WHO has been busy lately

As the title reads the World Health Organization has been busy, releasing 4 disease updates for 3 different countries and Europe. Here's excerpts from all 4 disease outbreaks updates :

" Wild poliovirus in Côte d'Ivoire

21 April 2011 : Côte d'Ivoire is experiencing an outbreak of wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) with three new cases reported with onset of paralysis on 27 January, 24 February and 27 February this year.

Genetic sequencing of the isolated viruses show that they are linked to WPV3 last detected in mid-2008 in northern Nigeria. They are the first WPV3 recorded in Côte d'Ivoire since 2000. In 2008-2009, Côte d'Ivoire was affected by a wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) outbreak affecting west Africa (and which was recently stopped).

There is currently a high risk of further spread of WPV3 - both within and from - Côte d'Ivoire. It is the first time since 2000 that WPV3 has been recorded in this part of west Africa (WPV3 transmission has been limited to northern Nigeria and parts of Niger, and since 2008 also in parts of Mali and one case in Benin). The outbreak response may be constrained by the current security situation in Côte d'Ivoire. Due to the persistence of subnational surveillance gaps in Côte d'Ivoire and other areas of west Africa, undetected further circulation cannot be ruled out at this time.

Avian influenza – situation in Cambodia - update 3

21 April 2011 : The Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Kingdom of Cambodia has announced a confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus.

The case was a 5 year old girl from Pea Raing district, Prey Veng Province. She developed symptoms on 11 April, was initially treated by local private practitioners with no effect and was later admitted to Kantha Bopha Children Hospital on 13 April. Despite all intensive care, she died on 16 April, four days after admission.

There have been reports of poultry die off in her village. The girl is the fifteenth person in Cambodia to become infected with the H5N1 virus and the thirteenth to die from complications of the disease. All five cases of H5N1 infections in humans in Cambodia this year have been fatal.

Measles outbreaks in Europe

21 April 2011 : As of 18 April 2011, 33 countries in Europe have reported more than 6 500 measles cases. Epidemiological investigations and genotyping have confirmed transmission of measles virus among several countries in the Region and to the Americas.

Belgium* has reported 100 cases to date, compared to 40 cases in all of 2010.
Bulgaria* has reported 131 cases this year, compared to 24 000 cases in 2009-10.
France* reported 4 937 cases from January to March 2011, compared to 5 090 cases reported in all of 2010.
In Serbia**, nearly 300 cases have been reported from Leskovac in the southeastern part of the country.

Spain* has reported two ongoing measles outbreaks since October 2010, with more than 600 cases reported in Andalusia. In the first outbreak, the most affected areas are Sevilla and surrounding municipalities, where more than 350 measles cases have been reported since January 2011. Cases of measles are reported among healthcare workers as well. The second outbreak was reported in the province of Granada, where about 250 cases have been reported since October 2010.

Avian influenza - situation in Egypt - update 51

21 April 2011 : On 16 April 2011, the Ministry of Health of Egypt notified WHO of two new cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus.

The first case was a 29 years-old male from Fayoum Governorate Wadi Elrian area who developed symptoms on 1 April , was hospitalized on 4 April and died on 7 April.

The second case was a one -and-a -half year-old male child from Fayoum Governorate, Sennores District who developed symptoms on 9 April and was hospitalized on 11 April. He is under treatment and is in stable condition.

All the cases received oseltamivir treatment at the time of hospitalization.

Investigations into the source of infection indicate that both the cases had exposure to sick and/or dead poultry suspected to have avian influenza. There is no epidemiological link identified between these two cases."