Archive for Global Disease Alerts
PRO/PL> Virus yellows, sugar beet – Europe
Other Plant Disease -- Worldwide/UnknownA crop-disease outbreak is giving Europe's struggling sugar farmers another thing to worry about. Hit by a dry spring that stressed beets after planting, growers now have to contend with the spread of beet yellows. Transmitted by aphids, it could cut sugar production by as much as 25% in France and even more in Germany, threatening to lower EU production for a 3rd season.Fighting the disease has become harder since the European Union widened a ban on neonicotinoid Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Jamestown Canyon virus – USA (02): (MI)
Other Human Disease -- United StatesThe Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Ottawa County Health Department on Tuesday [14 Jul 2020] confirmed the state's first human infection with a mosquitoborne virus for 2020 as a county resident tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus.Jamestown Canyon virus is spread to people through bites from infected mosquitoes. Most cases occur from late spring through mid-fall. Illness can develop from a few days to 2 weeks following a mosquito Read more [...]
PRO/AH> Strangles – Australia: (VI) horse
Strangles -- AustraliaThree stables have been locked down, 2 more are on high alert, and part of Geelong's training facilities are closed after a [DL]-trained [horse] raced at The Valley on Sunday [12 Jul 2020] with strangles. But Racing Victoria (RV) stewards are confident there wasn't any race-day transmission of the highly infectious disease, which was only discovered by vets post-race after the horse was a well-beaten favourite. [DL] told Racing.com that [her horse] had a small abscess that would Read more [...]
PRO/PL> Pokkah boeng, sugar cane – India: emerging
Other Plant Disease -- IndiaPokkah boeng, a new major threat for sugarcane, [is] an issue that has gone under the radar. Farmers are worried about its effects on their crops. The disease targets the base of the plants, which ultimately damages the crops. It is always advised to spray the fields as soon as signs of the disease appear to minimise the yield loss of the crops. There are different types of pokkah boeng, and while sugarcane can resist most of them, some are lethal.Research [see link below] Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (318): masks, meat plants, selected countries, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- BrazilIn this issue of JAMA, Wang, et al. present evidence that universal masking of healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients can help reduce transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections. In the largest healthcare system in Massachusetts with more than 75 000 employees, in tandem with routine symptom screening and diagnostic testing of symptomatic HCWs for SARS-CoV-2 infection, leadership mandated a policy of universal masking for all HCWs Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Lumpy skin disease – China: cattle, spread
Lumpy Skin Disease -- ChinaChina is facing outbreaks of a debilitating virus in cattle that causes a condition called "lumpy skin disease", following an incident on a farm in the eastern province of Zhejiang this week, the agriculture ministry said on Wednesday [15 Jul 2020]. On its website, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said 5 cases [outbreaks, see comment] were found during June [2020] in the southern provinces of Guangdong and Fujian and the eastern provinces of Jiangxi and Anhui."The Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (317): Netherlands (NB) animal, farmed mink, spread
COVID-19 -- NetherlandsAn additional mink farm has been found infected by SARS-CoV-2. The farm, in Ledeacker, includes 4500 mink dams. The infection was brought to light by a report of symptoms of mink disease on the farm (duty to report). The farm will be cleared as soon as possible.In total, 24 mink companies in the Netherlands have now been declared infected. All animals were culled on the 23 farms where SARS-CoV-2 was previously diagnosed.The cabinet will continue the monitoring investigation Read more [...]
