SHOCK! Epidemic of pneumonic plague in Ukraine?

[vector7]

10 hours the number of patients in the Carpathian region increased by 6 thousand


Фото Натальи Кравчук, Корреспондент
На Закарпатье увеличилось количество больных гриппом и ОРВИ

Today, 3 November, in the Carpathian region of influenza and SARS patients increased by 6 thousand people.

This was reported in the management of information and public relations of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration.

As stated in the message, according to the Health Authority, as of 18:00 Tuesday, November 3, in the Transcarpathian region registered 18 thousand 618 patients with acute respiratory infection and influenza.

Number of patients at 8:00 am on Nov. 3 amounted to 12 thousand 805 people. That is, in fact 10 hours the number of patients increased by almost 6 thousand people.

Of the total number of patients already hospitalized in Transcarpathia 851 people. Among the sick - 4 thousand 222 preschool children, 4 thousand 728 - school age and 9 thousand 668 adults.

[vector7]

Secret document: Belarusians die from pneumonia complicated by swine flu

важная новость? 89

15:08, — society


Secret document: Belarusians die from pneumonia complicated by swine flu

Medical workers report to the Health Care Ministry that, about ten people have died in Minsk from pneumonia, a A(H1N1) flu complication.

Journalists managed to get a medical report saying the cause of death of two persons of 27 and 36 years old (they died on the same day) was pneumonia. RNA of A(H1N1) flu were detected in their tissue samples.

The 27-year old man had a high temperature and went to a local polyclinic, was treated at home, but after some days taken to hospital #6, where he died on October 26.

According to a source of “Belorusskie Novosti”, it is mostly young people who die from the A(H1N1) virus in Belarus.

The difficulty is that a death certificate is only the first step to prove the cause of death was the virus. According to the source, it give the officials an opportunity to sit on their hands and speak about the mixed infection, etc. Post-mortem and histologic examinations are needed to confirm the death was caused by the A(H1N1) virus. Medical officials can state the flu is just a background disease, but not a ground for the complications, and will be right formally.

For the moment, the medical worker has information about ten confirmed death cases of A(H1N1) flu. He states: “The pneumonia, we are speaking about, is a complication of A(H1N1) flu, it is not a bacterial pneumonia. A sick person chokes and can’t breathe. He prescribed artificial ventilation, but dies. This takes three or four days.”

The source notes a fast growth of pneumonia cases in Belarus and in Minsk. He states that the number of fatal cases exceeds the normal statistics for this period of year. There are many patients with pneumonia in intensive therapy units. He can’t say whether all of them are checked for the A(H1N1) virus.

The physician’s statement can’t be proven officially. According to some reports, medical workers are not permitted to say any information about the current situation with the A(H1N1) virus. Requests to the Health Care Ministry remain unreplied. The ministry representatives deny death cases of swine flu or refuse to give any comments in order to prevent panic. Officials never think it is impossible to hide the truth for long, it will leak and gather rumours and make even greater panic.

Attempts of the authorities to hush up the situation are short-sighted, the physician said. The current situation needs not reports saying it is under control, but urgent measures.

He gives an example of behaviour of the Ukrainian government: “The country has asked for help and received it. 600,000 doses of Tamiflu, bought by the Ukrainian government, had already been delivered. In accordance with medical norms, this is enough to supply all regions of Ukraine and make reserves.”

The medical worker emphases that Belarus becomes a proving ground where the virus is tested in natural condition, when preventive measures are insufficient and treatment is minimal: “The duty of the health system is to buy the necessary medicines beforehand and be able to forecast keen demand. At least, sufficient number of protective masks must have been purchased. It finds out that our medical system is not effective to fight the epidemic. The officials continue to state the virus is raging in Ukraine and Russia, but not in Belarus. “

The physician emphasized: the Belarusian medical workers are not allowed to give information to the public (that’s why the source wants to stay unanimous). He proves this with own examples: “We are constantly told not to sow panic, which means we can’t give true information. We are strictly forbidden to speak with the press... An attempt to decrease the number of disease cases in Belarus comes to absurdity and forgery. Medical issues become political issues. They twist our arms forcing us to make politically correct diagnoses. Influenza is another proof in this range.”




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* Health Ministry hides all information about swine flu

93% of Belarusians don’t trust official information about epidemic

[vector7]

Ukraine virus mystery deepens

Published on : 3 November 2009 - 1:02pm | By RNW News Desk

The mystery of the unidentified flu virus in the Ukraine, first reported by RNW on 29 October, has deepened. The websites of conspiracy theorists are now discussing the possibility that biological warfare experiments are behind it.

Given that the Ukraine is still dealing with the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, it’s unsurprising that such rumours have arisen. But are they just rumours, or is there some substance to the claims?

