Archive for March, 2018
Brazil is suffering its worst outbreak of yellow fever in decades and is now circling the megacities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, threatening to become this country’s first-blown urban epidemic since 1942.
Tuesday, March 6th, 2018- The virus kills 3 percent to 8 percent of those who are infected
- There have been 237 deaths since the hot season began
- The fatality rate will explode if the virus reaches the slums and the clouds of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes swarming there.
- Health officials are struggling to vaccinate 23 million people.
- “…..The vaccine….is highly effective — one dose normally provides lifetime protection. But it is not harmless. It cannot be given to newborns or anyone with a compromised immune system. It is given to people older than 60, pregnant women, or children younger than 8 months only when the risk of infection is high.
About one recipient in 100,000 suffers a dangerous reaction like jaundice, hepatitis or encephalitis, Dr. Marques said, and about one in a million dies…..”
The California State University system released an active shooter safety video to help prepare students for the potential threat of a gunman on its 23 campuses.
Monday, March 5th, 2018An apartment building collapsed Sunday in Poland’s western city of Poznan, killing 4 and injuring 24 others
Monday, March 5th, 2018South Africa: A factory operated by Enterprise Foods in Polokwane in Limpopo is the source of a listeria outbreak that has killed 180 people in the past year
Monday, March 5th, 2018‘…..”Avoid all processed meat products that are sold as ready to eat‚” Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told journalists at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) on Sunday afternoon…..’
Brazil’s Ministry: There are now 723 confirmed cases of yellow fever, including 237 deaths, in that country from Jul 1, 2017, to Feb 28 of this year.
Sunday, March 4th, 2018“…..As of Feb 27, 5.5 million people in those states had been vaccinated, which is 23.2% of the targeted population…..”
Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella I 4,[5],12:b:- Infections Linked to Kratom
Sunday, March 4th, 2018![People infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella I 4,[5],12:b:-, by state of residence, as of February 28, 2018](https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/kratom-02-18/images/map/big-map-2-28-18.jpg)
![People infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella I 4,[5],12:b:- by date of illness onset as of February 28, 2018*](https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/kratom-02-18/images/epi-curve/big-epi-2-28-18.jpg)
Nor’easter News: Hundreds of thousands of Americans were without power and at least 8 dead Saturday.
Saturday, March 3rd, 2018CDC: Week 8 (February 18-24, 2018), influenza activity decreased in the United States.
Saturday, March 3rd, 2018Synopsis:
During week 8 (February 18-24, 2018), influenza activity decreased in the United States.
- Viral Surveillance: While influenza A(H3) viruses continue to be predominant this season, during week 8 the overall proportion of influenza A viruses is declining and the proportion of influenza B viruses is increasing. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for influenza in clinical laboratories decreased.
- Pneumonia and Influenza Mortality: The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was above the system-specific epidemic threshold in the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Mortality Surveillance System.
- Influenza-associated Pediatric Deaths: Seventeen influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported.
- Influenza-associated Hospitalizations: A cumulative rate of 81.7 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 5.0%, which is above the national baseline of 2.2%. All 10 regions reported ILI at or above region-specific baseline levels. New York City, the District of Columbia, and 32 states experienced high ILI activity; Puerto Rico and nine states experienced moderate ILI activity; six states experienced low ILI activity; and three states experienced minimal ILI activity.
- Geographic Spread of Influenza: The geographic spread of influenza in Puerto Rico and 45 states was reported as widespread; Guam and two states reported regional activity; the District of Columbia and three states reported local activity; and the U.S. Virgin Islands reported no activity.
Nor’easter slams East Coast killing at least 5 as winds, flood streets, grounding flights and halting train service across the region.
Saturday, March 3rd, 2018“This is a LIFE & DEATH situation for those living along the coast.”
Friday, March 2nd, 2018
“…..Meteorologists warned that the storm — the result of a system that was moving east across the Midwest on Thursday that will collide with a coastal low-pressure system off the coast in the Atlantic — will cause damage from the Carolinas to Portland, Maine, through Friday and into Saturday. That collision is expected to lead to “bombogenesis,” a cyclone effect that will strengthen the storm to dangerous levels as it moves north over open water.
Winds were expected to gust up to 40 mph to 60 mph in some coastal areas on Friday….”