Disease

Viral Oceans

A four-year study has found that nearly 200,000 marine virus species live in the world’s oceans — far more than the 12,000 species that had earlier been cataloged.

A team that took samples of ocean water from around the world and at varying depths found that communities of the viruses live in five distinct zones.

They also found a great diversity of the viruses in the Arctic, which is in contrast to larger organisms, whose diversity is concentrated near the equator.

Bird Flu - Nepal

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Nepal Ministry of Health and Population confirmed Thursday the first human fatality due to H5N1 avian influenza infection.