H1N1 Swine flu is thought to have killed 200,000 people globally and Australian experts are concerned that the disease now has much more potent pandemic potential than it had before.
Tamiflu (oseltamivir) is now powerless against the strain H1N1pdm09 that has been found in people in the community rather than sick patients with serious underlying conditions and weak immune systems. Zanamivir (Relenza) still has some effect but it is not widely held in stock in the community or in hospitals.
Lead investigator Dr Aeron Hurt, from the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in Melbourne, said:
“The greatest concern is that these resistant viruses could spread globally, similar to that seen in 2008 when the former seasonal H1N1 virus developed oseltamivir (Tamiflu) resistance and spread worldwide in less than 12 months.”
The new strain is emerging in people who have never been treated with…
There is a great deal of conflicting information about radiation and it’s effects around at the moment. This ranges from overly complacent to hysterical with not much of anything in between.
This article is not about Three Mile Island, or Chernobyl or Fukushima, it is just about radiation in general, the different types, how it causes damage, what you can do to mitigate some of the issues it creates and the signs and symptoms of radiation poisoning.
The reason for this is simple…conflicting information. It is impossible to comment on specifics without having seen the readings, without knowing exactly what went, or what is going on at the site, and without reading the medical reports detailing the issues those people close to these incidents have had. The doses of radiation required to cause injury seems to vary from country to country, which is nonsense of course, a small amount…
Today, 13 March 2013, is World Kidney Day, a day which “aims to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.” Every year the day has a unique theme, and this year it’s “Kidneys for Life – Stop Kidney Attack.”
The main role of the kidneys is to remove toxins from the blood. It also helps control blood pressure, produces red blood cells and helps control blood acidity. Unfortunately, the incidence of chronic kidney disease, and other kidney-related diseases, is increasing significantly around the world, placing huge added pressure on already stretched health systems. It is estimated that between 8 and 10% of all adults have a notable level of kidney damage, with the impact of this ranging from loss of productivity to premature death.
The MoD, in conjunction with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), will introduce a new benefit called the Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) on Mon 8 Apr 13. AFIP is a simplification of the financial support available for members of the Armed Forces who have been seriously injured as a result of military service since 6 Apri 05. AFIP will provide… More information
There is a 100% probability of severe cold weather/icy conditions/heavy snow between 0800 on Sunday and 0000 on Thursday in parts of England. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services. Please refer to the national Cold Weather Plan and your Trust’s emergency plan for appropriate preventive action.
Becoming increasingly cold as a brisk northeasterly wind develops bringing a marked wind chill. Occasional snow showers to mainly eastern parts of England, although outbreaks of snow also likely across southwestern parts for a time during Monday. Towards the end of the week day time maximum temperatures are expected to gradually increase.
An update will be issued when the alert level changes in any region. Alerts are issued once a day by 0900 if required and are not subject to amendment in between standard issue times. Note that the details of the forecast weather…
Depression is a mental disorder, but it can affect your physical health and well-being.
Overwhelming Sadness
Cognitive Changes
Clinginess
Weight Problems
Constricted Blood Vessels
Weakened Immune System
Emptiness or Hopelessness
Preoccupation with Death
Aches and Pains
Poor Appetite
Heart Attack Outcome
The Effects of Depression on the Body
We all feel sad or anxious at times. It’s a normal part of life. However, clinical depression does interfere with your ability to function. Depression affects how you feel and can also cause changes throughout your body. Major depression is a serious medical condition that has a dramatic effect on your quality of life.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 6.7 percent of adults in the United States have depression. People with depression often develop other health issues as well. Major depression is also called major depressive illness or clinical depression.
Central Nervous System
Depression can cause a lot of symptoms, many of which are easy to dismiss or ignore. It may be especially difficult to detect in children, who can’t articulate their symptoms, or in older adults, who may blame their symptoms on aging.
Symptoms of depression include overwhelming sadness, grief, and a sense of guilt. People with depression often complain about feeling tired all the time. They also tend to have trouble sleeping. Other symptoms include irritability, anger, and loss of interest in things that used to bring pleasure, including sex. It may be described as a feeling of emptiness or hopelessness. Some people may find it difficult to put these feelings into words. Frequent episodes of crying may be a sign of depression, but not everyone who is depressed cries.
Other symptoms include inability to concentrate, memory problems, and difficulty making decisions. People with depression may have trouble maintaining a normal work schedule or fulfill social obligations.
Some people who are depressed may use alcohol or drugs. They may become reckless or abusive. A depressed person may consciously avoid talking about it or try to mask the problem. People suffering from depression may be preoccupied with thoughts of death or hurting themselves. There’s an increased risk of suicide.
Children get depressed, too. Signs include clinginess, worry, and unwillingness to attend school. Children may be excessively irritable and negative.
Depression can cause headaches, chronic body aches, and pain that may not respond to medication.
Digestive System
Depression can affect the appetite. Some people cope by overeating or binging. This can lead to weight and obesity-related illnesses like type 2 diabetes. Others lose their appetite or fail to eat nutritious food. Eating problems can lead to stomachaches, cramps, constipation, or malnutrition. Symptoms may not improve with medication.
Cardiovascular and Immune Systems
Depression and stress are closely related. Stress hormones speed heart rate and make blood vessels tighten, putting your body in a prolonged state of emergency. Over time, this can lead to heart disease.
According to Harvard Medical School, patients who are depressed when hospitalized for a heart condition are two to five times likelier to have severe chest pain, heart attack, or stroke, in the next year. Recurrence of cardiovascular problems is linked more closely to depression than to smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Untreated, depression raises the risk of dying after a heart attack. Heart disease is also a trigger for depression.
Depression and stress may have a negative impact on the immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections and diseases.
(The Effects of Depression on the Body
Written by Ann Pietrangelo | Published on September 30, 2014
Medically Reviewed by George Krucik, MD, MBA on September 30, 2014)
There is a 90% probability of severe cold weather/icy conditions between 09:00 on Wednesday and 07:00 on Sunday in parts of England. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services. Please refer to the national Cold Weather Plan and your Trust’s emergency plan for appropriate preventive action.
