. A three-year old girl received treatment in Hong Kong due to consumption of the contaminated milk.
WHO will continue to share information through its International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) to help national authorities to be better informed and enable them to better target their monitoring.

Melamine-contaminated powdered infant formula in China
September 18, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
Over 6240 cases of kidney stones in infants with three deaths have been reported from across China as of 17 September. Kidney stones in infants are very rare.
The Ministry of Health of China has confirmed that these cases are related to melamine-contaminated powdered infant formula consumed by the infants. While the exact onset date of illness resulting from contamination is unknown, a manufacturer received a complaint of illness in March 2008.
Following inspections conducted by China’s national inspection agency, at least 22 dairy manufacturers across the country were found to have melamine in some of their products (levels varied between 0.09mg/kg and 2.560 mg/kg). Two companies exported their products to Bangladesh, Burundi, Myanmar, Gabon and Yemen. While contamination in those exported products remains unconfirmed, a recall has been ordered from China.
A recall is also ongoing for all contaminated products in China.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is in close communication with the Ministry of Health of China to monitor the situation. WHO has also been disseminating information on the situation to WHO Member States through the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN). INFOSAN has also specifically alerted the five countries importing potentially contaminated products from China.
WHO recommends breastfeeding as the ideal way of providing young infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to six months of age.

Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia
September 10, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has retrospectively announced two confirmed cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The first case, a 38 year old male from Tangerang Municipality, Banten Province developed symptoms on 4 July 2008, was hospitalized on 9 July and died on 10 July. There were free roaming poultry throughout his neighbourhood, including a commercial poultry pen owned by a neighbour.
The second case, a 20 year old male from Tangerang District, Banten Province developed symptoms on 20 July, was hospitalized on 29 July, and died on 31 July. Reports indicate that chickens from the case's household had died in the week preceding the onset of his symptoms and that he had slaughtered and consumed some of his stock during this period.
Of the 137 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 112 have been fatal.

Case of Marburg Haemorrhagic Fever imported into the Netherlands from Uganda
July 10, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
WHO has been notified by the Government of the Netherlands of a case of Marburg haemorrhagic fever (MHF) in a Dutch tourist who visited Uganda. Marburg virus infection has been demonstrated by laboratory tests performed by the Bernhard Nocht Institute in Hamburg, Germany.
The 40-year-old woman travelled in Uganda from 5-28 June, 2008, and entered caves on two occasions. The first cave was visited on 16 June at Fort Portal. No bats were seen in this cave. She was reportedly exposed to fruit bats during a visit to the “python cave” in the Maramagambo Forest between Queen Elisabeth Park and Kabale on 19 June. This cave is thought to harbour bat species that have been found to carry filoviruses in other locations in sub-Saharan Africa. Filoviruses cause two types of viral haemorrhagic fever: Marburg and Ebola. A large bat population was seen in the cave and the woman is reported to have had direct contact with one bat.
The woman returned to the Netherlands on 28 June in good health. The first symptoms (fever, chills) occurred on 2 July and she was admitted to hospital on 5 July. Rapid clinical deterioration with liver failure and severe haemorrhaging occurred on 7 July. The patient remains in a critical clinical condition.
Contact tracing and temperature monitoring have been initiated for unprotected contacts with a history of possible exposure to the case after 2 July. Although further epidemiological investigation is needed to exclude other possible sites of exposure to MHF virus, as a precaution Dutch authorities have alerted the tour operator to avoid visits to the caves until further information is available.
No citizens of other countries were involved in this trip except for a local tour guide, but the cave in the Maramagambo Forrest is known to be a tourist attraction. No measures were taken with respect to the passengers on the flight from Uganda as the flight occurred four days before the onset of symptoms in the patient.
WHO has informed the Ministry of Health Uganda which will take appropriate steps nationally to investigate these events, and WHO has recommended that the MoH advise all residents and travellers to avoid entering caves with bat populations.

