Archive for Global Disease Alerts
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 [...]
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/EDR> COVID-19 update (400): lockdowns, influenza co-infections WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Israel- Social gatherings of more than 6 people in England, Scotland, and Wales will not be allowed in law from Monday [14 Sep 2020] with some exceptions.- The new rule applies to people in private homes, indoors and outdoors, and places such as pubs, restaurants, cafes, and public outdoor spaces.- In Scotland, the rule applies to a maximum of 2 households and in Wales, it applies to the same extended household.- It applies to all ages in England, but not to those aged 12 and under in Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Undiagnosed disease, black pepper – Sri Lanka: (UP)
Undiagnosed -- Sri LankaAn unidentified disease is affecting pepper cultivation in Wellawaya [Moneragala district, Uva province]. The area is at risk of a great harvest loss. Farmers said that they were in a difficult situation due to the spread of the unidentified disease in their fields near the time of the pepper harvest.--Communicated by:ProMED-mail[Black pepper (_Piper nigrum_) is known to be affected by a range of pathogens. Of concern in the region are quick wilt (also called foot rot; caused Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Botulism, avian – USA: (CA) gull, type A
Botulism -- United StatesFirst, an infected bird may lose the ability to walk. Its wings often go next. Finally, its neck goes limp and it drowns.This is the sad scene that Caroline Brady, a biologist with the California Waterfowl Association, has observed often this summer [2020]. As wildfires burn across the state, temperatures hit record highs, and communities cope with the COVID-19 crisis, she is helping respond to a different disaster: the worst avian botulism outbreak that anyone can remember Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus (14): Americas, USA (MA)
West Nile Virus -- United StatesMassachusetts health officials this week announced 4 new human cases of West Nile virus, bringing the state's total this year [2020] to 7.Officials said that 3 males and one female were infected. A male in his 40s, one in his 60s, and one in his 80s were all exposed to the virus in Middlesex County. The 4th case was reported in a female under the age of 19. She was exposed in Bristol County, per a news release from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Their Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (46): Congo DR (EQ)
Ebola — DR Congo
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (399): nasal vaccine, Al Jazeera, 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): 540 594 (5181) / 11 674 (68)European Region (61): 4 747 273 (38 360) / 225 124 (462)South East Asia Region (10): 5 275 943 (104 845) / 91 121 (1328)Eastern Mediterranean Region (22): 2 086 849 (15 791) / 54 724 (304)Region of the Americas (54): 14 566 710 (119 030) / 505 397 (3463)African Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Invasive bat tick – USA: (NJ)
Pests -- United StatesA tick species associated with bats has been reported for the 1st time in New Jersey and could pose health risks to people, pets, and livestock, according to a Rutgers-led study in the Journal of Medical Entomology [citation below].This species (_Carios kelleyi_) is a "soft" tick. Deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease [_Borrelia_], are an example of "hard" ticks."All ticks feed on blood and may transmit pathogens (disease-causing microbes) during feeding," said lead author James Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Eastern equine encephalitis – North America (17): USA (MI, NC, MN) horse
Eastern Equine Encephalitis -- United StatesThe Barry-Eaton District Health Department was told Thursday [3 Sep 2020] a horse in Barry County died from eastern equine encephalitis.The health department said there have been 13 confirmed cases of EEE in horses in Michigan. The deceased animal became ill on 26 Aug 2020.Eaton County and Barry County have not reported any other cases of EEE in either humans or animals.The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has reported 4 cases in Clare County, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Chronic wasting disease – Europe: (Norway) reindeer
Chronic Wasting Disease -- NorwayOn Thursday evening, 10 Sep [2020], the Norwegian Veterinary Institute notified the Norwegian Food Safety Authority of a confirmed case of CWD (chronic wasting disease) in a wild reindeer shot during the ordinary hunt on the Hardanger plateau in central southern Norway. Material from a lymph node tested positive, while brain tissue was negative.This is the 1st case of classical CWD in reindeer identified outside the Nordfjella zone 1, where the disease was 1st detected Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Undiagnosed gastroenteritis, waterborne – Pakistan: (KP) RFI
