Mar
Mon
15
| Archive Number | 20060913.2595 |
| Published Date | 13-SEP-2006 |
| Subject | PRO/AH/EDR> Chikungunya - Indian Ocean update (30): spread to UK |
CHIKUNGUNYA - INDIAN OCEAN UPDATE (30): SPREAD TO UK
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: 13 Sep 2006
From: A-Lan Banks
Source: Reuters.uk, UK, 13 Sep 2006 [edited]
Cases of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus in people returning to
Britain from islands in the Indian Ocean have risen dramatically,
public health experts said on Wednesday [13 Sep 2006].
More than 115 travelers have shown symptoms of the illness -- which
causes a high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and muscle and joint
pain -- so far this year [2006], compared to an average of about 6
cases annually.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA), which monitors infectious
diseases, said there has been a rise in cases of the illness in the
Indian Ocean islands, particularly Reunion.
Sir William Stewart, the chairman of the HPA, told its annual
conference in Coventry that cases in mainland India are also increasing.
"Therefore, it is important that travelers to the region follow the
usual health advice on how to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and
other insects," he said in a statement.
French Health Minister Xavier Bertrand said on Monday [11 Sep 2006]
that a drug to fight the disease, which was 1st identified in
Tanzania in 1952, could be ready by the end of the year [2006].
Bertrand added that French and American authorities have agreed to
work on a vaccine that protects against the virus.
The incubation period for the illness can be 2-12 days. Acute fever
can last a couple of weeks. Some patients report debilitating joint
pain, which can continue for weeks or months.
Treatment consists of rest, drinking fluids and taking painkillers,
according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States.
--
ProMED-mail
[This is yet another example of rapid, long-distance transport of
infected people to countries where a particular pathogenic virus, in
this case chikungunya, is absent. Fortunately, the virus is unlikely
to become established in the UK because the usual mosquito vectors
are absent. - Mod.TY]
| Archive Number | 20060916.2630 |
| Published Date | 16-SEP-2006 |
| Subject | PRO/AH/EDR> Chikungunya - Indian Ocean update (30): spread to UK, corr. |
CHIKUNGUNYA - INDIAN OCEAN UPDATE (30): SPREAD TO UK, CORRECTION
************************************************** *
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: 14 Sep 2006 07:27:46 -0400
From: ProMED-mail
Source: Phil Luton
[ProMED received the following correction to the earlier post
(Chikungunya - Indian Ocean update (30): spread to UK 20060913.2595 (http://www.promedmail.org/pls/promed/f?p=2400:1001:11265878478140244700::::F2400_P1001_ BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_ARCHIVE_NUMBER,F2400_P1001_U SE_ARCHIVE:1001,20060913.2595,Y))
from Dr. Phil Luton, Business Development & Communications, Health
Protection Agency, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Porton Down, Salisbury]
Please accept this email as official notification that we have
identified an error in the number of cases that we reported in our
original press release, which you subsequently picked up from
Reuters, in respect of Chikungunya virus, and have posted.
The figure of over 115 cases as reported referred to the number of
samples that had been tested and this was the number presented in the
paper at our annual conference. It subsequently transpired that we
had received multiple samples from a number of patients and we have
therefore refined the number of cases down from 115 to 93.
In all other respects the press release is accurate, in that this is
a significant increase, and travellers should take appropriate
precautions to avoid being bitten. We have corrected the numbers on
the version of the press release posted on our website and wanted to
make you aware of the situation in case this leads to any confusion.
--
ProMED-mail
[ProMED thanks Dr. Luton for this timely information. The reduction
in the numbers of chikungunya cases imported into the UK does not
alter the importance of this observation, or the need to avoid
mosquito bites and remain vigilant to detect the possible presence of
the vector, _Aedes albopictus_, in the UK, which could provide
suitable conditions for its establishment.
- Mod.TY]
Indian ocean, Indonesia, Philippines, Fiji, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Hong Kong and Indonesia.
Guyana, Martinique, St-Martin Island, Carrabeans.
Those are the countries free of embargo.
Sadly, the Chikungunya pandemic has been disregard by bird flu forum, despite the fact that we have witness for a year what would be the relation between citizens towards their gov, institutions, Health Care spokesperson, drug store, etc..
Some solution has been implement towards the eradiction of the moskito responsable for this.
Sadly it is unfolding, and this has been declared by some of us since 18 months now.
It is about time that the MSM relay the infos, we will now be able to get out of the shade and the intense anger reaction we have been face with since then.
I would specifically would like to express my gratitude to Jeremy, who has not give up despite extremely agressiveness manifest towards him, the doctors of the Island of La Réunion who had dare to contredict the France Health department, Mausy for maintaining his website so helpful, some Provincial Health Minister of India that dare to ask us some infos, and of course Florida one, that trust Jeremy and I in this against the current journey.
Now, I deeply hope it will not be the same with an eventual H5N1 pandemic, I hope goc will have understood that the consequence of Truth are more often than other better than the consequences of omissions.
And thanks to Flu Trackers, its admin, mods and members.
Snowy Owl
#If you have any other info about this subject , Please add it free.# |
- edit
