News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – Dozens of people in California and neighboring states contracted Salmonella infections from eating raw alfalfa sprouts last year in an episode that has prompted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to renew its warning that people with weak immune systems should not eat sprouts.

(CIDRAP News) – Mexico closed its border to livestock from the United States last week because of concern that a herd of US cattle bound for Mexico had foot-and-mouth disease, but the border was quickly reopened when the disease was found to be a relatively harmless look-alike.

(CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) today confirmed that a 15-year-old Indonesian boy who died May 30 had H5N1 avian influenza, but the agency said four nurses who had suspicious symptoms after caring for avian flu patients were not infected.

(CIDRAP News) – In the early stages of an influenza pandemic, cases are spreading among migrant workers in Michigan. The state's health department has a supply of antiviral drugs from the federal stockpile and is using them to treat the sick, but, concerned about breaking federal rules, is withholding them from others exposed to the virus—thereby missing a chance to help contain it.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) held a 2-day meeting this week to gather feedback on its next proposed steps to reverse the recent increase in recalls and illnesses related to Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef.

Japan reports spike in novel H1N1 casesHealth officials voiced concern over a surge in novel H1N1 influenza cases in Japan, particularly among young people, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported today. Case numbers rose from 4 to 129 over the weekend, leading to more than 2,000 school closures. Many of the new cases are reported from Kobe and Osaka, where officials believe the virus spread during a high school volleyball tournament.

The global number of novel H1N1 cases rose to 10,243 in 41 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today. The count includes 3,648 cases and 72 deaths from Mexico, 5,469 cases and 6 deaths in the United States as of yesterday, 496 cases and 1 death in Canada, and 9 cases and 1 death in Costa Rica. Greece was the only new country added to the list, with a report of one case.