Archive for December, 2017
During the 2014–2015 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Guinea, 13 type 2 circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) were isolated from 6 polio patients and 7 healthy contacts.
Monday, December 18th, 2017Fernandez-Garcia MD, Majumdar M, Kebe O, Fall AD, Kone M, Kande M, et al. Emergence of vaccine-derived polioviruses during Ebola virus disease outbreak, Guinea, 2014–2015. Emerg Infect Dis. 2018 Jan [date cited]. http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2401.171174
“…Although OPV has many advantages (easy administration by mouth, low cost, effective intestinal immunity, and durable humoral immunity), it has the disadvantage of genetic instability. Because of the plasticity and rapid evolution of poliovirus genomes and selective pressures during replication in the human intestine, vaccine poliovirus can lose key genetic determinants of attenuation through mutation or recombination with closely related polio and nonpolio enterovirus strains, acquiring the neurovirulence and infectivity characteristics of wild-type poliovirus (WPV) (3). Because of this genetic instability, in settings where a substantial proportion of the population is susceptible to poliovirus, OPV use can lead to poliovirus emergence and sustained person-to-person transmission and spread in the community of genetically divergent circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs). ….”
Pakistan: At least nine members of the Christian community were killed and 57 others wounded when two suicide bombers struck a church in Quetta
Sunday, December 17th, 2017Putin: Central Intelligence Agency helps prevent an Islamic State attack in St. Petersburg.
Sunday, December 17th, 2017- The attackers planned to strike crowded sites including Kazan Cathedral, a landmark Orthodox Christian church.
- The attack was described as imminent: This Sunday
- Russian media identified a bomb maker with an ethnic Russian name, and other participants from two mostly Muslim regions in the Caucasus Mountains in southern Russia.
New evacuation orders were issued in Santa Barbara County on Saturday as the massive Thomas fire took aim at the hills above Montecito.
Sunday, December 17th, 2017IMSR Summary
December 16th, 2017
National Preparedness Level
Level 2
National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Light (35) new fires
New large incidents: 2
Large fires contained: 3
Uncontained large fires: 4
Area Command teams committed: 0
NIMOs committed: 0
Type 1 IMTs committed: 2
Type 2 IMTs committed: 1
Source:
Incident Management Situation Report
Fire Information Report for Thomas
Report Date: 17-DEC-17
| Burnt Area: | 256,000 Acres |
| Location: | Ventura County, California |
| Cause: | Undetermined |
| Incident Team Type: | IMT Type 1 |
| Containment Status: | 40% contained |
| Expected Containment: | 07-Jan-18 |
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service presence in Southern California has increased, as nearly 950 personnel are now engaged in the effort to fight raging fires and save lives.
Saturday, December 16th, 2017USDA’s Forest Service Crews Increase in California
USDA Office of Communications sent this bulletin at 12/15/2017 05:15 PM EST
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Release No. 0166.17
Contact: USDA Press
Phone: (202) 720-4623
Email: press@oc.usda.gov
USDA’s Forest Service Crews Increase in California
Washington, D.C., December 15, 2017– U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service presence in Southern California has increased, as nearly 950 personnel are now engaged in the effort to fight raging fires and save lives. Critical fire weather conditions continue to threaten large portions of CA after fires have burned across the state for weeks. Gusty winds, extremely low relative humidity and record low fuel moisture will allow explosive growth on any new start in the windy areas during peak heating hours……
2017 marks a year of unprecedented wildfire activity. More than two million acres of national forest land have burned, along with millions more acres of state and privately-owned land.
Currently still burning, the Thomas Fire in Ventura County has already consumed over 250,000 acres, 117,000 acres of which are in Los Padres National Forest. With two reported fatalities and as many as 18,000 homes threatened, firefighters remain engaged in protecting homes and establishing direct firelines where possible. Crews from USDA’s Forest Service, California Fire, and the National Guard continued to actively engage in suppressing small spot fires around the southeastern portion of the perimeter.
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During week 49 (December 3-9, 2017), influenza activity increased in the United States.
Saturday, December 16th, 2017During week 49 (December 3-9, 2017), influenza activity increased in the United States.
- Viral Surveillance: The most frequently identified influenza virus type reported by public health laboratories during week 49 was influenza A. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for influenza in clinical laboratories increased.
- Novel Influenza A Virus: One human infection with a novel influenza A virus was reported.
- Pneumonia and Influenza Mortality: The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was below the system-specific epidemic threshold in the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Mortality Surveillance System.
- Influenza-associated Pediatric Deaths: One influenza-associated pediatric death was reported.
- Influenza-associated Hospitalizations: A cumulative rate of 4.3 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations per 100,000 population was reported.
- Outpatient Illness Surveillance: The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) was 2.7%, which is above the national baseline of 2.2%. Seven of the 10 regions reported ILI at or above region-specific baseline levels. Four states experienced high ILI activity; five states experienced moderate ILI activity; New York City, Puerto Rico, and 16 states experienced low ILI activity; 25 states experienced minimal ILI activity; and the District of Columbia had insufficient data.
- Geographic Spread of Influenza:The geographic spread of influenza in 12 states was reported as widespread; Puerto Rico and 26 states reported regional activity; 10 states reported local activity; the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and two states reported sporadic activity; and Guam did not report.
The M6.5 earthquake that struck the island of Java in Indonesia just before midnight on Friday has caused at least 3 deaths and damage to hundreds of buildings.
Saturday, December 16th, 2017An 6.5M earthquake has struck Jakarta and other cities on the country’s most populous island, Java.
Friday, December 15th, 2017- 2017-12-15
- 16:47:56 UTC
- 7.734°S 108.023°E
- 91.9 km depth
- Reports of collapsed buildings and deaths
FEMA: Thomas Fire – California ( Now the 4th largest fire in California history )
Friday, December 15th, 2017Current Situation : 12/15/17
Counties: Thomas (Ventura and Santa Barbara)
Acres burned: 249,500 (+11,000)
Percent contained: 35% (+5%)
Mandatory evacuations: 93k
18,000 structures threatened
177 Homes 44 Other : Damaged
731 Homes 241 Other : Destroyed
2 (1+) / 0: Fatalities
• Burning in Santa Barbara county (pop. 445k) and Ventura county (pop. 851k)
• Now the 4th largest fire in California history Impacts
• Evacuations remain in effect for over 93k residents
• Shelters: 3 open / 279 (-10) occupants (ARC Midnight Shelter Count as of 5:32 a.m. EST)
• A boil water advisory remains in effect for both counties State/Local Response
• Governor declared a State of Emergency; National Guard deployed
• CA EOC at Full Activation
• NV EOC at Partial Activation (supporting CA wildfires)
• UT EOC at Monitoring (supporting CA wildfires) FEMA Response
• Emergency Disaster Declaration approved on December 8, 2017
• Region IX RWC at Steady State; RRCC not activated
• Region IX IMAT-1 & 2 deployed to CA EOC
• Region IX LNO & Bothell MERS deployed to Southern Regional EOC
• Defense Coordinating Element (DCE) activated
Zika Toddlers: How are they faring?
Friday, December 15th, 2017“……The study, the first to comprehensively assess some of the oldest Zika babies in Brazil, focused on 15 of the most disabled children born with abnormally small heads, a condition called microcephaly. At about 22 months old, these children had the cognitive and physical development of babies younger than 6 months. They could not sit up or chew, and they had virtually no language…..”