PRO/ALL> New in IJID (07): July 2020
Not Yet Classified -- Worldwide/UnknownInternational Society for Infectious Diseases -- Sustained and continuous funding for WHO.Marjorie Pollack, Lawrence C Madoff, Paul A Tambyah, Marc Mendelson, Alison Holmes.Int J Infect Dis. 2020; 96(Jul): 458.The voice of nurses in hospital epidemiology and infection control: an example from the 19th century.Romain Martischang, Alexandra Peters, Andres Nicolas Reart, Didier Pittet.Int J Infect Dis. 2020; 96(Jul): 119-120.Reducing mortality and morbidity in Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Plague – Mongolia (04): (GA) marmot meat exposure, fatal
Plague -- MongoliaA 15-year-old boy has died of bubonic plague in Mongolia, according to the country's health ministry. The National Centre for Zoonotic Diseases (NCZD) said the teenager from the western province of Govi-Altai (also spelled Altay) had died from eating marmot meat. A quarantine has now been put in place on 5 districts in the province, which shares a border with China. "The result of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test revealed on Monday night [13 Jul 2020] that bubonic plague caused Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Pseudorabies (Aujeszky's disease) – USA: (OR) feral pig
Other Animal Disease -- United StatesAn adult female feral pig from Central Oregon sampled for disease as part of a surveillance program tested positive for pseudorabies, a contagious disease that can harm livestock and also spread to some wildlife species, state officials said on Friday [10 Jul 2020]. This pig was sampled on 8 Jun 2020 as a part of the ongoing feral pig control and disease surveillance program overseen by USDA Wildlife Services in Oregon. This is the 1st detection of PRV in a feral Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis – Spain: bat reservoir
Leishmaniasis — Spain
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (316): UK farm workers, Japan US military, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United Kingdom- The latest edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, published yesterday [13 Jul 2020], estimates that almost 690 million people went hungry in 2019 -- up by 10 million from 2018, and by nearly 60 million in the past 5 years. The report forecasts the COVID-19 pandemic could tip over 130 million more people into chronic hunger by the end of 2020.- In South Sudan, WHO and the Ministry of Health are working to address stigma and fear, which are proving Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Vesicular stomatitis – USA (09): (OK,AZ,NE) horse
Vesicular Stomatitis -- United StatesBecause biting insects are the most common source of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), the best way to prevent VS is to remove insects from the horse and his habitat. The researchers specify f4our spatial scales you can use to reduce risk:1. Neighborhood:- rotate pastures to avoid grazing during periods of water's base flow just following peak runoff, which a hydrology study found correlated with past outbreaks;- move horses to higher-elevation pastures (4000 Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Botulism – New Zealand: (BP) home-preserved sea snails
Botulism -- New Zealand1. Hughes JM, Hatheway CL, Ostroff SM: Botulism. In: Scheld WM, Whitley RJ, Durack DT, editors. Infections of the central nervous system. 2nd edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven, 1997, 615-28.2. Weber JT, Hibbs RG, Darwish A, et al. A massive outbreak of type E botulism associated with traditional salted fish in Cairo. J Infect Dis. 1993; 167(2): 451-4. Abstract available at: .The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Maui, () is one of the 2 main islands of New Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Foot & mouth disease – China (02): (GD) st pending, swine
Foot and Mouth -- ChinaOn [11 Jul 2020], an outbreak of foot and mouth disease [FMD] was diagnosed by the Guangdong Provincial Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, affecting swine. The outbreak is located in Leizhou City, Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province. There were 131 pigs in the batch, 39 were ill and 1 died. After the detection of the epizootic, the local authorities are doing a good job in dealing with it according to the technical requirements for prevention and control and relevant Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (315): Canada genetics, health worker safety, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Canada- WHO has updated the risk assessment tools for mass gatherings, religious gatherings, and mass gatherings during sports events to guide authorities and planning and event organizers during the current COVID-19 pandemic.- WHO regional director for Europe Dr Hans Kluge thanked frontline workers in Turkey and across Europe for their work in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was speaking at a joint press conference with the Turkish minister of health, Dr Fahrettin Koca, to Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (32): Congo DR (EQ)
Ebola -- DR CongoSince the start of vaccination on 5 Jun 2020 and until 10 Jul 2020, 10 916 people have been vaccinated with the rVSV-ZEBOV-GP vaccine.--communicated by:Mary Marshall[Helen Branswell on Twitter: "#Ebola: +1 case, +1 death in the Equateur outbreak in western DRC. Looks like this new case was a person who died in the community, which likely means more cases to come () / Twitter][The cases continue to inch upwards gradually. Community deaths have the potential to change that to a Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Influenza (07): Brazil (PR), swine origin H1N2v
Influenza -- BrazilFurther genetic and phenotypic characterization of the virus from the patient is ongoing.On [26 Jun 2020], local authorities started a retrospective and prospective investigation in the slaughterhouse in Ibipora Municipality and other municipalities where the slaughterhouse workers live. According to the preliminary epidemiological investigation, a second individual who also worked at the slaughterhouse developed respiratory symptoms during the same timeframe as the confirmed case, Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (314): waning antibodies, selected countries, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United StatesThis article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.Abstract--------Antibody (Ab) responses to SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in most infected individuals 10-15 days following the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. However, due to the recent emergence of this virus in the human population it is not yet known how long these Ab responses will be maintained Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Severe fever w/ thrombocytopenia synd – China: (AH)
