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Monday, June 1, 2009

Past Influenza Pandemics

3D model of an influenza virus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is some good reference on what 'virus attacks' has hit the world
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04/30/2009 | 12:53 PM

About influenza

See Influenza

About influenza pandemic

"An influenza pandemic is a rare but recurrent event." - WHO
"A pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges and starts spreading as easily as normal influenza - by coughing and sneezing. Because the virus is new, the human immune system will have no pre-existing immunity. This makes it likely that people who contract pandemic influenza will experience more serious disease than that caused by normal influenza." - WHO

Past influenza pandemics

first well-documented case was traced back to 1580
28 cases of influenza pandemic were recorded from 1580-1900
since 1900-present, there have been at least 3 pandemics: Spanish Flu, Asian Flu, and Hong Kong Flu

Spanish influenza

occurred in 1918-1919, just as World War I was winding down
killed an estimated 40-50 million people worldwide (WHO estimates)
swept through North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Brazil, and the South Pacific
considered one of the deadliest disease events in human history
caused by influenza type A virus (H1N1)
higher mortality rate among the younger population; people between 20-45 years old accounted for 60% of the fatalities

Asian influenza

occurred in 1957-1958
estimated 2 million deaths
first identified in China
caused by type A virus (H2N2)
outbreak occurred between late summer and fall
those mainly infected were above 55 years old

Hong Kong influenza

occurred in 1968
estimated 1 million deaths
arose in Southeast Asia (first detected in Hong Kong), then spread to the US and Europe
caused by type A virus (H3N2)

From GMANews.tv; see the source article here.

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Looking for protection from the next pandemics?

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Japan's H1N1 flu epidemic spreads to Tokyo

Posted: 20 May 2009 2047 hrs

Train commuters wear masks as a precaution against H1N1 flu in Kobe, western Japan.

TOKYO : Japan's Influenza A (H1N1) flu epidemic spread to the capital Tokyo as a 16-year-old high school girl there tested positive for the virus on Wednesday, the metropolitan administration said.

"The girl lives in the western suburbs of Hachioji and has recently visited the US city of New York," said Toyomi Harada, a spokesman for the city's welfare and health department.

Japanese cases of the (A)H1N1 virus had been concentrated in the western prefectures of Hyogo, Osaka and Shiga with the number rising to 232 on Wednesday. - AFP/ms

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Japan's H1N1 flu cases top 200

Posted: 20 May 2009 1132 hrs

Pedestrians wear masks as a precaution against H1N1 flu in Japan.

KOBE, Japan - The number of Influenza A (H1N1) infections in Japan rose to 228 on Wednesday, most of them school students, as the outbreak spread to a third western prefecture, officials said.

The western commercial hub of Kobe remained the worst affected, announcing more than 20 new infections of the A (H1N1) virus among roughly three dozen new cases confirmed in Japan in the morning.

The western prefecture of Shiga became the third locality to confirm a H1N1 flu infection in Japan, with a man in his 20s, who returned from a weekend trip to Kobe, testing positive for the virus.

Japan's first domestic cases of the virus were confirmed last weekend in Kobe and Osaka, where they spread quickly in and between two high schools that had met for a volleyball tournament.

Kyodo news agency earlier reported that 86 per cent of cases detected so far in Japan were between the ages of 10 and 19 -- making it more prevalent among youth in Japan than it is in the United States.

- AFP/ir

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

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You can stop most diseases - now!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Japan reports 178 swine flu cases, closes schools

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 19-May-2009 15:37 hrs

A mother and daughter leave Osaka's Nisitenma elementary school after classes were cancelled. Japan reported 178 swine flu infections and closed more than 4,000 schools, colleges and kindergartens for the rest of the week to slow the spread of the virus, officials said.

A total of 4,043 kindergartens, schools, colleges and universities were closed for at least this week in the two prefectures at the request of the government, up from some 2,000 Monday, an education ministry official said.

Neighbouring Kyoto prefectures closed eight schools voluntarily.

Japan's number of confirmed cases rose to 178 -- the fourth largest national figure on the world infection table, according local authorities.

Japan's first confirmed cases of swine flu were four people who tested positive after they flew in from North America earlier this month. They were immediately quarantined along with about 50 fellow passengers.

The central government has been revising its anti-virus measures, which previously focused on stopping infected persons at the borders and quarantining them before they could leave the airports.

"Day by day, we have to change what action we should take," Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe told a news conference, adding that the ministry may scale down airport quarantine measures gradually.

Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano said the government was ready to take action to fend off a possible impact of the outbreak on the Japanese economy already battered by the worst recession since World War II.

"Economies obviously declined -- although temporarily -- when a bird flu outbreak occurred," Yosano told reporters. "We have to consider measures to limit the effect." — AFP

From TODAYOnline.com; see the source article here.

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This time, it is from the US - for the world!

Japan closes more than 4,000 schools over H1N1 flu fears

Posted: 19 May 2009 1110 hrs

Schools in Japan carry out a massive clean-up to battle the H1N1 outbreak

KOBE, Japan: Japan closed more than 4,000 schools and kindergartens on Tuesday, double the previous day's number, to slow the spread of H1N1 flu which has infected 173 people in the country, officials said.

Many people in the affected urban areas were wearing face masks after the western cities of Kobe and Osaka became the first in Japan to suffer domestic outbreaks of the (A)H1N1 virus which spread rapidly through two schools.

A total of 4,043 schools and kindergartens were closed in and around both cities at the request of government authorities, up from some 2,000 on Monday, an education ministry official said.

Japan's number of confirmed cases has risen to 173 – the fourth largest national figure on the world infection table – in the central Honshu island region since the first confirmed domestic infection was reported on Saturday.

No fatalities have been reported in Japan.

Experts warn the virus would likely soon spread to other regions, including the capital Tokyo, which with almost 36 million people, is the world's most populous urban area and the heart of the Japanese economy.

The virus is believed to have spread between Kobe and nearby Osaka after high schools from the two cities met for a volleyball tournament, with some players and coaches feeling feverish after the games.

Japan's first confirmed cases of H1N1 flu were four people who tested positive after they flew in from North America earlier this month. They were immediately quarantined along with about 50 fellow passengers.

- AFP/so

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.