I'd like to document the rapidly out of control outbreak of what the CDC now refers to as EV-68.

Children in school NEED to wash their hands with warm soapy water and parents NEED to keep their children home if they have a cold. This epidemic is spiralling out of control and as per the CDC, washing hands is the best option. That does not mean using hand sanitizer which I've learned is the norm for grammar school children in many schools in the US because they can't reach the faucets. That is no excuse and needs to be changed so I'm on the phone with the CDC right now. The nations children are at risk. We need to do something about it NOW!!!

America Midwest outbreak of severe respiratory illness : nearly 500 teenagers hospitalized

People in Chicago September 7 electricity Midwest recent outbreak of severe respiratory disease, has killed nearly 500teenagers hospitalized. This disease is caused by a virus , the initial symptoms are similar to the common cold , and then evolved into severe breathing difficulties. Fortunately, there were no patient deaths.

United States Centers for Disease Control found that the disease is caused by a virus EV-D68 or D68 , but there is no vaccine or specific drug against this type of virus . Some cases severe patients required ventilator to relieve symptoms. Local hospital said, after never encountered a similar phenomenon .

U.S. Cable News Network (CNN) reported that this disease outbreaks Center is Kansas City , Missouri , the largest local children’s hospital has received more than 450 children hospitalized ( reaches up to 30 people per day) , which has more than 60 children are receiving treatment in intensive care unit .

In addition, to Denver, Colorado , Illinois , Ohio and other states in the southwest and also appeared in children infected with these viruses. It is reported that this outbreak on August 17 outcrop , and peaked in late August . The virus would have caused mild asthma symptoms, and only a few serious complications .

Symptoms of infection or EV-D68 D68 virus include fever , muscle aches , sneezing , coughing and rashes . Wash your hands often ( every time more than 20 seconds ) , do not kiss or hug with others sharing utensils , note isolation, using disinfectants to clean furniture and door handles are an effective way to prevent infection.

( Original title : Midwest outbreak of severe respiratory illness : nearly 500 teenagers hospitalized )

and another link:

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/cases-rare-respiratory-illnes...

Posted: 5:01 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014

Cases of rare respiratory illness seen in NC

NORTH CAROLINA —

According to "Good Morning America," a respiratory illness sweeping through parts of the U.S. has landed in Colorado, sickening hundreds of children.

The disease hasn't been officially identified but officials suspect a rare respiratory virus called human enterovirus 68. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus is related to the rhinovirus, which causes the common cold.

According to Mark Pallansch, director of the Division of Viral Diseases at the CDC, similar cases to the ones in Colorado have been cropping up across the U.S. At least 10 states, including North Carolina and Georgia, have reported suspected outbreaks of human enterovirus and requested CDC support.

Dr. Christine Nyquist, a pediatrician at Children's Hospital Colorado, said the virus usually ends up appearing similar to a severe cold but can be particularly dangerous for children with asthma because of how it affects the respiratory system.

“The kids are coming in with respiratory symptoms, their asthma is exacerbated," Nyquist said. "Kids with no wheezing are having wheezing."

To stay healthy, the CDC recommends basic sanitary practices to avoid spreading the virus, including washing hands, avoiding those who are sick, and covering the nose and mouth during sneezes or coughs.

and another link:

http://www.newsy.com/videos/respiratory-virus-affecting-thousands-a...

Sep 7, 2014

Respiratory Virus Affecting Thousands Across U.S.

Alright parents, here's one to watch out for. There's a mysterious respiratory illness that has affected more than 900 children and teenagers in Colorado just in the past month — some even have to be put in intensive care.

KCNC: "The name is human enterovirus 68... We've not seen it in Denver previously."

"What doctor Meyappan is seeing is how quickly this virus becomes life threatening especially in kids with even mild asthma."

HLN: "Doctors think a virus related to one of those that causes the common cold is creating the outbreak."

What's troubling about this virus is it starts out with cold-like symptoms including fever, sneezing, coughing and body aches — making it difficult to properly diagnose until more serious symptoms show up.

