(0830 HRS PST)
The next update will be on Tuesday July 7th, at 08:30 PST.
The WHO Pandemic Alert level remains at Phase 6
Influenza A (H1N1) Cases and Deaths
- Yesterday, the World Health Organization released its latest case count for novel H1N1 influenza worldwide: 77,201 cases and 332 deaths in over 100 countries, up 6,308 cases and 21 deaths from Monday's numbers. Countries reporting the greatest increase in laboratory-confirmed cases since Monday were the United Kingdom (2,288), Chile (1025),Thailand (640), and Mexico (401) . WHO
Local/National News
- On June 29th, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced that the number of confirmed cases of influenza A (H1N1) since June 22nd has risen to 7983 from 6,732. Of the Canadian cases thus far, 636 required hospitalization and 25 deaths have occurred. PHAC
- Canada and the United States may go separate ways when deciding whether powerful boosting compounds called adjuvants should be added to swine flu vaccines. Canada will likely use adjuvanted swine flu vaccine, says Dr. David Butler-Jones, head of the Public Health Agency of Canada. However it is not a slam-dunk that regulatory authorities south of the border will clear adjuvanted flu vaccines for a U.S. mass vaccination campaign. AP
International News
- The mayor of Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, declared a health emergency on Tuesday to help control an outbreak of the deadly H1N1 flu strain that has killed 26 people in the country. Mayor Mauricio Macri urged city residents to stay at home as much as possible, saying the health emergency would remain in place through Friday. Reuters
- Indonesia's health minister said that visitors arriving at the country's airports from nations hit by H1N1 flu will be asked to wear a mask for 3 days. The masks are a precautionary measure to reduce human-to-human transmission, she said. The masks will be handed out to international visitors as soon as funding for them comes through; however, those who don't wear them will not be penalized. AFP
- Saudi Arabian health officials who just concluded a 4-day meeting with international health experts to discuss pandemic flu risks related to the hajj advised that children, pregnant women, elderly people, and those with chronic health conditions avoid the annual pilgrimage. The 4-day hajj starts in late November this year and is expected to attract about 3 million pilgrims. The health ministry said the crowded setting could pose a flu transmission risk. AP
- San Francisco officials reported what they believe may be the first publicized cluster of novel H1N1 infections in pregnant women. All five remain hospitalized, two of them still in intensive care. A doctor who consulted on the cases said all are or were in their third trimester and that some required intubation. Some had underlying conditions. KPIX
Antiviral News
- Swiss drugmaker Roche has launched a program to ease access to its antiviral drug Tamiflu for developing countries, the group said on Wednesday. The program should ensure that Tamiflu is available to many developing nations. Under the program, which will take effect immediately, Roche will produce and store Tamiflu pandemic stockpiles for specified developing countries at a significantly reduced price with the cost spread over a number of years, the group said. Reuters
Guidance and Recommendations
- Following the lead of the US CDC, PHAC has released H1N1 flu guidance for day and residential camps. The document was developed to provide interim guidance to Public Health authorities regarding day camps and residential summer camps for the prevention and management of influenza-like illness (ILI) suspected to be due to H1N1 Flu Virus. It is anticipated that this guidance will be adapted by the Public Health authorities as necessary to address their local situations. PHAC
Today’s Key Question
Once a virus emerges, can we anticipate the evolution of the outbreak using flight patterns?A study led by a Toronto researcher, and recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, accurately plotted swine-flu’s course around the world by tracking air travel from Mexico.
The researchers analyzed flight data from March and April of 2008 but stressed that patterns of departures from Mexico in these months varies little from year to year. The data analysis demonstrated that more than 2 million people flew from Mexico to more than 1,000 cities worldwide and that passengers traveled to 164 countries, but four out of five of those went to the United States. That fits with the path of the epidemic a year later. In fact, the researchers assert that more than 90% of the time, they accurately matched air traffic volumes to which countries did and did not suffer swine flu outbreaks as a result of air traffic.
One government health official who praised the work, asserted that this research shows promise in forecasting how a new contagion might unfold. Furthermore, Dr. Martin Cetron of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked "We share a common interest in this issue: If we map the global airline distribution network, can we anticipate, once a virus emerges, where it is likely to show up next?"
The new swine flu virus was first reported in the United States in mid-April, but the first large outbreak was in Mexico at about the same time. Health officials believe cases of the new virus were circulating in Mexico in March. Scientists have long assumed a relationship between air travel and spread of the virus. But the new research for the first time confirmed the relationship. The Associated Press.
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