Disease

Novel Coronavirus - Saudi Arabia - Update

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has notified WHO of an additional laboratory-confirmed case of infection with the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Outbreak of tree disease

The first outbreak of ash dieback disease in mature trees in Wales has been discovered in Carmarthenshire. Known as Chalara, the tree disease had previously been found in recently planted saplings at 19 sites across Wales. The disease has decimated ash trees across England, with very few mature specimens remaining.

Disease

Novel Coronavirus - Saudi Arabia

The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has reached Tunisia, killing one man and infecting two of his relatives, while Saudi Arabia has reported another death and three new cases.

A World Health Organization (WHO) expert has expressed concern that guest workers in the Middle East could carry the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) to India and the Philippines.

Wild poliovirus in the Horn of Africa

The Horn of Africa is currently experiencing an outbreak of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). A four-month-old girl near Dadaab, Kenya, developed symptoms of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) on 30 April 2013. Two healthy contacts of the child tested positive for WPV1. They are the first laboratory confirmed cases in Kenya since July 2011. Investigation into this outbreak is ongoing.

In addition, a case of WPV1 in Banadir, Somalia was confirmed on 9 May 2013.

Disease

Novel coronavirus infection - update

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of an additional two laboratory-confirmed cases with infection of the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Foot and Mouth Outbreak in Kazakhstan

Quarantine measures have been imposed in the east of the country following the confirmation of a foot and mouth disease outbreak in the village of Akshoka.

Disease

Novel coronavirus infection - update

Two healthcare workers are among six new novel coronavirus (nCoV) cases reported in Saudi Arabia since late yesterday, suggesting that the virus might have spread from infected patients to hospital staff members.

CDC Released West Nile Virus Data for USA

A total of 5,674 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 286 deaths, were reported to CDC from 48 states (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Of all West Nile virus disease cases reported, 2,873 (51 percent) were classified as neuroinvasive disease (e.g., meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis). The dates of illness onset (when the patients’ illness began) ranged from March through December 2012.

Disease

Wild Poliovirus in Somalia

An investigation has been launched into a preliminary report of the detection of a wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in the Banadir region of Somalia. This is the first WPV to be reported from Somalia since 25 March 2007. The virus was isolated from specimens collected on 21 April 2013 from a 32-month-old girl, who became ill due to acute flaccid paralysis on 18 April 2013, and from specimens collected from 3 of her close contacts.

WHO Press Statement Related to the Novel Coronavirus Situation

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in France has informed WHO of an additional laboratory-confirmed case with infection of the novel coronavirus (NCoV).

The emergence of this new coronavirus is globally recognized as an important and major challenge for all of the countries which have been affected as well as the rest of the world.

The greatest global concern, however, is about the potential for this new virus to spread. This is partly because the virus has already caused severe disease in multiple countries, although in small numbers, and has persisted in the region since 2012. Of most concern, however, is the fact that the different clusters seen in multiple countries increasingly support the hypothesis that when there is close contact this novel coronavirus can transmit from person-to-person.

Disease

Saudi Arabia Novel Coronavirus - Update

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of an additional three laboratory confirmed cases of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Incurable Citrus Disease Threatens Florida's Orange Crop

Florida's orange crop, the largest in the world after Brazil's, may not survive an incurable disease that threatens to wipe out citrus groves throughout the United States.

The disease, known as "citrus greening" or huanglongbing, is caused by a bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The bacteria are spread from tree to tree by a tiny insect called the Asian citrus psyllid.

A tree affected by citrus greening may not show symptoms for years. Eventually, however, the leaves turn yellow and fall, while the tree's fruit fails to mature, falling to the ground prematurely before the tree slowly dies.

Disease

Novel Coronavirus Reaches France

French health authorities say they fear the country's first case of a new SARS-like virus that has killed 18 people, mostly in Saudi Arabia, may have infected two other people.

Disease

Fever hits thousands in parched California farm heartland

California and federal public health officials say valley fever, a potentially lethal but often misdiagnosed disease infecting more and more people around the nation, has been on the rise as warming climates and drought have kicked up the dust that spreads it.

