Archive for editor
PRO/AH/EDR> Trichinellosis – Argentina: (CB)
Trichinosis -- ArgentinaThe Ministry of Health of Cordoba have reported 12 cases of trichinosis in 2 towns of the province, prompting a warning about the risks of consuming or buying pork of doubtful origin or without the corresponding sanitary inspection.In the town of El Tio, 11 cases were reported, whose source of infection identified is the consumption of home-made pork products. The remaining case is domiciled in Santa Ana, unrelated to the previous cases and for which the source of infection Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (407): in-flight transmission, wildlife research, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownTo assess the role of in-flight transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), we investigated a cluster of cases among passengers on a 10-hour commercial flight. Affected persons were passengers, crew, and their close contacts. We traced 217 passengers and crew to their final destinations and interviewed, tested, and quarantined them. Among the 16 persons in whom SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected, 12 (75%) were passengers seated in business Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (406): animal, Netherlands (LI), Denmark (ND), farm mink, spread
COVID-19 -- NetherlandsAt a mink farm in Meijel (municipality of Peel en Maas) with approximately 6500 mother animals, contamination with SARS-CoV-2 has been established. The infection came to light from the 'early warning', the monitoring system in which animals are tested for the virus every week. The holding will be cleared as early as possible.A total of 54 mink farms in the Netherlands have now been declared infected.For more information, see the last letter to the House of Representatives about Read more [...]
PRO/AH> African swine fever – Europe (21): Germany (BB) wild boar, spread
African Swine Fever -- GermanyThe National Reference Laboratory for African swine fever (ASF) at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) has so far confirmed 13 cases of ASF in wild boar in Brandenburg. The 1st case on 10 Sep 2020 was detected in a carcass of a 2- to 3-year wild sow in the district of Spree-Neisse; the other 12 cases in wild boar were detected near the municipality of Neuzelle in the district of Oder-Spree and thus in the demarcated infected area designated by the Land Brandenburg. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (405): rapid tests, European surge, eyeglasses, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United StatesZeng W, Wang X, Li J, et al. Association of Daily Wear of Eyeglasses With Susceptibility to Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection [published online ahead of print, 2020 Sep 16]. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2020; 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2020.3906; --------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Key points-----------"Question. What is the association between the daily wear of eyeglasses and susceptibility to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?"Findings. In Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Nerve agent poisoning – Russia (03): Novichok
Poisoning -- RussiaThe nerve agent used to poison Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was detected on an empty water bottle from his hotel room in the Siberian city of Tomsk, suggesting he was poisoned there and not at the airport as first thought, his team said on Thursday [17 Sep 2020]. Navalny fell violently ill on a domestic flight in Russia last month [August 2020]and was subsequently airlifted to Berlin for treatment. Laboratories in Germany, France, and Sweden have established he was Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus (17): Americas, USA (CA,FL,KY) horse
West Nile Virus -- United StatesOn [27 Aug 2020], officials at the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) confirmed a 5-year-old Paint mare in Riverside County with West Nile virus (WNV). She began experiencing clinical signs of ataxia (loss of control of limb and bodily movements), facial twitching, and muscle fasciculations (twitching) on [17 Aug 2020]. The mare, who was unvaccinated, is reported as recovering.This is California's 6th confirmed case of WNV in 2020. Confirmed positive Read more [...]
Who’s charged up? It’s Lithium Battery Week at the 2020 DG Symposium!
Over the years, the most popular day of the Dangerous Goods Symposium has been Lithium Battery Day. Everyone’s favorite Class 9 Miscellaneous material always seems to make the most news, stir up the most controversy and inspire the most teeth-gnashing. This year, with the Symposium taking place virtually at the new DG Exchange, we were...