In August 2009, a man called Joseph Mosse, who claims to be a former microbiologist with the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, was arrested in Los Angeles, having made threats against the White House. Shortly after his arrest, there were reports that he had called into a radio show with a warning about a biological weapon being prepared in the Ukraine by a company called Baxter International. According to these reports, Mr Mosse said that the weapon would be spread via a flu vaccine.

Facts vs theories
Credence is being given to these reports because Mr Mosse’s qualifications as a microbiologist are confirmed by his research profile on this website. There is also a story doing the rounds that a light aircraft has been spotted spraying an unidentified substance over the capital, Kiev, but this has been denied by the country’s Office of Emergency Response.

However, this is only one of the current theories. Some political analysts believe that talk of a pandemic is hype generated by opposition politicians in the run-up to elections in January, and the Ukrainian government is playing down the claims. The government’s stance is supported by the World Health Organisation, which has sent a team to the Ukraine, and reports no evidence of a severe outbreak of flu, beyond the normal level for this time of the year.

Waiting for the outcome
The Ukrainian Health Minister Vasyl Kniazevych told the national radio station that he believes the as-yet unidentified virus could be one that has already been discovered and is known as California A/H1N1 flu. This is thought to be a more virulent strain of the H1N1 virus. The minister says that efforts to identify the mystery virus are expected to take several weeks. The various competing theories will no doubt continue to circulate as Ukraine and the rest of the world await the findings.

[vector7]

Family: children vomiting blood everywhere to find a surgeon

Yesterday, a small head Xiang still wrapped in gauze needles, clothes, still remains a blackened blood, lying motionless in a grandfather's arms.

The incident, the hospital lobby gathered a large number of families of the deceased, the hospital lobby blocked, hospital doctor members of the public only from the side door to enter the hospital, forced the temporary closure of registered windows.

More than 20 police were there to maintain order in the hospital.

Center of the hall on the floor, lay a small Cheung's mother, Feng-Ying Chen, 30 young people who once fainted in the past.

5 relatives her up, and fed her some water.

A suit man was quite agitated mood, he is the father of a small-xiang Huang Zhihong.

Huang Zhihong said the day before 11 pm, he found his son some cough on his wife with a son to the hospital in Panyu Shiqiao.

Doctor said was due to bronchopneumonia, it is recommended to be hospitalized, the night her son was admitted to the hospital.

At 12 o'clock, the doctor struck Diaozhen son, wife and wife's sister was in the hospital two guard, he went home.

8:30 the following day, wife's sister was found a large number of children vomiting blood, ran around in search of a doctor, but doctors did not occur in time.

Until the morning, 10 o'clock, the doctor came to the ward, to rescue his son, but were unable to save her son had died.

Yesterday afternoon, reporters found the Shiqiao Panyu District, a vice president of the hospital.

The Vice-President said that the matter is still under investigation, the current side is in the hospital and the families of the deceased communications and negotiations.

[vector7]

Flue outbreak in Ukraine as viewed by 2 health ministers, present and former

In addition to the known types of flue, there is a new one which may be different from the swine flue. It kills and there are no tested pharmaceuticals against it, says Ukraine Minister of Health Vasyl Knyazevych.

In response to the call for help from Ukraine, doctors from neighboring European countries have come to examine a reportedly new variety of the flue. It will take several days for them to give their verdict.

Meanwhile, Ukraine former health minister Mykola Polishchuk is convinced that all rhetoric around the flue will stop after the presidential election.

There is no ground to speak of an epidemic of the swine flue in Ukraine, he says. Of all the flue cases, a mere 14 have been confirmed as those of the California flue. The major threat posed by the swine flue lies in the fact that it is a new kind for Ukraine and Ukrainians have no immunity against it.

That is why its sickness rate is very high, Prof. Polishchuk warns.

In the 9 months of 2008, 3,989 persons died from the cold and flue in Ukraine, against 3,221 in the 10 months of 2009, or 700 fewer than in 2008, the expert observes. “Still, in 2008 Ukrainians were not as panicky as this year,” he adds.

In Polishchuk’s opinion, politicians are cashing in on the epidemic, trying to score political points, shamelessly fanning the panic in Ukraine. “Such rhetoric will lead to the growth of mortality rate due to heart diseases,” he remarks. “Why don’t they tell that about 20 persons die every hour in Ukraine, of these 64% of heat diseases?” Polishchuk asks, adding there won’t be any panic when the presidential election is over.

He says the country’s sanitary/epidemiological service is acting effectively, localizing the outbreak’s source.

“It is for the first time in my 40-year career as doctor that I can see such frenzy around a flue outbreak created by politicians and the media,” Polishcjuk sums up.

[Malsua]

He said that currently over 10% of the staff of the city's medical establishments are ill, and moreover, their number is growing.

