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URL: http://www.avianflutalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=45232 Printed Date: April 28 2024 at 2:21pm
Topic: June updatesPosted By: Dutch Josh
Subject: June updates
Date Posted: June 02 2023 at 2:37am
New avian flu virus subtype found in P.E.I. birds and raccoons. Likely that one or more of the infected raccoons ate the carcass of a bird that had been infected with the virus.
“Those with multiple infections were 3.5 times more likely to develop lung problems, 3 times more likely to have heart conditions, and 1.6 times more likely to have brain changes than people who had only had COVID-19 once”
Chile-Mysterious death of hundreds of sea birds-H5N1 flu ruled out
"Something is happening in the sea": They rule out the main hypothesis about the massive death of birds
The presence of avian influenza in the specimens was ruled out, so a multisectoral meeting will be convened to see the steps to follow. In recent days, almost a thousand dead birds have been found on the Coquimbo coastline, specifically between the Casino Enjoy sector and Changa beach. Given the unusual fact, the SAG began an investigation to determine the cause of the massive death of the specimens, ruling out the presence of Avian Influenza, one of the first hypotheses that was considered.
"We have continued doing field work, we visit the places daily, mainly the coastal border of La Serena and Coquimbo to follow the protocol, we sample and send to our laboratory and await the results," they detailed about the work done. Meanwhile, they added that "regarding what we obtained from this large number of dead birds, they all came out negative, so the cause of death in this case is not related to avian influence." Finally, they indicated that for now they will convene an intersectoral meeting with CONAF, Sernapesca and municipalities to address the phenomenon. "Something is happening in the sea and it must be the people with the greatest competence who manage to get to the cause of what is generating the excessive death of these birds, which are unusual episodes but no one guarantees that it will be the last that could happen again. this type, we hope that this is not the case," they concluded. https://www.diarioeldia.cl/region/2023/6/1/sag-confirma-cual-fue-la-causa-de-muerte-de-las-aves-halladas-en-borde-costero-de-coquimbo-101650.html%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(35, 121, 181); text-decoration: none; - https://www.diarioeldia.cl/region/20...��
DJ, is there another virus spreading in seabirds...from Chile to Iceland ????
University of Zurich researchers led the observational study, a comparison of 1,106 unvaccinated adults 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after COVID-19 infection with 628 uninfected controls. The team surveyed participants at eight time points about 23 long-COVID symptoms, their severity, and their perceived relevance to their infection.
Infected participants were, on average, 50 years old and had tested positive for wild-type COVID-19 from August 6, 2020, to January 19, 2021; 86.0% had had symptoms, and 4.3% had been hospitalized for their infections. Uninfected participants were, on average, 65 years old. Just over half (51.2%) of participants were women.
DJ..there were no vaccines available at that time !
Most patients improved over time
Of all participants, 55.3% reported a return to health within 1 month after infection, and 17.6% said they had recovered within 1 to 3 months.
At 6 months, 22.9% of participants said they hadn't recovered, declining to 18.5% at 12 months and 17.2% at 24 months. Those reporting symptoms at 6 months said their symptoms had mild (16.2%), moderate (3.6%), or severe (2.7%) effects on their health. At 24 months, the severity of health impairment declined, with 10.4% reporting mild, 3.9% reporting moderate, and 1.9% experiencing severe health impairment.
Most participants reported that they continued to recover (68.4%) or had better overall health (13.5%) over time. But 5.2% said their health worsened, and 4.4% had periods of both recovery and regression.
A total of 8.9% of participants said they had symptoms at all four follow-up times, and 12.5% reported alternating symptomatic and symptom-free periods. Participants who reported symptoms or worsened symptoms at all follow-up points tended to be 65 or older (45.7% vs 34.1%) or have underlying medical conditions (58.8% vs 27.5%).
Relative to participants with unchanged or worse health status, a higher proportion of those who improved were younger than 65 years (55.6% vs 40.1%), and a lower percentage had post-exertion malaise (27.3% vs 40.6%) at 6 months.
Excess risk was 17% at 6 months
More COVID-19 survivors than controls had symptoms at 6 months (adjusted risk difference [excess risk], 17.0%). Excess risk for some symptoms in infected participants was 2% to 10%, with the greatest excess risks for altered taste or smell (9.8%), post-exertion malaise (9.4%), fatigue (5.4%), shortness of breath (7.8%), and impaired concentration (8.3%) and memory (5.7%).
The prevalence of symptoms was roughly the same at 6 months and 24 months—51.7% and 51.0%, respectively. But the prevalence of symptoms considered related to COVID-19 fell from 28.9% at 6 months to 20.3% at 12 months and 18.1% at 24 months.
Most participants reporting COVID-19 symptoms (89.2%) also reported nonrecovery at 24 months, but 5.8% said they had fully recovered. Fatigue, post-exertion malaise, altered taste or smell, shortness of breath, and impaired concentration or memory were the most common symptoms at all time points.
"Although not all adverse outcomes were necessarily attributed to COVID-19, our findings imply that a sizable number of people might be affected by post–COVID-19 condition and have protracted health issues for many months after infection," the study authors wrote. "Nevertheless, the rates of recovery and the overall improvement in the severity of participants' health impairment over time might also provide some hope for affected individuals."
The researchers said their findings highlight the value of infection prevention and underscore the need for effective treatments to reduce the burden on long-COVID patients and the healthcare system and for solidly designed future trials.
Although not all adverse outcomes were necessarily attributed to COVID-19, our findings imply that a sizable number of people might be affected by post–COVID-19 condition and have protracted health issues for many months after infection.
"Use of multiple outcome measures and consideration of the expected rates of recovery and heterogeneity in symptom trajectories are important in the design and interpretation of clinical trials," they wrote.
A 'global public health crisis'
In a related https://www.bmj.com/content/381/bmj.p932" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(35, 121, 181); text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(235, 244, 249); - commentary , Qiao Wu, a PhD candidate at the University of Southern California, called long COVID "a global public health crisis" and said that future treatments, clinical trials, and policy interventions will depend on high-quality population-level data.
"Further studies focusing on more recent phases of the pandemic, and accounting for complexities (eg, more virus strains, vaccination statuses, and reinfections), will be particularly valuable," Wu wrote.
"Additionally, in view of the complexity of symptom trajectories and the unique disease burden experienced by each individual patient with post–COVID-19 condition, patients should be more closely involved in the design and conduct of these studies going forward."
China: Covid cases in Beijing quadruple in 5 weeks. From the 17th to the 21st week, the number of notifiable infectious diseases reported in the city was 6438, 10508, 18081, 25544, and 30750. Multiple reinfections are being reported. H/t
UK H5N1: Two Human Cases "One human detection may represent contamination of the respiratory tract, while the second is more uncertain and could be consistent with infection."
