H1N1 FLU BREAKING NEWS: Senegal outbreak, vaccine news, NBA steps

H1N1 2009 Pandemic Influenza

Senegal reports cases after religious festival
The health minister of Senegal confirmed that the country has experienced 14 cases of pandemic H1N1 flu after a religious festival, according to an Africa News story today. The first cases were detected in the religious city of Touba and in nearby Diourbel, in central Senegal. Hundreds of thousands of members of the Mouride Muslim Brotherhood gathered in these cities last week to commemorate a religious event. The health minister said the country has the resources to deal with pandemic flu.
http://www.africanews.com/site/Senegal_confirms_H1N1_outbreak/list_messages/29942
Feb 9 Africa News story

Israel cancels remaining vaccine order
Because only a tenth of Israel's population has been vaccinated against pandemic flu, the country has canceled orders for its remaining H1N1 vaccine after receiving 4.6 million doses, according to a Jerusalem Post story today. The original order was for 7.3 million doses, but only 700,000 doses have been used.
http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=168232
Feb 9 Jerusalem Post article

Controversy forces delay of Romanian vaccinations
Romanian authorities have delayed the launch of their H1N1 vaccination campaign by at least a month amid concern about the procedures used in testing the vaccine in children, according to WAZ.EUobserver.com, which reports on relations between the European Union and countries in southeastern Europe. The controversy started when a Romanian newspaper reported that parents were being paid to allow their children to receive the vaccine, which has not been approved by the European Medicines Agency.
http://waz.euobserver.com/887/29433
Feb 9 WAZ.EUobserver.com report

NBA team removed water fountains to fight flu
The Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team removed all the water fountains from its arena in November to fight pandemic flu and other diseases, the Associated Press reported. Team spokesman Tad Carper said the decision was based on information from qualified sources, which he did not name. Matt Carroll, director of Cleveland's health department, said he was not aware of any evidence that water fountains help spread H1N1. Thirsty fans can get free cups of water at concession stands, said Carper.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4898505
Feb 8 AP report

This week's top reads

  1. US measles total climbs to 800 cases, 10 outbreaks

    As more states report outbreaks, the country is well on track to reach the most cases since measles was eliminated in 2000.

    Lisa Schnirring
    young boy measles fever

  2. Five people, 27 animals tested positive for tularemia in Minnesota last year

    Two of the infected people reported recently mowing over animal carcasses.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Tick

  3. Vietnam reports H5N1 avian flu case with encephalitis

    Tests on respiratory samples were negative, but results were positive for the cerebrospinal fluid sample.

    Lisa Schnirring
    ICU monitors

  4. Texas measles outbreak grows; Michigan, Pennsylvania report new outbreaks

    Texas has 20 new measles cases. 

    Stephanie Soucheray
    measles

  5. More H5N1 detections in US dairy cows and poultry; WHO unveils H5 surveillance guide

    In other H5N1 developments, the WHO releases surveillance guidance for human cases, and the USDA announces new funding to mitigate livestock diseases.

    Lisa Schnirring

  6. Studies across 14 nations show 25% to 30% rate of long COVID

    Among the 25% of participants in 1 study who said they experienced long-COVID symptoms, 13% reported sleep disorders.

    Stephanie Soucheray

  7. CDC advisers update recommendations for meningococcal, RSV, chikungunya vaccines

    The group recommended RSV vaccination for more at-risk adults and took into account a safety consideration for seniors for the first-approved chikungunya vaccine.

    Lisa Schnirring
    man vaccinated

  8. Novavax says its COVID vaccine produces fewer, milder reactions than Pfizer version

    On average, workers who received Novavax had 1.7 systemic symptoms, compared with 2.8 in Pfizer recipients. 

    Mary Van Beusekom

  9. Mexico's fatal H5N1 case involved D1.1 genotype, which has been tied to serious illness

    No poultry outbreaks were reported in the patient's state, but there were detections in wild birds.

    Lisa Schnirring
    H5N1 gold blue

  10. Public ignorance, apathy toward avian flu could threaten containment, researchers say

    Only about a quarter of survey respondents knew H5N1 can spread to people, and over half were unaware that pasteurized milk is safer than raw milk.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Two chickens at food trough

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