The post Who’s charged up? It’s Lithium Battery Week at the 2020 DG Symposium! appeared first on Labelmaster Blog. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – Kyrgyzstan (06): (NA) cattle, OIE
Anthrax -- KyrgyzstanInformation received on [and dated] Thu 17 Sep 2020 from Dr. Kalysbek Jumakanov, Director Chief State Veterinary Inspector (CVO), State Inspectorate of Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Security, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Bishkek, KyrgyzstanSummary report type: immediate notification (final report)Date of start of the event: 2 Sep 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 16 Sep 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 9 Sep Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Lumpy skin disease – India (05): (MP) cattle, spread
Lumpy Skin Disease -- IndiaMadhya Pradesh [MP] government has banned transportation of bovines, their sale and mingling in animal fairs, and mating without a test for the next 2 months as a viral disease -- lumpy skin disease -- has affected at least 15 000 such animals in at least 10 districts of the state bordering Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Measures are being taken to contain the spread of the disease, government officials said.The animal husbandry department and Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (404): US FDA, genome analysis, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownAbstract--------Background. COVID-19 has become a global pandemic not long after its inception in late 2019. SARS-CoV-2 genomes are being sequenced and shared on public repositories at a fast pace. To keep up with these updates, scientists need to frequently refresh and reclean datasets, which is ad hoc and labor-intensive. Further, scientists with limited bioinformatics or programming knowledge may find it difficult to analyze SARS-CoV-2 genomes. Objective: To address Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Brucellosis – China (02): (GS) 2019
Brucellosis -- ChinaA total of 3245 people have tested positive for brucellosis as of Monday [14 Sep 2020], in Lanzhou, Northwest China's Gansu Province, according to an investigation report into the brucellosis antibody positive event in Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute that occurred in December 2019. The report was released by the Health Commission of Lanzhou on Tue 15 Sep 2020, stating that compensation will be carried out in batches in October 2020 to effectively protect people's health Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Crimean-Congo hem. fever – Asia (07): Pakistan (Punjab)
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever -- PakistanA Congo-virus patient from Sheikhupura [Punjab] died in the Mayo Hospital on Friday [11 Sep 2020]. A spokesperson for the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) said a butcher had been under treatment at the Mayo Hospital for the last 5 days. P&SHD Secretary Capt (Retd) Muhammad Usman said the department had traced 15 people who had been in contact with the victim. He added the deceased had caught the virus from animals.--Communicated Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus (16): Europe, ECDC, Spain
West Nile Virus -- Worldwide/UnknownBetween [4 and 10 Sep 2020], EU Member States reported 14 human cases of WNV [West Nile virus] infection, all by Greece. All cases were reported from areas that have been affected during previous transmission seasons. This week, 3 deaths were reported by Greece. No human cases of WNV infection or deaths were reported from EU neighbouring countries.On [3 Sep 2020], German public health authorities reported the 1st human autochthonous WNV infections in Germany during Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Paralytic shellfish poisoning (02): Philippines (SM) mussels, fatal
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning -- PhilippinesTwo children died and 4 other family members were downed by suspected paralytic shellfish poisoning in the island town of Daram in Samar [Eastern Visayas], according to the Department of Health (DOH-8) Wednesday [16 Sep 2020].An 8-year-old boy and his 3-year-old brother manifested symptoms of food poisoning after eating green mussels (tahong) for lunch on Tuesday [15 Sep 2020] in Barangay Bagacay of said town.The victims experienced numbness, vomiting, Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Tungro disease, rice – India: (AR)
Other Plant Disease -- IndiaMore than half of the total area under wet rice cultivation in East Siang [district] has been infested by the white-backed planthopper, the brown planthopper, and the green leafhopper [associated with] rice tungro virus, leading to yellowing of standing crops. According to [a] District Agriculture Officer, of the total 6920 hectares [about 17100 acres], 3500 hectares [about 8649 acres] have been affected. The damage assessment is being carried out.Plant protection scientist Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Salmonellosis, st Newport – USA, Canada (03): onions
Salmonella -- United StatesAs of this afternoon [14 Sep 2020], there have been 506 confirmed cases of _Salmonella [enterica_ serotype] Newport illness in Canada linked to a _Salmonella_ outbreak associated with onions. Officials in the U.S. have not posted an outbreak update since 1 Sep [2020]. The total in Canada has increased by 49 people since the most recent update from the Public Health Agency of Canada on 31 Aug [2020]. The 506 confirmed patients are spread across several Canadian provinces: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus (15): Americas, USA (FL)
West Nile Virus -- United StatesMiami-Dade County has now seen more than 50 reported cases of West Nile virus [infection] this year [2020], health officials say, and 5 more cases have been announced.On Friday [11 Sep 2020], the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County announced 5 more human cases of West Nile virus infection from local transmission in Miami-Dade residents. This brings the county's total to 54 cases in 2020.The county has been placed under a mosquito-borne-illness alert. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Eastern equine encephalitis – North America (18): USA (IN,MI) horse, human
Eastern Equine Encephalitis -- United StatesState health officials urge residents to protect themselves from mosquitoes, after a probable case of eastern equine encephalitis [EEE] was reported in a LaPorte County resident.State Health Commissioner Dr Kris Box says that while it's rare in humans, the virus can cause permanent complications and even death. Symptoms include chills, fever, body aches, and joint pain, with brain inflammation in more severe cases.One horse in Kosciusko County and 2 horses Read more [...]
