Bird Flu, MonkeyPox or the next Potential Pandemic Thread

[China]

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CURRENT BIRD FLU OUTBREAK IN THE U.S.

 

BEFORE YOU DROP YOUR HEAD INTO YOUR HANDS and moan, “What next?” know that this isn’t something to be immediately concerned about.

 

In a March 7 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that it's been tracking an outbreak of bird flu across the United States. This seems to be the first major outbreak since 2015, the last time the CDC tracked notes tracking the virus. Don’t panic yet. This illness poses a low risk to humans. Here’s what you need to know.

 

The CDC does not consider this outbreak to be a high risk to humans. It is primarily a risk to animals.

 

It is possible for humans to contract H5N1; when they do, it’s serious. It has a 60 percent mortality rate in humans. Still, since November 2003, there have been 700 recorded cases mostly from 15 countries including Asia, Africa, and Europe. When humans do contract this form of bird flu, it affects the respiratory system. Humans will sometimes develop severe illnesses like pneumonia and respiratory failure.

 

The highest risk factors come from interacting with sick or dead birds that were infected. This virus is not known to transfer between humans, though close contact with birds and bird feces makes the risk much higher.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

A New Zika Virus Mutation May Be Nearing Global Outbreak, Scientists Warn

 

Researchers from La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) in San Diego, California, have recently identified a new mutation of the Zika virus known as the NS2B I39V/I39T mutation, which scientists are warning could spark the next global pandemic. Their findings echo recent warnings given by the World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this month, which explain that the virus has the potential to mutate in ways that would make it more virulent and more resistant to immunity conferred by similar infections.

 

Zika virus is a viral infection that is spread via mosquitoes. The specific mosquito in question is the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also is known to spread dengue and chikungunya. While the virus is mainly transmitted via bites, it can be transmitted through intrauterine infection as well.

 

It wasn’t until 2007 that the first true outbreak of the Zika virus was detected, this time on the island of Yap in the Pacific. In 2015, another major outbreak occurred in Brazil, which led to the discovery that Zika can be associated with microcephaly, a condition in which babies are born with small and underdeveloped brains.

 

According to the WHO, certain countries with outbreaks of Zika virus, like Brazil, have reported a significant increase in the number of Guillian-Barre syndrome (GBS) cases, a neurological disorder that could lead to paralysis and death. A 2017 study conducted on confirmed cases of GBS in Brazil concluded that the fatality rate was about 8.3%. This relationship between Zika virus and Guillain-Barre syndrome is still relatively new to scientists, however, current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) research suggests that GBS is strongly associated with Zika; however, only a small proportion of people with recent Zika virus infection get GBS.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Rare case of monkeypox reported in England, UKHSA says

 

A rare case of monkeypox has been diagnosed in a patient in England, the UK Health Security Agency said in a statement Saturday.

 

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which does not spread easily between people, the agency said, qualifying the overall risk to the general public as "very low."

"The infection can be spread when someone is in close contact with an infected person; however, there is a very low risk of transmission to the general population," the statement read.

 

Per the UKHSA, initial symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Monkeypox contact tracing extended to Scotland

 

Public Health Scotland has confirmed it is helping to trace contacts of a monkeypox patient who was identified in England.

 

The patient had recently travelled to Nigeria, where they were believed to have caught the virus.

 

A "small number of individuals" in Scotland are now reported to be in quarantine after being identified as contacts of the patient.

 

The move was said to be a "standard and precautionary exercise".

 

And Public Health Scotland said the risk to the wider public remained very low.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Monkeypox: 80 cases confirmed in 11 countries, says WHO

 

About 80 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in 11 countries, the World Health Organization says, warning that more cases are likely to be reported.

 

The WHO says that another 50 suspected cases are being investigated, without naming any countries.

 

Earlier, infections were confirmed in Italy, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, the US, Canada and the UK - where the first European case was reported.

 

Monkeypox is most common in remote parts of Central and West Africa.

 

It is a rare viral infection which is usually mild and from which most people recover in a few weeks, according to the UK's National Health Service.

 

The virus does not spread easily between people and the risk to the wider public is said to be very low.

 

There is no specific vaccine for monkeypox, but a smallpox jab offers 85% protection since the two viruses are quite similar.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

WHO working on more monkeypox guidance as cases rise - senior adviser

 

The World Health Organization is working on further guidance for countries on how to mitigate the spread of monkeypox, amid concerns cases could spike further in the summer months, a senior adviser for the U.N. agency told Reuters.

