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The National Chicken Council (NCC) yesterday released recommendations for preventing the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza to farms that raise and breed broiler chickens.
The recommendations, which were developed by a working group of veterinarians and avian flu experts, are intended to increase biosecurity on poultry farms before wild birds begin migrating south from Canada in the fall.
The group will present its final report to the World Health Assembly next May.
A side-by-side look at MERS-CoV and SARS infection patterns shows differences and some similarities, according to a study presented this week at the International Conference on Emerging and Infectious Diseases (ICEID) in Atlanta.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) today reported eight more lab-confirmed Middle East respiratory coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases, one of them fatal and all from Riyadh, where a large hospital-linked outbreak is ongoing. The MOH also said five case-patients announced previously have died from their infections.
Officials say 53 of the outbreak cases have links to one hospital and 4 involve Filipino health workers.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on Aug 21 reported 34,866 new cases of chikungunya in the Caribbean and Americas. The outbreak total, adjusted for ongoing case confirmation, is 1,679,223.
The new total includes 514,534 suspected, 17,118 confirmed locally acquired cases, and 802 imported cases reported in 2015, or 532,454 total for the year.
Russia detected highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in seven healthy wild birds, according to an Aug 21 report posted by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
The birds were hunted in three towns in Novosibirskaya Oblast, located in southwestern Siberia, as part of Russia's ongoing H5N1 monitoring activities. On Jun 9, laboratory testing confirmed H5N1 in 4 rooks, 1 mallard, 1 crane, and 1 unidentified waterfowl.
In other develoments, the hospital at the center of the outbreak temporarily closed most outpatient clinics to slow the spread of the virus.
Officials identified a cooling tower at the Opera House Hotel in New York City's South Bronx as the source of a recent outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, according to a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) press release yesterday.
The health department also confirmed that, given no new cases or onset of symptoms since Aug 3, the outbreak is officially over.
As Riyadh logs 10 new cases, officials announce some Hajj-related restrictions.
In two separate reports this week to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced closure to its follow-up to H5N8 avian flu outbreaks and noted that 11 states—because of measures taken after H5N2 outbreaks—are now free to move poultry domestically and internationally.
Three new cases are noted, and an NIH study shows promising vaccine results in animals.
New cases in West Africa remained at 3 for the 3rd straight week, and the WHO IHR panel will meet next week.
The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) yesterday announced two actions to help prepare for a potential return of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to US flocks: a request for proposals for vaccines to equip the National Veterinary Stockpile and a notification that it will publish an environment assessment on vaccinating poultry.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday reported 19 new cyclosporiasis cases in the past week, bringing the 2015 outbreak total to 476 infections in 29 states.
As 10 new cases are announced, a Riyadh hospital's ED is identified as an outbreak hot spot.
Iowa took an economic hit of about $1.2 billion from this year's avian flu outbreaks.
Those who refuse or delay vaccines constitute a growing, urgent challenge around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement today.
Saudi Arabia reports 14 recent MERS cases—all but 1 in Riyadh—and 4 deaths.
Sierra Leone is down to its last known Ebola transmission chain, a sign of continuing progress in the battle against the disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced today. It added that the country has now gone a full epidemiologic week without a new case for the first time since the outbreak began last year.
