Avian Influenza & Pandemic Threat: In the news

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 90

frank — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:32:35 -0600

As of 28 February 2010, worldwide more than 213 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 16455 deaths. {World Health Organization, 03/05/2010}

Dutch government wants to sell flu vaccines back

frank — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:31:28 -0600

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government wants to sell 21 million unused H1N1 flu vaccine doses back to their manufacturers after they proved unnecessary and no other country wanted to buy them, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. {Reuters, 03/06/2010}

NOVAVAX Completes Enrollment Of Pivotal H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Clinical Trial In Mexico

frank — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:30:52 -0600

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced that the enrollment of over 3,500 subjects in Mexico has been completed in Stage B of its pivotal 2009 H1N1 virus-like-particle (VLP) pandemic influenza vaccine study. {Medical News Today, 03/09/2010}

H1N1 seen lying low, then rising again in Europe

frank — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:30:05 -0600

LONDON (Reuters) - Europe is unlikely to see another wave of pandemic H1N1 flu soon but local epidemics are likely as winter returns to the Northern hemisphere, health officials said on Monday. {Reuters, 03/08/2010}

Takeda, Daiichi Sankyo eyeing producing flu vaccines

frank — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:29:36 -0600

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. and Daiichi Sankyo Co. are each considering producing vaccines for new and seasonal influenza, a move that would likely increase sharply supplies of domestically produced vaccines, sources close to the matter said Monday. {Kyodo News, 03/08/2010}

How swine flu confounded all expectations

frank — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:29:01 -0600

With the same "HSI" abbreviation, the human swine influenza and Hang Seng Index have at least one other thing in common - their unpredictability. {South China Morning Post, 03/08/2010}

More people die while A/H1N1 flu wanes in U.S.

frank — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:28:32 -0600

More people died from the A/H1N1 virus while most key flu indicators remained below the pandemic threshold in the U.S. during the past week. {People's Daily, 03/08/2010}

In Brief: New plan to fight bird flu in Egypt

frank — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:27:49 -0600

CAIRO, 8 March 2010 (IRIN) - Egypt is moving to curb the spread of avian influenza (H5N1) after a recent upsurge in infections, the Egyptian Health Ministry says. {Integrated Regional Information Network, 03/08/2010}

Just when you thought it was safe to stop worrying about swine flu

frank — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:30:04 -0600

When the novel A(H1N1) virus ("swine flu") emerged in April 2009, many media outlets painted a picture of looming disaster, and the public looked for assurances that every precaution was being taken. The doomsday scenario appears to be off the table for now, and mainstream media interest in this issue now focuses primarily on criticizing the response. The World Health Organization (WHO) and many governments are now being taken to task for overreacting to a nonexistent threat that really only benefited pharmaceutical companies. This presents significant risks for institutions that now must defend themselves against a backlash that will likely reduce public engagement on this issue and reduce preparedness planning to emerging infectious disease threats of all kind. {Foreign Policy, 02/12/2010}

WHO to determine if worst of swine flu pandemic is over

frank — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:28:16 -0600

The World Health Organisation (WHO) will hold an expert meeting later this month to consider whether the swine flu pandemic’s peak has passed, a senior official has said. {Nursing Times, 02/12/2010}

Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia

frank — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:27:28 -0600

The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. A 25-year-old female from South Jakarta District, DKI Jakarta Province died on 25 January 2010. {World Health Organization, 02/12/2010}

Singapore's H1N1 flu alert status returns to green: MOH

frank — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:26:51 -0600

SINGAPORE: Nearly ten months after Singapore's health authorities raised the H1N1 flu alert, the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday announced that it has stepped down the colour code from Yellow to Green. {Channel News Asia, 02/11/2010}

Hospitalized H1N1 patients differed from norm

frank — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:26:22 -0600

H1N1 patients were younger, sicker, and a higher proportion of them died compared with seasonal flu patients, according to a new Canadian report. {CBC News, 02/11/2010}

WHO hopes flu pandemic has peaked

frank — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:25:52 -0600

The World Health Organization says it hopes that the worst of the H1N1 flu pandemic is over. Dr. Keiji Fukuda, WHO's pandemic influenza chief, said the committee, which deals with this, would decide by the end of the month whether the H1N1 pandemic declared in June has entered a post-peak phase. {United Nations Radio, 02/11/2010}

WHO to consider if H1N1 has peaked

frank — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:30:32 -0600

The World Health Organization's expert committee will meet later this month to decide whether the H1N1 flu pandemic has peaked. {CBC News, 02/11/2010}

Voluntary System Works For Swine Flu Vaccination

frank — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:29:42 -0600

Social interaction between neighbours, work colleagues and other communities and social groups makes voluntary vaccination programs for epidemics such as Swine Flu, SARS or Bird Flu a surprisingly effective method of disease control... {Medical News Today, 02/11/2010}

Cambodia to check poultry shipped to capital for bird flu infection

frank — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:29:15 -0600

With the increased transport of poultry ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year, the Ministry of Agriculture is setting up special checkpoints for poultry transported on the main roads into Phnom Penh in order to prevent any birds infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus from reaching the capital, local media reported on Thursday. {People's Daily, 02/11/2010}

25 people infected with A/H1N1 in Yangon

frank — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:28:46 -0600

A total of 25 people have been infected with new influenza A/H1N1 in Myanmar's Yangon in addition to the four in Falam, the country's western Chin state, according to a statement of the Health Department Thursday. {People's Daily, 02/11/2010}

WHO to decide whether worst over in H1N1 pandemic

frank — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:28:17 -0600

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization will convene its emergency committee later this month to examine whether the H1N1 flu pandemic has peaked, its top influenza expert said on Thursday. {Reuters, 02/11/2010}

Swine flu drugs service shut down

frank — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:27:41 -0600

The National Pandemic Flu Service, set up to dispense drugs to patients in England without the need to see doctors, closes. {BBC World News, 02/11/2010}