 

The WHO's working theory based on the cases identified so far is that the outbreak is being driven by sexual contact, said David Heymann, chair of the WHO's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Hazards with Pandemic and Epidemic Potential. He led a meeting on the outbreak on Friday.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

So, don't have sex with monkeys?

 

 

[Sacks 'n' Stuff]

Me every time China posts about some new horrific disease…

 

[China]

First Presumptive Monkeypox Case Reported in Broward

 

The first presumptive case of monkeypox in South Florida is being investigated in Broward County, health officials announced Sunday.

 

The Florida Department of Health in Broward and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating the case, which officials said is related to international travel.

 

The patient was isolated as DOH-Broward conducts epidemiological investigations to notify possible exposures and offers potential post-exposure prophylaxis, officials said.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[CousinsCowgirl84]

So is this the media drumming up fear or is monkey pox something to keep an eye on? I thought i read it was spread by sexual contact? Seems like a whole lot of diseased humping is going on for this to get from the Uk to Florida this fast, did it start in England’s orgy district?

[China]

5 hours ago, CousinsCowgirl84 said:

So is this the media drumming up fear or is monkey pox something to keep an eye on? I thought i read it was spread by sexual contact? Seems like a whole lot of diseased humping is going on for this to get from the Uk to Florida this fast, did it start in England’s orgy district?

 

I think it's mostly the media drumming up fear.  Every article about monkey pox says the health authorities find the risk of spread to be minimal.  So unless you're going to a rave a humping people with monkeypox, I wouldn't worry.

[China]

US military service member in Germany is military's first case of monkeypox

 

An active-duty member of the US military based in Stuttgart, Germany has been identified as having the military's first known case of monkeypox, a US European Command spokesperson told CNN in a statement.

 

The service member "recently tested positive for monkeypox," Captain William Speaks, USN, said in a statement.

"The individual was seen and treated at the Stuttgart Army Health clinic and is currently in isolation recovering in their quarters off-base," Speaks said.

He continued: "Public health officials have determined that the risk to the overall population is very low. As a precautionary measure, contact tracing is being done for clinic staff who interacted with the patient. The case in Stuttgart is of the West African strain, which is generally mild and human-to-human transmission is limited."

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Reports of monkeypox in semen prompts WHO investigation

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) is looking into reports that the monkeypox virus is present in the semen of patients, exploring the possibility that the disease could be sexually transmitted, a WHO official said on Wednesday.

However, the agency reiterated that virus is mainly transmitted via close interpersonal contact. Many of the monkeypox cases confirmed in the current outbreak largely centered in Europe are among sexual partners who have had such close contact.

 

In recent days, scientists have detected viral DNA in the semen of a handful of monkeypox patients in Italy and Germany, including a lab-tested sample that suggested the virus found in the semen of a single patient was capable of infecting another person and replicating.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

CDC issues bizarre guidance for having sex with monkeypox

 

Americans who think they might have been exposed to monkeypox should take precautions like masturbating 6 feet apart from their partner to prevent the spread of the virus, according to health officials.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month issued a list of safe activities for sexually active patients to engage in. Among the recommendations are avoiding kissing and “having sex with your clothes on or covering areas where rash or sores are present.”

 

Patients and prospective patients are also advised to “wash your hands, fetish gear, sex toys and any fabrics” after having sex and “masturbate together at a distance of at least 6 feet, without touching each other and without touching any rash or sores.”

 

The odd guidance invoked New York City’s bizarre recommendation that sexually active people use “glory holes” during the coronavirus pandemic to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The World Health Organization is investigating whether monkeypox can be sexually transmitted after the virus was detected in a patient’s semen.

 

Click on the links for more

 

 

[China]

Monkeypox outbreak in U.S. is bigger than the CDC reports. Testing is 'abysmal'

 

On June 13, a man in New York began to feel ill.

 

"He starts to experience swollen lymph nodes and rectal discomfort," says epidemiologist Keletso Makofane, who's at Harvard University.

 

The man suspects he might have monkeypox. He's a scientist, and knowledgeable about the signs and symptoms, Makofane says. So the man goes to his doctor and asks for a monkeypox test. The doctor decides, instead, to test the man for common sexually transmitted diseases. All those come back negative.

 

"A few days later, the pain worsens," Makofane says. So he goes to the urgent care and again asks for a monkeypox test. This time, the provider prescribes him antibiotics for a bacterial infection.

