Tuesday 10th May 2016- World Health Organisation: Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus – China

Posted on by

‘On 4 May 2016, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of an additional laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus.’

’65-year-old female living in Xuancheng City, Anhui province developed symptoms on 24 April. On 27 April, her condition worsened and she was admitted to a local hospital for treatment and is currently in critical condition. The patient’s clinical sample was confirmed to be A(H5N6) virus nucleic acid positive by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) on 2 May. She had exposure to live poultry before symptom onset. This is the first A(H5N6) case reported from Anhui province, China.’

This makes 20 cases of avian influenze A in China reported by the World Health Organisation in May 2016, 5 of which are now deceased.

The following details are regarding the first 17 cases (which includes 5 deaths):

‘Onset dates range from 21 February to 20 March. Cases range in age from 26 to 86 years, with a median age of 60 years. Of these 17 cases, 11 (65%) are male. The majority (15 cases, 88%) reported exposure to live poultry, slaughtered poultry, or live poultry markets. The exposure history of one (1) case is unknown. One (1) case is linked to a cluster of two (2) cases reported earlier to WHO (see below).

Cases were reported from 6 provinces and municipalities: Anhui (4), Jiangsu (4), Fujian (3), Guangdong (3), Zhejiang (2) and Hubei (1).’

The following details are regarding 2 additional cases discovered in April 2016:

‘Between 21 and 26 April 2016, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 2 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus.’

  • ‘A 35-year-old male living in [the]… Hubei Province… was admitted to hospital for treatment on 12 April and is currently in critical condition. The patient’s clinical sample was confirmed to be A(H5N6) virus nucleic acid positive by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) on 21 April. He had exposure to a live poultry market before symptom onset.’
  • ‘An 11-year-old female living in Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province developed fever and cough on 11 April. As her symptoms worsened on 12 April, the patient was admitted to hospital for treatment. She is currently in stable condition. The patient’s clinical sample was confirmed to be A(H5N6) virus nucleic acid positive by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) on 24 April. She was exposed to live poultry before onset of the disease.’

Related Articles:

Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus – China

Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus – China [6th May 2016]

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – China [3rd May 2016]

Monday 9th May 2016- The Independent: Hundreds of passengers on UK cruise ship fall ill with norovirus

Posted on by

‘Hundreds of passengers on board a British cruise ship have fallen in with norovirus, health officials have confirmed.

At least 252 [of 919] passengers and eight [out of 502] members of staff on board the Balmoral’s “Old England to New England” cruise have fallen ill with the stomach virus since leaving Southampton last month.

Now on its way to the Canadian province of New Brunswick, the ship has undergone inspections by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to the ship’s owners, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

The company said in a statement: “Balmoral has now left the US and is due to arrive in Saint John, New Brunswick later today [9th May 2016]. At no point has Balmoral been quarantined in any port on this cruise, and is continuing as planned.”

“Fred. Olsen has been undertaking extensive sanitisation measures and cleaning of the ship, following the company’s strict illness containment and prevention plan.”’

‘Evidence of the norovirus was confirmed on board while the ship was docked in Baltimore last week, where experts from the CDC carried out an environmental health assessment to evaluate the outbreak.

Despite the CDC proposing action including increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, the number of incidences later soared to more than a quarter of those on board.’

 

‘On Monday [May 9], a Fred Olsen spokesperson said the number of guests who have been confined to their cabins with the virus had reduced to just 15 out of a total of 1,434 guests and crew members on board, but the figure is yet to be confirmed by health experts.’

‘In 2010, at least 310 people on board the Balmoral were reported to be suffering from a vomiting virus when the ship docked in Los Angeles.

A confirmed outbreak of the winter vomiting virus hit more than 100 people on the same ship during a cruise of Scotland in 2009.

The..[CDC]… has reported 10 outbreaks on ships docked in the US so far this year, compared with 12 for the entirety of 2015.

Fred. Olsen said it was “co-operating fully with all the necessary maritime agencies and authorities, and will continue to make every effort possible to ensure the safety and well-being of all its guests and crew on board, which is of paramount ‎importance”.’

Related Articles:

Hundreds of passengers on UK cruise ship fall ill with norovirus

Balmoral cruise ship: Hundreds on board come down with norovirus- BBC News

Hundreds of UK cruise passengers fall ill in possible norovirus outbreak- The Guardian