That's not good.

[vector7]

Commentary
Clusters of Hemorrhagic H1N1 Pneumonia in Ukraine
Recombinomics Commentary 11:54
November 4, 2009

Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast

All the six dead young people had symptoms of severe hemmorhagic pneumonia. The disease starts slowly, with temperature rising to 37.2 - 37.3 degrees, slight cough and pain in joints. Nasal catarrh developed at the end of the second or third day. Autopsy revealed that the lungs were soaked with blood, the oblast chief specialist said.

The above comments are from an early story describing cases in Ukraine. The clustering of hemorrhagic cases raised concerns. The concern was increased by anecdotal reports citing a high frequency of such cases in Lviv (see map). The recent WHO announcement that they were initially focusing of severe acute respiratory illness in Lviv also increased concerns.

Hemorrhagic pneumonia was also observed in the 1918 pandemic and was thought to be linked to cytokine storm. Consequently, those with robust immune systems (previously health young adults) disproportionately died, which has also been seen in the current outbreak (Mexico, US, and worldwide). However, the cases in Ukraine appear to be clustered, raising concerns that the virus has changed.

However, the change may be minor, since the current H1N1 has produced the above symptoms in earlier cases. More severe cases may be linked to a higher viral load, which could be linked to minor genetic changes, or simply due to concentration of virus in schools. In the US the spread of the virus has been linked to school openings, which lead to an explosion of cases and subsequent student deaths. However, now there are increases in fatalities in teachers and administrators, increasing concerns worldwide.

In Ukraine, weather changes and heating issues may have led to a surge in cases, and increased concentrations of virus could have produced conditions favoring high viral loads and increased cytokine storms.

Samples have been sent to Mill Hill, and sequence data should be released shortly. Similarly, investigations on hemorrhagic pneumonia in lviv should help resolve the mechanism for the high concentration of such cases in western Ukraine.

However, H1N1 spread in Kiev has been noted, and other countries such as Belarus have announced additional H1N1 suspect or confirmed fatalities.

Sequence analysis of these cases and an update on the frequency of hemorrhagic pneumonia in Ukraine and worldwide would be useful.

[vector7]

Recombinomics Commentary 14:34
November 4, 2009
Reported Cases in Ukraine Double in Two Days

478,456 Influenza/ARI
24,003 Hospitalized
60 Ventilators
81 Deaths

The above numbers are from the latest update from Ukraine. The number of infected patients has almost doubled to just under ½ million, compared to the report two days ago (see map). Hospitalized patients also have spiked higher, to 24K from 15K. ICU cases are not listed, but 60 on ventilators are. However, most (37) of those on ventilators are Chernivisti Oblast, but Lviv, which has the most fatalities and cases, has none, suggesting the data is incomplete or there are significant shortages of ventilators. The number of dead has risen to 81, but media reports describe additional fatalities, include those in the Kiev Oblast.

The explosion of cases again raises concerns that the number of fatalities is significantly higher than the 81 listed. Media reports have described an equal number of pneumonia fatalities which were not considered flu related. The basis of these exclusions remains unclear. Similarly, anecdotal reports suggest the number of fatalities is markedly higher than the 81 in the table.

The rapid rise in reported infections, hospitalizations, and deaths in the past few days raise concerns that the virus is transmitting very efficiently. Spikes in cases have been reported throughout the northern hemisphere, but the spike in fatalities and the frequency in hemorrhagic cases in Ukraine have raised concerns.

Earlier media reports suggest that an update by WHO might be issued today and include preliminary analysis of samples sent to Mill Hill in London.

Daily updates on the rapidly evolving situation in Ukraine, including sequence analysis, would be useful.

[samizdat]

invisible terror

http://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/15609.html


Press office of President Victor Yushchenko
President's address to the Ukrainian people on the occasion of flu epidemic in Ukraine

Dear fellow citizens!

I address you in performance of my constitutional duty under the Article 106 of the Basic Law of the state.

The reason is the emergency epidemic situation in the country.
Infections of viral origin, including the A/H1N1 flu, are rapidly spreading across Ukraine.

The emergency is evident in the scale of the epidemic: the speed and the geography of its spreading, rapid progress of the illness and the exceptional number of deaths.

People are dying. The epidemic is killing doctors. This is absolutely unprecedented and inconceivable in the XXI century.
All the limits have been exceeded - even those under the Constitution that determine my actions as the President.

Therefore I am motivated by the most important: the security of your life and your health.

Therefore I give clear and frank assessment of the situation. And you should know that.

We have special risk factors that aggravate the epidemic in Ukraine.
The conclusions of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, my numerous consultations with national and international experts show that.