Saudi Arabia reports 3 more novel coronavirus cases

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of an additional three laboratory confirmed cases of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Disease

China Bird Flu - Update

Three more people in China have died from severe respiratory infections from the H7N9 virus, pushing the number of deaths so far to 27. Two new cases have also been reported.

Saudi Arabia reports 7 new novel coronavirus cases

Saudi Arabia's health ministry has reported that five Saudis have died of novel coronavirus (nCoV) infections in the past few days, and two more case-patients are in intensive care.

Newcastle Disease Outbreak in Kazakhstan.

The country's concerned veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of Newcastle disease in East Kazakhstan.

Second outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Tibet

Over 500 head of cattle have been culled in the latest outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the Tibetan capital region of Lhasa in central Tibet.

Disease

Europe money crisis leads to poor health

Harsh spending cuts by debt-crippled European governments are also being partly blamed for outbreaks of diseases not normally seen in Europe and a spike in suicides, new research shows.

Since the crisis struck in 2008, state-run welfare and health services across Europe have seen their budgets cut, medical treatments rationed and unpopular measures such as hospital user fees introduced.

Those countries that have slashed public spending the hardest - Greece, Spain and Portugal - have fared the worst medically.

"Austerity measures haven't solved the economic problems and they have also created big health problems," said Martin McKee, a professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who led the research.

He said worsening health was driven not just by unemployment, but by the lack of a welfare system to fall back on.

"People need to have hope that the government will help them through this difficult time," he said.

The paper was published online on Wednesday in a special series of the journal Lancet.

McKee said Greece in particular was struggling.

Based on government data, he and colleagues found suicides rose by 40 per cent in 2011 compared to the previous year.

Last year, the country also reported an exponential rise in the number of HIV cases among drug users, due in part to addicts sharing contaminated syringes after needle exchange programs were dropped.

In recent years, Greece has also battled outbreaks of malaria, West Nile virus and dengue fever.

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Novel Coronavirus Infection - Update

The Robert Koch Institute has informed WHO of a new confirmed case of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV). The patient was a 73-year-old male from United Arab Emirates.

To date, WHO has been informed of a global total of 17 confirmed cases of human infection with nCoV, including 11 deaths.

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Newcastle Disease Outbreak in Israel

The Israeli veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of Newcastle disease at a breeding farm in Hazafon.

Out of a total of 10680 susceptible birds, 30 deaths were reported. The remaining 10650 birds were destroyed.

Disease

Global Alert Over Deadly Bat Virus

Experts on infectious diseases have warned people to stay away from bats worldwide after the recent death of an eight-year-old boy bitten in Australia.

The boy last month became the third person in the country to die of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV), for which there is no effective treatment.

The boy was bitten during a family holiday to Queensland in December 2012, but did not tell his parents.

Three weeks later he began to suffer convulsions, abdominal pain and fever, followed by progressive brain problems.

Doctors frantically tried to establish what was wrong and on day 10 of his admission the lyssavirus was detected.

He fell into a coma and died on February 22.

The warning to avoid bats around the world was issued not just because of the danger posed by the animals themselves, but due to the risk, however remote, that the virus could be spread between humans.

Human to human transmission of lyssaviruses has not been well documented, but it is theoretically possible.

Novel Coronavirus Infection - Update

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed the WHO of another new confirmed case of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Disease

Novel coronavirus infection - update

Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of another confirmed case of infection with the novel coronavirus (NCoV).

The patient was hospitalized on 29 January 2013 and died on 10 February 2013. The case was laboratory-confirmed on 18 February 2013. Further investigation into this case is ongoing.

In the United Kingdom, the Health Protection Agency continues to investigate the family cluster where three members of the family tested positive for NCoV infection. One member of this family, who had an underlying health condition, has died.

Coronaviruses are spread like other respiratory infections such as flu. They travel in airborne droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Related to viruses found in bats, NCoV is known to have infected at least 13 people around the world so far, half of whom have died.

NCoV belongs to the same broad family of viruses as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

In the early 2000s, SARS killed roughly 800 people around the world and triggered a worldwide health scare. The symptoms of both NVoC and SARS include fever, coughing and respiratory difficulties.