Hemorrhagic Fever -- ChinaZhang YZ, Zhou DJ, Qin XC, et al. The ecology, genetic diversity, and phylogeny of Huaiyangshan virus in China. J Virol. 2012; 86(5): 2864-2868. doi:10.1128/JVI.06192-11; HealthMap/ProMED map of Anhui Province, China: ][See Also:2018---Severe fever w/ thrombocytopenia synd. - East Asia http://promedmail.org/post/20180416.57511552014---Severe fever w/ thrombocytopenia syndrome - China, South Korea http://promedmail.org/post/20140705.25897252012---Bunyavirus disease, human Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies (20): Americas (USA, Canada) animal, human exposure
Rabies -- United StatesCattle rarely contract rabies, but some states have reported cases this year [2020], including one each in Minnesota and Texas, and 2 in Oklahoma.The cases in Oklahoma are concerning, according to the Oklahoma Department of Health, as the state had already confirmed 20 cases of rabies by early June 2020, nearly equaling the total 24 cases the state confirmed in 2019.Nationwide, a total of 33 rabid cattle were reported in 2018, representing a 8.3% decrease from 2017, according Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Copper poisoning – Japan: (OT) care facility
Poisoning -- JapanA total of 13 elderly people in southwestern Japan suffered symptoms of food poisoning, apparently after traces of copper from an old kettle contaminated a sports drink they consumed, the Oita Prefectural Government said on 8 Jul 2020.According to the prefecture's food and environmental health division, the incident occurred at a care facility in the city of Usuki, Oita Prefecture on the morning of 6 Jul 2020. The facility boiled water with the kettle, then cooled it and added powder Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Bluetongue – Europe (03): Macedonia (MD,KH) sheep & goats, st. 4, OIE
Bluetongue -- Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)Information received on [and dated] Fri 10 Jul 2020 from Dr Zoran Atanasov, Director Food and Veterinary Agency, North Macedonia, SKOPJE, Former Yug. Rep. of MacedoniaSummary:Report type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 5 Jul 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 9 Jul 2020Report date: 10 Jul 2020Reason for notification: Reoccurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 27 Feb 2015Manifestation of disease: clinical diseaseCausal Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (313): UK mortality study, selected countries, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- United KingdomNew York: 426 807 / 791California: 319 985 / 7881Texas: 259 465 / 8389Florida: 254 511 / 10 360New Jersey: 180 672 / 2454Illinois: 154 094 / 1195Arizona: 119 930 / 3038Georgia: 114 401 / 3190Massachusetts: 111 398 / 288Pennsylvania: 99 229 / 655North Carolina: 83 820 / 2321Louisiana: 76 803 / 2167Michigan: 76 370 / 685Maryland: 72 467 / 557Virginia: 69 782 / 851Ohio: 64 230 / 1346Tennessee: 61 006 / 1460South Carolina: 54 699 / 2280Alabama: 51 947 / Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed hemorrhagic fever – China (02): (GD)
Hemorrhagic Fever -- ChinaIf someone has recently been bitten by a rat or come into contact with rodent droppings and develops a fever above 38 C [100.4 F] for unknown reasons, they should seek proper medical attention as soon as possible.Recently, a 30-year-old fish farmer in Doumen District of Zhuhai, Mr. L, developed high fever, headache, and red eyes the day after being bitten by a rat. After undergoing treatment at a local hospital without improvement, he was transferred to the infectious disease Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (312): China, SARS-CoV2 origin, animal reservoir, WHO mission
SARS -- ChinaThe 2-person team from the World Health Organization (WHO) traveling to China today [10 Jul 2020] to address the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic is unlikely to come home with answers. Rather, the duo -- an epidemiologist and an animal health expert whose names have not been released -- will discuss with Chinese officials the scope of a larger international mission later, according to a WHO statement.But this initial trip offers real hope that the mystery of the virus' origins, which Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ehrlichiosis – Australia (03): (WA) imported dog, testing
Tick-borne disease -- AustraliaAnimal health authorities believe botched testing of imported pet dogs could be behind the recently discovered outbreak of an exotic and potentially deadly dog disease in northern Australia.The tick-borne disease ehrlichiosis was first detected in Australia in May [2020] in Western Australia's Kimberley region, sparking an investigation into how it got to Australia.Australia's chief veterinary officer, Dr Mark Schipp, said ehrlichiosis had likely circulated undetected Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Lectin poisoning – Denmark
Food-related toxin -- DenmarkA type of lectin in red kidney beans was behind an outbreak in Denmark earlier this year [2020]. Poisoning left 45 people sick, including 24 on one day, in late April [2020]. The outbreak was limited to a catering company delivering food for another business in the Copenhagen area.The outbreak was caused by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) in frozen red kidney beans from Turkey, via Sweden.Nikolas Kuhn Hove, head of crises management at the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (311): Kazakhstan pneumonia, UK, USA mortality risks, WHO
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownCOVID-19 has rapidly affected mortality worldwide (1; see source URL for complete references). There is unprecedented urgency to understand who is most at risk of severe outcomes, requiring new approaches for timely analysis of large datasets. Working on behalf of NHS England, here we created OpenSAFELY: a secure health analytics platform covering 40% of all patients in England, holding patient data within the existing data centre of a major primary care electronic health Read more [...]
