Archive for editor
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (75): mutation & recomb, transmission, school, Tanzania, WHO
COVID-19 -- Tanzania"Abstract---------To trace the evolution of coronaviruses and reveal the possible origin of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we collected and thoroughly analyzed 29 452 publicly available coronavirus genomes, including 26 312 genomes of SARS-CoV-2 strains. We observed coronavirus recombination events among different hosts including 3 independent recombination events with statistical significance Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Septoria blotch, wheat – UK: reduced fungicide sensitivity
Other Plant Disease -- United KingdomConsidered by most agronomists to be by far the biggest threat to UK cereal crops, septoria has come into even sharper focus as it has developed reduced sensitivity to key fungicides, affecting their performance in the field. Septoria risk factors [include] mild winters, wet conditions in spring, susceptible wheat varieties, early sowing, and high rainfall.The declining effectiveness of fungicides is placing more emphasis on an integrated approach. Early-sown Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (17): Guinea, West Africa
Ebola -- GuineaThe tracking of antibodies in Ebola survivors suggests they wax and wane, which could make vaccine booster shots necessary.A new outbreak of Ebola in Guinea has prompted international concern. It was among the worst affected West African countries during the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic, which resulted in more than 28 000 cases and 11 000 deaths in the region. Things are a little different this time around: health teams in West Africa are more experienced, and laboratory and surveillance Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Poliomyelitis update (02): global, WPV1, cDPV
Polio -- Worldwide/UnknownPoliovirus Weekly Update, 17 Feb 2021, World Health Organization- New wild poliovirus isolates reported this week:AFP cases: 0Environment: 4Others: 0 - New cVDPV isolates reported this week:AFP cases: 10Environment: 11Others: 4Summary of new WPV and cVDPV this week (AFP [acute flaccid paralysis] cases and ES [environmental specimens] positives):- Afghanistan: 1 cVDPV2 case and 5 cVDPV2 positive environmental samples- Pakistan: 4 WPV1 positive environmental samples- Read more [...]
Local fire departments remind people to properly dispose of hazardous material – FOX 25/48 – WiProud.com
Local fire departments remind people to properly dispose of hazardous material FOX 25/48 – WiProud.com
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (37): Estonia (LV), poultry, HPAI H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- Estonia[Information received on [and dated] 19 Feb 2021 from Dr. Olev Kalda, Chief Veterinary Officer, Management, Veterinary and Food Board, Tallinn, Estonia]SummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 17 Feb 2021Date of confirmation of the event: 18 Feb 2021Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed disease Causal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza [HPAI] virusSerotype: H5N8Nature of diagnosis: laboratory (advanced)This event pertains Read more [...]
Single-vehicle crash involving hazardous materials in Mount Airy closes I-70, Md. 27 – Baltimore Sun
PRO/AH/EDR> Hemorrhagic septicemia, elephant – India: (OR, Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary) susp.
Other Animal Disease -- IndiaA 3-member team from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) visited Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary on Saturday [20 Feb 2021] to ascertain the death of 6 elephants.Sources said, the Central team is on the same page with the Forest department about hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) being the cause and the measures undertaken to prevent further outbreak though it has collected samples and would seek more detail analysis.Since there have been no more Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (37): India (BR) HPAI H5N8, crow, alert
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- IndiaBihar health authorities have sounded alert after pathogenic avian influenza [AI] (H5N8) viruses were detected in crows in the state.Dozens of crows died in the state's West Champaran district in January 2021, following which the animal husbandry department officials collected samples and sent them for testing at a laboratory in Kolkata."The report confirmed H5N8 strain of bird flu. We have sounded alert and stepped surveillance to check the spread of this virus," Sunil Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (16): Guinea, Congo DR (NK)
Ebola -- GuineaTo limit the spread of the virus in Ebola, the provincial minister of health of North Kivu is increasing awareness sessions. On Saturday [20 Feb 2021], he met with pressure groups and citizen movements at City Hall. He called on everyone to get involved in raising public awareness for community engagement against this disease and against COVID-19.Transmitting real information and avoiding rumors around Ebola in order to avoid the errors known during the 10th Ebola epidemic, this is Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (74): rapid testing, Israel vaccine results, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- IsraelAvacta said in a statement that Porton Down had assessed its nasal swab test, which did not rely on saliva."The evaluated test was the anterior nasal swab test that has subsequently generated the excellent initial clinical performance data outlined above. However, in its evaluation Porton Down used artificial samples and did not use clinical samples," it said."We believe an accurate, rapid antigen test, that has been appropriately validated, will help to limit the spread of the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Equine herpesvirus – North America (04): Canada (ON) horse
