Archive for editor
PRO/PL> Blast disease, rice – Nigeria: (BA)
Other Plant Disease -- NigeriaA rice disease suspected to be rice blast has invaded farmlands in Bauchi state. The disease, noticed in the area in the last 3 weeks, has wreaked havoc infesting about 20 hectares [about 49 acres] of rice farms across the area. "It is very difficult to assess the extent of damage to yields as the crops are at varying stages of growth," [a local official] stressed. "We have never recorded such pests in the last 4 years we have been carrying out irrigated (dry season) Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> HIV/AIDS – Pakistan (02): (SD) WHO
HIV/AIDS -- PakistanThe response to the event has been led by the provincial Department of Health (DOH) and the Sindh AIDS Control Program (SACP). The response has been supported by UN partners, the Pakistan Field Epidemiology & Laboratory Training Program (FELTP), Aga Khan University, and other partners.A new HIV/AIDS ART Treatment Center for children has been established at Shaikh Zaid Children Hospital. Unauthorized laboratories, blood banks, and clinics have been closed.A mission led by the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Crimean-Congo hem. fever – Asia (06): Pakistan (SD) alert
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever -- Pakistan[Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever] claimed 3 lives in Karachi in June [2019], citing local health department officials ARY News reported on [Tue 2 Jul 2019].All 3 patients of the Congo virus died in a private hospital in Gulshan Iqbal locality of the city. Doctors have expressed apprehensions of an outbreak of Congo virus in the city with the arrival of sacrifice animals to Karachi for sale ahead of the Eid ul-Azha [11-12 Aug 2019]. Director, health and medical Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Aspergillosis – USA: (WA) fatal, ped. hospital, OR, air-handling system
Aspergillosis -- United StatesSeattle Children's Hospital has revealed that one patient has died and 5 others have been infected by a potentially dangerous mold that has forced the medical center to close all of its main operating rooms. The hospital disclosed the infections and death to The Seattle Times [Tue 2 Jul 2019] in response to follow-up questions regarding the closures of 4 operating rooms on its main Seattle campus [18 May 2019] because of _Aspergillus_ mold and of the remaining 10 operating Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Kyasanur Forest disease – India (17): (KA) vaccination
Kyasanur Forest Disease -- IndiaThe Department of Health and Family Welfare plans to take up a vaccination drive and step up surveillance activities to tackle Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever, in the 2019-20 season.In 2018-19, 14 persons died in the state of monkey fever -- 12 deaths in Shivamogga district and 2 in Uttaa Kannada district. As many as 440 positive cases were reported in the state during this period, of which 341 cases were from Shivamogga district. Aralagodu Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Poliomyelitis update (56): Pakistan (KP)
Polio -- PakistanK-P [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] health department has confirmed 5 more cases of polio in the province. All 5 children, 3 from Bannu and 2 from [Torghar], native area of Peshawar were not administered polio drops. The total number of polio cases after these 5 new cases has reached 31 [37] this year [2019].[Byline: Muhammad Irfan]--Communicated by:ProMED-mail******[2]Date: Wed 3 Jul 2019 01:04 PM PKTSource: UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News [edited]Persistent propaganda and Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Salmonellosis, st I 4,[5],12:i:- – USA: pig ear dog treats
Salmonella -- United StatesCDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating a multistate outbreak of multidrug-resistant _Salmonella_ I 4,[5],12:i:- infections linked to contact with pig ear dog treats.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 laboratories coordinated by CDC. DNA fingerprinting Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Vesicular stomatitis – USA (03): (NM,TX) horse
Vesicular Stomatitis -- United StatesOn 26 Jun 2019, the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, confirmed a finding of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection (Indiana serotype) on a premises in Sandoval county, New Mexico. 2 horses on the premises have met the case definition of infection with compatible clinical signs and positive complement fixation test (CFT) titers at a greater than 1:40 dilution, indicating recent infection.Both horses are also polymerase chain reaction Read more [...]