Turning colder across all areas through the remainder of the week with cold conditions looking set to continue into the start of next week. Rather cloudy conditions are expected too with the best of any bright or clear spells across western parts. It will remain dry and settled for most through this period although there will be a few snow flurries at time, particularly for eastern areas. At this stage, disruptive accumulations of snow are not expected but some localised slight accumulations are possible. Brisk easterly winds will also exacerbate the cold feel, especially in…
Did you know we might be moving into an era where antibiotics are obsolete? Just earlier this week there was an article in the U.S. News describing an outbreak of ‘Totally Drug-Resistant’ Tuberculosis in South Africa. In light of this increasingly urgent problem, this post is dedicated to antibiotic resistance!
What is antibiotic resistance?
Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a naturally occurring phenomenon that arises through biological and chemical warfare between microbes. DNA analyses have found proof of antibiotic resistance in 30,000 year old sediment samples, but it’s likely that the battle between antibiotics and resistance has been going on for millions of years [7]. Bacteria and other such organisms are constantly competing for resources (or eating each other), turning the world around us into a slaughterhouse of biological warfare. It’s all very exciting, but most of us humans are completely oblivious to it.
A nurse is researching whether or not sugar can be used to effectively treat wounds, as is said in a family remedy. The idea behind this hypothesis is that sugar draws water away from wounds which in turn prevents bacteria from multiplying, preventing or helping prevent infection. The sample size of the research is not large enough yet to be able to consider it a success, but the results so far from 35 patients hint towards it being effective.
In the article it mentions a man, Alan Bayliss, who had his right leg amputated from above the knee. The procedure involved removing a vein from his left leg which resulted in wound that would not heal properly. The treatment involved using a good amount of sugar at first, with the first dressing using almost a whole pot of sugar, but it needed less as the treatment went on, only need 4…
“Forget spreading it on your toast. Honey could be better kept in the medicine cabinet.
A study of three types of honey by the University of Technology in Sydney has confirmed that New Zealand manuka is the most effective for treating chronic wounds.
Manuka contains a number of chemicals including methylglyoxal, which inhibits the spread of bacteria.
UTS Professor Liz Harry says unlike antibiotics, bacteria shouldn’t become resistant to manuka honey.
“Honey’s not the be-all and end-all, but the fact that people are avoiding it because they don’t think there’s enough science to it is really not true, because I think there is now,” she said.
“We’ve done some studies recently that show that it’s quite possible that honey will be very powerful, particularly when you use it with antibiotics.”
Other honeys tested also included kanuka and clover.” – abc.net.au
Outbreaks of hepatitis A and other diseases spread by poor hygiene are now becoming problems among Syrians displaced by the civil war, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
(Photo: unmultimedia.org) Syrian refugees
It is one of at least four United Nations agencies seeking to add a new sense of urgency to the humanitarian crisis afflicting the country.
Further aggravating the health of Syrians, the organization said, is a breakdown in the delivery of safe water throughout the country; the closing of at least one-third of Syria’s public hospitals; an exodus of doctors; and an acute shortage of ambulances, many of them damaged by fighting or impounded by the military or insurgent forces for use in combat.
The warning was delivered in a telephone briefing by Elizabeth Hoff, the health organization’s representative in Damascus, the Syrian capital.
It came a day after another United Nations organization, Unicef, announced an ambitious program to provide chlorination supplies to treat water for more than 10 million people in Syria, about half the population – another indication of the magnitude of the water problem.
The spread of hepatitis A, a serious and highly contagious liver disease, can be prevented with a vaccine. The virus is spread by close personal contact and sharing food and drinking water. Ms. Hoff and other officials said the problem was the worst in the crowded communal shelters for people displaced by the conflict.
A third United Nations agency, the World Food Program, announced at a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon, that it was accelerating food delivery to as many as 2.5 million people in government- and rebel-held areas of Syria.
But the agency acknowledged that its ability to distribute the food was becoming increasingly tenuous.
“There is a security issue,” Etienne Labonde, an agency representative, told reporters in Beirut.
“We have to protect our staff on the ground, but the team in Syria is doing everything it can to deliver aid to all areas. Of course, there will always be pockets they can’t reach.”
The developments came as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the agency that manages the administering of aid in Syria, warned that “the catastrophic humanitarian situation continues to deepen,” and that violence threatened to increase the number of Syrians dependent on international aid.
Wednesday, 06 February, 2013 at 04:21 (04:21 AM) UTC RSOE
There is a 70% probability of icy conditions/ snow between 00:00 on Tuesday and 08:00 on Wednesday in parts of England. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services. Please refer to the national Cold Weather Plan and your Trust’s emergency plan for appropriate preventive action.
Temperatures will drop across England from Monday onwards as a result of a cold, very windy northwesterly flow setting in. Wintry showers on Monday will be followed by an awkward mix of rain, sleet and snow around midweek, this likely to be followed by further wintry showers in the very cold arctic northerly flow. However, the primary concern at first is for temperatures and a significant wind chill, and there is now an increased probability of mean temperatures of 2 Celsius or less occurring in many areas of England from Tuesday onwards.
“Twelve doctors employed by the firm that is paid 100m a year to assess people claiming disability benefit are under investigation by the General Medical Council over allegations of improper conduct.
The doctors, who work for Atos Healthcare, a French-owned company recently criticised by MPs for its practices, face being struck off if they are found not to have put the care of patients first.
(Photo: socialistworker.co.uk) Disability rights campaigners protest at Atos
The Observer has found that seven of the doctors have been under investigation for more than seven months. The other five were placed under investigation this year following complaints about their conduct.
It is understood that the majority of allegations concern the treatment of vulnerable people when the government’s controversial “work capability assessments” were carried out, but the GMC refused to comment on individual cases. The development will add to fears over the pace and radical agenda behind the government’s welfare-to-work policy, which led to protests in Westminster in May by thousands of disabled people. It will also raise concerns about ministers’ commitment to Atos Healthcare, which was recently granted a three-year extension on its contract.
The government has repeatedly publicised figures showing that the “vast majority” of claimants for employment support allowance (ESA), which has replaced incapacity benefit, are fit for work. But four out of 10 of those who appealed the decision by Atos – whose parent company is run by a former French finance minister, Thierry Breton – to deny them benefits are successful on appeal, a process that costs the taxpayer 50m a year.
Last month Atos, whose staff assess around 11,000 benefit claimants a week, was savaged by the cross-party work and pensions select committee after it found that many people had “not received the level of service from Atos which they can reasonably expect”.
