"...Cholera likely has its origins in and is endemic to the Indian subcontinent. The disease spread by trade routes (land and sea) to Russia, then to Western Europe, and from Europe to North America. Cholera is now no longer considered a pressing health threat in Europe and North America due to filtering and chlorination of water supplies, but still heavily affects populations in developing countries.
...Deaths in India between 1817 and 1860 are estimated to have exceeded 15 million people.
...Another 23 million died between 1865 and 1917.
...Cholera hit Ireland in 1849 and killed many of the Irish Famine survivors already weakened by starvation and fever.
...An outbreak in North America took the life of former U.S. President James K. Polk.
Cholera, believed spread from ship(s) from England, spread throughout the Mississippi river system killing over 4,500 in St. Louis and over 3,000 in New Orleans as well as thousands in New York. It claimed 200,000 victims in Mexico.
...1852-1860 - Third cholera pandemic mainly affected Russia, with over a million deaths.
...The last outbreak in the United States was in 1910-1911 when the steamship Moltke brought infected people to New York City. Vigilant health authorities isolated the infected on Swinburne Island. Eleven people died, including a health care worker on Swinburne Island.
...January 1991 to September 1994 - Outbreak in South America, apparently initiated when a ship discharged ballast water. Beginning in Peru there were 1.04 million identified cases and almost 10,000 deaths.
...October 2010 - Outbreak in Haiti after an earthquake that left many homeless and living in tent cities in unhygeneic conditions."
Wikipedia
Showing posts with label Influenza. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Influenza. Show all posts
11/28/09
Swine Flu Mutation: Resistant Strain Cluster found in North Carolina
H1N1 deaths increase as mutations combine - vaccine & antiviral resistant, lung hemorrhaging virus
The World Health Organization has reported that global deaths from the H1N1 virus have increased by 1000 in the past week.
At the same time, the H1N1 virus is mutating, with each mutation causing different effects in patients, and combining in some cases. The national medical laboratory in Britain reported that the H1N1 vaccine would probably not be effective against the variant of the swine flu virus found in the Ukraine flu outbreak. This variant,…causes bleeding in the lungs. Another H1N1 mutation results in the resistance to treatment with antiviral medication.
Swine flu vaccine won't prevent infection with deadly H1N1 mutated virus.
Lung hemorrhaging is being caused by a swine flu mutation that has been reported in China, Norway, France, and the Ukraine as having a receptor binding domain of D225G. In the United States, there has been a report of fatalities in patients with hemorrhaged lungs, but the mutation has not been confirmed.
Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 mutation
A strain of H1N1 that is resistant to Tamiflu, an antiviral medication, has been found worldwide. Clusters occurred in North Carolina and Wales.
Victoria Nicks
Examiner.com, November 28, 2009
10/23/09
English Swine Flu Stats
Swine Flu Cases Almost Doubled in England, Government Says
The number of new swine flu cases in England almost doubled in the past week to 53,000 from 27,000 the previous week, the country’s top doctor said today.
The health department’s updated estimates suggest that 5 percent of the workforce may be absent from their jobs and 1.5 million people a week may be ill during the peak of the pandemic this winter. As many as 35,000 people could be hospitalized, 15 percent of them in intensive-care beds, placing pressure on the National Health Service into early 2010.
“What we’re starting to worry about is partly the peak that we might see this flu season, but we’re also starting to worry about the sustained pressure over the winter that the NHS might face,” [England’s Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson said] “The NHS has never before had a run from the middle of July right through to March or April with intensive infectious disease activity like this, not in modern times anyway.”
Andrea Gerlin
9/26/09
Swine Flu XIII: Seasonal flu shot may increase H1N1 risk
Preliminary research suggests the seasonal flu shot may put people at greater risk for getting swine flu, CBC News has learned.
"This is some evidence that has been floated. It hasn't been validated yet, it's very preliminary," cautioned Dr. Don Low, microbiologist-in-chief at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.
…Four Canadian studies involved about 2,000 people, health officials told CBC News. Researchers found people who had received the seasonal flu vaccine in the past were more likely to get sick with the H1N1 virus.