KMGH: "To go from a cold to being probably minutes away from death, that's kind of scary."

That was the father of Will Cornejo, a teen with asthma who contracted the virus.

Will's Mother via KRDO: "He just passed out, had his eyes rolled back in his head."

And although Colorado is one of the states experiencing the most severe outbreaks — the rest of the U.S. isn't in the clear. Just like the common cold, enterovirus 68 seems to spread easily.

CNN: "Health officials in ten other states from North Carolina to Oklahoma have also reported suspected outbreaks."

Al Jazeera: "Some states are reporting seventy new cases a day. Kansas, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana are among them but Colorado and Missouri have been hit the hardest."

Because viruses are not treatable with antibiotics, doctors have been giving patients steroids and medication to help improve breathing — as respiratory problems seem to be the most threatening symptom. But the majority of the emphasis is being put on prevention.

That includes washing your hands, disinfecting items that are touched often and avoiding touching your face, especially your eyes and nose.

Fortunately, there are no reports of any deaths from this outbreak.

and another link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterovirus_68

Enterovirus 68 (EV68, EV-D68, HEV68) is a member of the Picornaviridae family, an enterovirus (a group of ssRNA viruses containing thepolioviruses, coxsackieviruses, and echoviruses). First isolated in California in 1962 and considered rare, it has been on a worldwide upswing in the last few years.^[when?]^[2]^[3]^[4] It may be involved in cases of a 2009 outbreak of polio-like disease in California.^[5] The virus is suspected as a cause of the August 2014 outbreak of a respiratory disease in ten states of the United States that has been particularly dangerous for children with asthma or under the age of 5.^[6]

Symptoms[edit]

Generally Enterovirus 68 causes respiratory illness in children, but infrequently attacks the central nervous system and may cause paralysis or even death.^[7]

Treatment is dependent on the disease process initiated by the virus. There is no vaccine or known cure.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on November 22, 2014 at 4:04am: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/22/world/africa/madagascar-plague-ou...

Madagascar: Plague Outbreak Kills 40

NOV. 21, 2014

The World Health Organization reported Friday that an outbreak of plague, the infamous scourge that killed millions in the Dark Ages, has been recorded in parts ofMadagascar, the Indian Ocean island nation off the coast of southeastern Africa. In an alert posted on its website, the W.H.O. said at least 119 plague cases, including 40 deaths, had been confirmed since the nation’s Health Ministry identified the first case nearly three months ago. The statement said cases had been reported in seven regions, including the capital, Antananarivo, raising the “risk of a rapid spread of the disease due to the city’s high population density and the weakness of the health care system.” Efforts to combat the outbreak, the statement said, have been hampered by the country’s opposition to a type of insecticide used to control fleas, the primary spreader of the disease from rodents to humans.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on October 29, 2014 at 1:17am: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-10-global-infection-outbreaks-un...

Global infection outbreaks, unique diseases rising since 1980

A global map plots cumulative outbreaks of human infectious disease since 1980. Darker shaded nations had more outbreaks. Credit: Brown University

Enterovirus. Tuberculosis. Cholera. Measles. Various strains of the flu and hepatitis. The number of infectious disease outbreaks and the number of unique illnesses causing them appear to be increasing around the globe, according to a new Brown University analysis of more than 12,000 outbreaks affecting 44 million people worldwide over the last 33 years.

Menacing as that may sound, these preliminary findings also reveal an encouraging trend. On a per capita basis, the impact of the outbreaks is declining. In other words, even though the globe faces more outbreaks from more pathogens, they tend to affect a shrinking proportion of the world population.

"We live in a world where human populations are increasingly interconnected with one another and with animals—both wildlife and livestock—that host novel pathogens," said Katherine Smith, assistant professor of biology and co-lead author of the study, with Brown University colleagues Cici Bauer, assistant professor of biology, and Sohini Ramachandran, assistant professor of biostatistics, in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface. "These connections create opportunities for pathogens to switch hosts, cross borders, and evolve new strains that are stronger than what we have seen in the past."