Avian influenza - situation in Indonesia
June 19, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced two new cases of human H5N1 avian influenza infection. The cases are not linked epidemiologically. The first is a 16-year-old female from South Jakarta, DKI Jakarta Province developed symptoms on 7 May, was hospitalized on 12 May and died on 14 May. Investigations into the source of her infection indicate exposure to sick and dead poultry.
The second case is a 34-year-old female from Tangerang District, Banten Province who developed symptoms on 26 May, and was hospitalized on 2 June and died on 3 June. Investigations into the source of her infection are ongoing. Of the 135 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 110 have been fatal.

Avian influenza - situation in Bangladesh
May 28, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health, Bangladesh has confirmed its first case of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza. The case was identified retrospectively as part of seasonal surveillance activities run by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB).
The case is a 16-month-old male from Komalapur, Dhaka. He developed symptoms on 27th January 2008 and subsequently recovered. The case was confirmed as being infected with A(H5N1) by the WHO H5 Reference Laboratory, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The case was exposed to live and slaughtered chickens at his home. Specimens have been collected from his family members and neighbours. All remain healthy to date.

Enterovirus in China - update 2
May 21, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with the WHO Representative Office in China, has released a preliminary report on the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreak due to enterovirus 71 (EV71) in Fuyang City, Anhui Province.
Reporting on the occurrence of HFMD in Anhui province and the rest of the country will now take place on a monthly basis together with other notifiable diseases in China.
As part of the efforts to implement the International Health Regulations, IHR(2005), China will further strengthen the early warning system by immediate notification of clustering of clinically abnormal and severe cases, as well as increasing international collaboration and information exchange.
An English version of the preliminary report can be downloaded from the WHO China Country Office website.

Enterovirus in China
May 1, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
As of April 29 a total of 1884 cases including 20 deaths of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) due to enterovirus (EV-71) have been reported among infants and young children. The 20 deaths are in Fuyang city in Anhui Province, China.
All fatal cases died of serious complications such as neurogenic pulmonary oedema due to EV-71 infection. The overall case fatality rate has decreased from 11% during March 10-31 to 0.2% during April 17-29.The number of hospitalised cases has gradually increased since the end of March with a sharp increase in the number of cases since April 19.Public health experts predict that the number of cases will continue to increase and will peak around June-July. Retrospective case investigation has revealed that sporadic cases had occurred since the beginning of March. Cases have been reported from all over Fuyang city.
Testing for a variety of respiratory diseases of the initial cases did not reveal any conclusive results. Subsequently, additional testing and several expert consultations were conducted at the national level. On April 23, EV-71 was confirmed. Health authorities informed WHO and Hong Kong SAR Department of Health and the Province of Taiwan's Department of Health immediately on these results.
Chinese health authorities have put in place targeted prevention and control measures in Fuyang city and Anhui Province, including enhanced surveillance, training of health care workers at all levels in treatment, prevention and control, strengthening of environmental health management, and the supervision and monitoring of drinking water quality. A public awareness campaign is ongoing, stressing the need for good personal hygiene, mostly by hand washing.

Avian Influenza : situation in Indonesia
Apr 30, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. A 3-year-old male from Wonogiri District, Central Java Province developed symptoms on 14 April, was hospitalized on 21 April and died on 23 April. Investigations into the source of his infection indicate exposure to sick and dead poultry.
Of the 133 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 108 have been fatal.

Severe Acute Watery Diarrhoea with V. cholerae positive cases in Vietnam
Apr 22, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
Between 5 March and 22 April the Ministry of Health of Vietnam reported 2490 cases of severe acute watery diarrhoea including 377 that were positive for Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium causing cholera. The serotype has been identified as 01 Ogawa. No deaths have been reported, a fact that indicates that good case management is in place. Until now, 20 provinces and municipalities of Vietnam have been affected. The majority of people infected by the disease are Hanoi residents. The predominant route of infection appears to be consumption of contaminated food. Cholera bacteria have not been detected in drinking water in Hanoi or in other affected areas but have been found in some surface waters. Additional epidemiological, environmental and food trace-back investigations are under way.
The Ministry of Health has been increasing health education and launched a mass media campaign aimed at strengthening food safety and personal hygiene knowledge and practices. Environmental disinfection is conducted in the homes of cholera patients and a program of intensified hygiene inspection of commercial food vendors is being carried out.
WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health by providing technical advice on aspects of the epidemiological and laboratory investigations of the outbreak. In addition, WHO and other UN agencies are exploring other possibilities of assistance. In controlling the spread of cholera WHO does not recommend any special restrictions to travel or trade to or from affected areas. Visitors coming to Vietnam are encouraged to respect basic precautions when consuming water and food.