First. Unlike similar epidemics in other countries, three pathogens of viral infections came to Ukraine at the same time: two of them are seasonal flu and the third is the A/H1N1.

According to virologists, such a combination of infections due to mutation may produce a new, even more aggressive virus.

That's why I have addressed the United Nations with the request to conduct a virologic examination in Ukraine and to establish the appropriate laboratory in order to take timely preventive measures.

Second. The A/H1N1 virus is easily mutating. It has travelled across half of the globe before coming to Ukraine.

This means that the virus has become particularly pathogenic.

This means that medical aid must be urgently reinforced by emergency, critical care treatment.

The third risk factor. It is generally known that the only way to prevent any infection is vaccination.

Due to unprofessional and highly disorganized vaccination against measles and rubella in Ukraine the practice of vaccination is compromised in essence.

According to the estimates of the Minister of Health approximately 58% of citizens are vaccinated today in Ukraine with the effective level being 90% and higher.

People have stopped getting vaccinated against extremely dangerous infections: tuberculosis, diphtheria, etc.

This led to high risk of A/H1N1 infection spread, when the virus came to Ukraine and made impossible preventive vaccination against both strains of seasonal flu.

All this made general epidemic situation in Ukraine even more complicated.

As the President I ask you, dear fellow citizens, to reconsider your attitude to vaccination and do it if necessary, but only, I emphasize it - only after consultation with the doctor.

At the same time I instruct the Government and the Ministry of Health to immediately start preventive and promotional work in areas where there is no epidemic, targeting primarily the special risk groups.

I demand the Government to immediately cancel the existing order of registration of medical supplies, including vaccines.

Studying this issue by the National Security and Defense Council shown that this procedure has allowed various dealers to bring to Ukraine dubious medicines, which are not recognized by the WHO or other national institutions.

Under my direction the Security Service is investigating the issue.

The fourth factor. In reality it is the Reactor 4.

I mean the epidemic, rapid spread of viral infections in the west of the country. The Government, the leadership of the Parliament and the opposition were all aware of that already in early October.

The first and the most effective preventive measure is avoiding large gatherings of people.

Ignoring this principle, hundreds of thousands of people from different regions were brought to Kyiv; from both the areas struck by the epidemic, and those where there was no evidence of this epidemic.

This greatly increased the risk of infection.

I emphasize: it was a well-known thing. And it was ignored by the Chairman of the Parliament, by the opposition leader and, first of all, by the Prime Minister. And Chief Sanitary Inspector, together with his subordinates in the regions, including those in the city of Kiev ignored their professional duty.

This directly reminds of the May Day demonstration in Kiev, held shortly after the accident at Chernobyl NPP.

This is a display of criminal irresponsibility of politicians and complete indifference towards the people.

Let me cite one example. On October 20 the epidemic of flu was declared in Ternopil with schools and kindergartens closed for quarantine. "From October 21 secondary and primary schools are closed due to the growing rate of flu and ARD sickness”. This was the order of local authorities.

As of October 20 the rate of ARD in Ternopil was 172.9 cases per 10 thousand people with epidemiological threshold for the city being 160 patients per 10 thousand people. In other words - all services of the country responsible for monitoring the figure were informed and knew about the situation.

However, not a single Sanitary Inspector has banned either the movement of people, nor their gathering, including those in Kiev on October 24, when people have gathered at the central square.

I would like to remind you, my dear, that on October 24, 2009 10 deaths were known to have occurred in Ternopil region itself and 6 deaths were reported in Lviv region. And in 7 days after the abovementioned gathering Kyiv turned out in the situation, when the rate of sickness demanded the announcement of flu epidemic. This is the behavior of the great politicians. The neglect of elementary means of prevention of a disease in any country in the world, by any society. Because they must conduct a show, they have concerts, because they were paid for and 130 million have already been spent.

In that, dear Ukrainians, I see not only moral but also criminal liability.

I have addressed the Prosecutor General of Ukraine with the request to institute criminal charges of negligence committed by first of all the Chief Sanitary Inspector, Kyiv City Sanitarian and the officials, who, despite having daily information on the epidemic situation in the country, neglected it in pursuit of political dividends and ambition.

Now, the only principle of organizing preventive measures at the national scale should be as follows:

We treat the West and defend East, Center, North and South of Ukraine amain.

I now rely solely on the professionalism of our doctors. Today they are the true heroes of our nation.

I once again demand the Government to comply with the order the National Security and Defense Council to resolve the issue of wages for our doctors in this difficult period for the country.

The fifth factor.

Dear fellow citizens, the key threat that is aggravating the situation is chaos in the system of healthcare and protection of lives of people.

Today we must recognize that Ukraine does not have a single healthcare system. Prevention of any infection, including through vaccination, the localization and overcoming the consequences of epidemics is the responsibility of the State Sanitary-Epidemiological Service of Ukraine.