Sure enough, animals are the major source of what ails us. The analysis revealed that 65 percent of diseases in the dataset were "zoonoses," meaning they come from animals. Ebola, for instance, may have come from bats. In all, such diseases caused 56 percent of outbreaks since 1980.

Newly derived data

To perform the analysis, the team worked to derive quantifiable data from the prose reports of outbreaks stored in the Global Infectious Disease and Epidemiology Online Network (GIDEON). They developed a "bioinformatics pipeline" to automate the creation of a database comprising 12,102 outbreaks of 215 infectious diseasesinvolving 44 million cases in 219 countries between 1980 and 2013.

Brown's Institute for the Study of Environment and Society funded the work.

They are now making the database publicly available on Ramachandran's server.

The raw numbers revealed a steep rise in the number of outbreaks globally.

"GIDEON defines an outbreak as an increase in the number of cases of disease beyond what would normally be expected in a defined community, geographical area, or season," Ramachandran said.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on September 19, 2014 at 3:54am: http://www.local10.com/news/venezuela-on-alert-over-mysterious-dead...

Venezuela on alert over mysterious, deadly disease

Published On: Sep 17 2014 10:15:49 AM EDT

The deaths of 10 people in the past week of a mysterious disease in several cities in Venezuela, including the capital of Caracas, have caused panic within the population and has prompted doctors to sound the alarm.

A government spokesman minimized the warnings and described efforts to notify the public of a disease that has killed four adults and four children as a "campaign of disinformation and terrorism."

Despite the government's indifference, the country's doctors insist there is plenty of reason for concern about a highly dangerous and contagious disease of unknown origin.

In its initial stages, the disease presents symptoms of fever and spots on the skin, and then produces large blisters and internal and external bleeding, according to data provided week stop by the College of Physicians of the state of Aragua, where the first cases were reported.

Then, very quickly, patients suffer from respiratory failure, liver failure and kidney failure. Venezuelan doctors have not been able to determine what the disease is, much less how to fight it.

The government has denied the existence of "a mysterious disease" and described the information provided by the doctors as a "media campaign against Venezuela."

The governor of the state of Aragua, Tarek El-Aissami and Communications Minister Delcy Rodriguez, refer to the warnings as a "defamatory" strategy to "distress to the population."

Some theories being examined include the possibility that the disease could be a new type of very aggressive and severe dengue, an atypical version of the Chikunguña fever or an Ebola virus appearance in Venezuela.

Comment by lonne rey on September 10, 2014 at 9:57am

Doctors probe polio like illness in California kids

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/doctors-probe-polio-illness-california...

Sofia, smiling and laughing, was with her parents and her brothers at a news conference at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University to talk about the mysterious polio-like illness that struck her and has so far robbed her of the use of her arm.

"Most of the kids are still paralyzed. ... There can be some mild improvement but the level of paralysis remains severe," said

WHAT TO KNOW

Doctors are looking for more cases across the U.S. of children coming down with a mysterious illness that looks like polio.

Dr. Emmanuelle Waubant, a neurologist at the University of California, San Francisco.

She said this evening that doctors still do not know what is causing the illness.

"We're not exactly clear what is the agent," she said. "We suspect it is a virus."

She said they believe it may be a virus that is just a benign cold for most children, but for a very few results in much more serious symptoms.

Sofia's problems began when her parents noticed she was having trouble breathing. After treatment by her pediatrician didn't help, Sofia spent four days in the hospital, but her breathing was still not completely clear.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on September 8, 2014 at 3:24pm: I'd like to document the rapidly out of control outbreak of what the CDC now refers to as EV-68.

Children in school NEED to wash their hands with warm soapy water and parents NEED to keep their children home if they have a cold. This epidemic is spiralling out of control and as per the CDC, washing hands is the best option. That does not mean using hand sanitizer which I've learned is the norm for grammar school children in many schools in the US because they can't reach the faucets. That is no excuse and needs to be changed so I'm on the phone with the CDC right now. The nations children are at risk. We need to do something about it NOW!!!

http://www.enews163.com/2014/09/07/america-midwest-outbreak-of-seve...