Rift Valley fever in Madagascar
Apr 18, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
As of 17 April 2008, the Ministry of Health, Madagascar has reported a total of 418 suspected cases including 17 deaths (CFR 4%) of Rift Valley fever from Alaotra Mangoro, Analamanga, Itasy, Vakinakaratra and Anosy Regions.Infection with Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) has been laboratory confirmed in 59 human cases by the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, a WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers and partner in the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.
The Ministry of Health, Madagascar has established an inter-ministerial committee to oversee the response to the outbreak. Control measures implemented have included case management, surveillance, social mobilization, provision of medicines, prevention and strengthening of hospital infection control. The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has reported the RVF in animals to the OIE on 9 April 2008.
The MoH and MoA have requested the support of a joint WHO, FAO, OIE mission to support outbreak response efforts.

Avian Influenza: situation in Egypt
Apr 17, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has announced a new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection. The case is a 2-year-old male from Al-Honsanya, Sharkea Governorate. He developed symptoms on 13 April and was hospitalized on 14 April and is currently in hospital. The case was confirmed as being infected with A(H5N1) by the Central Public Health Laboratories and by Cairo-based US Naval Medical Research Unit 3 (NAMRU-3). Investigations into the source of his infection indicate a history of contact with sick and dead poultry.
Of the 50 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 22 have been fatal.

Egypt: WHO confirmation of 46th case
Mar 05, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has announced a new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection. The case is an 11-year-old male from Menof District, Menofia Governorate. He was hospitalized with symptoms on 26 February and was confirmed as being infected with A(H5N1) by the Central Public Health Laboratory and NAMRU-3 on 4 March. He remains in a critical condition.Investigations into the source of his infection indicate a history of contact with sick and dead poultry.
Of the 46 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 20 have been fatal.

Egypt: WHO confirmation of 45th case/20th fatality
Mar 04, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has announced a new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection. The case is a 25 years old female from Sennoris District, Fayum Governorate. She developed symptoms on 24 February and was hospitalized on 27 February. Her death has now been confirmed by the Ministry of Health and Population. Investigations into the source of her infection indicate that she had contact with sick poultry prior to becoming unwell.
Of the 45 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 20 have been fatal.

China: WHO confirmation of 30th case/20th fatality
Feb 26, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health in China has reported a new case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case is a 44 year old female from Haifeng county, Shanwei city, Guangdong province. She developed symptoms on 16 Feb 2008, was hospitalized on 22 February and died on 25 Feb 2008. The case was confirmed by the national laboratory on 25 Feb 2008. The case had contact with sick and dead poultry prior to her illness. All contacts have been placed under medical observation. All remain healthy to date.
Of the 30 cases confirmed to date in China, 20 have been fatal.

Viet Nam: WHO confirmation of 105th case/51st fatality
Feb 26, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health in Viet Nam has confirmed a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. The case has been confirmed by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE).The case is a 23 year old female from Cam Khe district, Phu Tho province. She developed symptoms on 14 Feb 2008, was hospitalized on 19 February, and died on 25 Feb 2008. The case had contact with sick and dead poultry prior to her illness.
Of the 105 cases confirmed to date in Vietnam, 51 have been fatal.

