Archive for Global Disease Alerts
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (53): Congo DR (EQ) outbreak over, pathogenesis
Ebola -- DR CongoToday [18 Nov 2020] marks the end of the 11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), nearly 6 months after the 1st cases were reported in Equateur Province. The outbreak took place in communities scattered across dense rain forests as well as crowded urban areas, creating logistical challenges. These were surmounted due to the leadership of the government and local communities, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners.WHO congratulates Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Epizootic hemorrhagic disease, cattle – Israel: (HD,HZ,HA) OIE
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease -- IsraelInformation received on [and dated] 17 Nov 2020 from Dr Tamir Goshen, acting director, Veterinary Services and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Beit Dagan, IsraelSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 14 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 8 Nov 2020Reason for notification: reoccurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: October 2016Manifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (494): forged results, eradication, immunity, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownAbstract--------After the world recovers from the pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, it is most likely to stabilise as endemic and seasonal, deserving/demanding control efforts perpetually in all countries, unless it can be eradicated. The risk of mortality is high among those above 65 years and those with chronic "lifestyle" diseases. Endemic circulation will, therefore, take a heavy toll on life annually. Eradication is an extreme form of control, eliminating the disease permanently Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Bovine tuberculosis – USA: (MI) cattle
Bovine TB -- United StatesA bovine tuberculosis (TB) positive herd has been found in Alpena County, [Michigan]. The disease was confirmed in one of the animals from this herd on 10 Nov 2020, the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development said on Mon 16 Nov 2020.Additional testing will be done in the herd, as well as an investigation to rule out the possibility of additional cases stemming from the affected herd.Bovine TB is a bacterial disease that can affect all mammals, including Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Tuberculosis – Nepal: domesticated elephant, fatal
Tuberculosis -- NepalCaptive elephants of Chitwan National Park have once again started dying from tuberculosis, bringing back the memories of deaths among elephants due to TB at a worrying rate.Three domestic elephants belonging to the national park have died so far this year [2020]. The park has confirmed TB as the reason behind the deaths of 2 elephants, while the cause of the 3rd death has yet to be ascertained. The latest casualty is also linked to TB, as the elephant had been sick for a long Read more [...]
PRO/ALL> New in IJID (11): November 2020
Other Human Disease — Worldwide/Unknown
Clinical
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The importance of patients’ case-mix for the correct interpretation of the hospital fatality rate in COVID-19 disease
Antonella d’Arminio Monforte, Alessandro Tavelli, Francesca Bai, … Teresa Bini, Alessandro Cozzi-Lepri, Giulia Marchetti
Int J Infect Dis. 2020; 100(Nov):
PRO/AH> Foot & mouth disease, bovine – Cambodia: (SI,PL) cattle
Foot and Mouth -- CambodiaOfficials said foot and mouth disease has affected 707 cattle in Siem Reap province, causing 34 deaths, and 1645 cattle in Pailin province. Siem Reap provincial Animal Health and Production office chief Prum Vich said 400 cattle were treated for the disease between [13 and 15 Nov 2020]. "The dead animals are calves of cows that have foot and mouth disease. The rest are being treated," he said.Veterinary officers have been administering vaccines to cattle, but not all can Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Chikungunya (05): Americas, Africa, Asia, research, observations
Chikungunya -- Costa RicaSummary-------BackgroundSince 2015, the arthropodborne viruses (arboviruses) Zika and chikungunya have spread across the Americas causing outbreaks, accompanied by increases in immune-mediated and infectious neurological disease. The spectrum of neurological manifestations linked to these viruses, and the importance of dual infection, are not known fully. We aimed to investigate whether neurological presentations differed according to the infecting arbovirus and whether patients Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (493): vaccine efficacy, CoV-OC43, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownModerna is the 2nd company to report preliminary results from a large trial testing a vaccine. But there are still months to go before it will be widely available to the public. The drugmaker Moderna announced on Monday [16 Nov 2020] that its coronavirus vaccine was 94.5 per cent effective, joining Pfizer as a front-runner in the global race to contain a raging pandemic that has killed 1.2 million people worldwide [now over 1.3 million: see below. - Mod.SH].Both companies Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Africa (17): Nigeria (BE) conf
Yellow Fever -- NigeriaBenue state government, Monday [16 Nov 2020], confirmed that the strange ailment that recently claimed 20 lives in Okpeilo-Otukpa community in Ogbadibo Local Government Area [LGA] of Benue State was yellow fever. The commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mrs Ngunan Addingi who made the confirmation in Makurdi while briefing reporters at the end of the weekly State Executive Council, EXCO, meeting presided over by governor Samuel Ortom, explained that the blood Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Leptospirosis – India: (KA)
