Archive for Global Disease Alerts
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (31): foodborne transmission, variants, 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): 1 336 632 (11 548) / 23 149 (153)European Region (61): 31 857 099 (188 728) / 701 752 (5777)South East Asia Region (10): 12 627 306 (30 295) / 194 036 (445)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 5 484 650 (23 252) / 130 526 (447)Region of the Americas (54): 43 133 022 (325 856) / 992 150 Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Chronic wasting disease – North America (03): USA (WY) deer
Chronic Wasting Disease -- United StatesWildlife managers have documented chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a new swath of the Green River basin.The Wyoming Game and Fish Department sent out a news release Wednesday [20 Jan 2021] announcing a positive hit for the prion disease in a mule deer buck found dead in deer hunt area 138. That 1628-square-mile zone stretches from the headwaters of Boulder Creek at the Continental Divide, down to the sagebrush-steppe landscape that terminates at Fontenelle Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Europe (05): Germany (BB, SN) wild boar, spread
African Swine Fever -- GermanyA further outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) was confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory at the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health; FLI) when a wild boar carcass was found in the district of Gorlitz. The location is in the existing buffer zone and is about 2 km (1.2 mi) west of the Rothenburg/Gorlitz airfield and about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) from the Neisse. Since this is south, i.e., outside of the previously endangered area, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Africa (01): South Africa (FS) domestic, OIE
African Swine Fever -- South AfricaInformation received on 21 Jan 2021 from Dr. Bothle Michael Modisane, Chief Director, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Animal Production and Health, Pretoria, South AfricaSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 12 Jan 2021Date of confirmation of the event: 19 Jan 2021Report date: 20 Jan 2021Date submitted to OIE: 21 Jan 2021Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 10 Jun Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies (03): Americas (USA) raccoon, dog, bobcat, fox, human exp
Rabies -- United StatesA dog in Onondaga County tested positive for rabies following an encounter with a raccoon, the Onondaga County Health Department said.Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta said the dog, a household pet, tested positive for the virus after interacting with the raccoon while on a walk with its owner. [The only way the dog will test positive is to euthanize the dog and test the brain. - Mod.TG]Due to contact with the dog, 4 people were exposed to rabies, and each Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Hydrogen sulfide – India: (MH)
Poisoning -- IndiaAt least 7 people fell ill from hydrogen sulphide [sulfide] gas poisoning at a plant in Raigad, news agency ANI reported on Friday [22 Jan 2021].All the affected people have been sent to a hospital for treatment.[Byline: Shubhangi Gupta]--Communicated by:ProMED from HealthMap Alerts["Hydrogen sulfide has many synonyms, including dihydrogen sulfide, sulfur hydride, sulfurated hydrogen, hydrosulfuric acid, 'sewer gas,' 'swamp gas,' hepatic acid, sour gas, and 'stink Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (30): vaccination impact, immune escape, variant, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownVaccinated people in Israel are less likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2, but a population-wide effect will take time to become clear.Nature Briefing commentary: All eyes are on Israel, which has vaccinated roughly one-quarter of its population, for the 1st real-world evidence of a COVID vaccine's efficacy. A preliminary analysis of people older than 60 who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine found that it cut the chances of testing positive for the virus by a 3rd Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Cutaneous & renal glomerular vasculopathy, canine – UK: (England) dog
Other Animal Disease -- United KingdomDog owners have been warned after claims of a case of deadly Alabama rot was diagnosed in Christchurch.Support group Dog Friendly Dorset has issued an alert for the St Catherine's Hill area. Posters put up in the area warn: "A case of Alabama rot has been diagnosed. Please be vigilant for symptoms in any animal you care for, and contact your vet if concerned."The posters said symptoms to look out for include skin lacerations, ulcers, and sores. Affected dogs Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Tuberculosis – Germany: (BY) cattle, human, typing pending, RFI
Tuberculosis -- GermanyAt the end of December 2020, a child from the northern district was diagnosed with tuberculosis. The child is symptom-free but receiving medical treatment. The diagnosis was made after a cattle herd tested positive for the bacterium and the veterinary office passed on this information to the Health Department. Because of the large number of infected animals, all cattle in the herd were killed as a precaution and disposed of.The farm has officially been put under restrictions Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (29): animal, peridomestic wildlife, experimental infection
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownAbstract--------Wild animals have been implicated as the origin of SARS-CoV-2, but it is largely unknown how the virus affects most wildlife species and if wildlife could ultimately serve as a reservoir for maintaining the virus outside the human population. Here we show that several common peridomestic species, including deer mice, bushy-tailed woodrats, and striped skunks, are susceptible to infection and can shed the virus in respiratory secretions. In contrast, we Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Asia (01): China, domestic, illicit vaccine susp
