Disease

Legionnaires Disease Outbreak in Sydney, Australia

NSW Health is urging anyone who has visited the Town Hall area in the Sydney CBD and has symptoms such as fever, chills, a cough and shortness of breath to see their doctor after an outbreak of legionnaires’ disease.

Four men are in hospital with the disease, which is thought to have been contracted from air-conditioning systems in central Sydney.

Cooling towers in the area are being inspected as outbreaks are often associated with contaminated air-conditioning systems in large buildings.

Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by a bacterial infection of the lungs that can develop after someone breathes contaminated water vapour or dust.

Disease

Legionnaires disease outbreak in Spain

Two new patients suffering from the deadly Legionnaires disease are being treated at a Spanish hospital.

They are being treated at the Hospital de Manzanares near Madrid, and bring to 222 the number of people affected since the outbreak began this month.

Two people have died in the outbreak so far. Five patients remain in intensive care, with two in serious condition.

Disease

New Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak in New York

New York City health officials are investigating seven cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the Bronx, about two months after an outbreak of the same type of pneumonia killed 12 people in the borough and sickened more than 100.

The new cluster is associated with the Morris Park section of the Bronx, and is unrelated to the earlier outbreak, which was centred in the South Bronx, city officials said Monday.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in Jamaica

The Ministry of Education is reporting that there is now an outbreak of the hand, foot and mouth disease in several schools on the island.

Disease

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Jordan

Between 26 and 28 August 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of Jordan notified WHO of 4 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death. All these cases are associated with a MERS-CoV outbreak currently occurring in a hospital in Amman city.

Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus – Ukraine

In Ukraine, 2 cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) have been confirmed, with dates of onset of paralysis on 30 June and 7 July 2015. Both are from the Zakarpatskaya oblast, in south-western Ukraine, bordering Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. One child was 4 years old and the other 10 months old at the time of onset of paralysis.

Ukraine had been at particular risk of emergence of a cVDPV, due to inadequate vaccination coverage. In 2014, only 50% of children were fully immunized against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Legionnaires Disease in Illinois, USA

Seven people have died and 32 sickened in a Legionnaires' disease outbreak at a veterans home in Quincy, Illinois.

Disease

Legionnaire’s Disease in Quebec, Canada

Health authorities in Quebec's Lanaudière region said an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease has killed two people and infected another 16.

Disease

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 28 and 29 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 2 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.

Legionnaires Disease Outbreak - New York

Eight people in New York City have died and 86 have been infected in an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. The illness can cause high fevers and pneumonia.

But despite the current outbreak, most people in the region aren't at any increased risk of getting Legionnaires'. The disease is not communicable between people, and only those with weakened immune systems or other health impairments tend to fall ill. In addition, most people who do get Legionnaires' can be treated with antibiotics.

Disease

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 16 and 25 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 8 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death.

Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak Reported in South Bronx, NY

The New York City Health Department is investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the South Bronx. Thirty-one cases have been reported since July 10, including two possible deaths. The Health Department is also testing water from cooling towers and other potential sources in the area to determine the source of the outbreak.

New Yorkers with respiratory symptoms, such as fever, cough, chills and muscle aches, are advised to promptly seek medical attention.

Disease

Antibiotic 'Apocalypse' Warning

The rise in drug resistant infections is comparable to the threat of global warming, according to the chief medical officer for England. Bacteria are becoming resistant to current drugs and there are few antibiotics to replace them. Experts say it is a global problem and needs much more attention. Antibiotics have been one of the greatest success stories in medicine. However, bacteria are a rapidly adapting foe which find new ways to evade drugs. MRSA rapidly became one of the most feared words in hospitals wards and there are growing reports of resistance in strains of E. coli, tuberculosis and gonorrhoea. While the full effects of global warming lie some time in the future, the apocalyptic scenario is that when someone needs a new hip in 20 years he might well die from a routine infection because we've run out of antibiotics.

The World Health Organization has warned the world is heading for a "post-antibiotic era" unless action is taken. It paints a future in which "many common infections will no longer have a cure and, once again, kill unabated. Research is not happening quickly enough. "We need resources for surveillance, resources to cope with the problem and to get public information across." The drugs companies have run out of options as all the easy drugs have been made. "We have to be aware that we aren't going to have new wonder drugs coming along because there just aren't any."

________________________________

Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak in Melbourne, Australia

Victoria's health department has ordered the testing of cooling towers in the busy Melbourne suburb of Footscray, after a fatal outbreak of legionnaires' disease. A man aged in his 50's died in hospital this morning and four others have been admitted.

Disease

Legionnaires' Disease in Calgary, Canada

As the number of people hospitalized by an outbreak of legionnaires' disease in southwest Calgary has risen to eight, public health officials remain puzzled over the source of the potentially deadly infection.

Disease

Legionnaires disease outbreak in Quebec City, Canada. 3 people have died with 40 more infected. It is believed the disease is spread by one or more of the many cooling towers around the city.