Explosives aren’t the only e-commerce hazmat you might ship for July 4th
July 4th is the day we celebrate being American, and what’s more American than getting what you want, when you want it? E-commerce delivers on that dream for millions of Americans every day, and that can be a beautiful thing. It can also be a dangerous thing, because many e-commerce shippers still don’t realize when…
Part of southbound I-25 back open in Colorado Springs after hazmat spill – KKTV 11 News
Part of southbound I-25 back open in Colorado Springs after hazmat spill KKTV 11 News
A hazmat incident closed southbound I-25 in Colorado Springs on Wednesday.
BREAKING: Part of southbound I-25 back open in Colorado Springs after hazmat spill – KKTV 11 News
BREAKING: Part of southbound I-25 back open in Colorado Springs after hazmat spill KKTV 11 News
A hazmat incident closed southbound I-25 in Colorado Springs on Wednesday.
Lanes reopen on southbound stretch of I-25 north of Colorado Springs after hazardous materials spill – The Denver Post
Lanes reopen on southbound stretch of I-25 north of Colorado Springs after hazardous materials spill The Denver Post
Southbound lanes on a stretch of Interstate 25 north of Colorado Springs shut down for several hours Wednesday because of a hazardous materials spill.
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (62): Congo DR (NK, IT) case update, summaries, education
Ebola -- DR Congo- 148 183 people vaccinated- 70 953 538 people checked at 80 entry and operational health checkpoints [The number probably includes people who passed by checkpoints more than once, coming and going - Mod.DK]- 127 contaminated healthcare workers- One of Beni's non-vaccinated healthcare workers is one of the new confirmed cases.- The cumulative number of confirmed/probable cases among healthcare workers is 127 (5% of all confirmed/probable cases), including 40 deaths.--Communicated Read more [...]
Employees evacuated after chemical release at La Crosse business – WEAU
Employees evacuated after chemical release at La Crosse business WEAU
Just after 5 p.m. Wednesday, the La Crosse Fire Department was dispatched for a fire alarm with pull station activation at Great Lakes Cheese on Enterprise …
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Europe (22): Belgium, wild, spread, Luxembourg, prevention
African Swine Fever -- BelgiumOn Fri 28 June 2019, Walloon [Agriculture] minister Rene Collin closed an area of 7000 hectares (about 17 300 acres) of woodland in connection with the discovery of a new [case] of a wild boar infected with African swine fever (ASF). The new area is located in the southeast of the province of Luxembourg, extending the existing surveillance area further to the border with [the] neighboring [country of] Luxembourg.In various Belgian media Collin calls the location of new Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Greening disease, citrus – Colombia: (AT)
Other Plant Disease -- ColombiaYellow dragon disease [is devastating] Colombia's citrus plantations. Citrus producers in the department of Atlantico have had to suspend the production on 1270 hectares [about 3138 acres] due to the plague and have reported losses of millions of dollars a day.According to municipal leaders, the alternatives that the ICA [Colombian Agricultural Institute] has proposed do not respond to the needs. One of the options has been to replace the plantations with new trees, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Trichinellosis – Argentina: (SL) alert
Trichinosis -- ArgentinaThe Ministry of Health of San Luis issued an epidemiological alert after 3 cases of trichinosis were confirmed by laboratory.The cases are one child, his father, and his mother. Another 12 probable cases are under investigation, all from the distant towns of Concaran and Villa Mercedes, 163 [101 mi] and 100 kilometers [62 mi], respectively, from the provincial capital [San Luis].The affected patients would have contracted the disease after consuming sausages purchased in La Read more [...]
Chesterfield fire responds to chlorine gas leak – WWBT NBC12 News
Chesterfield fire responds to chlorine gas leak WWBT NBC12 News
The incident was reported Tuesday afternoon in the 1800 block of Touchstone Road at Church and Dwight Co. Inc.