African Swine Fever -- China1. Vuono E, Ramirez-Medina E, Pruitt S, et al. Evaluation in swine of a recombinant Georgia 2010 African swine fever virus lacking the I8L gene. Viruses. 2020 Dec 29; 13(1): E39. doi: 10.3390/v13010039. PMID: 33383814; .2. Guo Z, Li K, Qiao S, et al. Development and evaluation of duplex TaqMan real-time PCR assay for detection and differentiation of wide-type and MGF505-2R gene-deleted African swine fever viruses. BMC Vet Res. 2020 Nov 9; 16(1): 428. doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-02639-2. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (28): long COVID, variant, ECDC risk assessment, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownThroughout the coronavirus pandemic, public attention has mainly focused on the number of people who become severely ill and die from COVID-19. But what's become clear in recent months is the large and growing group of people who continue to deal with prolonged symptoms long after their original illness.In a recent study posted on the preprint server medRxiv [preprint doi: ], analysis of an international survey of more than 3700 respondents with COVID-19 found that over Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Meningitis, meningococcal – Australia: (WA) RFI
Meningitis - Neisseria -- AustraliaThe Department of Health today [21 Jan 2021] reported that an adult and a child are currently recovering after being diagnosed with meningococcal serogroup B disease. The 2 cases are not linked. These are the 1st reported cases of invasive meningococcal disease in 2021.In 2020, 11 meningococcal cases were reported in WA; 5 were serogroup W, 3 were serogroup Y, 2 were serogroup B, and 1 was a serogroup C. There was also one death related to meningococcal disease Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Chronic wasting disease – North America (02): USA (WI) deer
Chronic Wasting Disease -- United StatesThe Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirms a wild deer has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD).The DNR says the deer was an adult buck harvested in the Town of Port Edwards [Wood County] during the 2020 gun-deer season and tested as part of the department's disease surveillance efforts."Unfortunately, I wasn't necessarily surprised by the announcement we found the 1st in Wood County, we've seen it pop up in surrounding counties Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (27): animal, China, origin, WHO experts mission
COVID-19 -- ChinaThe United States called on China on Monday [18 Jan 2021] to allow an expert team from the World Health Organization (WHO) to interview "care givers, former patients, and lab workers" in the central city of Wuhan and ensure its access to medical data and samples.The team of WHO-led independent experts trying to determine the origins of the new coronavirus arrived on 14 Jan [2021] in Wuhan, where they are holding teleconferences with Chinese counterparts during a 2-week quarantine Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (16): Europe, wild bird, poultry, HPAI H5N1, H5N3, H5N5, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N1, Avian Influenza -- GermanyInformation received on [and dated] 18 Jan 2021 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: 27 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 30 Dec 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Europe (04): Germany, wild boar
African Swine Fever -- GermanyAnother 30 cases of African swine fever (ASF) have been found in wild boars in eastern Germany in a continuing outbreak among wild animals which has halted German pork exports to Asia.The new cases were in the eastern state of Brandenburg and bring the number of confirmed instances of the disease in wild boar to 527 in the state, Brandenburg's health ministry said. Along with 17 cases in the eastern region of Saxony, this brings Germany's total reported cases to 544.All Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> COVID-19 update (26): autoAbs, vaccine, variants, escape mutants, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- IsraelKhamsi R. Rogue antibodies could be driving severe COVID-19. Nature. 2021 Jan 19. doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00149-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33469204.Evidence is growing that self-attacking 'autoantibodies' could be the key to understanding some of the worst cases of COVID-19. More than a year after COVID-19 emerged, many mysteries persist about the disease: why do some people get so much sicker than others? Why does lung damage sometimes continue to worsen well after the body Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Undiagnosed dieback, sea buckthorn – Germany: research
Undiagnosed -- GermanyThere is hope for the "lemon of the north." A 3-year research project will look for causes of the massive dieback of sea buckthorn in Germany. Collaborators include state and regional plant protection authorities, as well as the federal Julius-Kuhn-Institut for Plant Protection in Fruit Crops and Viticulture (JKI-OW).The dieback is particularly severe in northern areas, where up to half of the shrubs have died in some plantations. The problem decreases towards the south of the Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Stripe rust, wheat – India: (HR)
Other Plant Disease -- IndiaYellow rust has been reported on wheat in Kurukshetra district. "Farmers have been advised to keep a close watch on the crop. The weather is favourable for the disease, and farmers should approach the department in case of any doubt," said [the] assistant plant protection officer.He said certain varieties were susceptible to yellow rust and should be monitored properly. He said regular monitoring and timely prevention could curb the disease.--Communicated by:ProMED[Stripe Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Brucellosis, canine – Italy: (MH) dog