Equine Herpes Virus -- CanadaThree facilities in the Canadian province of Ontario are now under quarantine due to the neurological form of equine herpes virus, type 1 (EHV-1).In early February 2021, health authorities were alerted to an outbreak of EHV-1 on a farm in the Municipality of Halton. According to the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC), 2 horses were affected in the private facility. Both were euthanized following the sudden onset of severe incoordination and an inability to stand.Most Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (74): vaccines, variants, genomic surveillance, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownWHO region (no. countries/territories):Total confirmed cases (new cases in last 24 hours) / Total deaths (new deaths in last 24 hours)-------------------------------------Western Pacific Region (19): 1 569 889 (6767) / 27 885 (232)European Region (61): 37 429 340 (144 799) / 836 165 (3708)South East Asia Region (10): 13 322 028 (25 836) / 204 530 (299)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 6 155 544 (25 401) / 141 597 (368)Region of the Americas (54): 49 126 365 (168 687) Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (15): Guinea (KA)
Ebola -- GuineaOn 14 Feb 2021, the authorities in Guinea declared a new Ebola outbreak. As one of the key medical organisations responding in the huge 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) immediately started mobilising a team of Ebola-experienced specialists to form the core of a response team. Anja Wolz is the Ebola emergency coordinator overseeing MSF's response and outlined the current situation in this interview.How concerned are you by this new Ebola outbreak?With Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Influenza (04): USA (WI) swine origin H3N2v
Influenza H3N2 -- United StatesAccording to the International Health Regulations (IHR), human infection caused by a novel influenza A virus subtype is an event that has the potential for high public health impact. A novel influenza A virus is considered to have the potential to cause a pandemic if:(1) the virus has demonstrated the capacity to infect and transmit efficiently among humans; and(2) differs from currently-circulating seasonal human influenza viruses such that the hemagglutinin (HA) gene Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (02): Russia, H5N8, 1st case
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- RussiaRussia has registered the 1st case of a strain of bird flu virus named A(H5N8) being passed to humans from birds and has reported the matter to the World Health Organization (WHO), Anna Popova, head of consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, said on Saturday [20 Feb 2021].Outbreaks of the H5N8 strain have been reported in Russia, Europe, China, the Middle East, and North Africa in recent months but so far only in poultry. Other strains -- H5N1, H7N9 and H9N2 -- have Read more [...]
EMA: Chemicals spill into Ohio River in Owensboro EMA – 14 News WFIE Evansville
EMA: Chemicals spill into Ohio River in Owensboro EMA 14 News WFIE Evansville
PRO/AH/EDR> Strangles – North America (02): Canada (PEI) horse
Strangles -- CanadaOn Wednesday (17 Feb 2021), the Atlantic Provinces Harness Racing Commission (APHRC) was informed of a new confirmed case of strangles in a Standardbred on Prince Edward Island.This case is in a different barn then the stable having been under quarantine since early November [2020]. Testing of other horses in the newly impacted stable at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park is underway, and the stable has been quarantined. No other horses in this barn had shown any clinical Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Equine herpesvirus – North America (03): Canada (QB) horse
Equine Herpes Virus -- CanadaA deadly outbreak of a highly contagious virus that's often fatal in horses has struck an equestrian farm in western Quebec.The neurological form of EHV-1, sometimes called equine herpesvirus [or equine herpesvirus myeloencephalitis (EHM, the neurologic form)], has already caused the deaths of 2 horses and infected nearly half of the other 39 animals housed in stables at the Luskville farm.Staff at Venturing Hills, already under added strain due to the coronavirus pandemic, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (73): post COVID, encephalopathy, USA safety monitoring, WHO
COVID-19 -- United StatesWHO region (no. countries/territories):Total confirmed cases (new cases in last 24 hours) / Total deaths (new deaths in last 24 hours)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Western Pacific Region (19): 1 563 122 (6694) / 27 653 (205)European Region (61): 37 279 653 (148 890) / 832 331 (3437)South East Asia Region (10): 13 296 192 (23 499) / 204 231 (305)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 6 130 143 (26 863) / 141 229 (360)Region of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (14): Congo DR (NK), Guinea, Liberia