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed illness – Bolivia (LP) fatal, RFI
Undiagnosed -- BoliviaAn unknown disease that led to the death of an internal medicine physician and that has another 2 in serious condition has led to the activation of health protocols in Bolivia, requesting assistance from international medical teams in order to identify the etiology of the disease, it was announced on Mon 1 Jul 2019 by the Minister of Health, Gabriela Montano.Initial diagnostic tests indicated a "viral disease," but through the analysis of the physician who died and the 2 other Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Equine infectious anemia – Austria (02): (OO) OIE
Equine Infectious Anemia -- AustriaInformation received on [and dated] 1 Jul 2019 from Mr. Dr Ulrich Herzog, Chief Veterinary Officer, [Consumer Health], BMASGK [Federal Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection], Vienna, AustriaSummaryReport type: immediate notification (final report)Date of start of the event: 24 Jun 2019Date of confirmation of the event: 28 Jun 2019Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: Jun 2019Manifestation Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> White nose syndrome, bats – North America (03): (ND) 1st rep
White nose syndrome -- United StatesThe National Park Service says the fungus that causes a deadly disease in bats has been discovered in North Dakota.The Bismarck Tribune reports the fungus was discovered after swab testing of a bat that was captured [6 May 2019] at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site near Stanton.The fungus causes white-nose syndrome, which can lead to dehydration or other conditions that kill bats.To date, 33 states have confirmed the disease since it was found Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies (35): Africa, Asia, Europe, human, dog
Rabies -- PhilippinesThe Philippines Department of Health in the Western Visayas [Region VI] reported 17 human rabies deaths during the 1st 5 months of the year [2019], the 2nd in the list of most affected regions in the country, following Central Luzon [Region III].This is the same number of human rabies deaths reported in all of 2018. This has prompted health officials to call on the public to become responsible pet owners.Program coordinator of the region's Rabies Prevention and Control Program Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Influenza (19): Australia, Asia, Americas
Influenza, Influenza H1N1 -- AustraliaVaccine recommendations were made based on factors including data from global influenza virologic and epidemiologic surveillance, genetic characterization, antigenic characterization, and the candidate vaccine viruses that are available for production. WHO recommended the northern hemisphere 2019-20 influenza vaccine composition, and the Food and Drug Administration's Vaccines and Related Biologic Products Advisory Committee subsequently made the influenza vaccine Read more [...]
Hazmat situation: Why did it take so long to clean up? – WBRC
Hazmat situation: Why did it take so long to clean up? WBRC
The normal Friday afternoon congestion on I-65 was welcomed, compared to what commuters were dealing with just 24 hours earlier.
Chesterfield fire responds to 'active chemical leak' – WWBT NBC12 News
Chesterfield fire responds to ‘active chemical leak’ WWBT NBC12 News
The incident was reported Tuesday afternoon in the 1800 block of Touchstone Road at Church and Dwight Co. Inc.
PRO/PL> Panama disease, banana – Thailand: (CR) susp
Other Plant Disease -- ThailandOfficials from the Department of Agriculture have been dispatched to a banana plantation in Chiang Rai province after a report of an alleged outbreak of Panama disease. They cannot yet confirm whether it is Panama disease, and the disease has never occurred in Thailand before.The official said that that the Chinese company allegedly imported cuttings illegally to be planted," adding that the alleged disease is presently limited to this one plantation. Biochemists have Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Tuberculosis – Germany: (NI) fatal, slaughterhouse workers, RFI
Tuberculosis -- GermanySince the beginning of 2018, the health authorities in 2 districts of Lower Saxony (LK) have frequently registered cases of tuberculosis (TB) illness among slaughterhouse workers, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reports (Epi Bull 26/2019 at ; German).13 employees had become infected and one person had died as a result of the disease. The persons infected are predominantly Romanian workers.During 2018 and up to 28 Feb 2019, 7 slaughterhouse workers who slaughtered and processed Read more [...]
United Utilities chemical leak killed fish in Bolton river – BBC News
United Utilities chemical leak killed fish in Bolton river BBC News
A water company agrees to spend £600000 on river improvements after a spill from a treatment plant.