The Service is headed by the Chief Sanitary Inspector. He is appointed by the Prime Minister.

The current Constitution after alterations in 2004 makes the Government solely responsible for conducting state healthcare policy.

The practice of using the power, as evident today, is a failure.

To the executive power, which is not subordinate to the President, I have suggested the holistic healthcare reforms plan and a set of instructions and recommendations that would help create the optimal model of the system for years to come. My remarks were presented as the groundless interference in Government’s work and as the unfounded criticism.

Back in April of 2009 I addressed the Government with the request to establish a special interdepartmental commission on fighting the spread of flu viruses, to finance the establishment of Flu Center and to take all measures to protect the country against flu. That included providing adequate availability of medicines, facemasks and all other necessaries.

Partial implementation of the instructions has its consequences.

They were not ignoring me – they were ignoring the people, the citizens. It is clear why. Because Ukraine still has unfair system of healthcare - one is for the power, the other is for the people.

We must change the system. We must change the entire system of government in Ukraine.

But now, in this moment there is no time for waiting or remonstrance.
National Security and Defense Council should become the center of decision-making.

Failure to comply with its orders will immediately result in application to the law enforcement authorities.

I remind all the responsible persons and draw attention to all of my orders, made in Lviv four days ago. In three days the deadline for compliance with these orders expires.

With my decree I put Minister of Health and Chief Sanitary Inspector of Ukraine into the Council for National Security and Defense.

I am conscious of my responsibility.

I express deep condolences to the families and relatives of those who have died.

I express my deep appreciation to doctors, who are saving our people risking their own lives. I am moved by this sacrifice. Such a commitment means that the epidemic will be stopped.

I appeal to all of you, dear fellow citizens, to show solidarity, mutual support, and strictly adhere to all the safety regulations regarding protection of your health and lives.

For not a single moment you will be left alone by the state.

Thank you for your attention.


I do not recommend any of the vaccines so far developed (and not tested). Natural oregano oil can be obtained by heating the leaves over gas or electric burners and later squeezing the wilted leaves into a small bowl. Distillation is better, but so ia eating or drinking the flowers, best preserved in alcohol. These plants thrive w/ sun and adequate water. Vitamin D and C are helpful.

[Malsua]

Clearly there's a problem in the Ukraine. I researched around a bit just to be sure Yushchenko actually said the above. He did, in a televised address to the Ukrainian people.

The PM contradicted him in by suggesting tea leaves and chicken bone voodoo.
--------------------------------------------
http://www.ukrainianjournal.com/inde...rticle&id=9379

PM advises against swine flu vaccinations
Journal Staff Report

KIEV, Nov. 4 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said Wednesday she prefers non-scientific ways of preventing flu-like illnesses rather than getting vaccines, adding confusion in the country that is already facing a swine flu epidemic.

Tymoshenko, addressing people in Ivano-Frankivsk, the epicenter of the flu outbreak, said people must decide whether to get vaccinated or to go ahead and protect themselves with “normal” means.

“I am not vaccinated,” Tymoshenko said in a local television address. “I am protecting myself like everybody: with lemon, onion, garlic, everything that is needed. I think the best way is simply to protect your health through well-known means.”

The comment is in a sharp contrast with President Viktor Yushchenko, who has urged the people to immediately get shots of flu vaccines at hospitals as the epidemic has already reached a dangerous level.

“The virus is spreading fast in Ukraine. The epidemic is killing people and healthcare staff,” Yushchenko said in a televised address on Wednesday. “As the head of state, I ask you to change your attitude towards vaccination, and if needed and after a mandatory consultation with your doctor, get it.”

At least 87 people died and more than 250,000 got sick with flu-like symptoms over the past three weeks, with the outbreak affecting 11 out of 25 Ukrainian regions, according to the Healthcare Ministry.

The World Health Organization, which sent a team to Ukraine to investigate the illnesses, said it has reasons to believe the outbreak may be caused by the swine flu, also known as (A)H1N1.

Meanwhile, the conflicting remarks between Yushchenko and Tymoshenko reflect the split among the two leaders on many issues – from economic reforms and foreign policy and to domestic politics - that has plagued the country since Tymoshenko’s appointment as the prime minister in December 2007.

In Ukraine only 58% of people are vaccinated from infectious diseases, a dangerously low level compared with 90% that is generally required as a good protection to prevent the spread of viruses.

Many people in Ukraine stopped getting vaccinations after two deaths of children had been reported over the past two years with some experts apparently blaming bad vaccines.

Dr. Yevhen Komarovskiy, who wrote a book on how to prevent and to treat acute respiratory illnesses, such as flu, said vaccination is the key to protecting from the disease.