Leptospirosis -- IndiaWater should be boiled before consumption. People should not take baths in standing water as excreta and urine of animals might have contaminated that water. Care should be taken to ensure that food items, fruits, vegetables, etc are not accessible to rats. All holes, cracks, etc in houses, godowns [a warehouse or other storage place], drains, fields, etc should be sealed to destroy the rats, and carcasses of rats should be properly disposed of. It is better if rubber boots Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Melioidosis – Viet Nam: (QB) flooding, fatal
Melioidosis -- VietnamA Quang Binh Province official who spent days in floodwaters in October 2020 managing relief efforts died of a bacterial infection this week. The official, the People's Committee Chairman of Bac Trach Commune in Bo Trac District, [aged] 51, caught a fever and was hospitalized, said Nguyen Van Thuy, deputy chairman of the district. He had reportedly suffered from a slight injury to his knee but carried on evacuating people and wading in floodwaters to distribute essential items Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (88): Laos (SL) poultry, HPAI H5N1, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N1 -- LaosInformation received on 14 Nov 2020 from Dr Vilayphone Vorraphim, director general, Department of Livestock and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Vientiane, LaosSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 16 Aug 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 10 Nov 2020Report date: 13 Nov 2020Date submitted to OIE: 14 Nov 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 30 Nov 2018Manifestation of Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (492): nosocomial transmission, HCW infections, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United KingdomFrom the outset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it was clear that hospitals were an important setting for viral transmission. A review of 2 early case series in China estimated that 44% of 179 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections were hospital acquired. [1] An illustrative example of the devastating potential for healthcare transmission of SARS-CoV-2 came from St Augustine's Hospital in Durban, South Africa, a facility Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Africa (16): Nigeria (BE) susp.
Yellow Fever -- NigeriaWith the loss of 3 new lives, the death toll from a disease suspected to be yellow fever has climbed to 20 at Okpeilo-Otukpa in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue state.The state Ministry of Health through its Permanent Secretary, Andrew Amee, had on Tue 10 Nov 2020 raised the alarm over a "strange illness" that had claimed 17 lives.Speaking in a phone interview on Sat 14 Nov 2020, the state epidemiologist, Dr Sam Ngishe, said 3 more deaths had been recorded, bringing Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (491): super spread, immunization, mutations, 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): 793 437 (5443) / 16 332 (52)European Region (61): 14 792 945 (285 332) / 337 767 (4710)South East Asia Region (10): 9 964 225 (55 551) / 153 243 (686)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 3 512 233 (34 979) / 89 252 (821)Region of the Americas (54): 22 707 430 (269 225) Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (490): animal, Greece (EM) mink, 1st report, OIE, assessment
COVID-19 -- GreeceGreek authorities have found COVID-19 in mink at 2 farms in northern Greece, an agriculture ministry official said on Fri 13 Nov 2020.The COVID-19 strain in mink had not mutated, the official said, adding that 2500 mink at one farm in the northern Kozani region would be culled.The discovery comes days after Danish authorities launched a plan to cull Denmark's entire population of 17 million mink after discovering a different strain of coronavirus in the animals.The breeder at the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rift Valley fever – Mauritania (03): human, animal, spread, WHO
Rift Valley Fever -- MauritaniaThe Ministry of Health (MOH) notified WHO that between 13 Sep and 1 Oct 2020, 8 cases of Rift Valley fever (RVF) including 7 deaths were confirmed in animal breeders. Districts affected include Tidjikja and Moudjeria (Tagant region), Guerou (Assaba region), and Chinguetty (Adrar region). Laboratory confirmation of RVF infection was performed using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at the National Institute for Public Health Research (INRSP) Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Staph. aureus – Spain: bacteremia, urinary vs non-urinary source
Sepsis -- Spain_Staphylococcus aureus_ is both a commensal colonizing organism of the skin and upper respiratory tract and a human pathogen, responsible for causing a wide range of infections ranging from fairly benign skin and soft tissue infections to life-threatening conditions such as bacteremia and endocarditis. _S. aureus_ is an uncommon cause of urinary tract infection in the general population, accounting for 0.4%-4% of positive urine cultures (1-3)._S. aureus_ bacteriuria (SABU) is more Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (87): Germany (MV) poultry, HPAI H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- GermanyInformation received on [and dated] 13 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: 11 Nov 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 12 Nov 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 13 May Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Yellow fever – Americas (11): Brazil (DF) monkey, susp
