Influenza Virus Mashup

Via the Sofia Echo: Swine flu case confirmed in Bulgaria. Excerpt:

The Bulgarian Health Ministry has confirmed that the country has officially joined the list of countries affected by the swine flu pandemic. 

The virus was discovered on a Bulgarian citizen who flew from New York, via Amsterdam, and arrived at Sofia International Airport on May 27 2009. 

The person developed respiratory problems, cough and high fever - symptoms of the H1N1 strain on May 29. The following day the man called his personal GP. 

Subsequently, the doctor informed the epidemic department of the regional inspectorate. Following the signal, the man has been hospitalised and isolated. Reportedly, he is in a stable condition.

Via the Department of Health in the Philippines: Update No. 30 - Duque Joins Lapus in Oplan Balilk Eskuela, Confirms Five More Positive Cases. Excerpt:

DOH today reported another five additional cases of A (H1N1) brining the total number of positive cases in the country to 21. Two of the five confirmed cases were connected to the Taiwanese nationals who tested positive for the virus, a 40 year old female and a 51 year old male. The three others all traveled to the United States, a 19 year old male, a 45 year old and a 39 old female. All five are Filipinos. 

They are now confined in health facilities where they are receiving Oseltamivir and supportive treatment. 

Duque reiterated that if you have traveled to an Influenza A (H1N1) affected country or have been exposed to a confirmed case of Influenza A (H1N1) and have fever, cough, sore throat or other flu-like symptoms, please consult a health facility immeidately. You can also the DOH Hotline (02) 711-1001 or 711-1002. 

Duque disclosed that since May 1, 2009, the DOH has monitored 315 CUOs. Of these, 21 were reported as confirmed cases, 262 were discarded when results came in negative, and 32 still have pending results. There are currently 30 new Cases Under Observation (CUO).

Here is WHO’s Avian influenza - situation in Egypt - update 18. Excerpt:

The Ministry of Health of Egypt has reported a new confirmed human case of avian influenza. 

The case is a 14-month old girl from Dekernes District, Dkhalia Governorate. Her symptoms began on 25 May 2009. She was admitted to Mansoura Chest Hospital on 29 May where she received oseltamivir and is in a stable condition. 

Investigations into the source of infection indicated that she had close contact with dead and sick poultry. The case was confirmed by the Egyptian Central Public Health Laboratories.

Thanks to the reader who sent the link to this New York Daily News report: Baby’s death is 5th linked to flu in city. Excerpt:

A Bronx infant has become the fifth New Yorker suffering from swine flu to die, the boy’s family and an official close to his case told the Daily News yesterday. 

Eleven-week-old Steven Montañez was already sick with swine flu when his aunt found the boy unconscious on Thursday, an autopsy revealed. 

“I went in to check up on him, I turned him around and he was purple,” said his aunt, Jennifer Castellanos, 18. “He was a completely healthy baby.” 

“The Health Department told us he died because of swine flu,” she added. 

The boy’s father was inconsolable with grief. 

“I have nothing to live for anymore,” said the father, Louis Montañez. “You don’t know how painful this is. We’re going through such a bad situation right now.” 

A source familiar with the infant’s case confirmed he was sick with swine flu, but the medical examiner had not yet determined if the H1N1 virus caused his death. 

Jessica Scaperotti, spokeswoman for the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, would not confirm or deny the cause of death.

(Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:43:40 -0500)

Since I talk a lot about flu in my real life as well as on the blog, I get questions from moms and care givers who wonder when they should start to get worried about a sick child or relative. It’s context dependent, of course. The same symptoms that would be shrugged off at any other time take on a different meaning during a flu outbreak, especially when everyone seems uncertain about what is happening or what might happen. There’s nothing irrational about this. Infection with influenza virus is always potentially serious and when the young and healthy are in the cross-hairs even more so. Many other viruses can cause the same initial symptoms (”flu-like symptoms”), outside of flu outbreaks the likelihood those symptoms represent influenza infections is small. When flu is circulating in the community, however, the likelihood that the very same symptoms are from an influenza infection goes way up (the reasons can be found via an elementary application of Bayes Theorem in probability theory). So knowing when things are going sour is more important.

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Via Agence France Presse: Chile swine flu cases jump to 276. Excerpt:

Chilean health authorities confirmed 26 new cases of swine flu, raising the number of patients with A(H1N1) virus in the country to 276, the highest number on the continent. 

The sometimes-deadly disease continued its rise across Latin America meanwhile with Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and the Dominican Republic all reporting new cases. 

Officials here said that most of the victims were in the capital, and that most cases were mild and being treated at home. Three people remain in serious condition in hospital, however. 

Swine flu has killed nearly a hundred and infected over 15,500 worldwide, according to World Health Organization (WHO) figures, since it emerged in North America in late April. 

According to figures released by individual governments, the virus has actually now killed more than 110 people around the world. 

In the southern hemisphere, health experts fear the new virus could take hold, as winter sets in and the regular flu season gets underway. 

Argentine health authorities meanwhile reported 15 new cases on Sunday, a day after reporting 20 new cases, raising the country’s total patient count to 115.