Brucellosis -- ItalyItalian police on Tuesday [19 Jan 2021] shut down a dog breeding farm near Ancona in [the region] Marche.Around 850 small dogs were sequestered at Trecastelli near the Marche port city. Five people were placed under investigation.As well as being packed into tight, poorly aired pens, around half the dogs were found to be infected with _Brucella canis_, a very infectious dog bug transmissible to man.Although it held almost 900 animals, the facility was only authorised for a maximum Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (15): Iraq (SD) HPAI, poultry, H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- IraqInformation received on [and dated] 20 Jan 2021 from Dr. Thamer Al-Khafaji, Director General, Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Baghdad, IraqSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 12 Jan 2021Date of confirmation of the event: 14 Jan 2021Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 15 May 2020Manifestation of disease: Clinical diseaseCausal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza virusSerotype: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (25): long COVID, mask wearing, Brazil, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- BrazilAbstract--------Reports of "Long-COVID", are rising but little is known about prevalence, risk factors, or whether it is possible to predict a protracted course early in the disease. We analysed data from 4182 incident cases of COVID-19 who logged their symptoms prospectively in the COVID Symptom Study app. 558 (13.3%) had symptoms lasting 28 days or longer, 189 (4.5%) for 8 weeks or longer and 95 (2.3%) for 12 weeks or longer. Long-COVID was characterised by symptoms of fatigue, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – Kenya: (BO) human, cattle
Anthrax -- KenyaFear has hit a village in Sotik after a man died while 6 others were hospitalised after allegedly coming into contact with the carcass of an animal suspected to have died of anthrax. The 60-year-old man from Itoik village died early Tuesday morning [19 Jan 2021] at Kaplong Mission Hospital where he was receiving treatment. He is said to have participated in disposing the carcass of the cow.It is, however, unclear whether the group feasted on the animal. Health officials said the deceased Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Lumpy skin disease – Asia (01): Sri Lanka, cattle, 1st rep, OIE
Lumpy Skin Disease -- Sri LankaInformation received on [and dated] 19 Jan 2021 from Dr Ranjani Hettiarachchi, Director General, Department of Animal Production and Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Economic Affairs, Livestock Development, Irrigation & Fisheries, Peradeniya, Sri LankaReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 7 Sep 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 18 Dec 2020Report date: 19 Jan 2021Date submitted to OIE: 19 Jan 2021Reason for notification: 1st occurrence Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> White spot disease – Australia (02): (QL), prawn, crabs
Other Animal Disease -- AustraliaThe exotic white spot virus that devastated South-East Queensland prawn farms is now killing wild prawns and small crabs in the Logan river and has become widespread in Moreton Bay.The Federal Government is reviewing its import requirements for prawns, and a leading aquatic disease expert warns that a dangerous double standard favouring importers over Australian fishers and aquaculture farmers is leaving the country wide open to the introduction of more dangerous Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (01): China (GD) H9N2, alert
Avian Influenza -- ChinaWorld Health Organization (WHO) reports one new case of human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) virus in China during the 1st week of 2021.The case was a 1-year-and 4-month-old male from Yunfu, Guangdong Province, China, who had exposure to domestic poultry prior to the onset of illness. He developed mild symptoms on [28 Dec 2020] and was admitted to a hospital on [29 Dec 2020]. As of [4 Jan 2021], no family cluster was reported. This is the 1st case to be reported from Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (14): Iraq (SD) poultry, HPAI H5N8
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- IraqA bird flu outbreak has been detected in Iraq's Salahudin [Salah ad-Din] province, authorities said, adding that all protective measures have been taken to contain the spread of the virus."The laboratory tests proved that poultry in Samarra city, some 120 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, was infected with bird flu," Ammar Khalil, governor of the province, said in a statement on Friday [15 Jan 2021].Khalil said that about 60 000 chickens were infected with bird flu Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Sheep pox & goat pox – Russia: (DA) sheep, OIE
Sheep/Goat Pox -- RussiaInformation received on [and dated] 16 Jan 2021 from Dr Nikolay Vlasov, deputy head, Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Ministry of Agriculture, Moscow, RussiaSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 26 Dec 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 4 Jan 2021Report date: 16 Jan 2021Date submitted to OIE: 16 Jan 2021Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 16 Dec Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Pneumonia – Afghanistan: (BK) children, increase, RFI