High concentrations of COVID detected at all 14 New York City wastewater treatment plants
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Laura Miers
@LauraMiers
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What’s that? But I was told the pandemic is over and we’re “in a different place” now. My heart breaks for everyone who will be disabled during this wave, with no positive PCR test to show for it. h/t @MeetJesshttps://cbsnews.com/newyork/news/covid-rebound-detected-new-york-city-wastewater/
The "news" is promoting the "idea" of "post pandemic"...while we are slowly moving towards an even worse healthcrisis...
DJ, if you do not test statistics may become meaningless...There is still waste water monitoring, sequencing of very limited samples finding lots of variations/sub variants of "Omicron"...very likely both CoViD and H5-like flu types widespread in mammals...We will see it return in humans...very likely this year...
DJ-my view- I do know a little from history...follow pandemic news for a few decades...We may move towards a "slow pandemic" in the start...more and more people getting infected...limited symptoms...However over time the number of re-infections, co-infections may do more damage...
Since we are already in a very major climate crisis, sinking ever deeper in a geo-political crisis, billions of people getting ill is "not welcome"....The exponential factor can show in lots of ways...We may already see exponential growth in the number of variants...(all named "Omicron"...most variants may NOT have been detected due to lack of testing...).
In a LONG TERM pandemic we may need to rethink the effects of non sterilizing vaccines and anti-virals. If they also increase new variants we may end up prolonging the pandemic via vaccines/anti virals...In the short term it may save millions of lives (at high costs in many aspects)...On the long run it may WORSEN the pandemic...kill more people/mammals...
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: June 05 2023 at 5:29am
‘Stay home’: Warning over new Covid wave Australia records 37,448 new Covid-19 cases as winter begins A winter warning for Covid-19 is under way across Australia as tens of thousands of people contract the virus.
It is winter in the "global south"...CoViD also spreading in mammals (some mammals may end up with flu-types and SARS-2...)...a "ticking time bomb"...
translation; We did reach a new low. At the moment we get more info about "our" variants from the US, South Korea -testing travelers- than we get from the NL-CDC. There are 31 (NL) samples on GISAID for week 20/21. Of them 14 are Amsterdam Universtity Medical Center (UMC), 9 from US/South Korea,and (only) 8 from NL-CDC....
May reflect how bad surveilance has become...How can sequencing still be meaningfull if there is so little testing ? DJ-Impression I get is even hospital CoViD cases may NOT see testing...("pandemic is over"-"religion").
So -are we ready for a H5-like flu pandemic ? No...denial as a strategy...
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: June 07 2023 at 12:00am
DJ-International developments are "bad"...so lots of info/attention going that way...
A single person is crapping out more SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes than has ever been recorded for this entire sewershed. Another excellent thread on cryptic lineages by
Although most STIs (sexually transmitted infections) are still treatable by modern antibiotics, 5 months ago in https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/01/massachusetts-dph-first-detection-of.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Massachusetts DPH: First Detection Of Gonorrhea Strain With Resistance To 5 Classes of Antibiotics we looked at growing concerns over antibiotic resistant gonorrhea in the United States.
Decline of the EU w/ MEP Clare Daly, Alexander Mercouris and Glenn Diesen
DJ, In Brussel-Belgium there are 60,000 lobbyists working for war-industry, big pharma...to get Euro-billions..."industry owned media" make or break politicians...
So "problems have to bring profits" tax money going into private hands funding politics/media..."neo liberal dictatorship"...
From non-sterilizing vaccines to wars...it is profit that counts.
UK spent just one day in a whole decade planning for a coronavirus pandemic. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail....
The highest numbers of new 28-day Covid cases were reported from South Korea, Australia, Brazil, France and the US. The highest numbers of new 28-day Covid deaths were reported from the US, Brazil France, Italy and Russia.
53,800 more deaths than expected in 2022: higher excess mortality than in 2020 and 2021
Nathalie Blanpain (INSEE)
In 2022, the observed deaths significantly exceeded those expected in the absence of a Covid-19 epidemic or other unusual events such as episodes of influenza or extreme heat, etc.
Excess mortality, i.e. the excess of observed deaths over those expected, was slightly higher in 2022 (8.7%) than in 2021 (6.9%) and 2020 (7.8%). Yet, probably thanks to vaccination and herd immunity, the Covid-19 epidemic was less deadly in 2022: there were 38,300 deaths of people with Covid-19 in hospitals and establishments for elderly according to Public Health France, significantly less than in 2021 (59,100). The number of death certificates with a “Covid-19” mention is also falling. Deaths from causes other than Covid-19 therefore increased in 2022. The year uncharacteristically had two episodes of influenza, due to a late epidemic in March-April and an early one in December. Extreme heat events in summer caused more deaths in 2022 than in 2021.
Finally, the Covid-19 epidemic may have led to an increase in deaths since 2020 due to indirect effects, such as postponements of operations, a drop in screening for other diseases, etc. However, these possible impacts have not yet been measured. There may also be an interruption or pause in the downward trend in mortality at each age, but it is not yet possible to identify it.
DJ, excess deaths may give an indication of where we are healthwise...Long term illness is another indication.
By now NOT reporting, NOT testing leads to very limited sequencing..."the story is under control"...
I only hope the healthcrisis also is "under control"....
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: June 09 2023 at 9:15pm
Join us today on a session on https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sickpay" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none; display: inline; color: inherit;" tabindex="0" target=" - #sickpay , with guests John Moloney, Dr Sian Williams & Sir Cary Cooper, hosts Dr Zubaida Haque & Prof Steve Reicher, Prof Trish Greenhalgh as chair & Dr Duncan Robertson on numbers.
DJ-Steps in prevention has to be related to the risks one has to deal with.
My view; Cold is low risk (eventough ME-CFS may have cold-corona virus links ???) So staying home not to infect other people would be welcome. Masks could be of use...But there is no need for large scale mandatory Non Pharma Interventions...
-Statistics from the winter part of the globe, East Asia etc. point to new variants spreading...so the risks are not gone !
-By now most damage/risks are long term...people may not die from CoViD but run risks of long term complications
-With low/no testing CoViD spread in non-human hosts will result in new variants-very likely HIGH RISK for humans...
-UK still has long waitinglists for hospital care...over 10% of UK population waiting (for months) for such care
-We need to keep testing/sequencing going...we are failing there
With also (H5) flu risks growing-lots of mammal spread we are NOT where we were before 2020 ! Since "politics-for-sale" keep doing a terrible job - we need change urgently !!!! It is up to the people themselves to get informed and protected.