America Midwest outbreak of severe respiratory illness : nearly 500 teenagers hospitalized

People in Chicago September 7 electricity Midwest recent outbreak of severe respiratory disease, has killed nearly 500teenagers hospitalized. This disease is caused by a virus , the initial symptoms are similar to the common cold , and then evolved into severe breathing difficulties. Fortunately, there were no patient deaths.

United States Centers for Disease Control found that the disease is caused by a virus EV-D68 or D68 , but there is no vaccine or specific drug against this type of virus . Some cases severe patients required ventilator to relieve symptoms. Local hospital said, after never encountered a similar phenomenon .

U.S. Cable News Network (CNN) reported that this disease outbreaks Center is Kansas City , Missouri , the largest local children’s hospital has received more than 450 children hospitalized ( reaches up to 30 people per day) , which has more than 60 children are receiving treatment in intensive care unit .

In addition, to Denver, Colorado , Illinois , Ohio and other states in the southwest and also appeared in children infected with these viruses. It is reported that this outbreak on August 17 outcrop , and peaked in late August . The virus would have caused mild asthma symptoms, and only a few serious complications .

Symptoms of infection or EV-D68 D68 virus include fever , muscle aches , sneezing , coughing and rashes . Wash your hands often ( every time more than 20 seconds ) , do not kiss or hug with others sharing utensils , note isolation, using disinfectants to clean furniture and door handles are an effective way to prevent infection.

( Original title : Midwest outbreak of severe respiratory illness : nearly 500 teenagers hospitalized )

and another link:

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/cases-rare-respiratory-illnes...

Posted: 5:01 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014

Cases of rare respiratory illness seen in NC

NORTH CAROLINA —

According to "Good Morning America," a respiratory illness sweeping through parts of the U.S. has landed in Colorado, sickening hundreds of children.

The disease hasn't been officially identified but officials suspect a rare respiratory virus called human enterovirus 68. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus is related to the rhinovirus, which causes the common cold.

According to Mark Pallansch, director of the Division of Viral Diseases at the CDC, similar cases to the ones in Colorado have been cropping up across the U.S. At least 10 states, including North Carolina and Georgia, have reported suspected outbreaks of human enterovirus and requested CDC support.

Dr. Christine Nyquist, a pediatrician at Children's Hospital Colorado, said the virus usually ends up appearing similar to a severe cold but can be particularly dangerous for children with asthma because of how it affects the respiratory system.

“The kids are coming in with respiratory symptoms, their asthma is exacerbated," Nyquist said. "Kids with no wheezing are having wheezing."

To stay healthy, the CDC recommends basic sanitary practices to avoid spreading the virus, including washing hands, avoiding those who are sick, and covering the nose and mouth during sneezes or coughs.

and another link:

http://www.newsy.com/videos/respiratory-virus-affecting-thousands-a...

Sep 7, 2014

Respiratory Virus Affecting Thousands Across U.S.

Alright parents, here's one to watch out for. There's a mysterious respiratory illness that has affected more than 900 children and teenagers in Colorado just in the past month — some even have to be put in intensive care.

KCNC: "The name is human enterovirus 68... We've not seen it in Denver previously."

"What doctor Meyappan is seeing is how quickly this virus becomes life threatening especially in kids with even mild asthma."

HLN: "Doctors think a virus related to one of those that causes the common cold is creating the outbreak."

What's troubling about this virus is it starts out with cold-like symptoms including fever, sneezing, coughing and body aches — making it difficult to properly diagnose until more serious symptoms show up.

KMGH: "To go from a cold to being probably minutes away from death, that's kind of scary."

That was the father of Will Cornejo, a teen with asthma who contracted the virus.

Will's Mother via KRDO: "He just passed out, had his eyes rolled back in his head."

And although Colorado is one of the states experiencing the most severe outbreaks — the rest of the U.S. isn't in the clear. Just like the common cold, enterovirus 68 seems to spread easily.

CNN: "Health officials in ten other states from North Carolina to Oklahoma have also reported suspected outbreaks."