MPs further claimed that a combination of the company’s conduct and the test itself had prompted “fear and anxiety among vulnerable people”. ” – The Guardian (Link to full story)
It’s a growing problem for hospitals around the world: strains of deadly, drug-resistant bacteria contaminating operating and recovery rooms. To combat this serious threat to patient health, two dozen U.S. hospitals are now using robotic, hydrogen-peroxide vaporizers to sanitize rooms where infected patients have stayed. A new study finds that use of the vaporizers’ germ-killing mist has significantly lowered the number of hospital-borne infections.
Vast numbers of cells that can attack cancer and HIV have been grown in the lab, and could potentially be used to fight disease. The cells naturally occur in small numbers, but it is hoped injecting huge quantities back into a patient could turbo-charge the immune system.
“KIEV — A Health Ministry official reported on Friday that the cold snap that has been sweeping across Ukraine over the past two weeks has claimed 83 lives, with 57 of the victims freezing to death on streets. During a press conference, adviser to the health minister Vladimir Yurchenko stated that for the month of December, a total of 632 people received treatment for frostbite and 526 were admitted to hospitals. The worst hit by the cold spell were the central and northern sections of the country. Yurchenko said the frigid weather killed nine people in the Kiev region, 10 in Sumy and 11 in Cherkassy. Temperatures in Ukraine’s capital city dipped to minus 7 degrees Celsius during daytime and minus 17 in the evening. Central, eastern and northern, parts of the country saw night-time temperatures plummet to as low as minus 28 degrees. To ease the situation, authorities have set up more than 1,500 warm shelters providing food and heating sources across the nation.” – ubalert.com
Ukrainian:
“Київ – офіційний Міністерство охорони здоров’я повідомило в п’ятницю, що похолодання, яке захльостує Україну за останні два тижні заявила 83 життів, 57 жертв замерзаючих на вулиці під час прес-конференції радник. міністр охорони здоров’я Володимир Юрченко заявив, що за грудень місяць, в загальній складності 632 осіб отримали лікування обмороження і 526 були госпіталізовані. найбільш постраждалих від холодів було центральній і північній частинах країни. Юрченко сказав, що холодні погоди загинули дев’ятеро людей в Київській області, 10 у Сумській, 11 у Черкасах. Температура в столиці України опустилася до мінус 7 градусів за Цельсієм вдень і мінус 17 вечора. центральній, східній і північній, частині країни бачили нічний час температура виска до мінус 28 градусів. Щоб полегшити ситуацію, влада створила понад 1500 теплих притулків забезпеченню харчовими продуктами і джерел тепла по всій країні “. – Ubalert.com
Russian:
“Киев – официальный Министерство здравоохранения сообщило в пятницу, что похолодание, которое захлестывает Украину за последние две недели заявила 83 жизней, 57 жертв замерзающих на улице во время пресс-конференции советник. министр здравоохранения Владимир Юрченко заявил, что за декабрь месяц, в общей сложности 632 человек получили лечение обморожения и 526 были госпитализированы. наиболее пострадавших от холодов было центральной и северной частях страны. Юрченко сказал, что холодные погоды погибли девять человек в Киевской области, 10 в Сумской, 11 в Черкассах. Температура в столице Украины опустилась до минус 7 градусов по Цельсию днем и минус 17 вечера. центральной, восточной и северной, части страны видели ночное время температура отвес до минус 28 градусов. чтобы облегчить ситуацию, власти создали более 1500 теплых убежищ обеспечению пищевыми продуктами и источников тепла по всей стране “. – ubalert.com
The General Medical Council (GMC) (See*1) has today confirmed the make-up of its new smaller Council (See*2) in an historic move for the 154-year old organisation.
The appointments are part of a series of reforms to the GMC’s Council which was 104-strong just over 10 years ago and marks a major milestone in reforming medical regulation in the UK.
In 2003, the Council was reduced from 104 to 35 members and was reduced again to 24 members in 2009.
The current Council of 24 established the principles of independent appointment and having an equal number of medical and non-medical (lay) members.
From January 2013, the Council will be reduced in size to 12 members and will be led by its Chair Professor Sir Peter Rubin, who himself became the GMC’s first appointed Chair since the regulator was established in 1858.
The new appointments were made after a robust selection process led by Sir Peter and three other experienced assessors, independent of both the GMC and government.
The GMC is the independent regulator of the UK’s 250,000 doctors.
The GMC controls entry to the Medical Register; regulates all stages of medical education; sets standards of practice and takes firm but fair action where those high standards have not been met. The role of the Council is to set high level strategy and hold the executive to account for delivering that strategy.
Professor Sir Peter Rubin said: ‘The move to a smaller Council is an historic change and will play a critical role in setting out a clear vision and direction for the GMC at a time of great change for doctors and patients.’
‘The current Council has delivered a range of major initiatives to protect patients and improve the quality of healthcare, including major reforms to our fitness to practice work, the establishment of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service and perhaps most significantly, the introduction of revalidation, which starts in December.’
‘I am really looking forward to working with my new colleagues as we continue to make our contribution to improving medical education and practice across the UK.’
The GMC’s Council appointments have been confirmed by the Privy Council:
The Privy Council has approved the following appointments, recommended by the selection panel chaired by Professor Sir Peter Rubin:
Dr Shree Datta
Lady Christine Eames
Professor Michael Farthing
Baroness Helene Hayman
Lord Ajay Kakkar
Professor Jim McKillop
Professor Deirdre Kelly
Dame Suzi Leather
Dame Denise Platt
Mrs Enid Rowlands
Dr Hamish Wilson
The new Council will start its term of office on 1 January 2013.
Footnotes:
*1. The General Medical Council registers and licenses doctors to practise medicine in the UK. The law gives us four main functions:
Keeping up-to-date registers of qualified doctors
Fostering good medical practice
Promoting high standards of medical education and training
Dealing firmly and fairly with doctors whose fitness to practise is in doubt
*2. The Council is the governing body of the GMC. It is responsible for the overall control of the organisation. It ensures that the GMC is properly managed and that the organisation fulfils its statutory and charitable purposes to protect and promote the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine. It has an equal number of medical and non-medical (lay) members and includes at least one person who lives or works wholly or mainly in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A 38-year-old man being treated for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust has died.
The man had recently returned home to the UK and was being treated in complete isolation after being admitted to Gartnavel General Hospital’s Brownlee Centre in Glasgow, less than three hours after arriving in Scotland.
