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Ukraine: swine flu fears on rise after numerous death
The 02 Aug. 2010 at 22:03Last newsComments (0)Add a comment
The Health Ministry is trying to identify the deadly virus that has killed at least 30 people in western Ukraine so far.
An unknown virus is afflicting thousands in western Ukraine, according to health authorities who say at least 30 people have died this month alone from the mysterious ailment. The death toll is expected to grow higher soon.
As of Oct. 29, Ukraine’s Health Ministry had not yet determined whether the recent deaths are related to the global outbreak of the H1N1 "swine flu" virus, but they admitted to sending more than 1,200 doses of Tamiflu, the antiviral drug used to treat H1N1, to western Ukraine.
Thus far, there have been only two confirmed cases of swine flu in Ukraine, according to health officials, who have expressed confidence that the country is ready to combat the virus should an outbreak occur. But fears about the possible onset of a swine flu pandemic in Ukraine increased on Oct. 27 after media reported that a man from Zakarpattya Oblast had died of swine flu complications. The diagnosis has not been confirmed.
“Ukraine’s Health Ministry has convened an emergency team to identify the virus and identify measures to prevent it from spreading,” Health Minister Vasyl Knyazevych said on Oct. 29 during a cabinet meeting.
“Specialists on the team are working around the clock and we are confident that we will be able to identify the cause [of the deaths] on Monday or Tuesday next week and announce preventative measures,” Knyazevych said.
“Some 10 people have perished in Ternopil Oblast, and several in the Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts,” Deputy Health Minister Oleksandr Bilovol said a day earlier during a press conference in Kyiv. He added that all victims were less than 45 years of age.
“The individuals died of viral pneumonia, the cause of which we have not yet determined,” said Bilovol, adding that health officials are awaiting the results of laboratory tests. “According to our data, the number of deaths due to viral pneumonia is a little higher than last year.”
More than 6,000 people in Ukraine died of pneumonia in 2008, according to Health Ministry statistics, with 400 fatalities registered in the Ternopil, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts.
Bilovol said during the press conference that 34 individuals of the 160 patients currently afflicted are in critical condition. He said that most of the people who died waited too long — one week — before seeking medical assistance.
Health officials say they will need several days to determine whether the cases are, indeed, swine flu. In neighboring Russia, meanwhile, the H1N1 virus is definitely making the rounds. Since June, about 1,300 cases of H1N1 have been registered in Russia by health officials, who have urged people not to panic.
“Two women are believed to have died of the influenza A/H1N1 virus,” a spokesman for eastern Siberia’s Chita region said on Oct. 27, adding that official confirmation of the causes of death would only be available in 21 days.
As of Oct. 29, the number of patients in the region diagnosed with swine flu grew to 251, according to Natalya Zhdanova, deputy governor of Chita region. She said seven patients were critically ill.
Ukraine has set up a laboratory that can test for the H1N1 virus and more test kits are planned to be purchased. Ukraine’s strategy has been to contain the H1N1 virus and impede its spread among the population by surveillance in airports and train stations.
The H1N1 virus is not usually deadly, but spreads more quickly than usual flu because it’s a new virus against which people have not yet built immunity.
According to the World Health Organization, 2 percent of patients sick with H1N1 come to hospitals with complications. People with lung and heart conditions, diabetes, obesity, pregnant women, elderly and very young children are in the high-risk groups.
U.S. President Barack Obama on Oct. 25 declared a national emergency as the estimated number of swine flu cases topped one million. During a visit to Ukraine weeks ago, U.S. health officials urged their Ukrainian counterparts to boost preparations for combating a possible H1N1 epidemic, warning that it’s only a matter of time before the country would be hit. Experts have also expressed concern about the ability of Ukraine’s dilapidated and under-financed health system to contain a serious outbreak.
H1N1 In Kirovograd Ukraine Approaches Epidemic Levels
The 15 Jul. 2010 at 20:08Last newsComments (0)Add a comment
Recombinomics Commentary 13:13
July 15, 2010
According to information "All Kirovograd, obtained from its own sources assurances from authorities that Influenza warming, no, supported by only one - epidemiological threshold (100 patients per 10 thousand population) has not yet crossed. But the number of patients currently is 86 persons per 10 thousand population.