Al Jazeera: "Some states are reporting seventy new cases a day. Kansas, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana are among them but Colorado and Missouri have been hit the hardest."

Because viruses are not treatable with antibiotics, doctors have been giving patients steroids and medication to help improve breathing — as respiratory problems seem to be the most threatening symptom. But the majority of the emphasis is being put on prevention.

That includes washing your hands, disinfecting items that are touched often and avoiding touching your face, especially your eyes and nose.

Fortunately, there are no reports of any deaths from this outbreak.

and another link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterovirus_68

Enterovirus 68 (EV68, EV-D68, HEV68) is a member of the Picornaviridae family, an enterovirus (a group of ssRNA viruses containing thepolioviruses, coxsackieviruses, and echoviruses). First isolated in California in 1962 and considered rare, it has been on a worldwide upswing in the last few years.^[when?]^[2]^[3]^[4] It may be involved in cases of a 2009 outbreak of polio-like disease in California.^[5] The virus is suspected as a cause of the August 2014 outbreak of a respiratory disease in ten states of the United States that has been particularly dangerous for children with asthma or under the age of 5.^[6]

Symptoms[edit]

Generally Enterovirus 68 causes respiratory illness in children, but infrequently attacks the central nervous system and may cause paralysis or even death.^[7]

Treatment is dependent on the disease process initiated by the virus. There is no vaccine or known cure.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on September 7, 2014 at 5:42am: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/respiratory-virus-sickening-children-c...

Respiratory Virus Sickening Children in Colorado

Sep 6, 2014, 6:29 PM ET

A respiratory illness sweeping through parts of the U.S. has landed in Colorado, sickening hundreds of children, according to local doctors.

The disease hasn't been officially identified but officials suspect a rare respiratory virus called human enterovirus 68. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus is related to the rhinovirus, which causes the common cold.

According to Mark Pallansch, director of the Division of Viral Diseases at the CDC, similar cases to the ones in Colorado have been cropping up across the U.S. At least 10 states -- Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, Colorado, Ohio, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Georgia -- have reported suspected outbreaks of human enterovirus 68 and requested CDC support.

At Children's Hospital Colorado in Denver, officials say that between Aug. 18 and Sept. 4, doctors saw more than 900 pediatric patients with symptoms of the respiratory virus in the emergency room. Of those who came in, 86 were admitted into the hospital and a handful ended up in the intensive care unit.

Dr. Christine Nyquist, a pediatrician at Children's Hospital Colorado, said the virus usually ends up appearing similar to a severe cold but can be particularly dangerous for children with asthma because of how it affects the respiratory system.

"The kids are coming in with respiratory symptoms, their asthma is exacerbated," Nyquist said. "Kids with no wheezing are having wheezing."

Comment by Howard on September 5, 2014 at 4:37am: Mysterious Sleeping Sickness Terrifies Kazakhstan (Sep 3)

In the village of Kalachi, in the Akmolinsky region of Kazakhstan, another outbreak of mysterious "sleeping sickness" was reported.

The villagers complained of drowsiness, memory loss and hallucinations. All of them were diagnosed with "encephalopathy of unknown etiology."

As of September 2, as many as 15 people were hospitalized with symptoms of the so-called "sleeping sickness". The number of those, who either suffered or recovered from the disease, made up more than 60 people - about ten percent of the population of the 680-strong village of Kalachi.

On Wednesday, September 3, the local hospital received another three patients - a 64-year-old woman and two minors - of 12 and 17 years of age.

Kazakh media say that the number of those, who suffered from "sleeping sickness" is a lot larger than was officially reported.

According to KTK TV channel, soon after celebrations of the start of the new school year on September 1, nine children went into hibernation. Having come back home from school, they would literally collapse, parents said. After waking up, the children were behaving inappropriately. They suffered from delusions and hallucinations; some had to be tied up as it seemed that they intended to hurt themselves.

In addition to children, seven adults fell victims of the mysterious disease as well. Among them, there is a doctor of the rural hospital. The woman has been sleeping for five days already. Her neighbors help the woman at her home.