Researchers know that, theoretically, when people are exposed to bacteria or a virus, it can stimulate the immune system to create antibodies that facilitate the entry of another strain of the virus or disease. Dengue fever is one example, Low said.
The latest finding raises questions about the order in which to get flu shots.
…The main reason is that H1N1 may be the dominant strain of influenza circulating when the fall flu season hits, meaning it could be a waste of time and resources to mount a seasonal flu vaccine campaign.
"We don't know with this year's flu shot how it interacts with the pandemic flu shot, so it's a worry," said Dr. Michael Gardam, director of infectious diseases prevention and control at the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion.
Swine Flu XIII: Seasonal flu shot may increase H1N1 risk
Preliminary research suggests the seasonal flu shot may put people at greater risk for getting swine flu, CBC News has learned.
"This is some evidence that has been floated. It hasn't been validated yet, it's very preliminary," cautioned Dr. Don Low, microbiologist-in-chief at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.
…Four Canadian studies involved about 2,000 people, health officials told CBC News. Researchers found people who had received the seasonal flu vaccine in the past were more likely to get sick with the H1N1 virus.
Researchers know that, theoretically, when people are exposed to bacteria or a virus, it can stimulate the immune system to create antibodies that facilitate the entry of another strain of the virus or disease. Dengue fever is one example, Low said.
The latest finding raises questions about the order in which to get flu shots.
…The main reason is that H1N1 may be the dominant strain of influenza circulating when the fall flu season hits, meaning it could be a waste of time and resources to mount a seasonal flu vaccine campaign.
"We don't know with this year's flu shot how it interacts with the pandemic flu shot, so it's a worry," said Dr. Michael Gardam, director of infectious diseases prevention and control at the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion.
9/24/09
Swine Flu XII: The Quickening
Spike in flu cases quicker than expected
North Carolina is already seeing one of the most active flu seasons in recent record keeping, an early indication of how widespread the swine flu pandemic could become.
…The number of reported flulike patients has spiked since the beginning of the school year.
For three consecutive weeks, health providers have been reporting that more than 5 percent of patients have influenza-like symptoms. Those figures rival the peak of other flu seasons during this decade.
Most of the flu cases confirmed in lab tests have been the swine flu, according to the state.
The flu problem appears to be radiating out of the South with the start of the school year. Now, nearly half of states have "widespread" flu activity, according to the CDC.
Associated Press, September 24, 2009
Via Greensboro News and Record
Swine Flu XI, by George Hartzman
Swine Flu XII: The Quickening
Spike in flu cases quicker than expected
North Carolina is already seeing one of the most active flu seasons in recent record keeping, an early indication of how widespread the swine flu pandemic could become.
…The number of reported flulike patients has spiked since the beginning of the school year.
For three consecutive weeks, health providers have been reporting that more than 5 percent of patients have influenza-like symptoms. Those figures rival the peak of other flu seasons during this decade.
Most of the flu cases confirmed in lab tests have been the swine flu, according to the state.
The flu problem appears to be radiating out of the South with the start of the school year. Now, nearly half of states have "widespread" flu activity, according to the CDC.
Associated Press, September 24, 2009
Via Greensboro News and Record
Swine Flu XI, by George Hartzman
7/8/09
Swine Flu XI
A new strain of H1N1 flu
sickened at least two workers at a pig farm
in Saskatchewan
Tests found the strain is different
from the pandemic swine flu circulating the globe
New H1N1 Flu Strain From Pig Farm Found in Canada
Argentina's health ministry
…reported that the official death toll
from the A/H1N1 swine flu virus
has reached 60
although the actual figure may be higher
The latest data was…well above the 26 cases
in the ministry's last…report issued June 26
Deaths From Swine Flu Reach 60
US health officials are stepping up testing
of swine flu cases for Tamiflu resistance
now that an American has come down with a resistant strain
The other two resistant cases
patients in Denmark and Japan
had been taking Tamiflu as a preventive measure
after coming into contact with someone with swine flu
Health officials acknowledge
they don't have a complete understanding of what's going on
The samples tested for resistance
represent just a tiny fraction
of the more than 1 million swine flu cases
estimated to have occurred in the United States
since the virus was first detected in April
Swine flu resistance testing to grow after US case
6/29/09
Swine Flu X
Health officials estimate that as many as 1 million Americans
now have the new swine flu
Nearly 28,000 U.S. cases have been reported to the CDC
accounting for roughly half the world's cases
The U.S. count includes 3,065 hospitalizations and 127 deaths
An estimated 15 million to 60 million Americans
catch seasonal flu each year
The numbers again highlight how the young
seem to be particularly at risk of catching the new virus
But data also show that the flu has been more dangerous
to adults who catch it
The average age of swine flu patients is 12
the average age for hospitalized patients is 20
and for people who died, it was 37
US swine flu cases may have hit 1 million
If it’s Spring in the Northern Hemisphere
and winter in the Southern Hemisphere
of which Argentina and Chile are the farthest South
is it be more probable that the Swine Flu pandemic
hits South America relatively harder during their winter
before North America in its summer?
