Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/06/news-scan-jun-15-2021
News Scan for Jun 15, 2021
H1N1v flu in Germany; Polio vaccine workers attacked
Filed Under:
H3N2v Influenza; Polio
H1N1v flu infects German teen who had swine exposure
Germany recently reported a human variant H1N1 (H1N1v) case involving a 17-year-old boy who works on a pig farm, according to a recent weekly communicable disease update from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The boy, from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state, began having flulike symptoms on Apr 18, and the virus was confirmed with genetic sequencing at the Robert Koch Institute as part of routine surveillance. The analysis revealed that the virus belongs to the Eurasian avian-like lineage of swine influenza A viruses.
When his respiratory symptoms began a few days after working at the pig farm he was isolated for a suspected COVID-19 infection. No other symptoms were reported in workers at the farm or in the patient's family.
Germany reported a similar H1N1v case in July 2020, which involved a 2-year-old boy who had recently visited a pig farm.
Jun 11 ECDC weekly report
Jul 20, 2020, CIDRAP News scan
Five polio vaccinators killed in Afghanistan
In the middle of a 4-day polio vaccination campaign targeting 9.9 million Afghan children, gunmen shot and killed at least five vaccinators and injured several others today in separate attacks in eastern Nangarhar province.
The Voice of America (VOA) reported that the vaccination campaign has been halted due to the violence. Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio is endemic, but vaccinators have faced increasing violence in recent years. In March, the VOA said, three female anti-polio workers were gunned down in Jalalabad; the Islamic State eventually claimed responsibility for that attack.
The vaccination campaign was meant to jumpstart vaccination efforts that had been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So far no groups have said they are responsible for the violence.
"Polio immunization campaigns are a vital and effective way to reach millions of children to protect them against polio. Depriving children from an assurance of a healthy life is inhumane," said Ramiz Alakbarov, United Nations secretary-general’s deputy special representative for Afghanistan, in a statement. "The United Nations strongly condemns all attacks on health workers anywhere."
Jun 15 VOA story
Jun 15 United Nations statement
Jun 14 CIDRAP News scan on polio campaign
News Scan for Jun 15, 2021
H1N1v flu in Germany; Polio vaccine workers attacked
Filed Under:
H3N2v Influenza; Polio
H1N1v flu infects German teen who had swine exposure
Germany recently reported a human variant H1N1 (H1N1v) case involving a 17-year-old boy who works on a pig farm, according to a recent weekly communicable disease update from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The boy, from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state, began having flulike symptoms on Apr 18, and the virus was confirmed with genetic sequencing at the Robert Koch Institute as part of routine surveillance. The analysis revealed that the virus belongs to the Eurasian avian-like lineage of swine influenza A viruses.
When his respiratory symptoms began a few days after working at the pig farm he was isolated for a suspected COVID-19 infection. No other symptoms were reported in workers at the farm or in the patient's family.
Germany reported a similar H1N1v case in July 2020, which involved a 2-year-old boy who had recently visited a pig farm.
Jun 11 ECDC weekly report
Jul 20, 2020, CIDRAP News scan
Five polio vaccinators killed in Afghanistan
In the middle of a 4-day polio vaccination campaign targeting 9.9 million Afghan children, gunmen shot and killed at least five vaccinators and injured several others today in separate attacks in eastern Nangarhar province.
The Voice of America (VOA) reported that the vaccination campaign has been halted due to the violence. Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio is endemic, but vaccinators have faced increasing violence in recent years. In March, the VOA said, three female anti-polio workers were gunned down in Jalalabad; the Islamic State eventually claimed responsibility for that attack.
The vaccination campaign was meant to jumpstart vaccination efforts that had been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So far no groups have said they are responsible for the violence.
"Polio immunization campaigns are a vital and effective way to reach millions of children to protect them against polio. Depriving children from an assurance of a healthy life is inhumane," said Ramiz Alakbarov, United Nations secretary-general’s deputy special representative for Afghanistan, in a statement. "The United Nations strongly condemns all attacks on health workers anywhere."
Jun 15 VOA story
Jun 15 United Nations statement
Jun 14 CIDRAP News scan on polio campaign