As previously reported, doctors did not suspect anything strange at first. Most of them thought that the people suffered from alcoholic poisoning. The situation turned out to be much more serious in March 2013, during the local holiday known as Nauryz, when six people were hospitalized within one week. Alcohol poisoning was excluded. The second wave came for Easter 2013 and repeated three times afterwards.

Some of the villagers have been hospitalized with the same diagnosis several times. In all cases, the patients suffered from fatigue, drowsiness, memory loss and weakness. After "waking up", the people do not return to their normal lifestyle. Adults complain of memory lapses and headaches, while children show very little activity.

Source

http://english.pravda.ru/society/anomal/04-09-2014/128450-sleeping_...

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on August 18, 2014 at 2:02am: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/ebola-outbreak-serio...

Ebola outbreak: 'At least 20' patients flee Liberia quarantine clinic after protesters break down door and loot building

Sunday 17 August 2014

At least 20 patients believed to be suffering from Ebola have fled a quarantine clinic in Liberia after protesters reportedly broke down the doors and looted the building, sparking fears of a serious health risk.

The incident occurred in the Liberian capital of Monrovia in the West Point 'slum' on Saturday evening. Blood-stained bedding was among some of the items taken from the centre, which officials say poses a serious infection risk.

Tolbert Nyenswah, the assistant health minister, said protesters were apparently displeased that patients were being brought in for treatment from different parts of the capital. Other reports suggested they were concerned Ebola is a hoax.

West Point residents went on a "looting spree," stealing items from the clinic that were likely infected, a senior police official told the Associated Press. The residents took medical equipment, mattresses and sheets that had bloodstains, he said.

"All between the houses you could see people fleeing with items looted from the patients," the official said, adding that he now feared "the whole of West Point will be infected."

West Point is home to at least 50,000 people. The patients' whereabouts remain unknown.

The break-in comes just a day after crowds converged on a burial team who arrived in West Point to collect bodies of suspected Ebola victims, while chanting: "No Ebola in West Point".

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on August 7, 2014 at 4:55pm: http://www.london24.com/news/health/tuberculosis_outbreak_at_east_l...

Tuberculosis outbreak at east London school

15:35 06 August 2014

Edward's prescription of antibiotics for the potentially deadly disease

Twenty pupils have tested positive for TB (tuberculosis) after an outbreak of the killer disease at a Newham secondary school.

Twenty pupils at Kingsford Community School in Beckton have tested positive for the disease and are receiving treatment

A total of 83 students at Kingsford Community School, Kingsfiord Way, Beckton, were tested before the end of term last month, it emerged, after a fellow pupil was diagnosed with the infectious strain of the disease.

Students who came into close contact with the boy were tested in June and July after some developed symptoms following the pupil’s diagnosis in May.

Of those screened, 17 tested positive for “latent” TB, meaning they experience no symptoms, and three were diagnosed with “active” TB, which presents symptoms like coughing and fever but is not contagious.

The 20 students are receiving specialist treatment, including a course of antibiotics to wipe out the disease.

The boy with “full blown” TB was taken out of school and treated, and was well enough to return before the end of term.

Public Health England (PHE) said the students may not have caught the disease from the first boy, as Newham already has a high incidence of TB.

Rosemary Stephens, whose son Edward was diagnosed with “latent” TB, received a letter from the school in May saying her son would need to be screened.

“One of the boys that my son talks to at school came in with a really bad cough,” she said. “The boy had been coughing up blood.

“Then we received a letter saying Edward had to be screened. My son has to take tablets. He’s never taken tablets and he’s having a really hard time.

“I have a feeling it’s going to interfere with his schooling.”

She added: “All his friends are on antibiotics as well. It’s really scary, because it’s a killer. It can kill you.”

Dr Simon Cathcart, director of PHE’s north east London health protection team, said: “TB is a disease that typically requires close, prolonged and frequent contact before transmission occurs.

“It is important that everyone is aware of the symptoms of TB, which include a prolonged unexplained cough, fevers and weight loss.

