Lion Poles, M.D., Dep. Director General, Kaplan Medical Center

We are urgently looking for any source regarding epi and clinical info concerning pregnant women with H1N1a.
I have the MMWR and CDC recommendation from last month.
We (the Israeli epidemiological management team) are debating the proper approach to this population in coming days in Israel.
Any reference is welcomed. Thanks.

Prof. Huang pointed out Supercourse could work on a much larger scale

Prof. Huang informed Prof. Ron Laporte, President, Supercourse:
"...CCTV introduction of Supercource exposed the supercourse to
at least 500 million Chinese who watch this program, one of the hottest CCTV program in China..."
That is a number that is almost incomprehensible, 500,000,000 or ½ Billion people!

Russia has reported its first case on AH1N1

A man said earlier on Friday to be the first person in Russia to contract the swine flu virus has told that he "feels fine."
(http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090522/155068030.html)

The 16th WCDEM Abstracts are now online

A record number of 587 abstracts were submitted for presentation and discussion during the 16th WCDEM. This is the most abstracts ever submitted for a World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine.
The Abstracts are now online
( http://www.wadem.org/PDF_documents/16WCDEMabstracts.pdf)

Lion Poles, M.D.

Lion Poles, M.D.
Dep. Director General, Kaplan Medical Center, Israel :

United States: A woman in Texas becomes the second person to die in connection with H1N1. The 33-year-old school teacher, described by doctors as having “chronic underlying health conditions,” arrived at the hospital on April 19 pregnant and with flu symptoms. She died several days after giving birth to a healthy baby this week.
United States: Schools reopen across the country today as federal health officials retracted a recommendation to close if there was a possi­ble case H1N1 at the school. Although U.S. cases have been relatively mild, officials urge schools to continue to take common-sense meas­ures, such as frequent hand washing.
United States: The U.S. Navy is postponing an aid mission to the South Pacific after a sailor on the crew was confirmed as having H1N1. Nearly 50 other sailors on the ship showed symptoms of the virus, but none are confirmed. The Navy is looking for an alternative to meet the mission’s objectives.

Analytic Services Inc.

Dr. Gursky , Analytic Services Inc. has begun distributing a daily update internally on Swine Flu items of interest.

Please let Mrs. Jessica Semon (Jessica.Semon@anser.org) know if you would like to be included in the daily distribution

SUPERCOURSE

Ron Laporte( this glorious name requires no titles):

"Dear Friends,

There is national and Global concern about Swine Flu. As part of our World Health Organization Supercourse (www.pitt.edu/~super1/) we have built a Just in Time lecture about Swine Flu, with global experts in the area. The Lecture is located at: http://www.pitt.edu/~super1/lecture/lec34601/index.htm. At the site you can download the PowerPoint file. The lecture will be continuously updated so that the latest materials are constantly available. The lecture is or will be by Friday translated in Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic, Farsi, Vietnamese, and others. We would appreciate if you could distribute this information to those in your public health society, as well as teachers in your schools. We are encouraging the sharing of this lecture with others."

Macedonia

Elisaveta Stikova ,MD, PhD,
University "St. Cyril and Methodius", National Public Health Institute, Macedonia:
"I have just come back from US and regarding our national policy for swine pandemic prevention I am under the strengthen sanitary control and inspection and the stay at home is recommended for me!"

American Society of Microbiology

Prof. Zdenek K. Filip, Member Emeritus, American Society of Microbiology kindly conveyed us the message of the ASM President

* * * * * * * * *
Dear ASM Members:
The ASM is closely following the swine flu outbreak and wants to make you aware of current information and educational resources that you may find helpful. For general information please go to www.cdc.gov/swineflu. The CDC site contains information in print, podcast and Spanish translation for your use. In all infectious disease outbreaks, handwashing is one of the first and most important lines of defense against disease spread. The ASM has long been a leader in increasing awareness of the importance of handwashing and also has public education resources on handwashing for download and distribution at www.washup.org.