He was then transferred to the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. Tests revealed he flew into Scotland from Dubai, though his journey originated in the Afghan capital, Kabul.
It was the first recorded case of the deadly disease in the UK. Other passengers who sat close to him on an aircraft are undergoing daily health checks. – Sky News (link to full story)
Glasgow man ‘critical’ with first UK case of killer fever
05 Oct 2012: A GLASGOW man is being treated in isolation after becoming the first person diagnosed in Britain with the potentially lethal Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.
The 38-year-old is in a critical condition at the Brownlee specialist unit at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow.
He was admitted on Tuesday afternoon, less than three hours after flying into the city at 12:35pm on a connecting flight from Dubai. Test results confirmed his condition yesterday. – scotsman.com (link to full story)
17 May, 2012: Five people have died in the Black Sea region of Turkey of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, one of the diseases that can be transmitted by tick bites.
(Photo: NHS Cumbria – Click on photo for advice from NHS Cumbria)
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread to humans by infected ticks. Ticks are tiny, spider-like insects found in woodland areas that feed on the blood of mammals, including humans.
Tick bites often go unnoticed and the tick can remain feeding for several days before dropping off. The longer the tick is in place, the higher the risk of it passing on the infection.
Lyme disease can affect your skin, joints, heart and nervous system
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infectious disease in Europe and North America. People who spend time in woodland or heath areas are more at risk of developing Lyme disease because these areas are where tick-carrying animals, such as deer and mice, live.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) estimates that there are 2,000 to 3,000 cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales each year, and that about 15%-20% of cases occur while people are abroad.
Parts of the UK that are known to have a high population of ticks include:
Exmoor
the New Forest in Hampshire
the South Downs
parts of Wiltshire and Berkshire
Thetford Forest in Norfolk
the Lake District
the Yorkshire Moors
the Scottish Highlands
Most tick bites occur in late spring, early summer and during the autumn because these are the times of year when most people take part in outdoor activities, such as hiking and camping – NHS Choices
Lyme is just one of a lengthening list of emerging infectious diseases that are soaring.
Experts say that increasing temperatures and altered precipitation patterns that accompany climate change are already playing at least a partial role in the spread and intensity of zoonoses — infectious agents that begin in animals and account for an estimated 75 percent of all newly emerging diseases -� Huffington Post
Five persons showing symptoms of infection from a SARS-like virus have been admitted to Odense University Hospital (OUH), central Denmark, the hospital said in a press statement Tuesday.
The five patients are currently being examined for symptoms of infection from a new corona virus, which can lead to severe respiratory disease. Corona viruses are a large family of viruses including those which cause the common cold, as well as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), an outbreak of which killed some 800 people in 2003.
The new corona virus is thought to have an incubation period lasting seven to 10 days, and has previously been found among patients who had traveled from Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
OUH Director Jens Peter Steensen said to Danish media late Tuesday that the five patients, who are all Danish residents, will be tested for the new corona virus and for a range of more common triggers of respiratory infection.
The results of these tests will be released Wednesday afternoon, Steensen said, adding the patients will be kept in isolation until then.
On Monday, the Danish Health and Medicines Authority advised persons who had traveled to Qatar or Saudi Arabia to seek medical advice if they experienced fever, cough or difficulty breathing within ten days of their return from these countries.
It followed a warning from British health officials who alerted the World Health Organization on Saturday of the new virus found in a man transferred from Qatar to the UK on Sept. 11.
Wednesday, 26 September, 2012 at 03:07 (03:07 AM) UTC RSOE
Today the crew at the Devon and Cornwall Police Air Operations Unit have been speaking to members of the press with regard to the alarming increase in laser attacks on aircraft.
This morning Simon Hall from the BBC visited the unit and produced a good report on the issues which Spotlight ran this evening and placed on their website.
Here are some links to the stories and a video of a laser attack on the Devon and Cornwall police helicopter from earlier this year.
Author Christine Negroni says:
There has been “ninefold increase over five years” in laser illuminations of aircraft
Eye doctors are “shocked” that high-powered lasers are available on the Internet with no purchase restrictions.
A U.K. physician says the U.S. limit should be 1 mW, that even at 5 mW laser pointers have “acute” dangers.
This appears to be a growing problem around the world, aircraft are at risk and sadly there will be a tragic, major aircraft incident/accident in the future if this trend of laser attacks is not stamped on hard and fast!
Thursday, 09 August, 2012 at 07:11 UTC RSOE (NB: Newer updates below)
Ten cities and municipalities in Metro Manila and six provinces in Luzon have been placed under a state of calamity due to massive flooding caused by four days of non-stop monsoon rains.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that areas in Metro Manila that have been placed under a state of calamity were Marikina, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Muntinlupa, San Juan, Pasig, Pasay, Caloocan and Pateros.
In Central Luzon, the provinces of Bataan, Pampanga, Zambales and Bulacan as well as Laguna and Palawan provinces in Southern Luzon have also been placed under a state of calamity. Quezon City, which has the most number of families affected by floods, has yet to make a calamity declaration.
There are a total of 72,468 people affected by flooding in the city and majority of them or a total of 72,264 are staying in 57 evacuation centers. Quezon City and Marikina City have been hit by greater volume of torrential rains since Sunday night.
A massive evacuation has been ordered in Marikina City due to the overflowing of the Marikina River. A total of 246,808 people have been affected in 17 areas in Metro Manila.
The other regions affected by the monsoon rains were Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Western Visayas.
The NDRRMC said that a total of 454,093 families or nearly two million people in Metro Manila and the five other regions are affected by floods caused by the monsoon rains.
It has also confirmed 19 fatalities, nine of which died in a landslide in Quezon City and eight died from drowning. Flooding in Quezon City and other areas in Luzon were expected to continue due to the overflowing of major dams including La Mesa, Angat and San Roque. The water reserve in Ipo, Ambuklao and Binga dams are near spilling levels.
Death toll from Philippines floods rises to 66
Saturday August 11, 2012 – 13:46 EST
The death toll from torrential rains that submerged most of the Philippines capital Manila has risen to 66.
Al Jazeera’s Marga Ortigas reports from Manila, many of those who were forced out of their homes are now trying to return.
Nearly two weeks of monsoon rains across the Philippines’ main island of Luzon peaked with a 48-hour deluge earlier this week that battered Manila and surrounding regions.