“Greater awareness can mean the condition is diagnosed much faster.”

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on August 1, 2014 at 4:09am: http://www.chch.com/scaffolding-collapses-burlington-skyway/

Ebola outbreak spurs emergency measures in West Africa

The outbreak has now caused 1,323 cases and 729 deaths, the World Health Organization announced in a press on Thursday.

"Ebola is worsening in West Africa,” said Dr. Tom Friedan, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This is a tragic, painful, dreadful, merciless virus and it’s the largest, most complex outbreak that we know of in history.”

Although the UN health agency has not recommended any travel restrictions, Canada updated its travel advice on Thursday and the CDC issued its highest-possible travel alert, advising against any non-essential travel to the three West African countries at the centre of the outbreak.

Epidemiologists believe the outbreak started in December in Guinea but the virus has now spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, where an American traveller from Liberia died last week. There is no specific treatment or cure for Ebola, which is transmitted through close contact and bodily fluids.

This is the first time the virus has caused an outbreak in West Africa and on Friday, the World Health Organization’s director general will be meeting with presidents from the affected countries to launch a $100 million (U.S.) response plan. The WHO is also calling for “several hundred more personnel” — everyone from doctors and nurses to epidemiologists and data managers — to be deployed to the region.

A Liberia immigration officer inspects a passport of a Sierra Leonean national wearing protective hand gloves to avoid contact with the deadly Ebola virus at the Bo Waterside border post between Liberia and Sierra Leone on July 30, 2014.

But even in the best-case scenario, the outbreak will likely continue for another three to six months, according to Frieden.

“This is a marathon, not a sprint,” he said in a teleconference with reporters. “We at CDC are surging our response along with others and though it will not be quick and it will not be easy, we do know how to stop Ebola.”

Both Liberia and Sierra Leone have now declared states of emergency and will be implementing quarantine measures because “extraordinary challenges require extraordinary measures,” according to Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma.

In Liberia, the government has shut down schools and ordered most public servants to stay at home. On Monday, Sierra Leoneans will observe a “National Stay at Home Day” and authorities have started performing house-to-house searches. Ebola-affected “localities and homes” will also be placed under quarantine, according to Koroma, with police and military deployed to “give support” to health workers and NGOs.

In a written statement, Médecins Sans Frontières — which has been responding to the outbreak in all three hard-hit countries — said the state of emergency declaration “shows a recognition of the gravity of the situation.”

However, the medical aid organization said it does not know how the declaration will affect their operations, since some of the emergency measures will be difficult to implement. According to MSF, the most crucial needs right now are gaining the trust of local communities, as well as increased awareness, better contact tracing and a “massive deployment of qualified medical staff.”

“It’s understandable that the authorities are considering measures to prevent people from moving, but our fear is that it will be even more difficult to respond to the outbreak if people’s movements are restricted and they might use alternative roads,” the statement read.

In the capital Freetown — which is 400 km west of the outbreak epicentre in eastern Sierra Leone — the fear on the streets is now “palpable,” said Stephen Douglas, a Canadian media development professional who has lived in the country for five years.

“People are selling plastic gloves, rubber gloves, and there are buckets of chlorine set up on street corners,” he said. “It’s not panic yet . . . (but there is) more and more fear and people are very guarded.”

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/07/31/sierra_leone_declares_...