We will also notify you of more specific information and other resources as they become available.
Alison O’Brien, PhD
ASM President
* * * * * * * * *

L'Aquila

Efstratios PHOTIOU, Ospedale Sant’Antonio, Università di Padova, Padua, Italy is going, in some days' time, to L'Aquila (remember the earthquake in the beginning of April?), with the Italian Civil Protection.

Eugene Shubnikov recommends

Eugene Shubnikov,Head,CIS domain,Supercourse, recommends the next reference:
http://www.le.ac.uk/li/clinical/influenza/swineinfluenza.htm
as a new resource related to Swine Flu.

In Irkutsk, RF

As http://www.irk.ru/news/20090428/influenza/ informs,
an enhanced safety control has been set in Irkutsk, RF region because of the swine flu .
Measures to curb the incidences of highly pathogenic virus influenza of pigs in all territories of Russia are implemented by Rospotrebnadzor Agency. In the airports of Bratsk and Irkutsk permanent sanitary and quarantine sites are working, in the places of passing the state border passengers are interviewed, if there is a need the temperature of the passangers is measured . All equipped with proximity thermometers. Now the region has a sufficient amount of disinfectants and personal protectants.
Every day, the Irkutsk region accepts 5-6 flights from abroad , substantially - from Asia. Particular attention is focused to citizens who come from America. People suspected with disease are to be isolated, coarse material will be sent to study at the Center of Virology and Epidemiology in Novosibirsk. In case of mass spread of the disease, some regional hospitals are planned to be re-profiled as infectious .

Info from Romania

Cristea Madalina
Environmental engineer – Directorate of Public Works
Mihail-Kogalniceanu Militay Air Base, Romania:

1. Public information about Swine Flu - Please educate yourself and Family members. Education is the best prevention.

- Are you prepared for a Public Health Emergency? "Ready Army"
http://www.acsim.army.mil/readyarmy/

2. Informational links from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) about Swine Flu:

What is swine flu? Are there human infections with swine flu in the U.S.?
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

Dr. Joe Bresee, with the CDC Influenza Division, describes swine flu - its signs and symptoms, how it's transmitted, medicines to treat it, steps people can take to protect themselves from it, and what people should do if they become ill.
http://www2a.cdc.gov/podcasts/player.asp?f=11226

How does swine flu spread? Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm

How does swine flu spread? Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/pdf/brochure.pdf

Brochure
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/pdf/brochure.pdf

3. The USAGs have assigned Public Health Emergency Officers(PHEOs) and recently developed plans to respond to this type of event.

About swine flu

At this time the AMA has created a web-page
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-science/infectious-diseases/topics-interest/swine-flu.shtml
, which contains clinical guidance that is extracted from the CDC source documentation and will
be updated according to changes in the interim guidance.

About swine flu:
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by a type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza among pigs. Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans; however, human infections with swine flu do occur. Public health officials have determined that this strain of swine flu virus spreads from human to human and can cause illness.

The outbreak is ongoing and additional cases are expected. The human symptoms of swine flu are similar to the symptoms of seasonal influenza and may include:

Fever (greater than 100°F or 37.8°C)
Sore throat
Cough
Stuffy nose
Chills
Headache and body aches
Fatigue
Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. Severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

Infectious period
Persons with swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection should be considered potentially contagious for up to seven days following illness onset. Persons who continue to be ill longer than seven days after illness onset should be considered potentially contagious until symptoms have resolved. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

Non-hospitalized ill persons who are a confirmed or suspected case of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection are recommended to stay at home (voluntary isolation) for at least the first seven days after illness onset except to seek medical care.

Supercourse uploaded JIT Swine Flu lecture

Supercourse uploaded JIT Swine Flu lecture
http://www.pitt.edu/~super1/lecture/lec34601/index.htm
It will be updated daily. Would anyone be interested in having
translations into native language? The Supercourse have already Spanish and
Russian translators.