Long term damage of CoViD can show in many different ways-even months after a mild infection. The damage can destroy your life !!! For that matter we need to take CoViD much more serious then we -at present- do !
Although our knowledge of pandemic influenza viruses only goes back about 130 years - and anything before 1918 is fairly shaky - as near as we can tell, all human influenza pandemics have come from H1, H2, or H3 viruses (see http://afludiary.blogspot.com/2014/07/are-influenza-pandemic-viruses-members.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Are Influenza Pandemic Viruses Members Of An Exclusive Club?) .
While H5N1 currently sits atop our pandemic worry list, no one really knows if a non-H1/H2/H3 virus can cause a human pandemic. But just because one hasn't (recently), doesn't mean it can't.
Novel H1, H2, and H3 flu viruses - even though they also have an avian origin - appear to have fewer barriers to overcome in order to jump to humans. They may not prove to be as virulent as H5 & H7 avian subtypes, but that puts them at or near the top of our pandemic threats list.
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Arguably, one of the most concerning is avian H3N8, which first jumped to humans a little over a year ago in https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2022/05/hong-kong-chp-finally-notified-of-2nd.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Hunan and Henan provinces , and more recently infected (and killed) a woman in Guangdong province (see https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/04/who-update-risk-assessment-ah3n8-in.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - WHO Update & Risk Assessment A(H3N8) in China )
While these are the only 3 confirmed human infections with H3N8, we've been following its evolution in birds, dogs, horses, and marine mammals for quite some time.
H3N8 remains a plausible cause of a global influenza pandemic that spread out of Russia in 1889-1900 (although some researchers now suspect a coronavirus instead).
about 60 years ago H3N8 jumped unexpectedly to horses, supplanting the old equine H7N7 and is now the only equine-specific influenza circulating the globe
in 2004 the equine H3N8 virus mutated enough to jump to canines, and began to spread among greyhounds in Florida (see http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/index.htm" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - EID Journal article http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/14/6/07-1270_article" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Influenza A Virus (H3N8) in Dogs with Respiratory Disease, Florida ).
in 2011 avian H3N8 was found in marine mammals (harbor seals), and 2012’s http://afludiary.blogspot.com/2012/07/mbio-mammalian-adapted-h3n8-in-seals.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - mBio: A Mammalian Adapted H3N8 In Seals , provided evidence that this virus had recently adapted to bind to alpha 2,6 receptor cells, the type found in the human upper respiratory tract.
in 2015's https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2015/08/jvirol-experimental-infectivity-of-h3n8.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - J.Virol.: Experimental Infectivity Of H3N8 In Swine , we saw a study that found that avian (but not canine or equine) H3N8 could easily infect pigs.
And just last March, in https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/03/emerging-microbes-inf-prevalence.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; - Emerging Microbes & Inf.: Prevalence, Evolution, Replication and Transmission of H3N8 Avian Influenza Viruses , we looked at the rapid spread of H3N8 (and other) avian flu viruses in Eastern China
Today we've a new study out of Hong Kong and China that further characterizes this emerging H3 virus, and deems it a potential threat to public health.
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As we've discussed often, Southeast Asia has long been considered ` http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/02/02/1075570341264.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - the cradle of influenza ’; an area of the world where both human and animal influenza viruses circulate more-or-less year round, and where there are ample opportunities for viruses to spillover (both to, and from, animals).
Although the 2009 H1N1 virus appears to have emerged from swine in Mexico, and the 1918 H1N1 may have originated from the United States, China has been the springboard for H2N2 (in1957), H3N2 ( in 1968), and more recently H5N1, H5N6, H7N9, H10N3, H3N6 and H3N8 (to name a few).
Surveillance and reporting from Mainland China (and other parts of Southeast Asia) are often lacking - and are frequently held close to the vest for political and economic reasons - meaning we could be easily be blindsided by the next emerging threat.
An H5 or H7 influenza pandemic might have a higher case fatality rate (CFR), but history suggests that H1, H2, or H3 pandemics are more likely to happen.
While hopefully less deadly, COVID has demonstrated that even a 1% CFR pandemic can have devastating impacts on our modern world.
"High levels of carbon monoxide are visible over North America on the above map. Carbon monoxide is forecast to be as high as 8715 parts per billion in Quebec, Canada on June 8, 2023 (at 12:00 UTC, a few hours from now, at the green circle)."
and the US/Canada is just one of the problem area's. Siberia, Indonesia, parts of Europe also see major problems. Animals in the wild can not change the way they live as fast as climate is changing-so there is a massive die-off. Increasing disseases in those animals-spreading into other hosts.
Covid disinformation unit made 'hourly contact' with big tech firms to flag dissent. “most paranoid wing of Government is interfering in the democratic process”
Debate over interventions was about profits...NOT public health ! The major cause of the CoViD pandemic is bad politics...greed. At present "war-for-profits" get a war-industry very rich-killing thousends per day.
DJ, there are lots of ways to watch for local/regional outbreaks. Waste water/sewage sampling is still essential (but often ignored...not enough profits for "political sponsors").
US: 108 nursing home workers have died from Covid in the last 12 weeks.
and
wsbgnl
@wsbgnl
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CDC reports eight more nursing home workers died of covid in the week ending June 4th. In the last 12 weeks, 108 nursing home workers were reported to have died from covid. https://cdc.gov/nhsn/covid19/ltc-report-overview.html
DJ, So...is the CoViD risk limited enough to ignore the risks ? Lots of regions still seem to have lots of cases. International travel may bring new variants to area's with limited/no protection...
El medallista de oro olímpico en ciclismo y campeón mundial Filippo Ganna ha tenido que dejar el ciclismo. Se infectó de Cov1d en el Giro de Italia hace un mes y ahora tiene cov1d persistente.
In short cycling champion Ganna stopped cycling suffering from persistent CoViD he catched at the Giro de Italia....(may this year)
warn for damage to immunity after CoViD infection. On top of long term other damage-all over the body-CoViD is a real major health risk. Maybe in many ways a "time bomb" that will show its damage in the coming years...
So
-Hospitals in many places may no longer be in crisis mode
-Excess deaths may be limited, (and related more to heatwaves...however long CoViD and heatwaves are a bad combination. Wild fires and lung damage = bad !)
-Waste water/testing may even be confronted with CoViD escaping testing...
Again both CoViD and H5N1 spreading in mammals is bad news...it will come (back) to humans soon...
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: June 11 2023 at 10:54pm
DJ-june 12...the global war situation is getting worse...We are NOT in an open World War Three...but we are much to close to it...
Western leaders have to change their blind following US/biden insanity...Ukraine may be blown apart by Russian missiles, western economies are destroyed by insane confrontationism instead of diplomacy...