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Description
The Department of Health and Family Welfare has informed that it had received a message through telephone on 12th September 2011 of an outbreak of fever of unknown cause leading to three deaths at Poilwa village, Peren District. Immediately the State Rapid Response Team (RRT) of Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP), Nagaland, comprising of Dr. John Kemp (State Surveillance Officer), Dr. Sao Tunyi (Epidemiologist), Dr. Kevisevolie Sekhose (Epidemiologist), and Venezo Vasa (Entomologist) conducted an outbreak investigation at Poilwa village. The team collected three samples from suspected cases out of which all the three were tested positive for Scrub Typhus. Till date, there are 9 cases with 3 deaths. This was stated in a official press note issued by Dr. Imtimeren Jamir, the Principal Director, Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, Kohima. Scrub Typhus is Rickettsial disease caused Orientia tsutsugamushi and transmitted by the bite of mite called Leptotrombidium deliense. In Nagaland, it was formerly detected by IDSP with Central Surveillance Team at Longsa village Mokokchung in 2006, and in Porba village of Phek District in 2007. The State RRT team carried out the outbreak investigation along with doing and entomological survey. The patients were treated with appropriate medicines and awareness and preventive measures were communicated with the villagers. The concerned local health authorities and programs are informed for further necessary action. The mop-up operation is being carried out by the National Vector Borne Disease Control Program.
Biohazard name:	Typhus (Scrub)
Biohazard level:	3/4 Hight
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that can cause severe to fatal disease in humans, but for which vaccines or other treatments exist, such as anthrax, West Nile virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, SARS virus, variola virus (smallpox), tuberculosis, typhus, Rift Valley fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, yellow fever, and malaria. Among parasites Plasmodium falciparum, which causes Malaria, and Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes trypanosomiasis, also come under this level.
Symptoms:	- After bite by infected mite larvae called chiggers, papule develops at the biting site which ulcerates and eventually heals with the development of a black eschar. - Patients develop sudden fever with headache, weakness, myalgia, generalized enlargement of lymph nodes, photophobia, and dry cough. - A week later, rash appears on the trunk, then on the extremities, and turns pale within a few days. - Symptoms generally disappear after two weeks even without treatment. - However, in severe cases with Pneumonia and Myocarditis, mortality may reach 30% Diagnosis - The most commonly used test for diagnosis is Wel-Felix Test, which is available at State IDSP laboratory, Kohima. - More specific serological tests like detection of IgM can also be done for diagnosis.
Status:	confirmed

Description
Umatilla County health officials today confirmed a case of plague in an adult male county resident. He may have been infected while hunting in Lake County, noted Sharon Waldern, clinic supervisor for the county’s public health department. “Lake County had two cases of human plague last year.” The man has been hospitalized and is receiving treatment, Waldern noted. “People need to realize he was never considered contagious and he started treatment fairly quickly.” Plague is spread to humans through a bite from an infected flea. The disease is serious but treatable with antibiotics if caught early, officials said. Plague can be passed from fleas feeding on infected rodents and then transmitted to humans. Direct contact with infected tissues or fluids from handling sick or dead animals can pass the disease, as well as through respiratory droplets from cats and humans with pneumonic plague, officials said in a press release. Some types are spread from person to person, but that is not the case here, Waldern said. Symptoms typically develop within one to four days and up to seven days after exposure and include fever, chills, headache, weakness and a bloody or watery cough due to pneumonia, enlarged, tender lymph nodes, abdominal pain and bleeding into the skin or other organs. Plague is rare in Oregon. Only three human cases have been diagnosed since 1995 and they all recovered. Last year two human cases of plague were diagnosed in Lake County. As far as she knows, this is the first ever incident in Umatilla County. “In this recent case it is important to stay away from flea-infested areas and to recognize the symptoms. People can protect themselves, their family members and their pets,” said Genni Lehnert-Beers, administrator for Umatilla County Health Department. “Using flea treatment on your pets is very important, because your pets can bring fleas into your home.” People should contact their health care provider or veterinarian if plague is suspected. Early treatment for people and pets with appropriate antibiotics is essential to curing plague infections. Untreated plague can be fatal for animals and people. Antibiotics to prevent or treat plague should be used only under the direction of a health care provider. Additional steps to prevent flea bites include wearing insect repellent, tucking pant cuffs into socks when in areas heavily occupied by rodents, and avoiding contact with wildlife including rodents.
Biohazard name:	Plague (Bubonic)
Biohazard level:	4/4 Hazardous
Biohazard desc.:	Viruses and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans, and for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, H5N1(bird flu), Dengue hemorrhagic fever, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic or unidentified diseases. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a Hazmat suit and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, autonomous detection system, and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release.
Symptoms:
Statu The Black Death: Bubonic Plague	confirmed http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=EH...

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