News Scan for Jun 18, 2018

News brief

More people, animals sickened in Kenya's Rift Valley fever outbreak

The number of people sickened in Kenya's Rift Valley fever outbreak has climbed to 26, including 6 deaths, and though the country has experience handling earlier outbreaks, the new developments are concerning, given the high number of affected livestock and the nomadic culture that depends on an animal-based diet, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today in an update.

Most of the cases are in Wajir County in the northeast, where the index case was infected, but two are from neighboring Marsabit County. Seven of the illnesses are lab-confirmed. One person is still hospitalized, and six have been discharged from treatment.

Kenya has been preparing for Rift Valley fever since February in response to heavy rains and flooding that have increased populations of mosquitoes that spread to the virus to animals. Humans typically contract the disease from eating meat from infected animals or from contact with blood or organs of infected animals. The WHO said Kenya activated its emergency operations center on Jun 14, and investigators have been dispatched to the area to assist with active case findings and to help with sensitizing communities.

In a related development, Kenya's agriculture ministry reported two more Rift Valley fever outbreaks in animals, according to a Jun 15 report to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). One began on Jun 7 at a farm in Wajir County, sickening 17 of 886 goats, camels, and sheep. The second outbreak began on Jun 11 at a farm near the city of Galole in Tana River County in the southeast, sickening 1 of 350 goats.
Jun 18 WHO statement
Jun 15 OIE notification
Jun 12 CIDRAP News story "Rift Valley fever sickens 10 in Kenya, triggers response"

Canada's summit on hepatitis C infections includes prevention strategy

This past weekend during the Global Hepatitis Summit in Toronto, Canada rolled out its national plan to eliminate hepatitis C infections by 2030, a goal set forth by the WHO.

Hepatitis C has the highest mortality rates of infectious diseases in Canada, and 45% to 70% of people remain undiagnosed until the disease is advanced, said Jordan Feld, MD, of the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease at University of Toronto in a press release emailed to journalists.

Much like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the focus for eliminating hepatitis C will be through prevention, including screening at-risk populations, safer needle practices, and targeting Canada's indigenous population, which has high rates of the disease.

Though new drugs can cure hepatitis C within 3 months of treatment, re-infection can occur almost immediately if prevention measures aren't taken.

To date, only 12 countries are on track to meet the WHO elimination targets. A much larger number, 194 countries, pledged to eliminate the disease in 2016. To be on track for 2030 elimination, a country must be treating at least 7% of their infected population annually and treat all those infected, regardless of how extensive liver damage may be.
Jun 15 CanHepC website

Food Outbreak Scan for Jun 18, 2018

News brief

Veggie tray Cyclospora outbreak sickens people in 2 more states

Two more states—Iowa and Michigan—have reported Cyclospora infections linked to Del Monte prepackaged vegetable trays, lifting the number of affected states to four and the illness total to 78, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a Jun 15 announcement.

In a related development, Del Monte Fresh Produce on Jun 15 announced a voluntary recall of vegetable trays sold at some retailers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In a recall notice from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the company said the 6-ounce, 12-ounce, and 28-ounce vegetable trays contained fresh broccoli, cauliflower, celery sticks, carrots, and dill dip and have a best-if-enjoyed-by-date of Jun 17 or earlier.

The recalled products were distributed to Kwik Trip stores and eight other chains, some of them grocery stores. In a separate update, the FDA said the company withdrew the two smaller-size trays from retail market locations on Jun 8, but customers may still have them in their homes.

Most of the cases are in Wisconsin (50) and Minnesota (23), which first reported their outbreak about a week ago. Iowa has reported 3 cases, and Michigan 2. The FDA noted that the two Michigan illnesses involve vegetable trays purchased in Wisconsin.

The CDC said that four outbreak patients have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported. All of the sick people became ill on or after May 1, and none reported a history of international travel, a known risk factor for contracting the disease. Symptoms of the illness, caused by the Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite, include watery diarrhea, appetite loss, cramping, bloating, and fatigue.

Epidemiologic investigations have revealed that most sick people reported eating Del Monte vegetable trays become they started having symptoms, and most reported buying the trays at Kwik Trip/Kwik Star convenience stores. "The investigation is ongoing to determine if there is a common supplier of the vegetable trays to stores where ill people shopped," the CDC said.

Minnesota has also reported a separate Cyclospora outbreak involving 17 people who ate at a Minnesota restaurant named Sonora Grill.
Jun 15 CDC outbreak announcement
Jun 15 FDA recall notice
Jun 15 FDA investigation update

Salmonella outbreak prompts warning against all Honey Smacks packages

The CDC and FDA announced late last week that consumers should toss all Honey Smacks cereal boxes and packages after the cereal was linked to a Salmonella Mbandaka outbreak that's sickened 73 people in 31 states.

All Honey Smacks cereal, regardless of sell-by date or container size, should not be eaten, according to both agencies. Last Thursday Kellogg's, the manufacturer of Honey Smacks, issued a recall for all cereal boxes labeled with a "best if used by" date of Jun 14, 2018, through Jun 14, 2019.

Besides the United States, the cereal was also sold in Aruba/Curacao/St. Maarten (Netherlands Antilles), the Bahamas, Barbados, Tortola (British Virgin Islands), Costa Rica, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, and Tahiti (French Polynesia), the FDA said.

So far, 24 people have been hospitalized in connection with this outbreak. No deaths have been reported.
Jun 15 FDA update