Yellow Fever -- BrazilThe office of Environmental Surveillance of the Secretariat of Health of the Federal District (SES-DF) found another dead monkey, suspected of yellow fever, on the morning of this Tuesday (10 [Nov 2020]). The animal was found in a condominium in the Botanical Garden.On Monday (9 [Nov 2020]), an agency confirmed the death of another monkey due to the disease. The animal was found in the Sao Sebastiao region last week. After confirmation, SES-DF mobilized a vaccination action Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (86): Ireland, Denmark, wild bird, HPAI H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- IrelandInformation received on [and dated] 10 Nov 2020 from Dr. Martin Blake, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Agriculture House, Dublin, IrelandSummaryReport type: Immediate notification (final report)Date of start of the event: 29 Oct 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 10 Nov 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 6 Mar 2018Manifestation of disease: Clinical diseaseCausal agent: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Europe (32): Ukraine, domestic, update, OIE
African Swine Fever -- UkraineKherson: Event started 31 Mar 2020. A total of one outbreak (submitted) reported to date [13 Nov 2020]. The event is continuing.Total animals affected:Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of / SlaughteredSwine / 285 / 27 / 27 / 258 / 0--Communicated by:ProMED-mail******[2] Kiev: domestic swineDate: Fri 13 Nov 2020Source: OIE, WAHIS [edited]Kiev: Event started 19 Oct 2020. A total of one outbreak (submitted) reported to date [13 Nov Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Staph. epidermidis: MDR clones, global spread, alert
Staph, Antimicrobial resistance -- Worldwide/UnknownThis rapid risk assessment addresses the public health risk associated with a previously unrecognised international spread of near pandrug-resistant strains of _S. epidermidis_ as a cause of infection in several countries including EU Member States.Executive summary-----------------Several endemic multidrug-resistant _S. epidermidis_ strains predominate across healthcare systems globally [1]. Increases in the rate and breadth of resistance to multiple Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (488): mobility models, crossover immunity, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownAbstract--------The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed human mobility patterns, necessitating epidemiological models which capture the effects of changes in mobility on virus spread1. We introduce a metapopulation SEIR [susceptible-exposure-infective-recovered] model that integrates fine-grained, dynamic mobility networks to simulate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in 10 of the largest US metropolitan statistical areas. Derived from cell phone data, our mobility networks Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Leprosy – West Africa: wild chimpanzee
Leprosy -- Worldwide/UnknownWild chimpanzees have been found to be infected with leprosy for the 1st time, in 2 locations in West Africa that are separated by hundreds of miles.Experts discovered 2 wild chimp populations, in Guinea-Bissau's Cantanhez National Park and Tai National Park in Ivory Coast, that are infected with the disease, as confirmed by faecal samples.Leprosy -- which is caused by _Mycobacterium leprae_, a species of bacteria -- once caused misery to millions of humans across the Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (06): Laos (Saravan) H5N1, WHO
Avian Influenza H5N1 -- LaosBetween [30 Oct and 5 Nov 2020], one new case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus was reported to WHO in the Western Pacific Region. The case is a one-year old female from Saravan province, who had exposure to domestic poultry. She developed cough, fever, and difficulty breathing on [13 Oct 2020]. On [16 Oct 2020], she was hospitalised and had her sample collected. She was discharged on [19 Oct 2020]. All household contacts tested negative for Influenza Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Influenza (14): South Korea, vaccine
Influenza -- South KoreaAt least 101 people have died after being administered seasonal flu vaccines in South Korea triggering panic among the public.However, health authorities in the country insist that 97 of those deaths have "very limited relation with the flu shots", Yonhap News Agency reported. 4 cases are still being probed.Authorities have instead asked people to get flu vaccinations, free of cost, before the onset of winter.Most of the deceased, 84 people, were aged over 70. The rise in Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Novel Rickettsia – USA: dog, 2018-2019
Rickettsia -- United StatesAbstract--------In 2018 and 2019, spotted fever was suspected in 3 dogs in 3 US states. The dogs had fever and hematological abnormalities; blood samples were _Rickettsia_ seroreactive. Identical _Rickettsia_ DNA sequences were amplified from the samples. Multilocus phylogenetic analysis showed the dogs were infected with a novel _Rickettsia_ species related to human _Rickettsia_ pathogens.In the United States, tickborne _Rickettsia parkeri_, _R. philipii_ (_Rickettsia_ Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Flag smut, wheat – Australia: (WA) alert