The extra deaths occurred mainly in the provinces during the initial rain from Monday to Wednesday, but government officials in the outlying areas could not immediately report the casualties to Manila headquarters.
Ten people remain missing as the floods, which submerged 80 per cent of Manila earlier in the week, have largely subsided.
Radio Australia’s reporter in Manila, Shirley Escalante, says the massive clean up has begun.
“As floodwaters recede, tonnes of garbage has been left behind littering roads, parks and drains in the capital Manila and surrounding provinces,” Ms Escalante said.
Health officials are warning diseases like leptospirosis and diarrhea could spread easily.
Ms Escalante says authorities have price controlled basic food items like bread, noodles and canned goods, to ensure there’s enough to go around.
Relief effort
But the government says it’s struggling to cope with the scale of the relief effort which is expected to last for weeks.
Tens of thousands of people are continuing to stream into evacuation centres that are already overcrowded and unable to provide enough immediate relief goods.
The Social Welfare Secretary, Corazon Soliman, says local government units are being overwhelmed.
“We have evacuation centres that are congested, that is the whole problem,” she said.
More than 362,000 people were sheltering in evacuation centres on Friday, nearly 50,000 more than on Thursday.
Farmland inundated
Water remains waist-deep across a large part of a vital rice growing region to the north of Manila.
“We need something to eat. I haven’t gone to work or been paid for a week,” said Rogelio Soco, a construction worker and father-of-three in a small farming town outside Manila.
Mr Soco says the floods were the worst the area had seen since a huge typhoon struck in the early 1970s.
Other locals also say they haven’t experienced anything like it for decades.
Around the town of Apalit, formerly green rice paddies have been turned into an ocean of brown water.
‘Inadequate response’
Local non-government organisation Transform Asia has labelled the government’s response inadequate.
“The response really is not good enough,” the group’s chairwoman Reihana Mohideen told Radio Australia’s .
“For example, there are water pumping stations in the area that I went to. They pump out 15,000 litres of water a day and they were completely overwhelmed. They did not have the capacity to deal with the amount of water.”
She said many victims had been living in squatter colonies without proper drainage systems.
“The devastation that you travel through to get to these centres of flooded huts – this is the face of poverty,” she said.
“Housing is inadequate. There’re no proper drainage systems. The roads get flooded so quickly, and you don’t have water catchment to catch and store this water. There’s inadequate power supply.”
Her comments were echoed by urban planner Nathaniel Einseidel, who said the Philippines had enough technical know-how, and access to financing, to solve the ongoing flood problems.
“It’s a lack of appreciation for the benefits of long-term plans. It’s a vicious cycle when the planning, the policies and enforcement are not very well synchronised,” said Mr Einseidel, who was Manila’s planning chief from 1979-89.
“I haven’t heard of a local government, a town or city that has a comprehensive drainage masterplan.”
This week’s rains were the worst to hit Manila since Tropical Storm Ketsana killed 464 people in 2009.
Environment Secretary Ramon Paje warned that the Philippines must prepare for more intense rains caused by climate change, describing the latest deluge as the “new normal”.
Philippine authorities scrambled to provide food and other emergency provisions Saturday to more than two million people affected by widespread flooding, as the death toll rose to 66, officials said.
The flooding that submerged 80 percent of Manila early in the week has largely subsided, allowing people to return to their homes, but more than 100 low-lying towns and cities to the north remain under water.
Civil defence chief Benito Ramos said the huge displaced population, including 441,000 people crammed in crowded evacuation camps, would need to be fed and taken care of for at least another seven days.
“The bulk of our operations involves relief, but also clean-up,” Ramos told AFP.
“Volunteers are packaging 100,000 food packs for immediate distribution.”
The government’s disaster co-ordination council said it was serving nearly 758,000 people displaced by floods on Saturday, significantly more than the previous day as tens of thousands trickled into evacuation centres overnight.
But with 2.68 million people affected, up from 2.44 million on Friday, many are having to fend for themselves.
In Calumpit, a farming town about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Manila, unmarried construction worker Ronaldo Cruz stepped out of his house, stuck in waist-deep floods, to ask for food from better-off neighbours and relatives.
“We’ve been waiting for relief aid, but none has arrived,”
said the 32-year-old, who lives with seven other relatives.
“Perhaps there isn’t enough to go around,” he told AFP.
With evacuation centres packed to capacity and houses inundated by flood water, many residents of Calumpit are forced to live on their rooftops.
The UN World Food Programme said it was providing 52.5 tonnes of high-energy biscuits and hiring trucks to help the government transport other relief supplies.
“WFP is saddened by the humanitarian impact of the non-stop rains over the last week in the Philippines,” its country chief Stephen Anderson said in a statement.
The UN body said it also plans to distribute supplementary food to about 77,000 children in the flooded areas.
The government said Saturday that 66 people had been confirmed killed, up from 60 on Friday.
The Philippines endures about 20 major storms or typhoons each rainy season. But this week’s rains were the worst to hit Manila since Tropical Storm Ketsana killed 464 people in 2009. – Reliefweb
Youtuber Emohr Oemlab “I rode the yellow dump truck from my place to the supermarket. The usual 10-minute ride took 45 minutes because vehicles are carefully treading the flood at 5 kph. LOL! The flood is still widespread in Sandoval Ave., Pasig City.”
See here how people go about their daily lives like one person here making the gas delivery with his motorbike.
12 Aug 2012:
MANILA (AFP) – Emergency relief officials and doctors deployed to flood devastated communities in the Philippines on Sunday to prevent outbreaks of disease as the death toll jumped to 85.
The flooding that submerged 80 per cent of Manila early in the week has largely subsided but more than 150 towns and cities around the capital remain under water, affecting more than three million people.
Amid the ongoing relief operation, the weather bureau warned of a low pressure area developing some 850km to the east in the Pacific Ocean that could turn into a storm and bring more rain.
Many provinces around Manila remained inundated as overflowing dams continued to release water, the national disaster coordinating agency said. Relief workers were dealing with “clogged pipelines and trash everywhere. Sanitation has emerged as a key problem,” Red Cross secretary general Gwendolyn Pang told AFP.
