New flu case in China - close contact

Archive Number 20071211.3987
Published Date 11-DEC-2007
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (159): China (Jiangsu), WHO

AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (159): CHINA (JIANGSU), WHO
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AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (159): CHINA (JIANGSU), WHO
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<http://www.who.int/csr/don/2007_12_09/en/index.html>


China: Avian influenza situation - WHO Update 5
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The Ministry of Health in China has reported a new case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus in Jiangsu Province.
The case was confirmed by the national laboratory on Thu 6 Dec 2007.

The 52-year-old male is the father of the 24-year-old man who died from H5N1 infection on Sun 2 Dec 2007. He is one of the close contacts placed under medical observation by national authorities. He developed symptoms on Mon 3 Dec 2007 and was sent immediately to
hospital for treatment.

Of the 27 cases confirmed to date in China, 17 have been fatal.

He is one of the close contacts placed under medical observation by national authorities. - So what does this mean? They are finding more sustained H2H transmission? Why are they not hiding this news anymore?

I think the truth is they are just as scared as we are !!

yeah, and look what happened when that 2 year old boy died on a airplane flight from Thailand, the news is really picking up ...people are starting to spread this "pandemic" flu thing. What if the same doctor that cleared him ok to fly was also a doctor who traveled to Uganda to help with the Ebola thing there, well what if?

Am I reacting too seriously?

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22912073-5001021,00.html

Croup victim checked by family doctor before flight
December 12, 2007 12:13pm

A TWO-YEAR-OLD boy who died shortly after arriving in Sydney on an international flight last night had been checked by his family doctor and given approval to fly.

Ambulance officers have told The Daily Telegraph online they believe the boy had Croup which, in its severest form, can be fatal.

The Swedish family had been flying from Stockholm to Brisbane with a stop-over in Bangkok, Thailand.

Police have revealed the boy had suffered from flu symptoms in the days leading up to their flight.

He had been treated by a family doctor in Sweden and given the okay to fly.

A spokeswoman from the Swedish Embassy confirmed the boy's family lived in Australia but would not reveal which city, except to say it was not Sydney.

"They had wanted to make sure their child was safe to travel," a police spokesman said.

"Their doctor had cleared him to fly.

"The parents are obviously distraught."

While Croup's symptoms can also include a barking cough, police have been told the child showed no obvious signs of distress during the flight.

"The child had flu symptoms but there was nothing that raised any concerns during the flight," the police spokesman said.

It is believed the first sign was when the child went into cardiac arrest when the plane arrived for a stop-over in Sydney about 9.30pm.

A doctor who was nearby tried to help, along with paramedics who rushed to the scene.

The child was taken to the Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick where he was pronounced dead.

While Thai Airways is refusing to reveal any details about the fatality, The Daily Telegraph online has been told that the flight crew, like the parents, was also unaware of any problems with the child.

"The crew wern't informed until arrival," one source said.

"They (the parents) should have let the crew know but the parents didn't say anything."

While the parents are believed to be Swedish, police are unsure whether they were tourists or lived in Sydney.

Croup is a common childhood complaint that mimics the common flu initially and is rarely fatal.

However, it is considered contagious.

Despite this, a spokeswoman from Thai Airways, Sue Marr, has said this morning she did not know if checks had been made as to whether there were any other toddlers on board who could be susceptible.

And while it was more than 12 hours after the flight, she said there were "lots of wild rumours" going about but could not provide any information.

The airline refused to even confirm it was a boy involved.

"I can't confirm anything," she said.

"We'll make a comment as soon as we investigate the whole case."

The flight was destined for Brisbane but wound up being delayed past the curfew cut-off last night, leaving passengers stranded overnight.

The flight was expected to resume at 10am.

A report is now being prepared for the coroner with a post-mortem possibly occurring today.

Croup is a common childhood complaint that mimics the common flu initially and is rarely fatal. - This is bad news. Croup is the diagnosis? I am not sure they even know! That rumers were going around and why was the bird flu not mentioned? If I was on that flight I would be very alarmed and wonder why these people are not under observation!!!!!!   Comments welcome

I just found this one
Deadly: new, virulent virus circulating in US

A new, apparently more virulent form of a virus known as an adenovirus that usually causes nothing worse than a nasty cold is circulating around the United States, infecting at least 1,035 Americans in four states so far this year, hospitalizing dozens, and at least 10 have died.

Health officials say the virus does not seem to be causing life-threatening illness on a wide scale, and most people who develop colds or flu-like symptoms are at little or no risk. Likewise, most people infected by the suspect adenovirus do not appear to become seriously ill. But the germ appears to be spreading, and investigators are unsure how much of a threat it poses.

"This virus has the capability of causing severe respiratory illness in people of all ages, regardless of their medical condition," said John Su, a disease investigator for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based in Texas, where the largest outbreak is tapering off at an Air Force base after 10 months. Other outbreaks have been reported in Washington state and South Carolina, along with a single case in an infant in New York City.

There are 51 known strains of adenovirus, ubiquitous germs that cause many illnesses, including colds, pinkeye, bronchitis, stomach flu and a respiratory infection called boot camp flu that has long plagued soldiers. But adenovirus infections rarely have been life-threatening, especially for healthy young adults.

The new adenovirus is a variant of a strain known as adenovirus 14. First identified in Holland in 1955, it has caused sporadic outbreaks in Europe and Asia. No outbreaks, however, had ever been documented in the Western Hemisphere.

"What people need to understand is that there is a virus out there that can make you very, very sick," Su said. "If you have a bad cold and your symptoms keep getting worse, go see your doctor. This is nothing to be necessarily alarmed about. But it is important to be aware that this bug is out there."

(Agencies via Xinhua December 12, 2007)

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US health officials said Thursday that a mutated version of a common cold virus is spreading across the United States and has claimed the lives of 10 people, according to media reports.

To date, there have been at least 140 adenovirus 14 (Ad14) illnesses across the country with cases appearing in New York, Oregon, Washington State and Texas, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a report.

Adenoviruses usually cause respiratory infections that aren't considered lethal. But the CDC said this new mutant is different in that it can make healthy young adults severely ill.

"What really got people's attention is these are healthy young adults landing in the hospital and, in some cases, the ICU," said Dr. John Su, an infectious diseases investigator with the CDC.

In the CDC report, the earliest case of the mutated virus was found in an infant girl in New York City, who died last year. Earlier this year, illnesses from the virus were reported at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas where a 19-year-old female recruit died from the virus.

In April, Oregon health officials learned of a cluster of cases at a Portland-area hospital. They ultimately counted 31 cases, including seven who died with severe pneumonia. The next month, Washington state officials reported four hospitalized patients had the same mutated virus. One, who also had AIDS, died.

The CDC suspects others apart from the four states mentioned have been affected by the new strain of the virus.

It's not clear how the changes made it more lethal, said Linda Gooding, an Emory University researcher who specializes in adenoviruses. There are no good antiviral medications for adenoviruses.

(Agencies via Xinhuanet November 16, 2007)

Lyndah,

I once heard a child with croup and they sound like a barking dog. (toy breed) But usually steam helps them clear their throats and so does the inhalers. I hope you are not seeing this get worse in numbers.