Turkey: avian influenza
A further two cases of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza have been confirmed in Turkey at the national influenza center in Ankara. The latest case is a 5-year-old boy from the district of Dogubayazit in Agri Province in east Turkey, who currently remains stable in hospital.
His older sister recently died of respiratory disease, which has been confirmed as a H5N1 infection. The infections were contracted via close contact with infected poultry.
No other family members have shown signs of infection. The total of individuals infected in Turkey has now reached 20, with four fatal cases. In total, 18 of those cases have been in children between ages 4 and 18 years old.
New poultry outbreaks across the country are being reported. Further potentially infected samples from Turkey have been sent to the UK for analysis. Once the results are in, the World Health Organization will be in a position to produce a cumulative table of infected cases.
Indonesia: avian influenza
A further case of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza has been reported by the Ministry of Health in Indonesia. A 29-year-old female midwife working in Jakarta hospital developed symptoms on the 31st of December 2005 and died on the 11th of January 2006.
Investigations conducted by the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization found evidence of infected poultry in her neighbourhood in the 2 weeks prior to the onset of the illness. It has further been reported that the patient visited a live-bird market just prior to the development of her symptoms. Investigations at these sites are continuing.
Investigations regarding any potential transmission of the virus will continue until the maximum incubation period ends. However, at this stage there is no evidence to suggest this has occured.
The total of infected cases in Turkey has now reached 17, with 12 fatalities.
Japan: avian influenza
Japanese authorities plan to cull a further 770,000 birds after a mild form of the avian virus has been detected in a farm in north Japan. The H5 virus strain was detected among chickens in a farm 65 miles north of Tokyo.
Guinea: yellow fever
In 2005 the Ministry of Health of Guinea reported a total of 114 suspected incidences of yellow fever, including 26 fatalities.
Yellow fever is a serious mosquito-borne disease. It occurs only in sub-Saharan Africa and certain areas of tropical South America.
Boké has been reported as the most affected region. The World Health Organization (WHO) is assisting in risk assessment and implementation of control measures. The European Community Humanitarian Office, the WHO and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network have sent a team to investigate.
Four high-risk areas will undergo mass vaccination, with stockpiles from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization and Ministry of Health. Vaccinations will be conducted with support of the WHO and partners.
Mpumalanga: malaria
The incidence of malaria in Mpumalanga, South Africa, is on the decline. There have been only 13 reported cases so far this year, according to state officials.
“Comparatively speaking, there has been a decline in malaria cases that have been reported in our province since 2004”, Mpho Gabashane a provincial spokesperson said. He added that in 2004 there had been a total of 4254 cases, while 2005 saw only 2952 cases.
An infected person has recurring chills, fever, pain in the joints, headache and sometimes jaundice and anemia. Malaria can cause kidney or liver failure, coma and even death in individuals who do not receive treatment in time. Malaria kills approximately 1.5 million people all over the world every year, mostly in tropical Africa.
Malaria outbreaks are common between September and March Owing to rains and summer heat that create optimal conditions for mosquitoes to breed.
The health department have deployed 840 personnel to curb the spread of the disease by spraying houses and standing water with insecticides.
The department had also budgeted R68 million for the control of malaria during the current financial year.
Sophy Sekole, the spokesperson of the health department, added that malaria treatment was being administered at all clinics and health centers in the province.
Gabashane said a Memorandum of Understanding, signed between the health ministries of Mozambique and South Africa in December 2005, would go a long way to curb future malaria outbreaks.