Measles, Meningitis, Athrax – Outbreaks Around the World
US – MultiStates – Thousands of passengers may be at risk after a woman who tested positive for measles traveled through airports in Washington, D.C., Denver and Albuquerque last Tuesday. Measles is the highly contagious respiratory disease that’s transmitted through the air. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is trying to track down everyone who may be in danger from that exposure.
Taiwan – A 20-year-old college student was the first person to contract measles in Taiwan this year, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) said Saturday. The patient, who attends school in Taipei, came down with a rash on Feb. 18., the center said.
Boston Massachusetts – Boston public health officials worked to contain a measles outbreak as a third suspected case surfaced yesterday, a week after a 24-year-old woman tested positive for the airborne virus. The latest case, reported early yesterday, involves an unidentified man in his 40s.
South Africa – An outbreak of meningitis has been reported in Mpumalanga’s capital city. Provincial Health and Social Development spokesperson, Mpho Gabashane, said the department’s communicable disease control unit was alerted to the outbreak two weeks ago when the privately-owned Medi-Clinic hospital reported several cases.
Argentina – An estancia in Jovita, Province of Cordoba, has suffered a severe outbreak of anthrax involving 35 dead/170 hybrid cattle as well as in 3 farm dogs being clinically affected; one dog has died.
South Africa – There is a viral meningitis outbreak in the Nelspruit area, says the Mpumalanga health department. A total of 15 patients, including children, had tested positive for the virus, spokesman Mpho Gabashane said on Wednesday. He said the department was alerted by MediClinic, two weeks ago, after 10 patients had been screened.
Indonesia – Hundreds of chickens have died in fresh outbreaks of avian flu in Riau and East Java. The outbreak in Riau was centered in Meranti Island regency and Pekanbaru city. Authorities declared avian flu endemic in Pacitan, East Java after a dozen outbreaks were reported in the regency. Residents of Rumbai Pesisir in Pekanbaru, Riau, were reportedly haunted by anxiety following the sporadic deaths of many of their chickens over the last three weeks.
Switzerland – A fresh outbreak of measles has struck the canton of Geneva and the surrounding French border region. A total of 200 cases have been reported. The last previous bout of the disease struck in 2008. This time round, 60 percent of the cases involve adults.
Indonesia – Officials have prepared anthrax vaccines while waiting for a laboratory to confirm if the virus has broken out in Boyolali, Central Java. Central Java Animal Husbandry Agency chief Witono said that samples taken from residents, animals and soil in the area suspected to harbor the virus would be analyzed by the Balai Besar veterinary laboratory in Yogyakarta.
Just as in Biblical times when Moses and Aaron went up against the Pharaoh for the release of the Israelites from Egypt and Yahweh released plagues then, so shall it be now. There is nothing new under the sun.
