Japan has flu plan to block entry, spread of virus

The Associated Press
Thursday, February 12, 2009
TOKYO: Japan’s plan for any future influenza pandemic calls for shutting down airports, closing schools and organizing mass cremations of the dead in hopes of keeping the virus off its shores or at least containing it.
The government plan estimates that a new human flu virus could infect a quarter [...]

Belize Health Workers prepare for possible flu Pandemic

In Belize, like the rest of the world, health workers, including doctors, nurses, pharmacist and other health care providers are being educated on the pandemic influenza. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Belize Health Department are conducting a series of countrywide training workshops to strengthen the capacity of the health care system in order [...]

H5N1 Confirmatory Lab Results Raise Questions in Indonesia

Recombinomics Commentary 00:17
November 14, 2008
From the test was learnt culture of the virus and the inspection of RT-PCR was stated positive. Moreover the increase happened titer antibodies H5 bigger four fold times. As for the case was stated was confirmed when results of the test rapid H5NI also was stated positive. Moreover happened failed [...]

Mystery virus spreads in two countries

The number of people being observed for traces of the deadly mystery viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) has climbed to 144 and has spread across two countries.
On Friday, Zambian authorities admitted they were trying to trace any people who had contact with South African tour operator Cecelia van Deventer and paramedic Hannes Els before they came [...]

South Africa: From the W.H.O website

Unknown disease in South Africa and Zambia
10 October 2008 — (Snip) Laboratory analysis has been conducted in South Africa at the Special Pathogens Unit, National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service. Samples have, so far, tested negative for a series of viral haemorrhagic fevers and other common infectious disease pathogens. [...]

Zambia partners with WHO against mystery fever

Zambia partners with WHO against mystery fever
Zambia has partnered with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to investigate the unknown disease that has claimed four lives in South Africa. Authorities in that country also say none of the people who have died from the mysterious infectious disease are Zambians.Earlier, it was reported that two Zambian [...]

2009 Influenza Vaccine, Southern Hemisphere

2009 Influenza Vaccine, Southern Hemisphere
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:2800182611604358::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,74072
 It is recommended that vaccines for use in the 2009 influenza season (southern hemisphere winter) contain the following:

- an A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like virus;*
- an A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus;**
-  a B/Florida/4/2006-like virus.***
*A/South Dakota/6/2007 (an A/Brisbane/59/2007-like virus) is a current vaccine virus used in live attenuated vaccines.
**A/Brisbane/10/2007 and A/Uruguay/716/2007 (an A/Brisbane/10/2007-like virus) are current vaccine [...]

Mysterious Illness in India

Pawan Dixit, Hindustan Times
Kanpur Dehat, August 25, 2008
First Published: 00:17 IST(25/8/2008)
Last Updated: 00:19 IST(25/8/2008)
Rural Kanpur is fighting its most frightening scourge — a mystery disease that has left a long line of bodies in its trail and doesn’t seem anywhere finished.
What started from one village two weeks ago has now spread to 350 and has [...]

Summary of events so far

So far this outbreak followed the classic outlines:
- unexplained deaths from “fever/breathlessness” (no follow-up)
- birds die in locality
- severe illness in a couple of people – they are hospitalized (late) in poor condition
- people make the connection between the illness/bird deaths
- discovery of more people with similar but lower-level symptoms – they go for treatment
- [...]

WHO-World seasonal flu activity

WHO – World seasonal flu activity
Comment:  Notice Australia is left out of the report.Seasonal influenza activity in the world, 2008
24 July 2008
This summary provides an updated report of seasonal influenza activity for weeks 28-29. It does not include reports of avian influenza in humans, which are available at the avian influenza page.
Seasonal influenza activity [...]