Japan: Covid cases up by 25% in one week. "The number of new COVID-19 cases ... increased 1.25-fold from the preceding week's 3.63 to 4.55, the health ministry said," According to the ministry, 22,432 new cases were reported in the week to Sunday.
According to the ministry, 22,432 new cases were reported in the week to Sunday.
DJ, however the global south is in winter...travel will bring transport of (new) variants...At best some (lucky) countries may be in a "pandemic-pause"...
Lots of diseases themselves may be out of control-in part because of massive widespread immunity damage...However "the news" on the global ongoing healthcrisis is under control...
Like with climate collapse denial the most common "strategy" by "politicians-for-sale"...profits first "saving the economy"...
I need a break...what a total @#$%*$% mess !!!
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: June 15 2023 at 6:25am
Another bombshell for Covid origins: “[US govt sources claim that] three of the earliest people to become infected with SARS-CoV-2 were Ben Hu, Yu Ping, and Yan Zhu.” Those are WIV coronavirus genetic engineers from Shi Zhengli’s team. https://public.substack.com/p/first-people-sickened-by-covid-19
On 23 January 2020, the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Council_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="State Council of the People's Republic of China - central government of China imposed a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockdown" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="Lockdown - lockdown in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuhan" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="Wuhan - Wuhan and other cities in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubei" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="Hubei - Hubei in an effort to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarantine" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="Quarantine - quarantine the center of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Hubei" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei - an outbreak of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="COVID-19 - COVID-19 ; this action was commonly referred to as the Wuhan lockdown ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplified_Chinese_characters" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="Simplified Chinese characters - Chinese : 武汉封城; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="Pinyin - pinyin : Wǔhàn fēng chéng). The https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" title="World Health Organization - World Health Organization (WHO), although stating that it was beyond its own guidelines, commended the move, calling it "unprecedented in public health history". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_lockdown_in_China#cite_note-:0-2" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); background: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; - [2]
DJ, it may take time before we can claim to fully understand how SARS-2 started, what relation it has/had with 2003-SARS1, etc.
With the COVID-19 pandemic reaching its worst heights, people are interested in the origin of SARS-CoV-2. This study started with two important questions: first, were there any similar atypical pneumonia outbreaks, even on a smaller level, reported between SARS in 2004 and COVID-19 in 2019/20 in China. Second, examining the beta-coronavirus most closely related to date with SARS-CoV-2 at the genome sequence level, strain RaTG13 (CoV4991), which was sampled from a horseshoe bat in Yunnan province, we asked where exactly did it come from. It was found that RaTG13/CoV4991 was collected from Tongguan mineshaft in Mojiang, Yunnan, China, in 2013. Surprisingly, the same mineshaft was also associated with a severe pneumonia-like illness in miners in 2012 killing three of the six miners. A Master's thesis (in the Chinese language) was found on the cnki.net website which described in detail the severe illness in miners. The thesis concluded that a SARS-like CoV originating from Chinese horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus) was the predicted causative agent. The cases were remotely monitored by a prominent pulmonologist in China. Retrospective analysis of the pneumonia cases shows striking similarities with COVID-19. Bilateral pneumonia, vascular complications like pulmonary thromboembolism, and secondary infections are the main similarities. The treatment regimes were similar to the current treatments for COVID-19. We propose that the Mojiang mineshaft miners' illness could provide important clues to the origin of SARS-CoV-2. These cases should be studied by various academicians, researchers, and medical professionals as many important questions are raised in this context.
Another similar report from Ukraine regarding Delta variant circulation: "A delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 - B.1.617.2 Delta, which continues to circulate in our region, was also detected in individual samples." https://ogo.ua/articles/view/2023-06-13/133102.html
DJ, the WHO is sticking to naming all new variants "Omicron" because that variant would end the pandemic....
The CoViD-virus finding new ways to get into the host...maybe some new vaccines offer protection if the virus had developed in another direction (in some area's). ...
Last month, in https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/05/netherlands-zoonoses-experts-council-db.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Netherlands: Zoonoses Experts Council (DB-Z) Risk Assessment & Warning of Swine As `Mixing Vessels' For Avian Flu , we looked at concerns that avian H5N1 could increase its pandemic threat by spreading (and evolving) in farmed swine.
That report was followed a week later by a report (see https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/05/study-seroconversion-of-swine-herd-in.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 127, 127); - Study: Seroconversion of a Swine Herd in a Free-Range Rural Multi-Species Farm against HPAI H5N1 2.3.4.4b Clade Virus ) at a `mixed species' farm (poultry & swine) in Italy.
Similar concerns were voiced 2 months ago, in the https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/03/ecdcefsa-avian-influenza-overview.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - ECDC/EFSA Avian Influenza Overview December 2022 – March 2023 which warned:
The additional reports of transmission events to and potentially between mammals, e.g. mink, sea lion, seals, foxes and other carnivores as well as seroepidemiological evidence of transmission to wild boar and domestic pigs, associated with evolutionary processes including mammalian adaptation are of concern and need to be closely followed up.
This is not a new concern (see below), but HPAI H5's https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/03/emerging-microbes-inf-neurotropic-hpai.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - recent affinity for spilling over into mammals has raised the stakes.
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While H5 infection in pigs appears rare, between extremely limited testing, and the fact that H5N1 tends to be https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1000102" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - asymptomatic (or mildly symptomatic) in pigs , it may be more common than we realize.
Yesterday the CDC's EID journal published a report on experimental infection of pigs with an H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus conducted by the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut in Germany.
Reassuringly they found that exposed pigs demonstrated only a low susceptibility to infection with the virus strain used.
At first glance, this would seem to be great news, but it comes with a significant caveat. The authors wrote (underlining mine):
Overall, we conclude that pigs are unlikely vehicles in transmitting this genotype of HPAI virus H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b among pigs and across interfaces.
Followed by:
However,considering the ongoing massive panzootic of this virus, a plethora of new genotypes of the circulating strain is emerging, with possibly higher permissiveness for pigs.
Since HPAI H5N1 continues to evolve rapidly (see https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/06/h5n1-only-constant-is-change.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - H5N1: The Only Constant is Change ), it is reasonable to assume the properties of the strain used in this study could differ from the https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2022/11/preprint-rapid-evolution-of-ah5n1.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - scores of other genotypes that currently circulate around the globe, and those that will inevitably follow.
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Everything we can say about the behavior and threat of avian flu is based on limited data, much of which is months (or even years) old by the time it gets published. Our ability to monitor - in real time - what is happening with avian flu is severely limited.
Not only are there vast swaths of the planet where little or no surveillance is being done, there are many countries that - for economic, societal, or political reasons - are slow to share what they know.