TROPICAL DEPRESSION #HELEN
dost_pagasa (Philippines Weather Bureau):
At 5:00PM (PhT) 08/12/12 The active LPA East of Northern Luzon has developed into Tropical Depression #HELEN
At 4:00pm today (PhT) the center of TD “HELEN” was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 750 km E of Casiguran, Aurora (16.7°N 130.2°E). Maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center. It is forecast to move West Northwest at 11 kph.
Estimated rainfall amount is from 10 – 20 mm per hour (heavy – intense) within the 350 km diameter of the Tropical Depression #HELEN
As of 7:00PM, the center of Tropical Depression #Helen was estimated at 720KM East of Casiguran, Aurora (16.8°N 129.9°E)
TD #HELEN is expected to enhance the HABAGAT that will bring rains over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao especially the Western section.
As of 6:00PM (PhT), the center of Tropical Depression Helen was est. at 740KM East of Casiguran, Aurora (16.7N, 130.0E).
As of 7:00PM (PhT), the center of Tropical Depression #Helen was estimated at 720KM East of Casiguran, Aurora (16.8°N 129.9°E).
TARLAC CITY, Tarlac, Aug11 (PIA) — President Aquino assured monsoon flood victims in his home province of Tarlac that government will help in their recovery.
Speaking before residents in Barangay Apulid in Paniqui town Friday, the Chief Executive said he admires the resiliency of the residents to immediately rise from the tragedy. He added that such trait is a positive sign of brighter things ahead.
Aquino distributed relief goods in the village and in Barangay Sta. Lucia in Capas town together with secretaries of Social Welfare Dinky Soliman, Energy Jose Almendras, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Joel Villanueva, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning (PCSDO) Ramon Carandang, Aurora representative Sonny Angara, and former party-list representative Risa Hontiveros.
In an interview, one of the evacuees in Brgy. Apulid, Elena Salcedo, 79, said, “This is even worse than typhoons Pedring and Quiel, I was scared but with the President here I am very thankful because he had seen what our current situation is and it brings me hope that soon we’ll be back to our normal lives.”
Meanwhile, Paniqui Mayor Dors Rivilla said, “evacuees will be probably be staying in the evacuation centers for three to four days until the rain stops to ensure their safety.”
In the municipal level, we are doing our best to avert such a situation again and we are asking government to assist. Our area is a catch basin, the mayor explained.
He also cited the construction of P16 billion Balog-Balog Irrigation Multipurpose Project (BBIMP), a megadam in the western part of Tarlac which will help in the mitigation of flooding in low-lying areas of the province.
The Department of Agriculture explained that the project would irrigate about 39,150 hectares of farmlands in the municipalities of Concepcion, Gerona, Pura, Ramos, Paniqui, La Paz, Victoria, and Tarlac City.
A total of 250 and 200 packs were distributed by the DSWD-3 to barangays Apulid and Sta. Lucia evacuation centers. A pack is composed of three kilos of rice, six assorted canned goods, six noodles, and coffee.
Based on Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) figures, there are now 619 affected families or 2,291 individuals and 1,1864 families or 9,169 individuals covering Paniqui and Capas towns respectively. (CLJD/JGB-PIA 3)
Red Cross steps up rescue and relief operations for flood-stricken families
The Philippine Red Cross has stepped up its rescue and relief operations for flood-stricken families rescuing a total of 7,525 persons and assisting in the evacuation of more than 200,000 individuals with the help of Red Cross 143 volunteers. Persons rescued were from Valenzuela, Rizal, Caloocan, Manila and other affected areas.
The Quezon City Red Cross assisted in the search and rescue of the victims of the landslides in Commonwealth where three persons were given first aid and transported to nearby hospital.
The Red Cross as well has provided hot meals to more than 191,344 persons in various evacuation centers.
PRC Chairman Richard Gordon has directed Red Cross to deploy all life-saving equipment such as amphibian, rubber boats, ambulances and trucks and intensify further its rescue and relief operations to assist more people, especially in worst hit areas.
Gordon will personally hand over relief goods to the University of Sto Tomas Hospital, Epifanio Delos Santos Hospital and University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Hospital for distribution to patients, crew and staff. The PRC Chair will also discuss partnership with hospital officials for better medical and health services to people in distress.
Earlier, the Red Cross has provided generator to Epifanio delos Santos Hospital and assisted as well in providing fuel for the generator of the UERM Hospital.
PRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang said more relief operations and hygiene promotion will be conducted in some of the 566 evacuation centers where 49,220 families are still sheltered. The Red Cross will also set up welfare desks in the evacuation centers to provide psychosocial support and other welfare needs of the affected families.
Pang said, the Red Cross will also conduct quick assessment of the situation and furthers needs of the affected families in Metro Manila and other flooded areas.
The Red Cross will continue to work round the clock with more areas still under water.
Red Cross in full action responding to floods
The Philippine Red Cross is responding around the clock to the worsening flood situation in Metro Manila and nearby provinces triggered by continuous southwest monsoon rains, prompting hundreds of families to evacuate to higher grounds.
The Red Cross Emergency Response Teams have so far rescued a total of 250 persons in various flood-stricken areas in Valenzuela, Rizal and Quezon City.
The Red Cross life-saving vehicles including its amphibian, rubber boats, 6 X 6 trucks and ambulances are on full swing surveying flooded areas and assisting in rescue operation and evacuation of families trapped by rising flood water.
PRC Chairman Richard Gordon has directed all chapters and Red Cross 143 volunteers to remain vigilant in responding to the situation and ensure the safety of the affected families.
More than 6,000 persons were served with hot meals and another 2,000 more were provided with food items in 63 evacuation centers that were visited so far, by Red Cross response teams, according to PRC Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang.
Pang also said the Red Cross is now preparing more relief aid for immediate distribution to affected families.
The PRC medical and social worker teams are now on alert for deployment to evacuation areas to ensure the health and well-being of the flood-stricken population, particularly the most vulnerable group.
The PRC Blood services are also on stand by to ensure that blood requirements are met anytime the need arises.
PRC is coordinating closely with MMDA, local government units and other concerned agencies to do more, do better and reach further to affected families.
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Copied from Alert Net to give this story a wider audience
Mali’s humanitarian crisis caused by hunger, displacement and violence, is rapidly worsening and the south, where needs are greatest, is being neglected as the world focuses on conflict in the north, a top U.N. official said.