Gastroenteritis -- PakistanAl-Khidmat foundation and DHQ hospital of Landikotal organized a medical camp for the hundreds of children and elders of Pasid Khel village the other day as, according to locals, a mysterious disease has caused the vomiting and high fever in hundreds of people, mostly children, after they used spring water for drinking at their village.According to the ameer of Jamat-e-Islam and Al-Khidmat foundation Landikotal 'Murad Hussain,' "a disease hit hundreds of [people] of Pasid Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Plague – USA (06): (CO) human, cat exposure
Plague — United States
PRO/EDR> Cholera, diarrhea & dysentery update (07): Central, West Africa
Cholera -- DR Congo1. Guerrant RL, Carneiro-Filho BA, Dillingham RA. Cholera, diarrhea, and oral rehydration therapy: triumph and indictment. Clin Infect Dis. 2003; 37(3): 398-405; .2. Gregorio GV, Gonzales ML, Dans LF, Martinez EG. Polymer-based oral rehydration solution for treating acute watery diarrhoea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009; (2): CD006519; .3. Gore SM, Fontaine O, Pierce NF. Impact of rice based oral rehydration solution on stool output and duration of diarrhea: meta-analysis of Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Dengue/DHF update (11): Asia, Pacific, Wolbachia, autochthonous
Dengue -- BangladeshEpidemiologists are typically cautious in the language they use. But "staggering" and "epochal" are some of their comments on newly released results from a trial of a biological technology that aims to stop the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. The trial, conducted in Yogyakarta in Indonesia, showed that releasing mosquitoes modified to carry a bacterium called _Wolbachia_, which stops the insects from transmitting some viruses, led to a steep drop in cases of dengue fever in Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Nerve agent poisoning – Russia (02): Novichok
Poisoning -- RussiaGerman investigators believe Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a new deadlier, slow-acting form of Novichok, according to a report.Navalny, 44, was roused from an induced coma in Berlin this week after falling ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow on 20 Aug 2020. He has been able to talk, but it is unclear whether he will suffer from long-term nerve damage.Germany's chemical weapons laboratory in Munich is certain it found Novichok in samples of Navalny's Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (398): community transm exposures, HCW serology, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownObjective: To determine the rates of asymptomatic viral carriage and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers.Design: A cross-sectional study of asymptomatic healthcare workers undertaken on 24/25 Apr 2020.Setting: University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBFT), UK.Participants: 545 asymptomatic healthcare workers were recruited while at work. Participants were invited to participate via the UHBFT social media. Exclusion criteria included Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Scrub typhus – India (02): (MN)
Scrub Typhus -- IndiaA 12-year-old boy has been found suffering from scrub typhus at PHC [Primary Health Center] Thanga, said a statement of Dr. L. Gojendra Singh, CMO [Chief Medical Officer] Bishnupur.The boy was found suffering from the disease on 8 Sep [2020] and was referred to JNIMS [Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences], on family's request. His condition is improving, said the CMO, stating that scrub typhus is endemic in the district and there have been casualties every year due Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – Kyrgyzstan (05): (OH) livestock vaccination
Anthrax -- KyrgyzstanLivestock was repeatedly vaccinated against anthrax in the villages of Kara-Suu district where anthrax was registered earlier, the local veterinary inspectorate said.Anthrax vaccination was carried out in 3 villages: 447 heads of cattle, 428 sheep and goats, 61 horses, and 14 donkeys were vaccinated in Toguz-Bulak, Kara-Sogot and Nariman villages.Turmush reported earlier residents of Toguz-Bulak village, Kara-Suu district, were taken to hospital with suspected anthrax after they Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (397): USA Dec 2019 susp, pneumothorax, young adult, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United StatesElmore JG, Wang PC, Kerr KF, et al. Excess patient visits for cough and pulmonary disease at a large US health system in the months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic: A time-series analysis [published online ahead of print, 2020 Aug 3]. J Med Internet Res. 2020; 10.2196/21562. doi:10.2196/21562; --------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Abstract---------"Background. Accurately assessing the regional activity of diseases such as COVID-19 Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Bacterial stalk rot, maize – India: (JK)
Other Plant Disease -- IndiaAn extensive tour was conducted by Plant Health Clinic Jammu in wake of prevalent disease in maize crop. The team visited for on-the-spot assessment of maize crop condition. After a proper diagnosis, farmers were informed that the maize is suffering from bacterial stalk rot, which leads to lodging and ultimate poor grain filling and crop loss. Accurate control measures were also recommended to the farmers.Widespread cases of bacterial stalk rot are being reported from Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Europe (19): Germany (BB) wild boar, conf, OIE