“If you are able to get the vaccination, get it,” Komarovskiy said on his blog.

“If you face the virus and you do not have protective anti-bodies in your blood, you will get sick,” Komarovskiy said. “The anti-bodies will appear only in two cases: either you get sick [and recover] or if you get vaccinated.”

He especially warned against relying on “folk” remedies, like the ones used by Tymoshenko.

“Not any onion, not any garlic, not any vodka and not any pills will be able to protect you from the respiratory virus in general and from the flu virus in particular.” (tl/ez)

[vector7]

invisible terror

The kind these progressives only dream of, could you imagine if this happened here what the crisis creeps would do with a pandemic?

UKRAINE SICKNESS RUMORED TO BE PNEUMONIC PLAGUE


Just replace Ukraine with America.

Dear fellow citizens!

Partial implementation of the instructions has its consequences.

They were not ignoring me – they were ignoring the people, the citizens.

It is clear why.

Because Ukraine still has unfair system of healthcare - one is for the power, the other is for the people.

We must change the system. We must change the entire system of government in Ukraine.

But now, in this moment there is no time for waiting or remonstrance.

With my decree I put Minister of Health and Chief Sanitary Inspector of Ukraine into the Council for National Security and Defense.

National Security and Defense Council should become the center of decision-making.

I remind all the responsible persons and draw attention to all of my orders, made four days ago. In three days the deadline for compliance with these orders expires.

Failure to comply with its orders will immediately result in application to the law enforcement authorities.

I appeal to all of you, dear fellow citizens, to show solidarity, mutual support, and strictly adhere to all the safety regulations regarding protection of your health and lives.

For not a single moment you will be left alone by the state.

Thank you for your attention.

[vector7]

A million infected in Ukraine flu epidemic: minister


A young man wears a gas-mask as he rides a bus in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on November 4, 2009. The World Health Organisation said today that it was valid to assume that most of the cases of influenza reportedly sweeping through Ukraine were caused by the swine flu, officially known as the A(H1N1) virus. Photo courtesy AFP

Swine flu death toll crosses 500 in India: govt
New Delhi (AFP) Nov 10, 2009 - More than 500 people have died from swine flu in India since the first fatality was reported in August, the health ministry said Monday. The western state of Maharashtra has seen the largest number, with 207 deaths from the influenza A(H1N1) virus, the ministry said in a statement. Besides the 502 deaths, more than 14,000 people have tested positive for swine flu across India since it was first detected here in May, it added. More than 5,700 people have died worldwide since the virus was first discovered in April, with most of the deaths in the Americas region, according to the World Health Organization.by Staff Writers
Kiev (AFP) Nov 10, 2009

Ukraine's epidemic of flu and disorders has now affected more than a million people, the country's deputy health minister said on Tuesday.

Vasyl Lazoryshynets said the death toll from the epidemic had risen to 174, as President Viktor Yushchenko warned the country must brace itself for a second wave of infections.

Nearly 53,000 Ukrainians have now been hospitalised, Lazoryshynets said, but the number in intensive care has fallen by nearly a quarter to around 330.

A total of 67 cases of swine have been reported in Ukraine, he said, 14 of which had been fatal.

"Ukraine must prepare properly for a second wave of respiratory infections and flu," including A(H1N1), Yushchenko said Tuesday, according to the Interfax news agency.

A World Health Organisation (WHO) team in Ukraine said on Monday the had slowed, but warned a second wave was likely.

On Monday the health ministry's previous bulletin on the epidemic, which began in mid-October, reported 969,000 infections, with 155 deaths and 65 cases of A(H1N1).

earlier related report

US sick leave policy toughens swine flu fight: senator
Washington (AFP) Nov 10, 2009 - Swine flu is causing "an American emergency" as employees who lack paid sick leave go to work despite being ill and spread the, US lawmakers were told Tuesday.

The A(H1N1) virus "is causing an emergency for workers and families across the country," Senator Chris Dodd told a Senate subcommittee hearing on paid sick leave in a time of pandemic flu.

The United States is the only developed nation without a national policy on paid sick leave, Dodd said.

Most government workers, including US legislators, have paid sick leave, but since it is not mandatory some 57 million US private sector workers, including many in low-paid jobs and tens of thousands working in school systems, lack the benefit.

For them, contracting the swine flu "means you have a choice: either go into work sick and risk infecting your co-workers or stay home and lose a day's pay," Dodd said.

The senator has introduced legislation to give US workers paid sick days if they or a family member come down with swine flu.

As the nation struggles to emerge from a punishing recession and double-digit unemployment, many Americans cannot consider taking unpaid sick leave, said Dodd.

"We're in the company -- and I say this respectfully of these countries -- of Lesotho, Liberia, Papua-New Guinea and Swaziland. Those countries and the United States are the five that don't have paid sick leave," Dodd said.