(Photo: trust.org/alertnet) A Malian family displaced by war gather at a makeshift camp in Sevare, about 600 kms (400 miles) northeast of the capital Bamako, July 11, 2012. REUTERS/Emmanuel Braun
Mali, which once enjoyed a reputation for being a stable nation in an often turbulent region, has been plagued by insecurity since a coup in March hastened a rebel advance across the north of the largely desert Sahel state.
A mix of local and foreign Islamists have outmanoeuvred separatist Tuareg rebels and now control the three northern regions, imposing strict Islamic law and stoking fears the zone has become a terrorist safe haven.
As a result of fighting, more than
420,000 people have been uprooted from their homes
within Mali or have fled to neighbouring countries such as Niger, Mauritania and Burkina Faso.
At the same time, Mali is suffering a food crisis that has swept across West Africa’s Sahel region putting 18 million lives at risk. In Mali alone,
4.6 million people face severe hunger and 175,000 children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition
according to the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
“The humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly because of the inadequacy of the response. The situation in Mali is desperate, but not hopeless,” said John Ging, director of operations at the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), ending a three-day visit to the country.
He said a lack of funds was hampering a scale-up of relief operations.
Only 42 percent of the $214 million needed for the humanitarian response in Mali, has been received so far, with health, education, water and sanitation the most critically underfunded sectors, according to OCHA.
The U.N. refugee agency says in some camps, refugees are still coping with below “emergency standard” daily water supplies.
Ging said there was a misconception that, without a solution to the security and political crisis in the north of Mali, little could be done to scale up the humanitarian response.
“In fact, 80 percent of the country’s humanitarian needs are in the south where there is relative stability,” he said in a statement.
He also highlighted the humanitarian response under way in the north despite limited access due to the violence there.
“Remarkable work is being done by national and international NGOs in the north,” Ging said. “They have been creative in overcoming many obstacles to access the people in need, and their humanitarian interventions are stemming further mass displacement.”
Ging’s comments came a week after Washington called on Mali’s authorities to accept offers by African states to send a military force to stabilise Mali and help retake control of its north.
Mental health issues can cause severe debt, and severe debt’s a catalyst for mental health problems. When we first launched our booklet, many told us of their relief realising they weren’t alone. Annually, one in four have mental health issues and Mind reports 75% say it makes their debt worse. So we believe it needs treating as a mainstream money issue.
New free Mental Health & Debt booklet – updated for 2012. Download the 44-page Mental Health & Debt Help 2012 PDF booklet (thanks to charities Mind, Rethink, CAPUK & others for help). It’s crammed with info on handling debts when unwell, working with banks, where to get help, whether to declare a condition to your bank & more.
Who’s it for? Individuals, families, carers, caseworkers of those with anxiety, depression, bipolar and more.
Struggling with debts but not mental health? Then you’ll find lots of useful info and free non-profit help in the Debt Problems Help Guide.
Parents are being warned about the importance of protecting their children against measles following an outbreak of the infectious disease in County Cork.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging families to get their children fully immunised with two doses of MMR before travelling to the south of Ireland or to other European countries during the summer months.
The warning came after 51 children were diagnosed with measles in west Cork. Two of them were admitted to hospital for further treatment.
Most of the infected children are teenagers and 88% of them had never received any dose of MMR vaccine. Although measles can occur at any age, it is most common in children.
However, the disease is life threatening at any age.
Measles can be caught either through direct contact with an infected person, or through the air when the patient coughs or sneezes. Dr Gerry Waldron is Acting Assistant Director of Public Health (Health Protection) with the PHA.
He says it is never too late to get immunised.
“If children are not vaccinated they are left exposed to a serious and potentially fatal disease.
“MMR immunisation is the safest and most effective way to prevent measles infection and it is never too late to get vaccinated.”
Northern Ireland has high uptake levels for MMR, Dr Waldron said, before adding that this was a great tribute to the medical staff involved in the immunisation programme and also parents.
“MMR uptake rates are very high – just over 93% of children have received it by the age of two and by five years of age,” he said.
Monday, 11 June, 2012 at 13:26 (01:26 PM) UTC RSOE
NHS Lothian is now investigating 17* confirmed cases and 15* suspected cases of Legionnaires’ disease. (*See update below)
(Image: basingstoke.gov.uk)
One patient, a man in his 50s with under lying health conditions, has died while being treated at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Thirteen men and two women aged between 33 and 74 are in a critical condition with the disease and are being treated in intensive care in hospitals in Lothian. One man has recovered and has been discharged.
Although unconfirmed, 15 other cases, ten men and five women are also being investigated. All of these patients are being treated in hospitals in Lothian.
The majority of the confirmed cases are linked geographically to the Dalry, Gorgie and Saughton areas of Edinburgh. Investigations into the other cases and possible links with the area are on-going.
The source of the outbreak continues to be investigated by officials from the City of Edinburgh Council’s Environmental Health Service and Scientific Service and the Health and Safety Executive.
Industrial cooling towers have been identified as a potential source of the infection and the cooling systems at four facilities in the area have been subject to an additional chemical treatment.
North British Distillery is being investigated among other sources
Further inspections of these facilities will be carried out by the Environmental Health Service and the Health and Safety Executive over the coming days to ensure control measures continue to be effective.
Samples have been taken from these four facilities but, legionella is a difficult bacteria to culture and it may take up to ten days before results of the samples are available.
Other possible sources are not being ruled out.
Dr Duncan McCormick, Consultant in Public Health Medicine and Chair of the Incident Management Team, said:
“I would like to express my sincere condolences to the family of the patient that died.
Investigations into the possible source of this outbreak are on-going. Meanwhile, medical staff have been actively identifying possible cases to allow us to ascertain the full extent of this outbreak.
I would like to reassure the public that household water supplies are safe and that Legionnaire’s disease cannot be contracted by drinking water.
Older people, particularly men, heavy smokers and those with other health conditions are at greater risk of contracting the disease.
I would urge anyone who develops symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease to contact NHS 24 or their GP.”
BBC: Industrial water cooling towers in the south west of Edinburgh have been treated in an attempt to stop an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease.
A man in his 50s has died as the number of confirmed and suspected cases in Edinburgh continues to rise.
NHS Lothian’s Dr Duncan McCormick said medical staff were identifying possible cases in an attempt to discover the full extent of the outbreak.
About Legionnaires’ disease
The first case was identified on Thursday 28 May. The symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease can begin anytime from between 2-14 days after exposure to the bacteria.