Other Plant Disease -- AustraliaA damaging fungal disease has been reported near Geraldton leading the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development [of Western Australia, DPIRD] to issue a stark warning to wheat growers in the region. DPIRD's Ciara Beard said [they] had received several reports of flag smut across the grain belt to Esperance.She said growers in the region should monitor crops for signs of the disease and adopt preventative measures to reduce the risk for next year's Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (52): Congo DR (EQ) situation report, Inmazeb
Ebola -- DR CongoFast facts----------- The Ebola outbreak in the northeast of the DRC, the 2nd-largest in world history, claimed the lives of 2287 of the 3324 patients affected. The new outbreak, in Equateur province, has affected 13 of the province's 18 health zones, with 130 confirmed cases and 55 deaths.- 372 848 people have been vaccinated against Ebola (including 39 859 in Equateur province).International Medical Corps' response-------------------------------------- International Medical Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (487): Denmark, animal, mink, zoonotic, risk assessment ECDC
COVID-19 -- Denmark1. TransmissibilityCurrent evidence available from Denmark and the Netherlands on SARS-CoV-2 variants related to mink indicates that these variants are able to circulate rapidly in mink farms and the human communities close to the farms; however, they do not appear to be more transmissible than other circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. Thus, the probability of infection with mink-related variant strains is assessed as low for the general population, moderate for populations in areas Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (85): Germany (MV) poultry, HPAI H5N5, OIE
Avian Influenza -- GermanyInformation received on [and dated] 11 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: 9 Nov 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 10 Nov 2020Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 17 Mar Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (84): UK (England) wild bird, poultry, HPAI H5N8, OIE
Avian Influenza H5N8 -- United KingdomInformation received on [and dated] 9 Nov 2020 from Dr. Christine Middlemiss, Chief Veterinary Officer, DEFRA, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, London, United KingdomSummaryReport type: immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 3 Nov 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 8 Nov 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed disease Date of previous occurrence: 26 Jul 2017Manifestation of the disease: Sub-clinical infectionCausal Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Pigeon fever – USA: (WA) horse
Other Animal Disease -- United StatesThree forms of PF have been described in horses: external abscesses, internal infection, and ulcerative lymphangitis or limb infection. Ulcerative lymphangitis and internal infection must be treated more aggressively with antimicrobial therapy, while use of antimicrobials for external abscesses is generally unnecessary. _C. pseudotuberculosis_ produces various extracellular exotoxins which play a role in virulence and explain the presence of pain and edema at Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Potomac horse fever – USA: (WA) horse
Other Animal Disease -- United StatesThey are highly variable and include:- High fever to 107 deg F (41.6 deg C) reported. Fevers may occur 7-14 days before signs of colitis develop- Diarrhea: variable, ranging from absent to severe- Depression- Anorexia- Lethargy- Laminitis (with or without diarrhea) may progress from mild to severe- Mild to moderate colic- Decreased gastrointestinal sounds- Edema of limbs and ventral body, and the prepuce of males- Abortion (by transplacental transmission)Note: Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Lumpy skin disease – Asia: qualitative risk assessment & management, FAO
Lumpy Skin Disease -- CambodiaSummary-------Lumpy skin disease (LSD) caused by the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is a vector-borne disease of cattle and Asian water buffalo that causes substantial economic losses and requires technically sound and coordinated efforts for its prevention and control. It is on the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) list of notifiable diseases.LSD was introduced into Bangladesh, China, and India, beginning from July 2019. In 2020 the disease spread to other Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> COVID-19 update (486): mental health, mink, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United StatesTaquet M, Luciano S, Geddes JR, Harrison PJ. Bidirectional associations between COVID-19 and psychiatric disorder: retrospective cohort studies of 62 354 COVID-19 cases in the USA. Lancet Psychiatry. 2020; (published online 9 Nov 2020);Added to the fear of contracting the virus in a pandemic such as COVID-19 are the significant changes to our daily lives as our movements are restricted in support of efforts to contain and slow the spread of the virus. Faced with new Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Tomato brown rugose fruit virus – Italy: (SC)
Other Plant Disease -- ItalyFor some operators, the winter [2020/21] season that is approaching is "looking bleak, especially when it comes to tomatoes, as ToBRFV is spreading very quickly," reports Cooperativa Alba Bio, Ragusa [province]."The official sighting of the virus in Sicily dates back to January 2019 and, since then, it has spread with incredible speed especially in the Ragusa and Syracuse provinces. The consequences of the virus inside greenhouses are very worrying: a tomato plant presenting Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Caprine arthritis/encephalitis – Romania: comment correction, not Switzerland