Health officials in Argentina said on Saturday
the government may declare a state of emergency
as the influenza A(H1N1) virus, also called swine flu
is spreading alarmingly in the country
Till date, 26 people have died
and more than 1,500 people have been infected
by the deadly virus
Health organizations said the number of swine flu cases
is higher than the official figure in the country
and hospitals have been unable to deal with the situation
On Friday, 99 new cases have been tested positive for swine flu
raising the total to 1,587
Swine flu: Argentina likely to declare emergency
6/23/09
Swine Flu VIIII
…the global tally of deaths from swine flu
has increased by 51 to 231
WHO says most of the latest deaths
occurred in the United States
Colombia, Chile and Canada
have also reported fatal cases
…the number of reported cases
reached 52,160 on Monday
This is an increase of 7,873 since Friday
…Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Fiji and Slovenia
reported their first cases over the weekend
Earlier this month
WHO declared swine flu a "moderate" pandemic
that would likely continue for 1-2 years
WHO: 51 more swine flu deaths as pandemic spreads
6/20/09
Swine Flu VIII
Transmission from person to person in this country
is increasingly common
There is evidence that sporadic cases are arising
with no apparent link either to cases elsewhere in the UK
or to travel abroad
Sir Liam Donaldson
Chief Medical Officer
A 1918 to 1919 influenza pandemic
which may have killed about 675,000 US citizens
of more than 40 million others worldwide
occurred in three waves
The first wave was relatively small in scope
and seemed to have significantly eased
during the summer of 1918
In late August of 1918
the second wave of the flu began in much higher numbers
in several different parts of the world
at the same time
peaking in the colder months of October and November
coinciding with flu season
The third wave
primarily occurred in the southern hemisphere
in the first half of 1919
which also correlated to the onset of winter
Similar Flu-like epidemics
occurred in 1729, 1781, 1830, 1857, 1889
1957, 1968, 1976, 1989 and 2003
Government officials admitted last night
that illness rates from the virus could reach 50 per cent
The workforce could be reduced by 15-20 per cent
at the pandemic's peak
In the unlikely event that every school closed
this could rise to 35 per cent
£42bn losses are predicted to hit Britain
as a result of a three per cent fall in gross domestic product
due to the swine flu pandemic
…based on a 30 per cent infection rate
should a pandemic begin in October and last for six months
The influenza pandemic of 1918 and 1919
the most lethal influenza pandemic ever
had a mortality rate of about 2.5%
2½ people died for every 100 that caught the flu
or 25 per 1,000
250 per 10,000
25,000 per million
or 25,000,000 per billion
30% of 6,700,000,000 = 2,010,000,000
2.5% of 2,010,000,000 = 50,250,000
…deflation is a "significant risk"
as a result of the pandemic's impact on the economy
putting back economic recovery by two years
A $2.5 trillion cut in global GDP is a possibility
Swine flu 'could infect up to half the population'
Swine Flu VII
The US death toll from the H1N1 swine flu
now stands at 87, up from 45 a week ago
The CDC said there are more than 21,400 cases nationwide
up from 17,855 a week ago
US swine flu death toll nearly doubles from last week
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