Legionella bacteria sometimes find their way into artificial water supply systems, such as air conditioning systems, hot water services, and cooling towers. Given the right conditions, legionella bacteria can contaminate these water systems.
Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water. However, the condition is not contagious and cannot be spread directly from person to person. It cannot be contracted through drinking water.
There are strict regulations regarding the maintenance and control of water supply systems, such as either keeping the water cooled below 20C (68F), or heated above 60C (140F), in order to prevent an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease.
Symptoms usually begin with an initial phase lasting 1-2 days, in which you experience mild headaches and muscle pain. This is followed by the onset of more severe symptoms including, high fever, usually a temperature of 40C (104F) or above, more severe muscle pain and chills.
Once the bacteria begin to infect your lungs, you may also experience a persistent cough, which is usually dry at first but as the infection develops you may start coughing up mucus or possibly blood, shortness of breath and chest pains.
About 30% of people with Legionnaires’ disease will also experience gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and
loss of appetite.
About half of those with Legionnaires’ disease will also experience changes to their mental state, such as confusion.
STV: Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon says it is important not to point fingers as the number of Legionnaires cases continues to rise.
Speaking on Good Morning Scotland, Sturgeon said there was a strong working assumption the source of the outbreak had been traced.
She said: Health Protection Scotland are taking the appropriate steps to identify the source as quickly as possible.
Theres the strong working assumption surrounding cooling towers in the south west of Edinburgh and those towers have been chemically treated.
While the source is being investigated it is important not to point fingers at individual companies.
There are now 21 cases of Legionnaires’ disease and 19 suspected cases in Scotland, the country’s health secretary Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.- Sky News
Update – 08/06/2012 15:30BST
NHS Lothian advise that…
Number of cases stands at 74
The latest reports from the Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) on the Edinburgh Legionnaires’ disease outbreak show that there are now 28 confirmed cases and 46 suspected cases. This is an increase of 13 on the total numbers of confirmed and suspected cases.
As at 12pm today, of those cases being treated in hospital, 14 were in intensive care and 30 are on general wards.
A total of 15 cases are being treated in the community, ten have been discharged from hospital and one person has sadly died.
Four cases are being treated outside of the NHS Lothian area. A patient who was yesterday being treated in NHS Highland has now been transferred to Glasgow, one patient is being treated in the north of England, one in NHS Tayside and one in NHS Lanarkshire. At this stage all these cases are considered to be linked to the south west Edinburgh outbreak.
The ages of the confirmed cases ranges between 33 and 76, with more males than females affected.
As of 10pm yesterday, NHS 24 had received 492 calls to the dedicated helpline for Legionnaires’ disease.
The Health and Safety Executive and Edinburgh City Council are continuing their investigations into the possible source of the outbreak. The HSE has today served an Improvement Notice on one of the companies responsible for one of the cooling towers which is being investigated, although this does not mean that this tower has been identified as the source of the outbreak.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “As we expected, we have seen a rise in the number of cases associated with this outbreak today. It is reassuring to see that ten people have now been discharged from hospital.
“NHS Lothian continues to be very busy and contact has been made with other health boards in case capacity at other hospitals is required.
“The fact remains that the risk to the general public remains low but anyone with concerns should contact their GP or NHS 24’s dedicated hotline on 0800 0858 531.
“I want to stress that this bacteria is not passed on person to person or by drinking water.
“Investigations into the source of this outbreak are continuing. It is important to note that in issuing an Improvement Notice, the HSE does not believe there is an immediate risk to workers or members of the public. Nor can it be assumed that this tower is the source of the outbreak.
“Investigations into all of the other towers in the area are continuing.”
Dr Duncan McCormick, Chair of the IMT and Consultant in Public Health Medicine at NHS Lothian, said: “The number of patients with confirmed or suspected Legionnaires’ disease has increased since yesterday. This is exactly in line with what we expected and what we have predicted so far, based on the first presentation of patients and the incubation period of Legionnaires’ disease which is between two and 14 days, but usually has an average of five to six days.
“We expect that the numbers of patients affected will peak over the weekend and then begin to fall as we move into the beginning of next week.
“The majority of patients who are presenting now are also on the lower end of the sickness scale and are therefore more likely to be treated in the community with appropriate care than be admitted into hospital, meaning that they are also unlikely to have underlying health conditions.”
Update – 11/06/2012 1417BST
This is the latest at this time
Outbreak of Legionella in South West Edinburgh. Update – 10/06/2012 16:00
Legionnaires’ outbreak update
Number of cases stands at 82
The latest reports from the Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) on the Edinburgh Legionnaires’ disease outbreak show that there are now 37 confirmed cases and 45 suspected cases. This is an increase of one in the total number of confirmed cases and an increase of one suspected case.
As at noon today, of those cases being treated in hospital, 15 are in intensive care and 26 are on general wards.
A total of 16 cases are being treated in the community, 19 have been discharged from hospital and one person has died.
Five cases are being treated outwith the NHS Lothian area. One patient is being treated in the north of England, two in NHS Tayside, one in NHS Lanarkshire and one patient from NHS Highland is now being treated in Glasgow. At this stage all these cases are considered to be linked to the south west Edinburgh outbreak.
The ages of the confirmed cases ranges between 33 and 76, with more males than females affected.
NHS 24 has received 630 calls to the dedicated helpline for Legionnaires’ disease.
The Health and Safety Executive and Edinburgh City Council are continuing their investigations into the possible source of the outbreak.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “These latest figures are reassuring and in line with expectations, and although it is too early to be definite they do suggest we are now in the later stages of this outbreak. All those involved are responding extremely well: NHS Lothian services are coping with the demands on them and the City of Edinburgh Council and the Health and Safety Executive continue to make significant progress in their investigation to identify the source of this outbreak.”
Dr Duncan McCormick, Chair of the IMT and Consultant in Public Health Medicine at NHS Lothian, said: “We are pleased with the slow down in the number of cases presenting and we hope this will continue over the coming days.
“The risk to the general public is low but anyone with concerns should contact their GP or NHS 24’s dedicated hotline on 0800 0858 531.”
Watch the video: Newsy
The General Medical Council (GMC) (See*1) has today confirmed the make-up of its new smaller Council (See*2) in an historic move for the 154-year old organisation.
Goaty's News (UK) 