Egyptian girl tests positive for bird flu
Feb 25, 2008 - Source: http://uk.reuters.com/
CAIRO: A 4 year old Egyptian girl tested positive for bird flu on Monday [25 Feb 2008], the 44th confirmed human case in the Arab world's most populous country, state news agency MENA said. Ministry of Health spokesman Abdel Rahman Shaheen said the girl had been treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and had been transferred from Minya province to a hospital in Cairo, the agency said. The girl is suffering from a high fever and is having trouble breathing because she has inflammation of one of her lungs. Four Egyptian women died from bird flu in December [2007]. Their deaths broke a 5 month pause in human cases in Egypt and brought to 19 the number of Egyptians who have died of the H5N1 bird flu virus since it emerged in Egypt in early 2006. It is the third winter the virus has struck after lying low during Egypt's hot summers, when it is much less likely to spread from one carrier to another.
Around 5 million households in Egypt depend on poultry as a main source of food and income, and the government has said this makes it unlikely the disease can be eradicated despite a large-scale poultry vaccination programme. WHO officials have said the bird flu virus was now considered endemic in Egypt.
Deaths from bird flu total more than 230 worldwide since 2003 and have been reported in several African and Asian countries, as well as in Turkey and Azerbaijan. Egypt has been the hardet-hit country outside of Asia.

Vietnam reports another bird flu-hit province
Feb 25, 2008 - Source: http://www.thanhniennews.com/
Bird flu was found in poultry in the northern Vietnamese province of Ninh Binh, the seventh province to report outbreaks this year, the Animal Health Department said Sunday.
The outbreak began on Feb. 18 in Ninh Binh's Yen Khanh district, killing over 330 poultry fowl by a household, said Youth newspaper. The other provinces where outbreaks were reported are Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, Nam Dinh and Tuyen Quang in the northern region, and southern Long An province. The Vietnamese government has assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to be in charge of importing some 250 million doses of bird flu vaccines soon. Vietnam will import several batches of bird flu vaccines, mainly from China, to vaccinate poultry nationwide this year.
Bird flu outbreaks in Vietnam, starting in December 2003, have killed and led to the forced culling of dozens of millions of fowls in the country. Bird flu has killed 50 of the 104 people infected since 2003, including four this year, the Health Ministry confirmed.

Indonesia: WHO confirmation of 128/129th cases, 104/105th fatalities
Feb 21, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced 2 new cases of human H5N1 avian influenza infection. The 1st is a 16-year-old male from Sragen district, Central Java Province who developed symptoms on 3 Feb 2008, was hospitalized on 7 Feb 2008 and died on 10 Feb 2008. Prior to his illness, the case was exposed to sick and dead poultry at his home, where he slaughtered a sick chicken.
The 2nd case is a 3-year-old boy from South Jakarta District, Jakarta Province who developed symptoms on 3 Feb 2008, was hospitalized on 10 Feb 2008 and died on 15 Feb 2008. The investigation team found that chickens and a pet bird had died in the neighborhood in the 2 weeks prior to the case's onset of symptoms.
Of the 129 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 105 have been fatal.

Vietnam: WHO confirmation of 104th case, 50th fatality
Feb 21, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health in Viet Nam has confirmed a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. The case has been confirmed by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE). The case is a 27-year-old male from Ninh Nhat district, Ninh Binh province. He developed symptoms on 3 Feb 2008 was hospitalized on 12 Feb 2008 and died on 14 Feb 2008. The case had contact with sick and dead poultry prior to his illness.
Of the 104 cases confirmed to date in Viet Nam, 50 have been fatal.

China: 29th case, 19th fatality
Feb 21, 2008 - Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/
H5N1 bird flu claimed its 2nd human fatality in China this month, when the Ministry of Health confirmed the death of a Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region man on Thursday [21 Feb 2008]. The 41-year-old man in Nanning City developed fever and headache symptoms on 12 Feb 2008 and died at 5 AM on 20 Feb 2008, after all rescue
measures proved ineffectual. Tests of the man were H5N1-positive, said China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
On 18 Feb 2008, the health ministry confirmed a 22-year-old man in central Hunan Province had tested positive for H5N1. He died on 24 Jan 2008.

