Disease

Anthrax reported in Myanmar

At least seven people in Central Myanmar’s Sagaing Region are believed to have been infected with the bacterial disease, anthrax, after handling known diseased animals, according to a local media report. According to health officials, several unvaccinated cows died of the disease on Sep. 4 and were handled by the seven individuals.

Malaria in Venezuela

In 2015, Venezuela saw a record number of malaria cases with 136,402, the most reported in 75 years, since reliable records have been kept in the country. However, the situation is much worse in the South American country during the first 33 weeks of 2016.

The Sociedad Venezolana de Salud Pública Red Defendamos la Epidemiología, or the Venezuelan Society Epidemiology and Public Health reported today that through Aug. 20, Venezuela has seen 143,987 cases of malaria, representing an increase of 72.2% over the previous period in 2015 (83,623). Bolivar, the large state in eastern Venezuela, bordering Brazil and Guyana, still accounts for the majority of cases 114,963, or nearly eight out of 10 cases.

Of immediate concern is reports that indicate that the antimalarial drug, artemisinin, essential for the treatment of the most pathogenic strain of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, are running low in stock. In Bolivar, where the epidemic is most severe, drug stocks are depleted as are diagnostic supplies like Giemsa stain and immunological rapid tests.

Chikungunya and Dengue in India

The latest official data from India, published in a Times of India report, concerning the mosquito borne viral diseases, chikungunya and dengue, have been released and we find that through Aug. 2016, 12,255 cases of chikungunya and 27,879 dengue fever cases in India.

And this is only the beginning as health officials say cases are expected to rise sharply over the next 2 months.

In addition, sixty dengue related fatalities were reported.

One of the main issues in the battle against these vector borne viruses is 86 percent of Aedes mosquito breeding occur in households in various forms of water, according to a government assessment.