African Swine Fever -- GermanyInformation received on [and dated] 10 Sep 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 Sep 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 10 Sep 2020Reason for notification: 1st occurrence of a listed disease in the countryCausal agent: African Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Bluetongue – Europe (07): Luxembourg, cattle, BTV-8, spread, control
Bluetongue -- LuxembourgAs of [8 Sep 2020], the detection of bluetongue virus (blue tongue disease) serotype 8 has been confirmed by the reference laboratory.Following this analysis result, Luxembourg, which had been declared free from this disease since 2012, will be considered as a regulated area [restriction zone].The following provisions concerning the export of susceptible animals (cattle, sheep, goats) to countries or zones free from this type of virus are applicable from [10 Sep 2020].1. Adult Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (45): Congo DR (EQ), WHO
Ebola -- DR CongoTwo more Ebola cases were confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Equateur province outbreak, raising the total to 112, the World Health Organization (WHO) African regional office said today [Tue 8 Sep 2020] in a Twitter update.One more death was recorded, lifting the fatality count to 48. The outbreak in the country's northwest began in early June [2020], just as a large outbreak centered in North Kivu province in eastern DRC was declared over. The latest event affects Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (396): tracking superspread, Europe 2nd wave, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United StatesAbstract--------SARS-CoV-2 has caused a severe, ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 in Massachusetts with 111 070 confirmed cases and 8 433 deaths as of [1 Aug 2020]. To investigate the introduction, spread, and epidemiology of COVID-19 in the Boston area, we sequenced and analyzed 772 complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from the region, including nearly all confirmed cases within the 1st week of the epidemic and hundreds of cases from major outbreaks at a conference, a nursing facility, Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Phytoplasmas, grapevine & pome fruit – Russia: surveys
Other Plant Disease -- RussiaSurveys for '_Candidatus_ Phytoplasma solani' associated with bois noir disease and for Grapevine flavescence doree phytoplasma (both EPPO A2 List) were performed in southern Russia. In 2012-2018, more than 600 samples of grapevine (_Vitis vinifera_) were tested by molecular analysis. This survey confirmed the presence of '_Ca._ P. solani' in Crimea. The presence of Grapevine flavescence doree phytoplasma was not detected. However, [its] vector _Scaphoideus titanus_ was Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Europe (18): Germany (BB) wild boar, susp
African Swine Fever -- GermanyGermany's Ministry of Food and Agriculture said on Wednesday [9 Sep 2020] it had a suspected case of African swine fever [ASF] in the eastern state of Brandenburg.The suspected case concerned a wild boar carcass found a few kilometers from the German-Polish border. A sample of the carcass was being taken for tests at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut laboratory, the ministry said in a statement."As soon as the analysis is completed, Federal (Agriculture) Minister Julia Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (395): vaccine trial, bradykinins, motorcycle rally, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United StatesThere's a new paper [see [B] eLife article below] that a lot of people are talking about recently that presents a rather large unifying hypothesis about the effects of the coronavirus (and suggests some new modes of treatment as well). This is the "bradykinin hypothesis", and before digging into it, it might be worth a paragraph to talk about what bradykinin is.It's a 9-amino-acid peptide, and it's got a ton of biological activity. Bradykinin lowers blood pressure by dilating Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Vesicular stomatitis – USA (14): horse
Vesicular Stomatitis -- United StatesSince the start of the outbreak, 323 VSV-affected premises have been identified. (USDA-APHIS)According to the USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) has been confirmed in 8 states this year: Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.Since the start of the outbreak, 323 VSV-affected premises have been identified (202 confirmed positive, 121 suspect), according to APHIS. Of these, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (394): Netherlands (NB) animal, farmed mink, spread
COVID-19 -- NetherlandsAt a mink farm in Deurne and a mink farm in Wilbertoord (municipality of Mill and Sint Hubert), infections with SARS-CoV-2 have been detected. Both companies have approximately 3000 parent animals [each].The infections came to light from the early warning, the monitoring system in which animals are tested for the virus every week. The companies are [to be] cleared as soon as possible.A total of 50 mink farms in the Netherlands have now been declared infected.--Communicated Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Bat tick – USA: (NJ) comment
Pests — United States