Diseases ( incl Covid19 ) 02 (Oct 12 - May 20)

[winston]

New case of SARS-like virus shows person-to-person transmission

LONDON (Reuters) - A third patient in Britain has contracted a new SARS-like virus, becoming the second confirmed UK case in a week and showing the deadly infection is being spread from person to person, health officials said on Wednesday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/ ... healthNews

[winston]

Fourth case of SARS-like virus hits Britain

AFP - A third member of a family has been diagnosed in Britain with a potentially fatal SARS-like virus, officials said Friday, bringing the number of confirmed cases worldwide to 12.

Britain's Health Protection Agency (HPA) said the latest person to contract novel coronavirus was a relative of two other cases announced earlier this week, who were admitted to intensive care wards at two British hospitals.

The first member of the family, who was confirmed on Monday as having the virus, had recently travelled to the Middle East and Pakistan. Their two relatives had no recent travel history.

Five people have died of the virus, according to the HPA -- three in Saudi Arabia and two in Jordan.

This is the fourth case to hit Britain after a 49-year-old Qatari man was treated at a London hospital in September for the virus.

The HPA said the latest patient was "recovering from a mild respiratory illness and is currently well".

John Watson, head of the HPA's respiratory diseases department, said the agency was in contact with people who had been in contact with the family.

He stressed that the risk of infection remained low.

"If novel coronavirus were more infectious, we would have expected to have seen a larger number of cases than we have seen since the first case was reported three months ago," he said.

Coronaviruses cause most common colds but can also cause SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).

A SARS epidemic killed more than 800 people when it swept out of China in 2003, sparking a major international health scare.

http://www.france24.com/en/20130215-fou ... ts-britain

[winston]

Germany discovers bird flu case on poultry farm

HAMBURG (Reuters) - German authorities said a case of H5N1 bird flu had been discovered during initial tests on a poultry farm in the eastern state of Brandenburg.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/ ... healthNews

[winston]

WHO urges vigilance over SARS-like virus

AFP - The World Health Organisation on Saturday urged countries to be vigilant over the spread of a potentially fatal SARS-like virus after a new case in Britain brought the global number to 12.

"Based on the current situation and available information, WHO encourages all Member States to continue their surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns," the United Nations health agency said in a statement.

http://www.france24.com/en/20130216-who ... like-virus

[winston]

Wild diet off menu as SARS bat link recalled by Winnie Chong and Mary Ann Benitez

Stop eating wild animals. That is the call from an infectious diseases expert who recalled that the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak was linked to bats.

"We should remember the lessons of history and be alert to avoid tragedies from happening again," University of Hong Kong microbiology professor Ho Pak-leung said.

Twelve people, including three from the same family in Britain, have so far been confirmed with a SARS-like novel coronavirus since the new strain emerged in April in the Middle East. Five of those have died, three in Saudi Arabia and the rest in Jordan.

Chair of virology at HKU's School of Public Health Malik Peiris told The Standard the new coronavirus is similar to viruses found in bats in Africa and Europe. Peiris was on the team that first gene-sequenced the SARS coronavirus when it emerged in 2003.

Another animal species that could have passed the new virus to humans from bats remains elusive, Peiris said.

SARS also originated from bats and passed on to civet cats before infecting humans in Guangdong sometime in late 2002.

But it was not until March 11, 2003 - when an outbreak of what was then called "atypical pneumonia" affected 23 of medical staff at the Prince of Wales Hospital - that Hong Kong realized it may be facing a new emerging infection.

Ho said: "Eating wild animals will indirectly help the virus transmit to humans."

Adding that it has become common over the past two decades for viruses to be passed on from animals to humans, as bird flu and SARS were, Ho called for extra emphasis on personal hygiene by one and all.

The SARS epidemic killed 299 people in the territory, among 774 worldwide.

One of the survivors, a woman named Ng, said she has been reluctant to go back to her old home at Amoy Gardens, Ngau Tau Kok.

The estate was quarantined after at least 300 residents were infected and that is where she contracted the deadly disease.

Even after being released from hospital, Ng suffered breathing difficulties, bone degeneration and muscular atrophy and cut herself off from all social life for three years.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_deta ... 30219&fc=2

[winston]

Patient dies from SARS-like virus in UK: hospital

A person suffering from a SARS-like virus has died in Britain, hospital officials said on Tuesday, becoming the sixth fatality from the illness worldwide.

http://www.france24.com/en/20130219-pat ... k-hospital

[winston]

New death from SARS-like virus in Saudi: WHO

Another person suffering from a SARS-like virus has died in Saudi Arabia, the World Health Organization said Thursday, bringing the worldwide number of fatalities from the mystery illness to seven.

http://www.france24.com/en/20130221-new ... -saudi-who

[winston]

Cambodia reports eighth bird flu death, triggering fears

A 35-year-old man has become Cambodia's eighth bird flu fatality this year, prompting concern about the spread of the virus in the country, a health official said Tuesday.

http://www.france24.com/en/20130226-cam ... ng-fears-0

[winston]

WHO confirms 15th case of deadly new virus in Saudi Arabia

LONDON (Reuters) - A Saudi man infected with a deadly new virus from the same family as SARS has died, becoming the ninth patient in the world to be killed the disease which has so far infected 15, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/ ... healthNews

[winston]

Shenzhen boy critical of H1N1 infection

A six-year-old boy who was infected with Influenza A (H1N1) in Shenzhen City is in a critical condition, said local authorities on Friday.

The boy was admitted to the Shenzhen Hospital for Women and Children half a month ago.

He tested positive for the H1N1 virus, according to the Shenzhen municipal disease prevention and control center, Xinhua news agency reports.

Some 2,319 Influenza A cases were reported in January in the mainland, leaving nine people dead.


Source: The Standard HK