End of Ebola outbreak in Uganda
Feb 20, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health, Uganda has declared today the end of the Ebola epidemic in Bundibugyo. The last person to be infected by the virus was discharged on 8th January 2008. This is more than double the maximum incubation period (42 days) for Ebola.
A national task force coordinated the response to this outbreak, comprising MoH, WHO and other international partners in the field, including experts from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF - Suisse), African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, UNICEF and WFP. International technical and operational coordination was supported through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), and networks of regional experts and technical institutions...
The Ugandan Government, WHO and other partners, established an active surveillance system for the detection of cases and follow up of their contacts. Mobile district teams were sent to the field to investigate rumours, obtain clinical specimens for laboratory tests, hospitalize patients and monitor their contacts. Mobile teams, including trained Red Cross volunteers, followed up a cumulative total of 804 contacts on a daily basis. Isolation wards were established at hospitals in Kikyo and Bundibugyo, and training was provided for health care workers and auxiliary staff in appropriate triage and infection control measures. A cumulative total of 77 patients were treated in both isolation facilities.
Laboratory experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA, provided support to the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in diagnosis and analysis of samples. Specimens from suspected cases were collected and referred for laboratory confirmation to a joint CDC and UVRI team in Entebbe, Uganda.
Laboratory analysis undertaken at CDC has confirmed that the virus associated with the outbreak is different from the 3 African Ebola species (namely Zaïre, Sudan and Ivory Coast species) and should be considered as a new species of Ebola virus.
The Ministry of Health and IFRC conducted intensive social mobilization activities, including the use of radio broadcasts and mobile film vans to reach at-risk communities. Fact sheets, brochures and posters were also distributed.

Yellow fever in Paraguay
Feb 20, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
As of 20 February 2008, The Ministry of Health (MoH), Paraguay have notified the confirmation of 7 cases of jungle yellow fever from San Pedro Department. Another cluster with 4 clinically compatible cases occurred in the urban area of San Lorenzo municipality, 20 km from Asuncion. Final confirmation of these 4 cases is pending.
The Ministry of Health has strengthened public health containment measures in the affected areas. Integrated control measures involving mass vaccination for people living in, or travelling to, the affected area; vector control; and heightened surveillance are underway to prevent serious public health consequences given the current low level of immunization among the people living in the affected area.
A PAHO team of experts including an epidemiologist, clinician/virologist, risk communicator, immunization advisers and emergency management experts was deployed to Paraguay on 15 February. A laboratory scientist from IEC Instituto Evandro Chagas (Brazil) will join the national public health laboratory shortly.
Yellow fever vaccines shortage has been addressed by mobilizing vaccines available in countries of the region. In addition, the MoH has requested 2 million doses of vaccine from the WHO ICG (International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision).

China confirms new human death from bird flu
Feb 18, 2008 - Source: http://www.reuters.com/
A 22-year-old Chinese man from the central province of Hunan has died of the H5N1 strain of bird flu, the 2nd death from the disease since late last year, the Health Ministry said on Monday 18 Feb. The man 1st noticed symptoms of fever and headache on [16 Jan 2008]. He went to hospital several days later and died on [24 Jan 2008], the ministry said on its Web site. The provincial disease control and prevention centre subsequently collected a specimen from the victim on [15 Feb 2008], and the initial tests for the bird flu virus were positive. A specimen was then sent to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing, which confirmed it as testing positive for the H5N1 virus on Sunday [17 Feb 2008], the ministry said.
The ministry did not explain the reason for the delay in testing the victim for bird flu, but Hunan was one of the provinces most badly hit by freak snowstorms that killed over 100 people and cut off roads and power in many parts of central and southern China in late January and early February [2008]. The ministry said the local government had taken appropriate action. "All people in close contact with the victim have been given strict medical examinations, and up until now no abnormal conditions have been discovered," it said in its statement. It added that it had informed the World Health Organization and other foreign government authorities of the case. With the world's biggest poultry population and millions of backyard birds roaming free, China is at the centre of the fight against bird flu. The country has now had 28 human cases, including 18 deaths.

