Diomede - Alaskan island village hit by suspected swine flu

[Pathfinder]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=2><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Alaska island village hit by suspected swine flu
By RACHEL D'ORO



ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Suspected swine flu is sweeping a traditional Eskimo whaling village on a remote Alaska island - prompting an urgent medical mission to deliver help.
``Diomede is probably the most isolated place in the United States right now,'' said David Head, a doctor involved in the effort. ``We thought it would be better to go out there and just vaccinate people.''
So many of the 130 residents of Diomede have been stricken with flu-like symptoms that the Alaska Army National Guard stepped in with a Black Hawk helicopter to transport a medical team from Nome 135 miles away, where Head is chief of staff at Norton Sound Health Corp.
Diomede, located less than three miles from Russia's Big Diomede Island in the Bering Strait, is all the more isolated because passenger air service was halted four months ago when the sole helicopter used for that purpose was sidelined for repairs.
``There's no way people can get out of here,'' said 73-year-old Patrick Omiak Sr., the village tribal council president. ``For emergencies, I'm real glad about the National Guard.'' A different helicopter still delivers mail and goods, but for liability reasons cannot carry passengers.
He was among the many in the village to get the flu vaccinations that were delivered by a doctor and public health nurse who arrived Thursday from Nome. The medical team also brought enough medicine such Tamiflu to treat every resident if necessary.
Omiak has not gotten sick but said many in community are fighting symptoms including runny noses and bad coughs.
``Some kind of a virus is going around on this little island,'' he said.
The illness is just the latest hardship for the residents of the rocky island, which covers only two square miles of treeless terrain.
Most residents, whose homes have no running water, are Ingalikmiut Eskimos who depend on subsistence foods, hunting bowhead whale, walrus and seal along with fish and crab.
Medics aren't saying how many in the village have taken ill, but they note it's a significant enough portion of the population to warrant the emergency response. Three sick people, including a small child, also have been flown out of the village for treatment. At least one person has tested positive for swine flu in a preliminary analysis.
The Guard will continue to help with emergencies until the regular helicopter service is restored, said Jeremy Zidek, a spokesman for the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Randy Ruaro, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Sean Parnell, said state police and the coast guard are also ready to help until the repairs are completed, hopefully by December. Meanwhile, he said a plan to use the single-engine chopper to transport patients is under discussion. ``I think everyone is working to try and reach the best solution,'' he said.
11/07/09 11:05 <!--MediaLinkList=APO;IMAGE;20021030AKRD101|-->? Copyright The Associated Press.


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

http://channels.isp.netscape.com/news/story.jsp?floc=ne-main-9-l9&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20091107%2F1105835128.htm&sc=1110

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Alaska island village hit by suspected swine flu

I have never understood why people continue to live on the Diomede islands - they are SO isolated and barren. But people have lived there for thousands of years. It is one of the two places in Alaska where you can see Russia! ( yes, you CAN see Russia from Alaska)

There is a chance that the strain of swine flu they have is from Russia. The people on the Russian Diomede island are relatives of those on the American Diomede island. Even during the cold war they crossed the 2-3 miles of Bering sea between them and visited with their relatives. Once it is frozen, they sometimes would walk to a midpoint, sit down and have tea and catch up on family news. The Russian guards would look the other way.

.

[Pathfinder]

Re: Alaska island village hit by suspected swine flu

Swine flu scare hits Diomede: RESPONSE: Health officials act quickly to vaccinate entire village.

Kyle Hopkins
Nov 07, 2009 (Anchorage Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --

A doctor and nurse flown by helicopter to one of the state's most hard-to-reach villages gave swine flu shots until 2 a.m. Friday as health officials scrambled to inoculate an entire Alaska community for the first time since the flu scare started.

About 130 people live in Diomede, 2.5 miles across the Bering Strait from Russia. The Alaska Army National Guard this week airlifted three patients with flu-like symptoms from the village to the hospital in Nome, with one testing positive for the virus. Back on the island, vaccines were given to virtually everyone living there on Thursday and Friday.

"They're going house to house, to the places where any family member is too sick to go to the clinic," Jamie Ahkinga, a Diomede city clerk, said Friday.

Public health agencies took the unusual step of sending a medical team to the village because of its extreme isolation. This time of year you can only get there by helicopter and, sometimes, by boat.

While mail and groceries still arrive on a regular basis by chopper, the village lost passenger flight service more than four months ago. That means people can only catch a helicopter flight for medical emergencies.