 

"The pain becomes so bad, and starts to interfere with his sleep," Makofane says. "So this past Sunday, he goes to the emergency room of a big academic hospital in New York."

 

At this point the man has a growth inside his rectum, which is a symptom of monkeypox. At the hospital, he sees both an ER doctor and an infectious disease specialist. Again, the man asks for a monkeypox test. But the specialist rebuffs the request and says "a monkeypox test isn't indicated," Makofane says. Instead, the doctor speculates that the man might have colon cancer.

 

A few days later, he develops skin lesions — another key sign of monkeypox.

 

A misleading case count

On the surface, the monkeypox outbreak in the U.S. doesn't look that bad, especially compared with other countries. Since the international epidemic began in May, the U.S. has recorded 201 cases of monkeypox. In contrast, the U.K. has nearly 800 cases. Spain and Germany both have more than 500.

 

But in the U.S., the official case count is misleading, Makofane and other scientists tell NPR. The outbreak is bigger — perhaps much bigger — than the case count suggests.

 

For many of the confirmed cases, health officials don't know how the person caught the virus. Those infected haven't traveled or come into contact with another infected person. That means the virus is spreading in some communities and cities, cryptically.

 

"The fact that we can't reconstruct the transmission chain means that we are likely missing a lot of links in that chain," Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at Brown University, says. "And that means that those infected people haven't had the opportunity to receive medicines to help them recover faster and not develop severe symptoms.

 

"But it also means that they're possibly spreading the virus without knowledge of the fact that they're infected," she adds.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Renegade7]

Found out from my kids pediatrician they don't give smallpox vaccines anymore and no guidance on where to get one.

 

Any ideas, folks?

 

https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/clinicians/smallpox-vaccine.html

[China]

16 minutes ago, Renegade7 said:

Found out from my kids pediatrician they don't give smallpox vaccines anymore and no guidance on where to get one.

 

Any ideas, folks?

 

https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/clinicians/smallpox-vaccine.html

 

I found this:

 

Quote

The smallpox vaccine is no longer available to the public. In 1972, routine smallpox vaccination in the United States ended. In 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared smallpox was eliminated. Because of this, the public doesn’t need protection from the disease.

 

and this:

 

Quote

Currently, the United States has a big enough stockpile of smallpox vaccine to vaccinate everyone who might need it in the event of an emergency. Production of new vaccine is underway. However, at this time, only designated "first responders" are being vaccinated. These individuals have all volunteered to receive the vaccine.

 

Doesn't seem like you need it, or can get it, unless you are a first responder.

[Renegade7]

13 minutes ago, China said:

 

I found this:

 

 

and this:

 

 

Doesn't seem like you need it, or can get it, unless you are a first responder.

 

Thanks, but to be clear, this is more in reference to its protection from Monkeypox then Smallpox.

 

Sounds like we have no choice but to wait, I'm not a first responder.

Edited June 26, 2022 by Renegade7

[China]

4 minutes ago, Renegade7 said:

 

Thanks, but to be clear, this is more in reference to its protection from Monkeypox then Smallpox.

 

Sounds like we have mo choice but to wait, I'm not a first responder.

 

Yeah, I don't think they're pushing hard about vaccinating against monkeypox.  I don't think authorities view it as a serious threat yet.  It will be interesting to see if it continues to spread or dies out.

[China]

Traces of monkeypox virus found in San Francisco wastewater

 

Wastewater samples taken from a San Francisco treatment plant this week have detected traces of monkeypox virus, researchers say.

 

Results of a second detection of the virus came on Friday, according to representatives from the Sewer Coronavirus Alert Network  (SCAN). 

 

The Oceanside Treatment Plant serves about a third of San Francisco's residents on the city's west side. The samples were taken Monday, June 20 and Thursday, June 23.

 

The samples "showed small concentrations of viral DNA for the disease," researchers said.

 

 SCAN has been testing wastewater for COVID-19 during the pandemic. Earlier this month they began testing for monkeypox DNA.

 

"With two samples in the same area, we have confidence this is a true result," said SCAN researcher Alexandria Boehm, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University.  

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

WHO says monkeypox cases triple in Europe in two weeks, urgent action needed to contain spread

 

The World Health Organization on Friday warned that urgent action is needed to contain the spread of monkeypox in Europe, as cases have tripled over the past two weeks.

 

Europe is the center of a global outbreak of the virus with 90% of confirmed monkeypox cases reported there, according to the WHO. New infections have tripled since June 15 with 4,500 confirmed cases across 31 European nations.