PRO/AH> African swine fever – Europe (20): Germany (BB) wild boar, spread
African Swine Fever -- GermanyA further 5 cases of African swine fever (ASF) are suspected in wild boar in the German state of Brandenburg, close to the border with Poland.This follows the discovery of ASF for the 1st time in Germany in a dead wild boar in a field of harvested crops in the state last week [week of 7 Sep 2020].The 5 news cases were found in dead wild boar close to the 1st case, Brandenburg state health minister Ursula Nonnemacher told a committee of the state's parliament, Reuters Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (403): vaccine trial, transmission data needs, 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): 555 970 (5306) / 12 261 (279)European Region (61): 4 873 346 (30 992) / 226 363 (466)South East Asia Region (10): 5 565 977 (90 320) / 94 871 (1222)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 2 132 383 (16 194) / 55 713 (393)Region of the Americas (54): 14 903 891 (86 570) / 513 246 (1780)African Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Legionellosis – Europe: UK (England) legionnaires' dis.
Legionnaires' -- United KingdomThe borough has become an area of national intervention for COVID-19, with 100 new cases since Friday [12 Sep 2020] and the infection rate now "3 or 4 times higher" than it was a few weeks ago.And in the latest health crisis Public Health England (PHE) Midlands, the Health and Safety Executive and Sandwell Council are jointly investigating 3 laboratory-confirmed cases of Legionnaire's [disease] and 6 suspected cases in West Bromwich.No direct link between the cases Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Vibrio vulnificus – USA: (CT)
Vibrio vulnificus -- United StatesConnecticut state health officials have issued a warning for the public in shoreline areas about the potential dangers of exposure to salt or brackish water along Long Island Sound, due to an unusually high number of _Vibrio vulnificus_ infections.Since July 2020, 5 cases of _Vibrio vulnificus_ infections have been reported to the Department of Public Health (one infection in July 2020, 4 in August 2020). The patients are from Fairfield (1), Middlesex (1), and New Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (402): countries, nose, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- AustraliaIn the week from [7 through 13 Sep 2020], there were over 1.8 million new cases of COVID-19, comparable to the previous 7 days (Table 1: Newly reported and cumulative COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths, by WHO Region, as of [13 Sep 2020]); while deaths increased slightly as compared to the previous week, with over 40 600 deaths reported. The Region of the Americas has consistently registered the greatest number of reported cases for many weeks. It continues to account for nearly Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Leptospirosis – Ukraine: (MY)
Leptospirosis -- UkraineA 28-year-old woman with leptospirosis is in the intensive care unit at the City Hospital in Mykolaiv. This is the 2nd patient with leptospirosis to be admitted to the City Hospital No. 5 in 2020. The 1st was a 52-year-old man who was treated from [24 Jul 2020] and discharged with recovery on [7 Aug 2020].In total in the Nikolaev [Mykolaiv] area since the beginning of the year, 6 cases of leptospirosis are recorded.Leptospirosis is an acute infectious disease that is transmitted Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Scab disease, apple – India (02): (HP)
Other Plant Disease -- IndiaApple growers in Himachal Pradesh face the onslaught of scab disease, which struck the state after nearly 4 decades [this is incorrect, see comment below]. It is rapidly deteriorating production. The highly infectious disease is spreading through the high-yielding belt. Prices have already doubled in local markets.The quality deteriorates in a few days, rendering all the produce in the orchard useless. According to officials of the national horticulture department, the Read more [...]
DG Digest: IATA releases ‘list of significant changes’ to the 62nd DGR
The week just ended featured a federal holiday. As is often the case at such times, it was extremely quiet in a regulatory sense. However there was one important exception to that from our international partners; the IATA released its “List of Significant Changes” to the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) in the coming 62nd Edition. That edition becomes...
The post DG Digest: IATA releases ‘list of significant changes’ to the 62nd DGR appeared first on Labelmaster Read more [...]
The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Opioid Overdose Epidemic: A Perfect Storm for Workers?
Introduction Before the pandemic took hold, the United States was already facing another public health crisis – alarming rates of opioid-related overdose deaths. In 2018, 46,802 deaths were attributed to opioids, which accounted for 69% of all drug overdose deaths.1 Based on provisional data, an estimated 50,828 Americans died of opioid overdose in 2019 — 70% of the total estimated drug overdose deaths last year. As COVID-19 has swept the nation and globe, the virus and its implications Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (401): Netherlands (NB), Denmark, farmed mink, spread
COVID-19 -- NetherlandsPeople in contact with infected mink on mink farms are at risk to become infected with SARS-CoV-2. The risk of becoming infected within a mink farm is, according to OMT-Z, even higher than in the family situation. The OMT-Z notes that the risk for neighboring residents is negligible, as has been shown by the negative air samples outside the mink-house, as well as from epidemiological data recently obtained from COVID-19 patients living in the regions of the infected mink farms.The Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Bat tick – USA: (NJ) comment
Pests — United States