Archive for editor
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (467): vaccines, superspreading events, Ghana, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- GhanaAn unprecedented effort is under way to rapidly develop COVID-19 vaccines, with pharmaceutical companies, academic researchers, and government agencies aiming to compress into several months a process that typically requires at least several years. This work is supported by extraordinary public and private investments and by newly created entities such as Operation Warp Speed. Concurrent with clinical testing of vaccine candidates, new mechanisms are being established to expedite Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Lumpy skin disease – Viet Nam: (LS,CB) cattle, 1st rep, OIE
Lumpy Skin Disease -- VietnamInformation received on [and dated] 1 Nov 2020 from Dr Dong Pham Van, Director General, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hanoi, Viet NamReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 13 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 16 Oct 2020Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed disease in the countryCausal agent: Lumpy skin disease virusNature of diagnosis: laboratory Read more [...]
DG Digest: PHMSA relief exemptions for hand sanitizer expire & the EPA published the thirty-eighth update of Federal Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket.
The nation moves into November facing both a national election as well as, unfortunately, a resurgent pandemic. Let’s all stay calm, act responsibly, and do what we can to contribute to the safety and well being of our country. No matter how things go this Tuesday, in the end, we’re all in this together. The week just...
The post DG Digest: PHMSA relief exemptions for hand sanitizer expire & the EPA published the thirty-eighth update of Federal Hazardous Waste Compliance Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed deaths – Nigeria (03): (DE) RFI
Undiagnosed -- NigeriaResidents of Ute Okpu and Idumesa communities in Ika North East Local Government Area, Delta State have been thrown into fear, following the mysterious deaths of over 15 persons within the 18 to 25 years age bracket in the past 2 weeks in the area.But the State Government has assured residents of the area that it would do everything possible to curb the disease. The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye gave the assurance on Sunday [1 Nov 2020] when he led a team of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Europe (31): Germany (SN) wild boar, spread, OIE
African Swine Fever -- GermanyInformation received on [and dated] 1 Nov 2020 from Dr Dietrich Rassow, Director for Animal Health and Animal Welfare, Chief Veterinary Officer, Directorate of Animal Health and Animal Welfare, Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Berlin, GermanySummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 30 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 31 Oct 2020Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed diseaseManifestation of disease: sub-clinical Read more [...]
Crews still working on train derailment cleanup, three homes still in evacuation zone – 12newsnow.com KBMT-KJAC
Crews still working on train derailment cleanup, three homes still in evacuation zone 12newsnow.com KBMT-KJAC
Cleanup continues after Thursday morning train derailment in Mauriceville – 12newsnow.com KBMT-KJAC
Cleanup continues after Thursday morning train derailment in Mauriceville 12newsnow.com KBMT-KJAC
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (466): antibody trial, Kenya, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Kenya"Abstract---------'Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are increasingly being considered as agents to fight severe viral diseases. So far, they have essentially been selected and used on the basis of their virus-neutralizing activity and/or cell-killing activity to blunt viral propagation via direct mechanisms. There is, however, accumulating evidence that they can also induce long-lasting protective antiviral immunity by recruiting the endogenous immune system of infected individuals during Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rift Valley fever – Sudan (02): (NO) susp, RFI
Rift Valley Fever -- SudanDoctors say cases and dozens of deaths from the disease have occurred since the August [2020] floods, with cases of malaria and cholera also on the rise.An outbreak of Rift Valley fever has killed dozens of people and infected more than 1000 in Sudan's Northern state, according to local doctors.Doctors told the Guardian the disease has spread across the towns of Merowe, Al Dabbah, and Karima, mainly among cattle herders.However, the Sudanese government has so far denied Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Pneumonia, ovine – USA: (WA,OR) bighorn sheep
Pneumonia -- United StatesLast week [last of October 2020], wild bighorn sheep herds in Washington and Oregon have been detected with deadly pneumonia, likely caused by a deadly pathogen spread by domestic sheep grazing on public lands. The bighorn are dying slow and painful deaths because they have no natural immunity to the livestock-borne disease.In Washington, the Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that deadly pneumonia had been detected in the Cleman Mountain herd of bighorn sheep, located Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies (29): Americas (USA) animal, human exposure
Rabies -- United StatesThe Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has confirmed a raccoon was found near Shivers Green Road and Springdale Road in Ridgeway testing positive for rabies.One person was potentially exposed to saliva from open wounds on their hands and has been referred to their healthcare provider. According to DHEC officials, 2 dogs were exposed and will be quarantined as required [It would have been helpful to know the vaccination status of the dogs. - Mod.TG].If you Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Equine influenza – USA (05): (CA) wild burros
Equine Influenza -- United StatesThe Riverside County Department of Animal Services today [31 Oct 2020] warned horse owners to beware of an equine influenza outbreak having killed an estimated 3 dozen wild burros in the region.County and state officials are monitoring the outbreak while urging horse owners to check in with their veterinarians about booster vaccines for previously vaccinated animals. Horse owners are also being advised to ensure their animals are not exposed to sick burros by moving Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (465): age, South Asia, antibody trial, 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): 730 379 (3841) / 15 516 (54)European Region (61): 10 803 232 (279 394) / 282 520 (2865)South East Asia Region (10): 9 196 384 (58 046) / 143 582 (687)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 3 067 038 (28 807) / 77 893 (703)Region of the Americas (54): 20 311 678 (160 458) / 636 496 (2826)African Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Yellow fever – Africa (13): Zimbabwe, fake cards