"Five nations, four of whom are struggling economies, barely surviving as nation-states, and the richest country in the world," he told a hearing in the Senate, education, labor and pensions subcommittee.

A person who goes into work when they have swine flu will infect 10 percent of their co-workers, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has repeatedly urged people to stay at home if they fall ill with flu-like.

"If paid sick leave had been a reality when this pandemic began, we would be in better shape," Dodd said.

The A(H1N1) flu has infected as many as 5.7 million people in 48 US states and claimed 672 lives, including at least 129 children, according to CDC data.

[Malsua]

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http://www.naturalnews.com/027503_Uk...super_flu.html





H1N1 "super flu" plague in Ukraine spark concern, conspiracy theories about origins


(NaturalNews) Here's what we know with some degree of certainty about the H1N1 virus in Ukraine right now: nearly 300 people have died from the viral strain, and over 65,000 people have been hospitalized (the actual numbers are increasing by the hour). The virus appears to be either a highly aggressive mutation of the globally-circulating H1N1 strain, or a combination of three different influenza strains now circulating in Ukraine. Some observers suspect this new "super flu" might be labeled viral hemorrhagic pneumonia (meaning it destroys lung tissue until your lungs bleed so much that you drown in your own fluid), but that has not been confirmed by any official sources we're aware of.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has issued emergency quarantine orders for nine of the country's regions and ordered the deployment of mobile military hospitals. He announced that the nation had been simultaneously hit with two different seasonal flu strains plus H1N1 -- and then hinted that all three might have recombined into the deadly new Ukrainian super flu.

In his own words, as reported by Daily Mail, "Unlike similar epidemics in other countries, three causes of serious viral infections came together simultaneously in Ukraine: two seasonal flus and the Californian flu. Virologists conclude that this combination of infections may produce an even more aggressive new virus as a result of mutation."

On November 6, Ukraine's Deputy Health Minister Zinovy Mytnyk announced that over 600,000 citizens had already caught the new flu. British scientists are now conducting tests on the new viral strain to find out why it appears to be so deadly (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...).

The mainstream media is blaming Ukraine's poor health care system for the relatively high rates of hospitalization and death (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/w...), but they refuse to mention (yet again) the vitamin D deficiency found across this population living at high latitude in the winter, where sunlight is relatively scarce.

[Malsua]

Seems to have hit "international" news
--------
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...89-people.html

British scientists testing Ukrainian 'super flu' that has killed 189 people

By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 10:41 PM on 15th November 2009

British scientists are examining the strain of swine flu behind a deadly Ukrainian outbreak to see if the virus has mutated.
A total of 189 people have died and more than one million have been infected in the country.
Some doctors have likened the symptoms to those seen in many of the victims of the Spanish flu which caused millions of deaths world-wide after the World War One.
An unnamed doctor in western Ukraine told of the alarming effects of the virus.
He said: 'We have carried out post mortems on two victims and found their lungs are as black as charcoal.

Enlarge Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (L) visits flu victims at a hospital in the western Ukrainian city of Lutsk

'They look like they have been burned. It's terrifying.'
Neighbouring Poland has called on the EU to take action, fearing the mystery virus may spread westwards.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk has written to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and the Swedish Prime Minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, who holds the EU presidency.

The letter said: 'The character of this threat demands that rapid action be undertaken at the European Union level.'

Russia, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Romania have already launched health checks on Ukrainians entering their territory.

Slovakia has closed two of five border crossings.

Enlarge People wear protective masks as they sit in a subway carriage in Kiev

Enlarge A butcher wearing a protective mask reads a magazine at a market in Kiev

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has called in the World Health Organisation.
A team of specialists are carrying out tests in Kiev and Lviv in an effort to identify the virus.
President Yushchenko said: 'People are dying. The epidemic is killing doctors. This is absolutely inconceivable in the 21st Century.'

In a TV interview, the President added: 'Unlike similar epidemics in other countries, three causes of serious viral infections came together simultaneously in Ukraine: two seasonal flus and the Californian flu.

"Virologists conclude that this combination of infections may produce an even more aggressive new virus as a result of mutation.'

Four men and one woman have died from the flu in Lviv, said emergency hospital chief doctor Myron Borysevych.

Two of the dead patients were in the 22-35 age group, with two others over 60.
He diagnosed the disease as viral pneumonia.

'We have sent the analyses to Kiev. We don't believe it's H1N1 swine flu. Neither do we know what kind of pneumonia it is.'

Universities, schools and nurseries have been closed, public meetings have been banned and theatres shut.

The virus from the Ukraine is being tested at the Medical Research council labs in Mill Hill North London .

A spokesman said: 'We do not have a time scale for the results of the tests, although some preliminary results have been obtained. I cannot tell you what they are.