On Friday, the governor's deputy chief of staff held a conference call with the helicopter company, the regional health corporation, congressional aides and others looking for ways to provide reliable transportation to the village -- a potentially expensive challenge.

Health officials wanted to move fast to vaccinate Diomede while the weather allowed, said Roy Agloinga, chief administrator for the Nome-based Norton Sound Health Corp. "If the weather closes in and we have a bunch of people sick over the next couple weeks and we can't reach people ... it would just be disastrous."

The effort began on Wednesday as the Alaska Army National Guard flew two people with severe flu symptoms from Diomede to Norton Sound Regional Hospital in Nome, where one tested positive for H1N1, or swine flu.

With a growing number of sick people in the village, Diomede Mayor Andrew Milligrock asked for a medical team and medication in the village, according to the state. On Thursday the Guard flew in a doctor, a nurse and two medics to distribute enough flu vaccine for the whole village.

That night, the team flew a 1-year-old girl with respiratory problems to Nome, but the child tested negative for swine flu.

A doctor and nurse vaccinated patients until 2 a.m., starting again at 8 a.m., said Greg Wilkinson, spokesman for the state Department of Health and Social Services.

"We've got everybody on the island vaccinated except for four people," he said Friday around midday. The doctor and nurse were scheduled to leave Friday night.

Ahkinga said it seems like three different flus have circulated through town over the past two months. Other residents said it's hard to say how many people are sick.

"One of the reasons that we're doing these missions is because it's such an isolated community," said Jeremy Zidek, a spokesman for the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. "It is prudent to take these steps, where in other communities, it may be able to be handled through more traditional means."

Unlike Diomede, even Aleutian Islands villages have regular air service and runways, Zidek said. "As far as communities go, there's not many that are more remote than Little Diomede, or harder to get to."

Residents can sometimes boat the nearly 30 miles to Wales and then grab a plane to the Nome hospital. But only if weather allows.

The helicopter company that flies mail to Diomede stopped selling passenger tickets in July. The regular chopper is under repair and Evergreen Helicopters eventually had to switch to a single-engine helicopter that's not as safe for ferrying passengers over open water.

"It's company and industry standard that single-engine aircraft ... aren't predominately used for passenger service," said president David Rath.

It could be weeks before passenger service is restored.

"I think they're hoping that they can get all the parts supplied and replaced in the helicopter and have it back in service by mid-December," said Randy Ruaro, deputy chief of staff to Gov. Sean Parnell.

Ruaro called a conference call with Evergreen, Norton Sound Health Corp. and others Friday to talk about what happens next.

In an Oct. 21 letter to the governor, Sen. Mark Begich suggested the state split the costs of subsidizing passenger flights with the federal government. Under the program the village could also pay part of the bill.

Evergreen is calculating how much it would cost to provide one or two passenger flights a week to the village, Ruaro said.

Another option is to add Diomede to a list of rural communities where the federal government subsidizes flight service through the Essential Air Service program. Unlike dozens of other Alaska villages, the community isn't included because it didn't have regularly scheduled air service when Congress deregulated airlines in 1978.

If there's a medical emergency in Diomede, the state troopers, the National Guard or Coast Guard could respond, Ruaro said.

As for non-emergency medical flights -- flying Diomede residents to Nome for checkups and doctors' appointments -- Norton Sound Health Corp. is in talks with Evergreen to transport patients on a limited basis.

President Carol Piscoya said in October that a deal was likely. But as of Friday nothing had been signed, Agloinga said.

"We're not sure that we can afford it," he said.

http://www.individual.com/story.php?story=109797654

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Alaska island village hit by suspected swine flu

Unlike Diomede, even Aleutian Islands villages have regular air service and runways, Zidek said. "As far as communities go, there's not many that are more remote than Little Diomede, or harder to get to."

The Aleutian Islands sometimes have weather that grounds all flights for DAYS. During those periods, it MAY be possible to get out by boat, but often people are unexpected stuck on those islands for several days.

The high cost of providing modern infrastucture & services is becoming more and more expensive. Many of these remote communities are experiencing significant out-migration as residents seek both better jobs and improved accessibility of services and infrastructure. We may reach a time when some areas are only occupied during the summer or abandoned. As part of the federal land claims settlement with Alaskan natives, they receive lifetime health care, but advanced facilities are located in major population hubs.

.