At the same time that H5N1's evolution has sped up, our ability to keep up has diminished. And that is a dangerous position to be in.
DJ, I think it is very likely H5N1 may be -at low numbers- spreading in humans-so far without major symptoms...Lots of countries simply do not have the means for good enough public healthcare...with those kept poor running the highest risks (often sharing housing with poultry...).
While we’re in the midst of an unprecedented international outbreak of H5N1 avian flu (with ongoing spillover into mammals), there’s a new kid on the block: H5N5 influenza. I think recent reports of H5N5 were glossed over by some who didn’t realize we’re talking about a different strain from the H5N1 we’ve been dealing with the last couple of years. While it’s not necessarily a game-changer, we need to pay attention to new strains like this.
The story starts with the finding of H5N5 flu in birds in Atlantic Canada, which started in January 2023. The genetic makeup of the virus indicates it’s a Eurasian lineage that’s circulating in birds in Europe. It’s suspected that it made it to Canada via migratory birds last fall.
More recently, and more concerningly, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-avian-flu-virus-h5n5-raccoons-1.6861818" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(6, 58, 177); text-decoration: underline; - this H5N5 strain was identified in two raccoons in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. As far as I know, this is the first report of H5N5 in mammals. Presumably the raccoons were infected from eating infected birds, which is how we suspect most mammalian wildlife with H5N1 get infected too.
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Regardless, the presence of yet another avian flu strain and more spillover into mammals is a bit disconcerting, to say the least. Recent genetic study of this H5N5 virus has indicated that it’s likely also capable of long-term circulation in birds and recombination with other flu viruses, so this is a virus to watch.
That’s not to say that we’re heading into a massive H5N5 outbreak. It’s one more flu virus in the mix, one more flu virus with the potential to recombine with other (human, avian, swine, equine, canine, etc.) flu viruses, and one more flu virus that can (even in its current state) spillover into mammals. So we need to stay on alert. There are lots of influenza viruses out there: some are nasty, they are prone to changing, and sometimes that can be bad for humans or other species.
DJ, co-infection with different types of flu may result in new flu-variants that are more dangerous...
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(35, 121, 181); text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(235, 244, 249); - COVID-19 Global cases and deaths continued to drop over the past 28 days, but the metrics don't accurately reflect infection rates because of the steady drop in testing and regular reporting from countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday in its latest https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-covid-19---15-june-2023" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(35, 121, 181); text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(235, 244, 249); - weekly update .
DJ, denial as a strategy...the "news" is under control...the diseases are out of sight...So it is just a matter of time before we face major new pandemics...(not "if" but "when"...).
Big Pharma may have plans to increase profits as much as they can...exploiting misery...Like the war industry turns killing into profits...
The present "blind" neo-"liberal" system is the basic problem...and it looks like it has to get much worse before it gets any better...
Here in NL we have a very long period of dry warm weather - it may become problematic soon. With lots of wildfire risks, logistic problems due to low river levels...so only very limited shipping.
There are unusual earthquakes...very likely climate collapse related...
But I am tired of it all....people do not want to know in many ways THEY !!! are the problem....So keep driving cars, eat meat, fly all over the planet till it all collapses ?
Reminds me of biblical stories-dancing around the golden calf...One could see that -in that time- as a local problem...Common crazyness at present is a growing very major risk for this planet...
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: June 20 2023 at 12:02am
One could think of several kinds of "pandemic scenario's". The most optimistic one claims we have a major pandemic once every hundred years...So the Spanish Flu (maybe timing 1917-1923 may cover it...the H1N1 virus behind it showed up later on-doing less damage) and CoViD-19 are exceptional...A next major pandemic maybe around 2120 ?
DJ-I would love to believe that view....
Myself I go for "pandemic-pause" scenario....The main reason we now do not see massive healthcare crises in many places may be related to CoViD (and H5N1) spreading in mammals...It will return to humans within months...
Another "story" that keeps showing up is "lab-leak"....at best this is a serious discussion on safety of lab, gain-of-function studies...Often it is a "blame (China) game"....My view; Even if there would be a virus "leaking/escaping" from a lab...in most cases it will need several steps to become a pandemic...
There will be a lot of study (needed) to see if SARS-1 (2003) MERS, other corona virusses are linked-in anyway-to CoViD 19/SARS-2...Did SARS-1 end up in animals (bats) develop/mutate further to become a major risk for humans 15 years later ?
Of course it may be hard to even find the first human CoViD-19 case..Indications are it may have been around in several places first half of 2019...In many ways it would be "very welcome" if CoViD could be linked/limited to Wuhan...either the animal market or a bio-lab...History may indicate these things are NEVER easy....
Overall, the prevalence of mental health outcomes in #LongCovid and non-LC: Anxiety: 25.2% in LC, 16.7% in non-LC Depression: 32.7% in LC, 21.8% in non-LC Suicidal thoughts: 17.2% in LC, 10.8% in non-LC
India: Adolescents more short-tempered and aggressive post-Covid A significant change in the behavior of adolescents has been noticed in the post-Covid period. They are turning more arrogant, irritable, short-tempered, defiant and rebellious.
DJ, lots of things we did see as basic, from healthcare to schools, became much less certain...Insecurity is a motor behind anti-social behavior. Governments and healthcare need to be open and honest on pandemics...
There is lots of science on Long CoViD...it may not be able to explain all the healthissues but may offer some basic understanding...However "politics" only seem to be interested in the costs...
Tens of thousands of people are still suffering from long-term health problems after an infection of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The approach to helping these people must be improved, said the Social Impact Team (MIT). The group of advisors told the Cabinet that there should be more knowledge about long-term Covid-19 symptoms and that they should have better access to more services, including healthcare and education.
It is estimated that 90,000 residents of the Netherlands are severely limited by long-lasting symptoms of the coronavirus disease. They encounter barriers and incomprehension, said the MIT in their long-awaited advice, which was released on Monday. The team called the complaints "disruptive" both for physical and mental health, but also for an individual’s household, family life, social life and work.
The MIT was set up last summer to produce advice on the broad social and economic impact of any new measures to tackle an epidemic or pandemic in the future. On Monday morning, MIT Chair Jolande Sap handed over the advice to Social Affairs Minister Karien van Gennip. Sap referred to all of the “harrowing stories" about people who are severely limited by long-term Covid symptoms.
In conversations with patients, the MIT saw "a great deal of mistrust, indignation and anger" at the Cabinet’s action and inaction during and following the pandemic. They should be listened to more often when planning and implementing policy, according to the MIT.