Ebola -- DR CongoBackgroundThe state of the Guinean health workforce is one of the country's bottlenecks in advancing health outcomes. The impact of the 2014-2015 Ebola virus disease outbreak and resulting international attention has provided a policy window to invest in the workforce and reform the health system. This research constitutes a baseline study on the health workforce situation, professional education, and retention policies in Guinea. The study was conducted to inform capacity development Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Japanese encephalitis & other – India (01): (BR)
Japanese Encephalitis -- IndiaA child in Bihar's Muzaffarpur has been detected with symptoms of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Shrikrishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCK), and paediatrics department has confirmed the case on Friday [19 Feb 2021]."Paediatrics department yesterday [Thu 18 Feb 2021] confirmed one case of AES in Muzaffarpur's SKMC Hospital," hospital superintendent Dr BS Jha said. "We are prepared to deal with this case; we have arranged the medicines. There will be a review Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (72): Africa reporting, UK lockdown impact, Israel vaccine, WHO
COVID-19 -- United KingdomAbstract--------ObjectiveTo directly measure the fatal impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in an urban African population.DesignProspective systematic postmortem surveillance study.SettingZambia's largest tertiary care referral hospital.ParticipantsDeceased people of all ages at the University Teaching Hospital morgue in Lusaka, Zambia, enrolled within 48 hours of death.Main outcome measurePostmortem nasopharyngeal swabs were tested via reverse Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Foot & mouth disease – Lebanon: (NA) cattle, spread, RFI
Foot and Mouth -- Lebanon[Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has been detected in cattle in the district of Bint Jbeil, An Nabatiyah (Nabatieh) Province, Lebanon.]The National News Agency reported that after monitoring cases of FMD [local vernacular name, Hafour] in the villages of the district, the Agricultural Services Center in the Municipalities Union of Bint Jbeil District, in cooperation with the Jihad Al-Bina Development Foundation, and in coordination with the Cattle Breeders Syndicate in the south, Read more [...]
Want to raise your Dangerous Goods game? Study chess!
Like millions of others, we were inspired by The Queen’s Gambit to dig out the chessboard from the back of the closet behind the kids’ games. Unlike millions of others, we’re Dangerous Goods pros, and we sometimes mingle our personal and professional obsessions. So lately we’ve gotten to thinking about intriguing parallels between the world...
The post Want to raise your Dangerous Goods game? Study chess! appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (71): world, animal, mink, WHO/FAO/OIE risk assessment
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownA global risk assessment conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal health (OIE), and WHO has shown that the overall risk of introduction and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the virus that causes COVID-19, from the fur-farming system to humans and to susceptible wildlife populations in the WHO European Region is considered high.The global tripartite conducted the risk assessment in light of the Region's Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (13): Liberia, Guinea, Congo DR (NK)
Ebola -- LiberiaAs of 15 Feb [2021], 192 contacts have been identified, including 164 contacts in N'Zerekore Health District and 28 in Ratoma Health District, Conakry. To date, no contacts have been reported to have travelled in neighboring countries. However, Nzerekore is the 2nd-largest city in Guinea and lies at the intersection of roads from Ganta (Liberia), Danane (Cote d'Ivoire), and roads to other major hubs in Guinea like Kankan and Macenta (Guinea). Therefore, there is concern about the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Equine herpesvirus – North America (02): USA (WA) horse
Equine Herpes Virus -- United StatesThe Washington State Veterinarian reported one confirmed case of respiratory equine herpesvirus (EHV-1), one suspected case, and 2 horses exposed at a boarding facility in Kitsap County. The positive horse had a stall mate quarantined with it and is being monitored.[Byline: Kimberly S. Brown]--Communicated by:ProMED["Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) comprise 2 antigenically distinct groups of viruses previously referred to as subtypes Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Equine influenza – USA (01): (WA) horse
Equine Influenza -- United StatesEarlier in February [2021], the state veterinarian reported a case of equine influenza at a boarding facility in Kitsap County. The facility now has reported 2 additional confirmed cases of equine influenza. About 25 other horses were exposed on the property.For an AAEP Fact Sheet on equine influenza, visit .[Byline: Kimberly S. Brown]--Communicated by:ProMED[Caution should be exercised around this disease. We do not want to be the reason it transfers to other horses. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Listeriosis – USA (02): queso fresco cheese susp, awaiting WGS, recall, alert
Listeriosis -- United StatesFederal officials have identified at least one brand of cheese of interest in their investigation of an outbreak of _Listeria_ infections. The FDA is warning that consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve El Abuelito brand queso fresco cheese.The Food and Drug Administration [FDA] has been working on the outbreak investigation with agencies in several states. This evening [Wed 17 Feb 2021], the FDA announced that the Connecticut Department of Read more [...]