Bird flu kills man in northern Vietnam
Feb 14, 2008 - Source: http://www.thanhniennews.com/
A man in the northern Hai Duong Province died Wednesday [13 Feb 2008] due to the type-A influenza virus H5N1, reported the Ministry of Health Wednesday.
The 40-year-old man was admitted to the National Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases last Friday with serious pneumonia and multi-organ failure. He had suffered the symptoms for six days before being hospitalized at the institute. Epidemiological investigations revealed chickens had perished around his house and the victim had reportedly plucked two dead chickens for consumption.
In addition to Hai Duong, Quang Binh, Thai Nguyen, Tra Vinh and Tuyen Quang provinces have witnessed bird flu recurrence since late December.

Hong Kong: H5N1 found in market & amusement park
Feb 13, 2008 - Source: The Standard.com, Hong Kong
Authorities are stepping up health measures at Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Food Market after an oriental magpie robin found there tested positive for the H5 avian flu virus.A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said last night [12 Feb 2008] the bird, a common species in Hong Kong, was found on Friday [8 Feb 2008]."In view of the tentative finding, we will conduct a thorough cleansing and disinfection operation in both the Wholesale Food Market and the Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market in Cheung Sha Wan tomorrow," the spokesman said. "We will also step up inspections and surveillance of the wholesale poultry market."The AFCD will step up farm inspections and phone farmers to remind them to strengthen precautionary measures. Letters will be issued to owners of businesses involving live birds reminding them that proper precautions must be taken.A black-crowned night heron found at Ocean Park tested positive for H5N1 on 28 Jan 2008.

Bird flu resurfaces in Laos
Feb 12, 2008 - Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com
A fresh outbreak of bird flu among fowls has struck Laos' southern Luang Namtha province, Lao newspaper on Tuesday [12 Feb 2008] quoted a local agriculture official as saying.
Some 600 poultry in Nam Ma village, Long district died last week [4-8 Feb 2008], Bounkhouang Khambounheuang, head of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, said, noting that their specimens have been tested positive to bird flu virus strain H5N1.
The department has banned the movement and sale of poultry or eggs in the village, and has sprayed fowls with disinfectants. All poultry within one-kilometer radius of the village will be culled. "We will compensate people for their losses if we have to cull their
birds, according to the rules of the department," he said.
Previous bird flu outbreaks were successfully contained in Vientiane, and in the 3 provinces of Savannakhet, Champassak and Vientiane last year.
However, the 4 northern provinces of Oudomxay, Bokeo, Luang Prabang and Phongsaly are at a very high risk of seeing new outbreaks of the disease, he said.

Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – WHO update
Feb 12, 2008 - Source: http://www.who.int/
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. A 15-year-old female from West Jakarta, Jakarta Province developed symptoms on 2 February, was hospitalized on 8 February and is currently in hospital in a critical condition. The case is the daughter of a previously confirmed case, the 38-year-old female from West Jakarta, Jakarta Province who developed symptoms on 23 January.
Investigations into the source of her infection are ongoing. However, she was exposed to her sick mother on 27-28 January and spent time in a neighbourbood where chickens and other birds were found. Samples from these birds have been taken and are undergoing tests to determine whether they may have been the source of infection.Of the 127 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 103 have been fatal.

Bird flu spreads in central Vietnam
Feb 1, 2008 - Source: http://www.thanhniennews.com/
Ducks continue to die in Hong Thuy Commune in Quang Binh Province, Pham Hong Son, head of the provincial Animal Health Department, confirmed Friday.
About 465 ducks have died since the initial outbreak on January 23 in the central province, of which 15 were injected with the first H5N1 vaccine six days ago. After the outbreak, the local administration culled 5,300 ducks and made plans to control the epidemic. The administration of the northern Thai Nguyen Province officially reported on Wednesday that bird flu broke out in the area. It hit 110 ducks and 4,000 chickens. The chickens had been inoculated with the H5N1 vaccine on January 21.
Four provinces have suffered from the recurrence of bird flu since late December - Quang Binh, Thai Nguyen, Tra Vinh and Tuyen Quang. Bird flu has killed 48 people in Vietnam since 2003.