[Treyfish]

Re: Alaska island village hit by suspected swine flu

rikk



_________________

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Diomede - Alaskan island village hit by suspected swine flu

this probably had something to do with why they got in there and stayed up till 2AM vaccinating people, then left ASAP:

Winter Storm Watch
Statement as of 12:46 PM AKST on November 07, 2009


... Winter Storm Watch in effect from late Sunday night through
Monday evening...

The National Weather Service in Fairbanks has issued a Winter
Storm Watch... which is in effect from late Sunday night through
Monday evening.

A strong storm is expected to develop in the northern Bering Sea
Sunday night and move into Norton Sound on Monday. This could
bring heavy snow... strong winds and local blizzard conditions to
the southern Seward Peninsula coast... including Nome... from late
Sunday night through late Monday.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A Winter Storm Watch means that there is a potential for
hazardous winter weather that may impact travel or outdoor
activity.

http://www.wunderground.com/US/AK/211.html#WIN

.

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Diomede - Alaskan island village hit by suspected swine flu

The forecast for the next week or so paints a very uncertain picture for transportation in and out of Diomede.

See:

http://www.wunderground.com/US/AK/Diomede.html

.

[Pathfinder]

Re: Diomede - Alaskan island village hit by suspected swine flu

<CENTER>Community Profile: Little Diomede</CENTER>
Gazette


Little Diomede Island, Alaska, sits just over two miles to the east of Big Diomede Island, Russia. The Islands are separated not only by national affiliation, but also by the International Dateline, which runs through the small stretch of Bering Sea between the island group. Little Diomede is flat-topped, steep-sided and very isolated by its location, by rough seas, and by the persistent fog that shrouds the island during the warmer months.

Location: Lat. 655 47'N, Long. 169E 00' W

Area: 2 square miles

Population: 146

Industry: Subsistence

Access: Sea, air (helicopter)

Alaska Native Affiliation: Ingalikmiut Eskimo

Alaska Native Regional Corporation: Bering Straits Native Corporation

Weather: Summer temperatures average 40 to 50 degrees, winter from -10 to 6 Fahrenheit. Annual precipitation is 10 inches of rainfall, with 30 inches of snowfall.

Historical Overview

• Little Diomede has been home to a small numbers of Eskimos for centuries. The island was named by Russian explorer Vitus Bering on St. Diomede's Day, August 16, 1728.
• The 1880 census shows 40 people living on the island in a village called "Inalet."
• When John Muir visited the island in 1881 he wrote this:
  
  No margin is left for a village along the shore, so, like the seabirds that breed here and fly about in countless multitudes darkening the water, the rocks and the air, the Natives had to perch their huts on the cliffs, dragging boats and everything up and down steep trails, The huts are mostly of stone with skin roofs. They look like mere stone heaps, black dots on the snow at a distance, with whalebone posts set up and framed at the top to lay their canoes beyond the dogs that would otherwise eat them. The dreariest towns I ever beheld &endash; the tops of the islands in gloomy storm clouds, snow to the water's edge, and blocks of rugged ice for a fringe; then the black water dashing against the ice; the gray sleety sky, the screaming water birds, the howling wind, and the blue gathering sludge!
  
  
• During WWII, Big Diomede served as a Russian military base. All residents were removed to the mainland, and any Little Diomede inhabitants who strayed across the waters too close to Big Diomede where taken captive by the Russians.
• After WWII the two island communities, connected by Eskimo family kinships but separated by American/Russian politics, led parallel lives &endash; pictures of Karl Marx **** in the Russian schools, pictures of Abraham Lincoln in the American. Little Diomede villagers watched Warner Bros. films, Big Diomede watched movies made by Lenfilm.
• Historian Merle Colby wrote this about Diomede Island relations in the 1950s:
  
  True to Soviet tradition, Big Diomede Eskimo attempt to proselytize their Little Diomede relatives. "Come across the water," they are reported as urging, "here the Eskimos are allowed to lubricate machines, cure the sick, write letters, live with Russian women, spit on merchants, go to Moscow, become captains!

Economy

• Little Diomede Eskimos live a subsistence lifestyle, harvesting fish and crab, hunting beluga whales, walrus, seals and polar bears. Almost every part of the animal is used for food, for clothing, mukluks, even boats. Locals are known for their ivory carving.
• A few residents work for the local government or school. There has been some commercial fishing and mining on the island, but both industries are in decline.
• The limited terrain does not allow for a runway, so weekly mail delivery is made by helicopter. Float planes rarely risk landing on the rough seas in summer, but ski planes do occasionally land on an ice runway during the winter months. Most supplies come from an annual barge delivery. The sale and importation of alcohol is banned.