Yellow Fever -- ZimbabweAt the main bus terminus in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, international travelers are tempted with offers of counterfeit travel vaccination certificates. Counterfeit travel vaccination certificates can greatly jeopardize disease control, stated the leaders of the World Health Organization (WHO) African region in a press statement on 30 Oct 2020.A thriving black market there sells fake proof of immunization, said Dr. Integrity Mchechesi in a press release, who works with an innovative Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis – North America: dog, new findings
Leishmaniasis -- Worldwide/UnknownExperts are warning that a dangerous flesh-eating parasite could be on its way to Canada. And dogs may be to blame.Veterinarians have started to detect leishmania, a dangerous parasite capable of causing a flesh-eating disease in both animals and humans, in Canadian and US dogs.The parasites, usually spread by sandflies not native to North America, cause the disease leishmaniasis. Some forms of the disease can lead to severe disfigurement or even death. Hundreds Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (464): animal, Denmark, mink, control, One Health
COVID-19 -- DenmarkIn North Jutland, foreign labor has been hired to speed up the killing of mink herds with corona infection. This is stated by police inspector Ole Kristensen, who is head of the Local Emergency Response Staff.Just over 100 foreigners are employed to help with the task. According to Kristensen, this is because there are too few people in Denmark who have an understanding of the handling of mink.The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration announced on Twitter on Thursday [29 Oct Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Americas (09): Brazil (GO) monkey, fatal
Yellow Fever -- BrazilThe number of monkeys dead of yellow fever in Goias has risen to 7 in one month. The Epidemiological Secretariat [SES] stated that just in Goiania, 200 000 adults and 20 000 children still need to receive doses of the vaccine. Immunization is free and can be done at health centers. [A surprising number for a municipality where vaccination has been recommended for years. - Mod.RNA]State superintendent of health surveillance, Fluvia Amorim, warns of the risk of virus circulation, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Eastern equine encephalitis – North America (23): USA, Canada, horse
Eastern Equine Encephalitis -- United StatesA Menominee County horse has died from a mosquito-borne illness. Public Health, Delta & Menominee counties, was notified on Thu 15 Oct 2020 of a horse in Menominee County having died from eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). The horse became ill on 3 Oct 2020.This is the 1st confirmed animal case of EEE in Menominee County this year [2020]. No other animal or human cases of EEE have been confirmed in Menominee County at this time; however, 35 confirmed Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Lumpy skin disease – Bhutan: (SM) cattle, 1st rep, OIE
Lumpy Skin Disease -- BhutanInformation received on [and dated] 30 Oct 2020 from Dr. Tashi Yangzome Dorji, Director, Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu, BhutanSummary:Report type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 23 Sep 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 5 Oct 2020Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed disease in the countryCausal agent: Lumpy skin disease virusNature of diagnosis: Clinical, laboratory (basic)This event pertains Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (75): Netherlands (GE) poultry, HPAI H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- NetherlandsInformation received on [and dated] 30 Oct 2020 from Dr. Christianne Bruschke, Chief Veterinary Officer, Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, The Hague, NetherlandsSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 29 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 29 Oct 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 10 Jul 2018Manifestation of disease: Clinical Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (463): Brazil (MT) animal, cat, OIE
COVID-19 -- BrazilInformation received on 29 Oct 2020 from Dr. Geraldo Marcos De Moraes, Director, Department of Animal Health and Livestock Supplies, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Brasilia, BrazilSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 5 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 16 Oct 2020Report date: 28 Oct 2020Date submitted to OIE: 29 Oct 2020Reason for notification: Emerging diseaseMorbidity: 1 (scale 0 to 5)Mortality: 0 (scale 0 to Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Bluetongue – Europe (12): Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, livestock, st 4, OIE
Bluetongue -- AlbaniaInformation received on [and dated] 23 Oct 2020 from Dr. Keti Margariti, Head, Veterinary and Animal Welfare Sector, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Tirana, AlbaniaSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 6 Aug 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 28 Aug 2020Report date: 23 Oct 2020Date submitted to OIE: 23 Oct 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 29 Nov 2016Manifestation of Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Gonococcal disease: rapid point-of-care testing, targeted therapy
Antimicrobial resistance -- Worldwide/UnknownBackground: Widespread ceftriaxone antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens _Neisseria gonorrhoeae_ (NG) treatment, with few alternatives available. AMR point-of-care tests (AMR POCT) may enable alternative treatments, including abandoned regimens, sparing ceftriaxone use. We assessed cost-effectiveness of 5 hypothetical AMR POCT strategies: A-C included a 2nd antibiotic alongside ceftriaxone; D and E consisted of a single antibiotic alternative, compared Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (462): OP monoclonal antibody, Brazil, age-group NPI, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownBackground: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is most frequently mild yet can be severe and life-threatening. Virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies are predicted to reduce viral load, ameliorate symptoms, and prevent hospitalization.Methods: In this ongoing phase 2 trial involving outpatients with recently diagnosed mild or moderate COVID-19, we randomly assigned 452 patients to receive a Read more [...]