Pneumonia -- AfghanistanLast month [December 2020], more than 20 children died in Balkh province from the pneumonia disease prevalent to the extreme cold weather.Pneumonia cases are increasing among the children this winter, and 326 children have been hospitalized in December (2020), health officials noted to ATN News. The Children's Department of the Balkh public Health Directorate, Nawroz Seberi, said that "1679 children were hospitalized in Qaws (December 2020) of which 326 patients suffered from Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (24): vaccine, new variant, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United StatesCalifornia State Epidemiologist Dr Erica S Pan issued the following statement today [17 Jan 2021] recommending providers pause the administration of lot 41L20A of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine due to possible allergic reactions that are under investigation."Our goal is to provide the COVID vaccine safely, swiftly, and equitably," said Dr Pan. "A higher-than-usual number of possible allergic reactions were reported with a specific lot of Moderna vaccine administered at one Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (12): Hungary, Romania, poultry, wild bird, H5N8, H5, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- HungaryInformation received on [and dated] 14 Jan 2021 from Dr. Lajos Bognar, Deputy State Secretary Chief Veterinary Officer, Food Chain Safety Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Budapest, HungarySummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 12 Jan 2021Date of confirmation of the event: 14 Jan 2021Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 8 Jun 2020Manifestation of disease: Clinical diseaseCausal agent: Highly Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (11): India, poultry, HPAI H5N8, H5N1, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N1, Avian Influenza H5N8 -- IndiaInformation received on 18 Jan 2021 from Dr. Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, New Delhi, IndiaSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 2 Jan 2021Date of confirmation of the event: 7 Jan 2021Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous recurrence: 30 Sep 2020Manifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Mosaic viruses, cassava: Laos, Nigeria
Other Plant Disease — Laos
Cassava (_Manihot esculenta_) cultivation [in Laos] has expanded. Vegetative seed (stakes) is rapidly multiplied and distributed. One of the most important diseases affecting cassava is Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD) disseminated by infected stakes. _Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus_ (SLCMV) is the species causing CMD in Southeast Asia (SEA) and is widespread in Cambodia [ProMED-mail post http://promedmail.org/post/20180607.5844264], Viet Nam [ProMED-mail post
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Africa (02): Nigeria (BE) 2020-2021
Yellow Fever -- NigeriaAt least 112 people from Ogbadibo and Okpokwu local government areas of Benue state are reported to have died from yellow fever [YF] since the outbreak of the disease in September 2020 to date.The state's epidemiologist, Dr. Terungwa Ngise, confirming the incidence in an interview, said that emergency interventions had been mobilized to the affected communities, including immunization, treatment of already infected persons, supply of mosquito nets, as well as depopulation of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (03): Ebanga monoclonal antibody
Ebola -- Worldwide/UnknownBiotechnology company, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, announced recently that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved EbangaTM for the treatment of Ebola.Ebanga is now approved for treatment of infection caused by _Zaire ebolavirus_ in adult and pediatric patients (including neonates born to a mother who is RT-PCR positive for _Zaire ebolavirus_ infection).Ebanga is the only FDA approved, single injection Ebola treatment which is available in a lyophilized form.Ebanga Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (23): USA (CA) new variant, South Asia, WHO, global
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): 1 266 428 (13 237) / 22 244 (97)European Region (61): 30 488 064 (181 073) / 666 036 (4359)South East Asia Region (10): 12 462 338 (31 862) / 191 196 (508)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 5 334 724 (25 023) / 127 790 (402)Region of the Americas (54): 41 329 493 (406 967) / 954 Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (11): China (Hong Kong) wild bird, HPAI H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- ChinaInformation received on [and dated] 14 Jan 2021 from Dr Thomas Sit, Chief Veterinary Officer/Assistant Director (Inspection & Quarantine), Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Hong Kong, (SAR-PRC)SummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 6 Jan 2021Date of confirmation of the event: 13 Jan 2021Reason for notification: New strain of a listed disease in the countryCausal agent: Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Measles update (02): Pakistan (BA)
Measles -- PakistanA measles outbreak in Chaman [Killa Abdullah District, Balochistan] has left 3 children of a family dead, ARY News reported on Sunday [17 Jan 2021].According to the levies sources, the measles outbreak is being reported in several villages of Tooba Achakzai in Chaman.Acting on the situation, District Health Officer, Rafique Mengal has sent special teams to the infected areas to control the epidemic.Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the measles virus. Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (22): Russia (LN) St. Petersburg, animal, cat
COVID-19 -- RussiaScientists of St. Petersburg's Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza have conducted a genetic study of the SARS-CoV-2 virus detected in a cat for the 1st time [sic; see comment] in Russia, discovering that the strain is identical to the one circulating in Russia, the institute reported on Thursday [14 Jan 2021]."Within the framework of the Coronavirus Russian Genetic Initiative (CoRGI), scientists of the Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza of the Russian Healthcare Read more [...]