Omicron can lead to Long Covid in a significant proportion of non-hospitalized patients 6–12 months after infection.
and
Dr Elisa Perego
@elisaperego78
·
Omicron infection can lead to #LongCovid in a significant proportion of nonhospitalized patients 6–12 months after infection. A study on 6242 people of all ages from Hong Kong infected up to 6 May 2022, with Covid proven by positive PCR or RAT https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmv.28862
DJ; "saving the economy/profits" in the short term may end up in billions of costs on the longer time..."penny wise-pound foolish"....
Vipin M. Vashishtha
@vipintukur
·
Study confirms that age had no impact on the infectiousness of SARS-CoV-2, w/ children of all ages able to produce high levels of infectious virus. No significant differences in relationship between SARS2 virus titre & RNA viral load in children across different age groups 1/
another form of widespread insanity is "natural immunity offers protection"...it is "good" if children catch CoViD...
-CoViD may do lots of damage
-natural immunity -if any- is short lived...
DJ-I find the present situation- on health, wars, climate, very depressing...So I limit the time getting informed...
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: June 21 2023 at 12:38am
China: FU.1 is now the most common Covid variant. Easily outcompetes XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16 and XBB.1.9.2. #SARSCoV2 H/t @RajlabNhttps://public.tableau.com/app/profile/raj.rajnarayanan/viz/COVID-19VariantDashboard-China_16536167334760/VariantDashboard
DJ, so the FU.1 subvariant...still named "Omicron" because "Omicron had to be the last pandemic variant" seems to be increasing...But cases of CoViD in many countries do no longer need to be reported, there is hardly any testing...because "CoViD has to be over" "politics"....
Goed dat je me eraan herinnert! Het zit nog niet in mijn systeem. 9 samples afgenomen in week 22 door de USA waarbij staat: 'Traveler from Netherlands' 3 XBB.1.5 2 XCC (zie issue) 1 XBB.1.9.1 (FL.1) 1 XBB.1.16 1 XBB.2.3 1 CH.1.1(FK.1.2)/BQ.1 recombinant
NL pandemic science has to get info on NL situation based on findings at border controls....
This is the anedoctal tale of six rapid antigen covid tests (RAT) from four different brands taken by the same person, within a 2 hour time period and how the results were quite diverse. It reinforces that a negative RAT doesn't mean a person isn't infected. Act accordingly.
Interesting study where participants were purposely infected with a very early variant of SARS-COV-2 and followed intensively while in quarantaine. 'Individuals who reported the highest total symptom scores were not those who emitted most virus.' Etc.. https://thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(23)00101-5/fulltext
link [url]https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(23)00101-5/fulltext#seccestitle10[/url] or https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(23)00101-5/fulltext#seccestitle10
CoronaHeadsUp
@CoronaHeadsUp
·
FU.1 - This could be the next big thing. FU.1 = Omicron XBB.1.16.1.1 https://github.com/cov-lineages/pango-designation/issues/2037
As we discussed in depth https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/06/upcoming-cdc-webinar-jun-20th-what.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - last Friday , later today (June 20th) the CDC will hold a Webinar on https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2023/callinfo_062023.asp" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - What Providers Need to Know about Zoonotic Influenza (see details below), on identifying, treating, and reporting zoonotic influenza infections.
These presentations are often technical, and are of greatest interest to clinicians and healthcare providers, but also may be of interest to the general public. As always, If you are unable to attend the live presentation, these (and past) webinars are https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/index.asp" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); background-color: rgb(235, 237, 236); font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; - archived and available for later viewing at this LINK.
Details on the presentation follow:
https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2023/callinfo_062023.asp" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - What Providers Need to Know about Zoonotic Influenza
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to emphasize the importance of ongoing surveillance to detect human infections with novel influenza A viruses, including highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus. A(H5N1) viruses continue to spread among wild birds and poultry in the United States and many regions of the world. Surveillance can also identify human infections with swine influenza A viruses, which are referred to as variant influenza A virus infections. These sporadic infections typically occur during the summer and early fall after exposures to pigs at agricultural fairs. Given the pandemic risk posed by novel influenza A virus infections, healthcare providers should remain alert to the possibility of human infections with influenza viruses that can spread between animals and people.
During this COCA call, presenters will give a comprehensive overview of novel influenza A viruses, focused on avian influenza A(H5N1) virus and variant influenza viruses. They will discuss CDC’s guidance for clinicians on testing, specimen collection, and antiviral treatment for people with suspected or confirmed infections. Presenters will also address patient exposure histories and review questions to ask patients to help guide clinical diagnosis and testing for novel influenza A virus infections.
DJ, maybe a reminder that H5N1 in mammals may mix/recombine with other flu-virusses...so it may NOT be H5N1 starting the next flu-pandemic. Very likely a H1, H2, H3 flu-variant will use less immunity in humans to become a pandemic within months...
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OF COURSE !!!! We -countries- should INCREASE monitoring/testing/communication on pandemic risks...
Mild initial infections with new CoViD variants still will result in long term damage...A lot of suffering/disease at homes...so "politics" can ignore the problem...
Brazil: Pernambuco declares public health emergency due to overcrowding of children's ICUs. 54 children are waiting for an ICU bed for SRAG/SARS in the state, while another five are waiting for an ICU bed in clinical pediatrics.
DJ...due to a total lack of testing/reporting we now may see CoViD spreading undetected...a "silent/silenced" pandemic...
Mike Honey
@Mike_Honey_
·
Here's the latest variant picture for the new FU.1 lineage. First, an animated map showing the spread of FU.1 around the world. The earliest sample of FU.1 was recorded in Virginia, USA, in mid-Feb. Eventually it became quite widespread in India, Singapore and China.
Tuesday's Pandemic Update The FU.1 Variant Is 50% More Transmissible!
231 views Jun 21, 2023
Today's pandemic update with the latest news and data on the Covid pandemic. My website: www.datareport.info My Twitter username: @CovidDataReport My other channel where I do videos about the weather.
The Thursday edition of the pandemic update is now out with the latest news and data on the covid pandemic. Thursday's Pandemic Update: More Needs To Be Done To Raise Awareness About Long Covid https://youtu.be/EI99Aye6nno via
Overnight there are literally dozens of media reports of unusual cat deaths across Poland due to an as-yet unidentified cause. Most appear to be `echo' reports, based on a limited number of incidents.
While many causes are possible - including deliberate or accidental poisonings - with recent reports of avian flu affecting cats in the https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/05/usda-update-on-mammalian-h5-infections.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - United States, Canada and France , media speculation is running high.
