Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

White House seeks more money in case of a H1N1 pandemic emergency

The White House requested new funding for swine flu from Congress late Tuesday and also sought an additional $3.1 billion from the unspent stimulus funds in case of a pandemic emergency, according to various news sources.

4 Jun 2009

Congress unlikely to approve Obama's request for additional flu money, majority leader says

U.S House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Wednesday expressed skepticism that Congress would approve President Obama's recent request for an additional $2 billion to help fight the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, Reuters/Washington Post reports.

4 Jun 2009

WHO closer to declaring H1N1 flu outbreak a pandemic

The WHO on Tuesday said it was "getting closer" to declaring the H1N1 (swine) flu outbreak to be a pandemic, as the virus continues to spread to people outside of North America, and in populations "as far apart as Britain, Spain, Japan, Chile and Australia," the AP/Washington Post reports (Jordans, AP/Washington Post, 6/2).

3 Jun 2009

Swine flu in Victoria - alert measures move up a level

The number of confirmed swine flu cases in Australia has now reached 502 - three quarters of which are in Victoria and as a result the state's alert measures have been moved from "contain" to the next level, the "sustain" phase.

3 Jun 2009

Swine flu - a threatening pandemic or media panic?

The latest update from the World Health Organisation (WHO) # 42, reports that as of the 1st June 2009, 62 countries have officially reported 17,410 cases of influenza A H1N1 infection (swine flu), including 115 deaths.

3 Jun 2009

Discovery of new arenavirus associated with hemorrhagic fever – first identified in nearly four decades

Scientists at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases of National Health Laboratory Service (NICD-NHLS), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Roche's 454 Life Sciences Corporation have discovered the new virus responsible for a highly fatal hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Zambia and South Africa in late 2008.

2 Jun 2009

A pandemic of human fear and anxiety

Is a flu pandemic looming and if so should we worry? It is now 41 years since we experienced the last pandemic of flu and many think that we are overdue for the next one. But have we over-reacted to the present outbreak of swine flu?

1 Jun 2009

Experts say let swine flu run its course

With the number of influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) cases in Australia now over 300 federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon says the government is considering whether to elevate the nation's response to the disease from the contain to sustain phase, as it may be impossible to keep quarantining people.

1 Jun 2009

Australian swine flu toll now over 300

The World Health Organisation's last update on the outbreak of influenza A(H1N1) - swine flu says as of the 29th of May, 53 countries have officially reported 15,510 cases including 99 deaths and Australian health authorities have confirmed that more than 300 people have been diagnosed with swine flu in Australia and all states and territories are now affected by the virus.

1 Jun 2009

Stranded swine flu cruise ship plays a waiting game

According to the World Health Organisation's latest update, #40, on Influenza A H1N1 (swine flu), as of the 27th May, 48 countries have officially now reported 13,398 cases of the virus, including 95 deaths.

27 May 2009

Sanofi Pasteur receives seed virus to produce new H1N1 vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur announced today it has received the new influenza A(H1N1) seed virus, enabling the world's leading manufacturer of influenza vaccines to begin the production process for an A(H1N1) vaccine.

27 May 2009

Australian swine flu toll climbs but expert says threat is over-hyped

According to the World Health Organisation's latest update, # 39, as of the 26th of May the latest figures in the influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak are 12,954 confirmed cases in 46 countries, including 92 deaths.

26 May 2009

Economic recession, emerging diseases should not replace efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, IAS President says

Concerns regarding the H1N1 flu strain or the current global economic recession should not take attention away from the long-term fight against HIV/AIDS, Julio Mantaner, head of the International AIDS Society, said recently, VOA News reports.

26 May 2009

Arthritis drug Abatacept may be effective in fighting the flu

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have found that an approved drug for treating rheumatoid arthritis reduces severe illness and death in mice exposed to the Influenza A virus. Their findings suggest that tempering the response of the body's immune system to influenza infection may alleviate some of the more severe symptoms and even reduce mortality from this virus.

26 May 2009

Sanofi Pasteur receives U.S. Government order to produce new influenza A(H1N1) vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur announced today it has received the first of what is expected to be a series of orders from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to commence production of a vaccine to help protect against the new influenza A(H1N1) virus.

25 May 2009

Australian H1N1 flu toll climbs to 17

The latest update, # 37, from the World Health Organisation on the influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak says as of the 23rd of May, 43 countries have now officially reported 12,022 cases, including 86 deaths.

24 May 2009

HHS directs $1 billion towards commercial-scale production of a candidate vaccine for H1N1

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced that the department will take important steps necessary to prepare for potential commercial-scale production of a candidate vaccine for the novel Influenza A ( H1N1).

24 May 2009

Australia's swine flu toll rising

Australia's 10th confirmed case of influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) has appeared in Adelaide in South Australia - the first case for that state.

22 May 2009

62nd World Health Assembly closes with resolutions on public health

The 62nd World Health Assembly, which brought together health ministers and senior health officials from WHO's Member States, closed today with the adoption of resolutions on a variety of global health issues including primary health care, the prevention and control of multidrug- resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, public health, innovation and intellectual property and pandemic influenza preparedness. The Health Assembly also passed the Programme Budget for 2010 -2011.

22 May 2009

Arsenic exposure linked to influenza A (H1N1) susceptibility

The ability to mount an immune response to influenza A (H1N1) infection is significantly compromised by a low level of arsenic exposure that commonly occurs through drinking contaminated well water, scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and Dartmouth Medical School have found.

20 May 2009

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

White House seeks more money in case of a H1N1 pandemic emergency

Congress unlikely to approve Obama's request for additional flu money, majority leader says

WHO closer to declaring H1N1 flu outbreak a pandemic

Swine flu in Victoria - alert measures move up a level

Swine flu - a threatening pandemic or media panic?

Discovery of new arenavirus associated with hemorrhagic fever – first identified in nearly four decades

A pandemic of human fear and anxiety

Experts say let swine flu run its course

Australian swine flu toll now over 300

Stranded swine flu cruise ship plays a waiting game

Sanofi Pasteur receives seed virus to produce new H1N1 vaccine

Australian swine flu toll climbs but expert says threat is over-hyped

Economic recession, emerging diseases should not replace efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, IAS President says

Arthritis drug Abatacept may be effective in fighting the flu

Sanofi Pasteur receives U.S. Government order to produce new influenza A(H1N1) vaccine

Australian H1N1 flu toll climbs to 17

HHS directs $1 billion towards commercial-scale production of a candidate vaccine for H1N1

Australia's swine flu toll rising

62nd World Health Assembly closes with resolutions on public health

Arsenic exposure linked to influenza A (H1N1) susceptibility

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