PRO/EDR> Cyclosporiasis – USA (04): salad mix, recall, CDC, Canadian cases
Foodborne Illness -- United StatesSince the last case count update on 26 Jun 2020, 303 new laboratory-confirmed _Cyclospora_ infections have been reported.As of 8 Jul 2020, a total of 509 people with laboratory-confirmed _Cyclospora_ infections associated with this outbreak have been reported from 8 states: Illinois (151), Iowa (160), Kansas (5), Minnesota (63), Missouri (46), Nebraska (48), North Dakota (6), and Wisconsin (30).Illnesses started on dates ranging from 11 May 2020 to 1 Jul 2020. Ill Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Listeriosis – Europe (02): (Finland) MLST 6, whole genome sequencing
Listeriosis -- FinlandAuthorities in Finland are investigating a _Listeria_ outbreak that has affected 8 people. All patients have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been recorded. The age range of those sick is 60 to 93 years old, 5 are female, and they live in different parts of the country.Ruska Rimhanen-Finne, a veterinary epidemiologist at the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), said all illnesses occurred within a month in May and June [2020]."At the moment, we have several Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Lumpy skin disease – Taiwan: (FK) cattle, 1st rep, OIE
Lumpy Skin Disease -- ChinaThe Agricultural Committee pointed out today [10 Jul 2020] that lumpy skin disease (LSD), which occurred in mainland China last year [2019], has spread to the coast. It is suspected that the virus was carried by mosquitoes and flies from Fujian province [PRC] to [the county] Kinmen [Fukien, Taiwan]. The 1st case was notified by Kinmen on 8 Jul 2020.The Agriculture Commission's Bureau of Prevention and Inspection held an interim press conference today [10 Jul 2020] to announce Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Decapod iridescent virus – Taiwan: crayfish, shrimp, OIE
Other Animal Disease -- ChinaInformation received on [and dated] Thu 9 Jul 2020 from Dr. Wen-Jane Tu, Chief Veterinary Officer, Director General, Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Taipei, Chinese Taipei [Taiwan]SummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 18 May 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 20 May 2020Report date: 9 Jul 2020Reason for notification: Emerging diseaseMorbidity: 13%Mortality: 13%Zoonotic Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Asia (23): Myanmar (KH) domestic, spread, OIE
African Swine Fever -- MyanmarInformation received on [and dated] 9 Jul 2020 from Dr. Ye Tun Win, Chief Veterinary Officer Director General, Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Nay Pyi Taw, MyanmarSummaryReport type: Immediate notificationDate of start of the event: 28 Jun 2020Date of confirmation of the event: 7 Jul 2020Reason for notification: Recurrence of a listed diseaseDate of previous occurrence: 8 May 2020Manifestation of disease: Clinical Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax – Italy (02): (LB) cattle, human
Anthrax — Italy
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (310): Kazakhstan pneumonia, selected countries, WHO, global, RFI
Pneumonia -- KazakhstanNew York: 425 072 / 809California: 303 323 / 7248Texas: 241 013 / 11 394Florida: 232 718 / 8935New Jersey: 177 795 / 334Illinois: 151 572 / 1018Arizona: 112 671 / 4057Massachusetts: 110 897 / 295Georgia: 106 727 / 2837Pennsylvania: 97 634 / 717North Carolina: 79 669 / 2059Michigan: 75 063 / 512Louisiana: 71 994 / 1843Maryland: 71 447 / 586Virginia: 67 988 / 613Ohio: 61 331 / 1114Tennessee: 57 591 / 1605South Carolina: 50 691 / 1782Indiana: 49 575 / Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> COVID-19 update (309): prison outbreak, selected countries, WHO, global
COVID-19 -- Worldwide/UnknownNew York: 424 263 / 770California: 296 075 / 8561Texas: 229 619 / 10 199Florida: 223 783 / 9989New Jersey: 177 461 / 247Illinois: 150 554 / 980Massachusetts: 110 602 / 264Arizona: 108 614 / 3520Georgia: 103 890 / 3420Pennsylvania: 96 917 / 931North Carolina: 77 610 / 1028Michigan: 74 551 / 651Maryland: 70 861 / 465Louisiana: 70 151 / 1888Virginia: 67 375 / 635Ohio: 60 217 / 1250Tennessee: 55 986 / 2472Indiana: 49 063 / 437South Carolina: 48 909 / Read more [...]
PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola update (31): Congo DR (EQ)
Ebola — DR Congo
PRO/AH/EDR> Bat lyssavirus (Western Caucasian) – Italy: (TC) cat, human exp., 1st rep.
Other Animal Disease — Italy
PRO/AH/EDR> Zika virus (04): Americas, Asia, research, comment