While a hyperbole warning is in effect, a few link to (Polish Language) reports include:
https://stronazdrowia.pl/niepokojace-sygnaly-z-calej-polski-przebieg-jest-ostry-smierc-w-ciagu-24-godzin-glowny-lekarz-weterynarii-komentuje/ar/c14-17649855" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Disturbing signals from all over Poland! The course is acute, "death within 24 hours." The Chief Veterinary Officer comments
https://www.antyradio.pl/News/w-polsce-masowo-umieraja-koty-leczenie-nie-przynosi-rezultatu" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Cats die en masse in Poland. "No treatment has any effect
https://wiadomosci.radiozet.pl/polska/nieznana-choroba-atakuje-koty-w-polsce-wydano-ostrzezenia-wysoka-smiertelnosc" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - An unknown disease attacks cats in Poland. Warnings issued. "High mortality"
The primary source for these reports appears to be a combination of anecdotal reports from across Poland, and an https://www.facebook.com/pages/Specvet%20-%20Specjalistyczna%20Przychodnia%20Weterynaryjna%20Mokot%C3%B3w/105793247691989" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - alert issued on Facebook by https://www.facebook.com/przychodnia.specvet/?show_switched_toast=0&show_invite_to_follow=0&show_switched_tooltip=0&show_podcast_settings=0&show_community_review_changes=0&show_community_rollback=0&show_follower_visibility_disclosure=0" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - SpecVet - Specjalistyczne Przychodnie Weterynaryjne (SpecVet - Specialist Veterinary Clinics) which operates at two locations in Warsaw.
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Hopefully necropsies and laboratory analyses are ongoing, and we'll learn more in the days ahead.
Up until twenty years ago, cats were thought largely immune to influenza A viruses, but that perception changed after hundreds of captive tigers (and other large cats) died in Southeast Asia after being fed raw poultry contaminated with the H5N1 virus (see https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2015/10/hpai-h5-catch-as-cats-can.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - HPAI H5: Catch As Cats Can ).
For the next dozen years we saw sporadic feline infections with H5, and in 2016 we saw another avian virus - H7N2 - sweep through hundreds of cats in animal shelters in New York City, while also infecting several workers (see https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2017/05/j-virology-virulence-of-novel-h7n2.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2017/05/j-virology-virulence-of-novel-h7n2.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Virology: Virulence Of A Novel H7N2 Virus Isolated From Cats In NYC - Dec 2016 ).
Although the risk of contracting HPAI from a companion animal is considered very low, it is not zero.
Which is why the CDC, and other public health agencies around the world, have issued guidance to pet owners on how to best protect their animals from undo exposure (see https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-in-other-animals.htm" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Bird Flu in Pets and Other Animals ).
Posted by https://www.blogger.com/profile/07982161449334601397" rel="author" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127);" title="author profile - at https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/06/media-reports-of-unusual-cat-deaths-in.html" rel="bookmark" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127);" title="permanent link - https://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2023/06/articles/animals/birds/h5n5-avian-influenza-in-mammals-canada/[/url] or https://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2023/06/articles/animals/birds/h5n5-avian-influenza-in-mammals-canada/ - https://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2023/06/articles/animals/birds/h5n5-avian-influenza-in-mammals-canada/
...again...H5N1 spreading in mammals may result in recombination/mix with other flu-virusses that CAN be a major risk for humans...
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My view; We may be at the end of a "pandemic pause". We are LESS prepared to deal with the restart of several illnesses at pandemic level than we were in 2019.
Both "politics" and "media" go for "sponsors/profits" NOT for public interest AGAIN....
War-promotion-getting war industry share holders very rich-seems to be priority...Big Pharma share holders may try to get even more rich by promoting expensive pharma products...(no interest in effectivity other than profit-effectivity...)
The only way out may come from civilized BRICS+ countries...neo-liberalism is destroying this planet...
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: June 25 2023 at 11:38pm
DJ, There is "limited" news on CoViD/Pandemic risks...lots of info-but not all "info" has much value...lack of testing/sequencing may be a problem for
LIVE: Join us for a discussion on Long Covid support, led by Prof Danny Altmann, with guests Ondine Sherwood & Dr Pauline Oustric, chair Prof Susan Michie & numbers by Dr Kit Yates
Today's pandemic update with the latest news and data on the Covid pandemic. My website: www.datareport.info My Twitter username: @CovidDataReport My other channel where I do videos about the weather. https://www.youtube.com/@Climatedatareport" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none; display: inline-flex; color: inherit; align-items: center;" tabindex="0" target=""> / @climatedatareport
Japan: COVID-19 infections rise 3-fold in 6 weeks. Case numbers have tripled since COVID-19 was downgraded to Category 5 under the Infectious Diseases Law on May 8th.
Japan, Okinawa: The number of hospitalized coronavirus patients has exceeded 500, already surpassing the eighth wave of infections in January of this year.
Australia (winter there) cases -35% as far as any reporting...South Africa numbers not included....For South America only statistics from 5 countries....
Poland: Three cats have died from bird flu At least three dead cats have been diagnosed with influenza virus that infects birds en masse. Veterinarians from all over Poland inform that recently there have been mysterious deaths of cats.
DJ I did see these cat infections mentioned last week...
Bird flu in Polish cats? Virologist: It doesn't look good
Author PAULINA WOJTOWICZ June 24, 2023
Bird flu virus was detected in three Polish cats. This is a sensation, because so far only two cases of death of these animals due to infection with the H5N1 virus have been confirmed in the world. Is there anything to be afraid of? "We are talking about three cases here; it does not mean a cause and effect relationship, but it does not look good" - admits Prof. Krzysztof Pyrć, virologist. -
In an interview with "Newsweek", the Krakow virologist once again pointed out that in order to seriously consider the threat, the connection between influenza virus infection and cat deaths must be confirmed. Prof. Pyrć drew attention to the fact that there has been talk of a flu pandemic among birds for some time, and reports of cases of infection with the same virus in mammals are very worrying.
"The greatest concern is the possibility of the emergence of a variant of the virus that would effectively transmit between people. With a mortality rate of 60 percent, this would be extremely dangerous" - he explained.
The expert also mentioned that other possible causes of the mysterious cat deaths are also being investigated. "There are speculations among veterinarians that the new disease may be caused by the rustrel virus, related to the human rubella virus , which has recently appeared in several European countries. We are currently waiting for the results of tests that will confirm or exclude the presence of this virus in the samples."
While influenza often takes a back seat during the summer, this year - with H5N1 spreading globally, and recent reports of spillovers of swine variant viruses https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/06/who-risk-assessment-fatal-h1n1v.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - in Brazil and https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/05/taiwan-cdc-reports-3rd-h1n2v-case.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Taiwan - influenza remains very much a hot topic.
