Jun 10, 2009
Global novel flu total approaches 28,000
The world tally of confirmed novel H1N1 influenza cases grew to 27,737 today, including 141 deaths, reported from 74 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. The total is an increase of 2,449 from the WHO's last report on Jun 8. Much of the increase was in South American countries, especially Chile, which reported 1,283 new cases. Meanwhile, Australia's health ministry said today that its latest case count is 1,260 cases, an increase of 36 since yesterday's report.
[WHO update 46]
WHO calls emergency committee meeting
The WHO has called a meeting of its emergency committee for tomorrow at noon to discuss the spread of the novel H1N1 virus, spokesman Gregory Hartl told Reuters today. Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan conferred today with health authorities from several nations to ask about increases in novel flu cases, Reuters reported. Yesterday Chan said she would confer with governments in preparation for a possible announcement that the epidemic meets the WHO's pandemic definition.
[Jun 10 Reuters story]
San Diego County cancels public health emergency
Officials in San Diego County, Calif., on Jun 8 called off the public health emergency that they declared in early May at the start of the novel H1N1 outbreak, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported yesterday. Three county residents, a 9-year-old boy and a father-daughter pair, were among the first US citizens to be diagnosed with the novel H1N1 virus. As of yesterday, San Diego County had counted 239 cases, the most of any California county.
[Jun 9 San Diego Union-Tribune story]
Hong Kong approves vaccine plan
Hong Kong's government endorsed a plan yesterday to immunize 2.5 million people with a novel flu vaccine that it expects to be available no earlier than October, The Standard, a Hong Kong newspaper, reported today. According to the plan, four groups will receive free vaccination: healthcare workers, children between 6 months and 6 years old, those older than age 65, and people who have chronic medical conditions. The government will stockpile enough doses for an additional 500,000 people.
[Jun 10 Hong Kong Standard story]
Novel flu cases detected aboard Navy ship
Twenty-four sailors aboard the USS Iwo Jima were recently sick with H1N1 infections, a Navy spokesman told the Associated Press (AP) yesterday. The first three patients, who were on temporary assignments to the ship, got sick in late May. The 21 from the ship's crew had mild illnesses and have returned to duty. Several others have been isolated in the ship's medical unit after reporting flulike symptoms.
India may ask nations to screen departing passengers
India may ask countries reporting large numbers of novel H1N1 cases to screen passengers on departing flights, Indo Asian News Service (IANS) reported yesterday. The health ministry is repeating its request that the nation's external affairs ministry ask affected countries to conduct screening for possible flu. A health official said India's confirmed novel flu cases have been flagged during airport screening and that travelers with symptoms should be encouraged to postpone their trips.
[Jun 9 IANS story]
China quarantines Florida high school group
Nine Florida high school students and their teachers were quarantined in Beijing yesterday after an airline passenger they sat near on their flight got sick with flulike symptoms, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported today. They could be detained in a hotel for about a week while officials conduct regular flu tests. In other developments, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, his wife, and his bodyguard were released today after a 3-day quarantine in Shanghai, the Associated Press reported.