'We did not have enough of the virus samples so we will have to grow some more before we can come to a conclusive decision about its nature.'

[vector7]

Commentary

RBD Change D225G in Ukraine Lungs Raises Concerns

November 18, 2009

Mill Hill, a WHO regional center in London has placed sequences from 10 isolates from Ukraine (see map) on deposit at GISAID (see list below). They are to be commended for the prompt deposit of these important sequences. The availability of the sequences should put an end to wild speculation on the origins of the Ukraine outbreak.

All H and N sequences are typical for H1N1, as indicated in early WHO announcements. There are no large changes. Additional gene segments have been deposited from a subset of these isolates (but not analyzed below). There are silent changes that are in all or most Ukraine sequences, but the only HA polymorphism was the receptor binding domain change, D225G. This polymorphism was in the three lung, as well as the one throat sample. It was not in the nasopharyngeal washes or the isolate grown in MDCK cells suggesting the D225G may have a tissue tropism component and may allow for high levels of virus in the lung.

D225G was also found in necropsy lung tissue from fatal cases in Sao Paulo, further supporting tissue tropism associated with this polymorphism. The polymorphism has recently appeared on a series of different genetic backgrounds, supporting acquisition by recombination. The genetic backgrounds were geographically diverse. It was appended onto a genetic background specific for China as well as another distinct background found in Singapore and Japan. It has also recently appeared on backgrounds from Spain and Brazil. In addition, it was in isolates from last spring collected in the United States and Mexico.

The appearance of D225G on multiple recent genetic backgrounds raises concerns that the polymorphism is offering a selective advantage in association with multiple genetic backgrounds, and the selective detection of the polymorphism in lung and throat samples may indicate it is more widespread because of its absence from nasopharyngeal washes. Lung and throat sampling may be required for detection and determination of the true geograpohical reach of this change..

More information on outcomes for these patients, as well as results for lung and nasopharyngeal samples from the same patient, would be useful.

The prompt release of these sequences should help guide further analysis of the evolving swine H1N1.

A/Khmelnitsky/1/2009 EPI_ISL_62017
A/Ternopil/19/2009 EPI_ISL_62016
A/Ternopil/11/2009 EPI_ISL_62015
A/Ternopil/6/2009 EPI_ISL_62014
A/Ternopil/5/2009 EPI_ISL_62013
A/Lviv/N6/2009* EPI_ISL_62012
A/Ternopil/N11/2009* EPI_ISL_62011
A/Ternopil/N10/2009* EPI_ISL_62010
A/Lviv/N2/2009* EPI_ISL_62009
A/Kyiv/N1/2009 EPI_ISL_62008

* D225G

Media Links
Recombinomics Presentations

Recombinomics Publications

Recombinomics Paper at Nature Precedings


**************************
Included in the sequences from 10 isolates were four HA sequences with the receptor binding domain change, D225G, which was found in the one throat and three lung samples. The change was not found in isolates from nasopharyngeal washes, suggesting D225G may lead to high concentrations of H1N1 in patient's lungs. The high concentration of virus leads to a cytokine storm that destroys the lungs in a few days.

The finding of D225G in lung tissues raises concerns rergarding sequencing of isolates from nasopharyngeal swabs. The monitoring of this important genetic change in the receptor binding domain may require sampling of lung tissues or fluids.

There is also an ongoing thread at Fluboard forum, they are discussing the mutation there.

[American Patriot]

So the virus has mutated. Ok, what's new? We knew it would.

There were just under 200 deaths reported, I believe, associated with this strain in the Ukraine, right? Correct me if I am wrong.

We have had well over 4000 deaths in the USA now. USA, not Mexico or North America. The USA.

Anyone hearing THAT reported?

[Malsua]

So the virus has mutated. Ok, what's new? We knew it would.

There were just under 200 deaths reported, I believe, associated with this strain in the Ukraine, right? Correct me if I am wrong.

We have had well over 4000 deaths in the USA now. USA, not Mexico or North America. The USA.

Anyone hearing THAT reported?

Last I heard it was like 2800. 4000 doesn't surprise me, but makes me go "hmm"

[American Patriot]

I just posted in the H1N1 thread.

[vector7]

Ukrainian Black Lung Death Toll Over 1000, Over A Quarter-Million Hospitalized

Vince Veneziani | Jan. 26, 2010, 3:00 PM | 2,130 | 19
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Tags: Europe, Health, Death



The mutated version of the H1N1 Swine Flu is truly wrecking havoc throughout Eastern Europe, with the Ukrainian death toll now clocking in at 1005 dead, according to Before It's News.

And to make matters worse, over 250,000 have been hospitalized over the deadly flu strain; that number is set to rise.