Community Issues

• Water and sanitation are problems on Little Diomede. Fresh water comes from a treated spring, but this source is unreliable; by late winter the islanders must melt snow for drinking. All homes use "honey buckets," chemical toilets that require treatment.
• Garbage disposal is also a problem for the community. Most solid waste is burned, and the island is currently in the process of buying and building an incinerator.

http://www.pbs.org/harriman/current/profiles/diomede.html

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Diomede - Alaskan island village hit by suspected swine flu

Archive Number 20091107.3860
Published Date 07-NOV-2009
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (93): USA (AK) susp


INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (93): USA (ALASKA) SUSPECTED
************************************************** *********
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Sat 7 Nov 2009
Soure: Associated Press report [edited]
<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iGBlyadDJuB6MHAonWo4RFD6KWqAD9BQPLEO0>


Alaskan island village hit by suspected swine flu-------------------------------------------------
Suspected swine flu [influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection] is
sweeping a traditional Eskimo whaling village on a remote Alaskan island --
prompting an urgent medical mission to deliver help. "Diomede is probably
the most isolated place in the United States right now," said David Head, a
doctor involved in the effort. "We thought it would be better to go out
there and just vaccinate people."

So many of the 130 residents of Diomede have been stricken with flu-like
symptoms that the Alaska Army National Guard stepped in with a Black Hawk
helicopter to transport a medical team from Nome 135 miles away, where Head
is chief of staff at Norton Sound Health Corp.

Diomede, located less than 3 miles from Russia's Big Diomede Island in the
Bering Strait, is all the more isolated because passenger air service was
halted 4 months ago when the sole helicopter used for that purpose was
sidelined for repairs. "There's no way people can get out of here," said 73
year old Patrick Omiak Sr, the village tribal council president. "For
emergencies, I'm real glad about the National Guard." A different
helicopter still delivers mail and goods, but for liability reasons cannot
carry passengers.

He was among the many in the village to get the flu vaccinations that were
delivered by a doctor and public health nurse who arrived Thursday [5 Nov
2009] from Nome. The medical team also brought enough medicine such as
Tamiflu [oseltamivir] to treat every resident if necessary.

Omiak has not gotten sick but said many in community are fighting symptoms
including runny noses and bad coughs. "Some kind of a virus is going around
on this little island," he said. The illness is just the latest hardship
for the residents of the rocky island, which covers only 2 square miles of
treeless terrain. Most residents, whose homes have no running water, are
Ingalikmiut Eskimos who depend on subsistence foods, hunting bowhead whale,
walrus, and seal along with fish and crab.

Medics aren't saying how many in the village have taken ill, but they note
it's a significant enough portion of the population to warrant the
emergency response. 3 sick people, including a small child, also have been
flown out of the village for treatment. At least one person has tested
positive for swine flu [pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection] in a
preliminary analysis.

The National Guard will continue to help with emergencies until the regular
helicopter service is restored, said Jeremy Zidek, a spokesman for the
Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Randy Ruaro,
deputy chief of staff for Governor Sean Parnell, said state police and the
coast guard are also ready to help until the repairs are completed,
hopefully by December. Meanwhile, he said a plan to use the single-engine
chopper to transport patients is under discussion. "I think everyone is
working to try and reach the best solution," he said.

[byline: Rachel D'Oro]

--
communicated by
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall

[Little Diomede Island, Alaska, sits just over 2 miles to the east of Big
Diomede Island, Russia. The islands are separated not only by national
affiliation, but also by the International Dateline, which runs through the
small stretch of Bering Sea between the island group. Little Diomede is
flat-topped, steep-sided and very isolated by its location, by rough seas,
and by the persistent fog that shrouds the island during the warmer months.
A satellite image of Big Diomede island (Russia) and Little Diomede (USA)
island, located in the middle of the Bering strait, can be viewed at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Diomede>.

It has not been confirmed by laboratory analysis that the influenza-like
illness affecting the population of Little Diomede is the result of
pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection. This remote isolated island community
of 130 people is likely to be susceptible to infection by many respiratory
infections that make little impact in larger communities. However, pandemic
(H1N1) 2009 virus has been responsible for 6 deaths so far in mainland
Alaska and the authorities are being prudent in adopting a precautionary
strategy.

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Alaska can be viewed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00_d>. - Mod.CP]

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:8990344837698895::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,80001