City issues statement on removal of hazardous materials in Gert Town – UptownMessenger.com
City issues statement on removal of hazardous materials in Gert Town UptownMessenger.com
The city of New Orleans has released a statement on the removal of hazardous materials in Gert Town about two weeks week after about 1,000 Gert Town …
DG Digest: DoD updates its Dangerous Goods regulations, and a hazardous chemicals ICR from OSHA
The nation moves into the 4th of July holiday period as summer takes hold; it’s time to be extra careful as people hit the road for that summer vacation they’ve been planning, and most especially this week, to be extra careful around fireworks. The 4th of July always produces a stream of injuries from the…
Facebook mailing facility in Menlo Park evacuated after hazardous material report – San Francisco Chronicle
Facebook mailing facility in Menlo Park evacuated after hazardous material report San Francisco Chronicle
Two people were possibly exposed to hazardous material Monday at a Facebook shipping facility in Menlo Park where a suspicious package was discovered, …
Hazmat crews at Facebook HQ in Menlo Park after sarin scare – The Mercury News
Hazmat crews at Facebook HQ in Menlo Park after sarin scare The Mercury News
Emergency crews evacuated four of Facebook’s buildings in Menlo Park on Monday morning after the possible presence of a chemical weapon was detected on …
PRO/EDR> Measles update (47)
Measles -- ChinaMultiple humanitarian crises are unfolding in Ituri province, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and hundreds of thousands of people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, according to international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)."This is not the 1st time there are urgent humanitarian needs in the area," says Dr Moussa Ousman, MSF Head of Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "But this time we are seeing not only mass displacement Read more [...]
PRO/ALL> Announcements (05): JHU Center for Health Security's disease prediction platform
Not Yet Classified -- Worldwide/UnknownThe Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security is launching the 2nd round of its public health crowd-sourcing effort this week.Volunteer predictors are needed to thoughtfully answer a set of forecasting questions on a weekly basis through December 2019 via the Collective Intelligence for Disease Prediction platform .We need you (and your colleagues) to make predictions about future outbreaks and other related events. This project aims to explore how crowd-sourced Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Acquired equine polyneuropathy – Iceland (02): additional cases
Other Animal Disease -- IcelandA mystery disease that usually strikes horses in Nordic countries during the winter months has emerged in Iceland for the 1st time, leading to the death of 13 horses.Equine polyneuropathy (AEP), also known as Scandinavian knuckling syndrome, 1st appeared in Scandinavia in 1995, and, despite extensive research, its cause has never been identified.The illness presents as muscle weakness in the back of the body, which can cause the fetlock joints to knuckle forward, giving Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> E. coli EHEC – USA (12): (CA) county fair, fatal
E. coli -- United StatesThe connections between the death of a 2-year-old boy and the violent illness suffered by 3 other children earlier this month weren't at first apparent. But on Fri 28 Jun 2019, public health officials zeroed in on the common denominator: all 4 tested positive for _E.coli_ bacteria and all 4 had visited animals at the San Diego County Fair.The discovery prompted the closure of all animal exhibits Sat 29 Jun 2019, a safety measure that will remain in effect through the remainder Read more [...]
Possible Sarin Gas Detection At Facebook Mail Facility Prompts Hazmat Response In Menlo Park – CBS San Francisco
Possible Sarin Gas Detection At Facebook Mail Facility Prompts Hazmat Response In Menlo Park CBS San Francisco
MENLO PARK (CBS SF) — Firefighters with hazardous materials training are setting up at Facebook’s shipping and receiving building in Menlo Park after crews
PRO/AH/EDR> Squirrel pox, red squirrel – UK (02): (England) alert
Other Animal Disease -- United KingdomA group committed to preserving red squirrels has issued "strong advice" to people following an outbreak of squirrel pox in the Eden area.The presence of the disease, which is fatal to red squirrels, was reported in the area around the Lowther Holiday Park near Penrith.The Penrith and District Red Squirrel Group have asked people at the site to remove all squirrel and bird feeders, and to disinfect them as well as the feeding areas.They also provided a list of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Salmonellosis, st Uganda – USA: Mexican papayas, alert
Salmonella -- United StatesCDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the US Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of _Salmonella_ Uganda 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 CDC. DNA fingerprinting is performed on _Salmonella_ bacteria isolated Read more [...]