The above translation indicates the level of ARI/influenza in Kirovograd, Ukraine is approaching epidemic levels. Although a serum antibody test for H1N1 had only one positive, these tests are heavily dependent upon serum collection time frames and assay target. Information on the more sensitive PCR assay was not reported. However, the spike of ARI/influenza cases in July in Ukraine strongly suggests the re-emergence of H1N1.
Recent spikes in H1N1 have been reported in Australia as well as India, and China just released a June 30, 2010 sequence with G158E and D225G, which are associated with immunological escape and fatal lung infections. D225G and D225N was detected in the majority of HA sequences from fatal cases in Ukraine.
The early appearance of H1N1 in Ukraine is cause for concern.
Bird flu outbreak in Romania, near Ukraine - EU
The 16 Mar. 2010 at 15:00Last newsComments (0)Add a comment
BRUSSELS, March 16 - Romania has identified an outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm close to Ukraine and enforced a 20 kilometre-wide surveillance zone around it, the European Union's executive said on Tuesday.The outbreak of the H5N1 virus in the commune of Letea near the Ukrainian border is the first detected in Europe since it was found in a wild duck in Germany a year ago.
"Romania's national laboratory confirmed yesterday that the outbreak concerns the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza," the European Commission said in a statement.
"In order to limit the spread of the virus, the Romanian authorities applied immediately the necessary control measures laid down in EU legislation," it added.
All birds in the farm will have to be slaughtered, a 6 kilometre-wide protection zone will have to be enforced around it, surrounded by a 20 kilometre-wide "high risk" surveillance zone with strict movement controls.
"Gatherings of poultry and other birds are banned, and on-farm bio-security measures must be strengthened," said the Commission.
Ukrainian black lung epidemic kills 1,005, 250,000 hospitalized
The 27 Jan. 2010 at 19:41Last newsComments (0)Add a comment
As the black lung flu strain continues to intensify in Ukraine, the death toll has reached more than a thousand and four million people have contracted the flu.
Since Oct. 29, 2009, 1,005 people have died in Ukraine from the black lung epidemic that is wreaking havoc in the eastern European country, according to the Business Insider.
More than 250,000 people have been hospitalized, which is expected to rise as the second-wave of the flu strain continues to ravage the country, and over 4.3 million Ukrainians have contracted the flu strain. Before It’s News reports that 9 people have died in the past 24 hours.
Earlier this month, Digital Journal noted that less than 54,000 people contracted the flu and acute respiratory virus in just 24 hours.
H1N1 School Closings in Donetsk Ukraine
The 26 Jan. 2010 at 07:35Last newsComments (0)Add a comment
With regard to the incidence of seasonal flu and SARS, the incidence rate in the region has reached the epidemic threshold (53.2%), noted in the SES. And the most disease-prone age group - children of school age.
In connection with the elevated incidence of acute respiratory suspended the educational process in 5 schools and one boarding schools, 78 classes of 27 schools and three groups in three pre-school educational institutions
The above translation describes the closing of schools in Donetsk, Ukraine (see map) because the incidence of influenza/ARI has reached the epidemic threshold. This level was reached in most regions of Ukraine earlier, but the latest report lists 4 oblast above the epidemic threshold, with 4 more approaching the threshold. The other 19 regions, including Donetsk are below, and in a relatively safe zone. Donetsk has been a concern because of the dramatic rise in fatalities.The total of 162 to date is well above Lviv, which has 105. The rise in Donetsk has been recent. At the end of 2009 there were 91 deaths and 329,281. This month the number of deaths has almost doubled to 162, which the number of cases has only increased about 20%. Thus, instead of just under one in 4000 cases dying, the rate this month is closer to 1 in 1000. This rate increase of almost four fold raises concerns that D225G/N are becoming more common in eastern Ukraine.
Today Mill Hill released 28 HA sequences from autopsy lung samples, and 21 had D225G, D225N, or both. Of the 30 cases with D225G/N, 29 were from fatal cases. This high fatality rate raises concerns that an increase in D225G/N levels will lead to a pronounced increase in severe or fatal H1N1 cases and reports of school closings in Donetsk due to a rise in cases raises concerns that the number of fatalities will significantly increase in the near term.