 

Henri Kluge, the head of WHO Europe, called on governments to ramp efforts to prevent monkeypox from establishing itself on the continent, warning that time is of the essence.

 

“Urgent and coordinated action is imperative if we are to turn a corner in the race to reverse the ongoing spread of this disease,” Kluge said.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Man infected with monkeypox attended Daddyland Festival in Dallas

 

The Dallas County health department has reported its first locally transmitted case of the monkeypox virus after a man who attended the Daddyland Festival tested positive. 

 

He traveled from out-of-state for the four-day, Fourth of July circuit party. Health officials said the man went to a Dallas hospital with a rash and was diagnosed through laboratory testing done. Given the size of the Daddyland Festival, others who attended the events could have been exposed to monkeypox and, possibly, infected.  

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Advocates warn US at risk of losing control on monkeypox

 

Infectious disease experts and public health advocates are warning that the Biden administration has been too slow to respond to the monkeypox outbreak and that the U.S. is at risk of losing control of the disease. 

 

The response to monkeypox is mirroring the worst parts of the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, they say, with severely limited testing and a sluggish rollout of vaccines leading to a virus that’s spreading undetected.

 

“Where we have lagged is streamlining testing, making vaccines available, streamlining access to the best therapeutics. All three areas have been bureaucratic and slow, and that means we haven’t contained this outbreak,” said David Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD).

 

Unlike COVID-19, monkeypox is not a novel virus, and the strategies to reduce the spread are well known. Biden administration officials said they are confident in their approach.

 

“We as a global community have known about it for decades. We know how it spreads. We have tests that help identify people who are infected. We have vaccines that are highly effective against it,” White House coronavirus response coordinator Ashish Jha said during a recent briefing.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 460 cases in 30 states, Puerto Rico and D.C., though experts say that number is almost certainly an undercount, as many people who may be infected don’t yet have access to widespread testing.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Miami man diagnosed with monkeypox says skin feels like it’s on fire

 

Jonathan Araujo, who lives in Miami and works as a bartender at the Palace in South Beach, is among the monkeypox patients who want officials to take more aggressive action against the outbreak.

 

Araujo, 24, said at first he had a fever and chills for two days. Then he started to break out on his face and his upper body. A lesion on his lip really concerned him.

 

Tuesday was the seventh day since a doctor at Jackson Memorial Hospital diagnosed him.

 

“You wake up every day with a new bump, a new sore, another lesion, more pain, and you look at yourself in the mirror ... and I don’t see myself,” Araujo said.

 

Araujo has been sharing his journey with his more than 3,000 followers on Instagram. He said the itchy rashes and painful skin lesions are torturous.

 

“It feels like somebody struck like a match and set fire to my skin,” Araujo said adding, “It’s excruciating like within a split second like a jolt of pain.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

DC reports largest monkeypox outbreak per capita in US

 

D.C. is experiencing the largest outbreak of monkeypox per capita in the nation, and the District is distributing monkeypox vaccine by appointment as quickly as vaccine deliveries come in from federal sources.

 

The District has reported 122 cases of monkeypox since May; no one has died.

 

“Anyone who comes into contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with monkeypox, we want to quickly get them vaccinated. It’s important that we try to identify those people who have been in contact with someone who’s had monkeypox within four days and to get them vaccinated within 14 days,” said DC Health’s director, Dr. LaQuandra S. Nesbitt, during a Monday news briefing.

 

While anyone can get monkeypox, 96% of D.C.’s cases are in men; 82% identify as gay. The majority of cases are in people 30 to 34 years old.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

UN health agency chief declares monkeypox a global emergency

 

The expanding monkeypox outbreak in more than 70 countries is an “extraordinary” situation that qualifies as a global emergency, the World Health Organization chief said Saturday, a declaration that could spur further investment in treating the once-rare disease and worsen the scramble for scarce vaccines.

 

A global emergency is WHO’s highest level of alert but the designation does not necessarily mean a disease is particularly transmissible or lethal. Similar declarations were made for the Zika virus in 2016 in Latin America and the ongoing effort to eradicate polio, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

 

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the decision on calling monkeypox a global emergency despite a lack of consensus among experts on the U.N. health agency’s emergency committee, saying he acted as “a tiebreaker.” It was the first time a U.N. health agency chief has unilaterally made such a decision without an expert recommendation.

 

Click on the link for the full article