The ORM-D hazmat label is being phased out. Here’s its retirement speech.
Starting January 1, 2021, the ORM-D label will no longer be accepted for Dangerous Goods shipments. Here’s what the label had to say on the occasion of its retirement from public service. Hello, hazmat shippers and Dangerous Goods professionals everywhere. I’m here to announce my retirement from public service, as my last day on the...
The post The ORM-D hazmat label is being phased out. Here’s its retirement speech. appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]
Recognizing Health Literacy at NIOSH
As we come to the end of Health Literacy Month this October, we remember the quotation often attributed to Einstein, “that all physical theories, their mathematical expressions apart, ought to lend themselves to so simple a description ‘that even a child could understand them.’” There is an expectation in the research community that writing about science requires jargon and to write in plain language is less clear or correct. This is not true. Plain language can be Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Gonococcal disease – South Africa: (GT) MDR, azithromycin resistance
Antimicrobial resistance -- South Africa_Neisseria gonorrhoeae_ antimicrobial drug resistance has emerged worldwide; however, the situation in sub-Saharan Africa is not well documented. We investigated the molecular epidemiology and occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in _N. gonorrhoeae_ infections in 2 core transmission groups of men in Johannesburg, South Africa. We recruited men who have sex with men (MSM) presenting with urethral discharge and men with recurrent episodes of urethral discharge. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> E. coli EHEC – USA (05): O157
E. coli -- United StatesThe CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the FDA are investigating a multistate outbreak of _E. coli_ O157:H7 infections.Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by the CDC. DNA fingerprinting is performed on _E. coli_ bacteria isolated from ill people by using Read more [...]
Train derailment clean up continues – Orange Leader – Orange Leader
Train derailment clean up continues – Orange Leader Orange Leader
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (461): animal, Sweden, mink, 1st case, RFI
COVID-19 -- SwedenSeveral minks have tested positive for the coronavirus on a mink farm in Solvesborg in Blekinge. People on the farm have also been found infected.The Swedish Veterinary Institute (SVA) is now investigating how the virus spreads among the animals. This is the 1st time that the new coronavirus has been found on a Swedish mink farm."We tested a number of animals today [23 Oct 2020], and all were positive", says Karl Stahl, acting state epizootiologist at the SVA.People working on the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Schistosomiasis – Germany: ex France (CE)
Schistosomiasis -- Germany1. Gautret P, Mockenhaupt FP, von Sonnenburg F, et al. Local and international implications of schistosomiasis acquired in Corsica, France. Emerg Infect Dis. 2015; 21(10):1865-8. doi: 10.3201/eid2110.150881. PMID: 26401954; PMCID: PMC4593456; .2. Moné H, Holtfreter MC, Allienne JF, et al. Introgressive hybridizations of _Schistosoma haematobium_ by _Schistosoma bovis_ at the origin of the first case report of schistosomiasis in Corsica (France, Europe). Parasitol Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (74): Netherlands (GE) poultry, HPAI H5N8 susp
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- NetherlandsA highly contagious form of bird flu has been diagnosed at a poultry farm with 35 000 animals in Altforst, Gelderland. The sector is alarmed because this year's [2020] contamination is early and has entered a barn where high hygiene standards are maintained."What is still to come?" asks Hennie de Haan, chairman of the Dutch Poultry Farmers' Union (NVP). "The bird migration, with which the virus spreads, has only just started. Moreover, this is a company where very Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (460): variant 20A.EU1, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Yemen WHO, global
COVID-19 -- ThailandAbstract--------A variant of SARS-CoV-2 emerged in early summer 2020, presumably in Spain, and has since spread to multiple European countries. The variant was first observed in Spain in June [2020] and has been at frequencies above 40% since July [2020]. Outside of Spain, the frequency of this variant has increased from very low values prior to [15 Jul 2020] to 40-70% in Switzerland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom in September [2020]. It is also prevalent in Norway, Latvia, Read more [...]