Add in that it is now winter in the Southern Hemisphere, and some regions are reporting moderate-to-high activity, and there are good reasons for the following updates from the CDC.
First stop, the CDC's COCA Call webinar (and an accompanying https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/ppt/2023/062023_slides.pdf" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - 78 slide PDF file ) on https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2023/callinfo_062023.asp" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - What Providers Need to Know about Zoonotic Influenza , both released on June 20th, is now online and available to view and/or download.
The https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2023/callinfo_062023.asp" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - 1hr 11min video presentation is very much worth your time, but the star of the show for me is the https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/ppt/2023/062023_slides.pdf" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - 78-page slide show , which I highly recommend downloading and keeping as a reference guide.
DJ....no doubt lots of info-however taking lots of time...
A week ago, in https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/06/who-risk-assessment-fatal-h1n1v.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - WHO Risk Assessment: Fatal H1N1v Infection In Brazil , we saw the report of a fatal swine H1N1 infection in an immunocompromised woman who lived near - but had no direct contact with - a pig farm in Brazil.
and
And lastly, the CDC is monitoring flu activity in the Southern Hemisphere and around the globe.
According to flu activity data submitted to the World Health Organization:
Influenza A(H1N1) viruses have been most commonly reported.
Chile has reported an early start to their flu season.
Argentina is experiencing typical levels of flu activity.
South Africa has been experiencing high flu activity for this time of year.
Australia is experiencing typical levels of flu activity.
While not in the Southern Hemisphere, Mexico has been experiencing abnormally high flu activity in May and June. Typically, Mexico has low flu activity during this time of the year.
Limited data are available on flu-related hospitalizations in Southern Hemisphere countries at this time, but South Africa has reported a “moderate” level of flu related hospitalizations, while Australia has reported a “normal” level of flu-related hospitalizations compared with historic trends.
Flu season in the Southern Hemisphere usually occurs between April and September, compared with October through May in the Northern Hemisphere. Experts often look at Southern Hemispheric flu activity for clues as to what could happen in the United States. This 2023 Southern Hemisphere flu season, some Central and South America countries have early or intense influenza A(H1N1) activity, while others have typically timed seasons with a mix of influenza A(H3N2), influenza A(H1N1), and influenza B/Victoria.
With COVID still churning out new variants, the increased threat from zoonotic flu cases, and the possibility that something `new' might emerge, it is important to monitor influenza-like illness around the globe closely.
Unfortunately, surveillance and reporting remains suboptimal in many regions (see https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/04/lancet-preprint-national-surveillance.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Lancet Preprint: National Surveillance for Novel Diseases - A Systematic Analysis of 195 Countries ), and international tensions and economic priorities often conspire to further cloud the picture (see https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2022/12/flying-blind-in-viral-storm.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(63, 63, 127); - Flying Blind In The Viral Storm ).
Which is why we need to be preparing for the next pandemic as if the warning bells were already ringing.
DJ..."Flu-Rona" CoViD and Flu co-infecting "teamwork on a viral level"...with CoViD damaging immunity, in my view is a very major risk. CoViD, Mpox are not over....
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
Posted By: Dutch Josh
Date Posted: June 29 2023 at 12:02am
Another aspect "pharma production capacity & basics" may be under BRIICSS+ control...from gloves to anti-virals...most of it is "Made in Asia"....no longer available for US$...(maybe still for Euro's...).
According to the UN health agency, COVID-19 is still responsible for over 1,000 deaths a week in the European region. However, this can be an underestimation as many countries no longer maintain proper data.
People aged 60 and older, healthcare workers and people with medical risks, including pregnant women, should be offered a repeat vaccination shot against Covid-19 every year, the Dutch Health Council said in advice to the Cabinet. This vaccine round should be organized in the autumn, possibly in combination with the flu jab for which they already qualify, the Council wrote on Wednesday. This will offer optimal protection in the winter, "but it should be possible to get a vaccination all year round.”
In total, about 4 million people could get the Covid-19 booster shot, the council predicted. Advice about the "structural vaccination program" was sent to Health Minister Ernst Kuipers who will then have to decide how to proceed.
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It is the first advisory report from the Health Council about tackling the coronavirus since the end of the pandemic. The virus is now part of everyday life, and is thus considered to be endemic. That does not mean that the virus has disappeared, because people are still getting infected, with some requiring hospitalization due to severe symptoms.
In addition, people are still dying from the consequences of the infection. These are mainly people from the risk groups, for whom the Health Council has recommended the annual booster shot.
DJ, Daily hospital CoViD cases between 20 and 200....
Japan, Okinawa: Doctor fears a "deluge even bigger than last summer's wave." "COVID infections are spreading rapidly in Okinawa among all age groups, with no signs of subsiding. "
Japan's COVID-19 cases are rising again, especially in the southern prefecture of Okinawa, as people enjoy normal summer activities for the first time in three years. Some doctors fear another wave is imminent, after the government downgraded the coronavirus to the same category as seasonal flu in May.
Okinawa had 157 coronavirus patients admitted to hospitals in the week through Sunday, about 1.3 times more than in the previous week.
DJ, If NL has daily 20-200 CoViD cases going into hospital the criteria may be different from Okinawa...Comparing statistics can become misleading...
Hancock: UK made a “huge error” in assuming a pandemic could not be prevented from spreading. He's “profoundly sorry for each death”, and takes responsibility for mistakes in the preparations. But is the UK any better prepared now??
DJ...there are also-again-claims China released CoViD-19 as a bio-weapon in september 2019....My view; NON-SENSE !!! It did do severe damage to China...Same kind of non-sense like Russia blew up NordStream or shoot down MH17...Russia would plan to blow up the ZNPP...it makes NO sense !
updated variant proportions estimates on 06/23/2023 (updated every other Friday) EU.1.1 (XBB.1.5.26.1.1), FE.1.1 (XBB.1.18.1.1.1) and XBB.1.5.68 make an entry >>Expecting EG.5.1 to make an entry in the dashboard next week << https://twitter.com/RajlabN/status/1672244735795245064… 4/n
so other variants (then FU.1) may need watching...
DJ, we may see regional flare ups...One could claim CoViD is no longer causing a global healthcrisis...DJ-but such a crisis may be just a few weeks away...
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Some countries will offer CoViD-boosters -in combination sometimes with flu vaccines. In some regions masks may be reintroduced...school breaks/restart of schools CAN bring another wave...but we did not see major increases after earlier holidays/mass events....
I think it would be wise if governments (for many reasons) reduced air travel, still tested waste water/sewage...Investments in good ventilation of public buildings would also be welcome...
My view-honest communication on pandemics/health care risks -increasing- could help people to deal with the stress it can cause...denial only makes matters worse...
------------- We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein