China Has Withheld Samples of a Dangerous Flu Virus

© Philippe Lopez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Health workers culling chickens in Hong Kong in 2014 following an outbreak of avian flu.

 

For over a year, the Chinese government has withheld lab samples of a rapidly evolving influenza virus from the United States — specimens needed to develop vaccines and treatments, according to federal health officials.

Despite persistent requests from government officials and research institutions, China has not provided samples of the dangerous virus, a type of bird flu called H7N9. In the past, such exchanges have been mostly routine under rules established by the World Health Organization.

Now, as the United States and China spar over trade, some scientists worry that the vital exchange of medical supplies and information could slow, hampering preparedness for the next biological threat.

New plague ‘Black Death’ can kill in 3 hours, WHO fears global pandemic

Doctors are finding it hard to contain a new persevering strain of the pneumonic plague a.k.a. “Black Death” which can kill in just three hours

EAST AFRICA (INTELLIHUB) — Nearly 200 people have already been killed in the Island Nation of Madagascar by the newest and most deadly strain of the pneumonic plague that has been seen by world health officials to date.

US life expectancy is low and is now projected to be on par with Mexico by 2030

The poor levels of life expectancy in the U.S. against other rich nations has been laid bare in a new report, which predicts that minimal gains over the coming years will see the country have similar rates to Mexico by the year 2030.

In general, global life expectancy is on track to increase by the year 2030, according to the study released on Monday, but the U.S. is predicted to continue to lag behind its peers .

WHO says Zika virus spreads explosively, four million cases forecast

The Zika virus, linked to severe birth defects in thousands of babies in Brazil, is “spreading explosively” and could infect as many as 4 million people in the Americas, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

Director-General Margaret Chan told members of the U.N. health agency’s executive board the spread of the mosquito-borne disease had gone from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions. The WHO would convene an emergency meeting on Monday to help determine its response, she said.

“The level of alarm is extremely high,” Chan told the Geneva gathering.

Californians increasingly at risk of arsenic poisoning as drought concentrates poison in groundwater

(NaturalNews) As California’s drought continues, there is more to people’s problems than browning lawns, challenging water conservation efforts and devastation to crops. The latest discovery to plague the parched state is the finding that groundwater – which many residents and farmers are now turning to in larger quantities – contains dangerous levels of the poison arsenic. Exposure to high levels of the poison has been linked to bladder, skin and lung cancers as well as causing birth defects and wreaking havoc on the central nervous system.

Number of Ebola infections in west Africa passes 16,000

Death toll from virus outbreak nears 7,000 as World Health Organisation warns figures may be significant underestimation

The number of people with Ebola in west Africa has risen above 16,000, with the death toll from the outbreak reaching almost 7,000, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says.

The number of deaths is more than 1,000 higher than the figure issued by the WHO just two days ago, but it is thought to include deaths that have gone unreported in the weeks or months since the outbreak began. Most of the new deaths were recorded in Liberia.

Number of Ebola cases nears 16,000 as Sierra Leone loses ground: WHO

(Reuters) – The death toll in the world’s worst Ebola epidemic has risen to 5,689 out of 15,935 cases reported in eight countries by Nov. 23, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.

Almost all cases and all but 15 deaths have been in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia – the three hardest-hit countries, which reported 600 new cases in the past week, the WHO said in its latest update.

“The total number of cases reported in Sierra Leone since the outbreak began will soon eclipse the number reported from Liberia,” it said. The former British colony has reported 6,599 cases against 7,168 in Liberia.

More than 10,000 Ebola cases in eight countries

The number of people infected with the Ebola virus has passed 10,000, with 4992 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation, as the United States announced its ambassador to the United Nations would visit the three worst-affected West African nations.

It says 10,141 people have been diagnosed with the deadly disease, which is an increase from the previous estimate of about nine thousand cases.

Almost five thousand people have died from the virus, which has hit Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone the hardest. Washington’s ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, was set to land in the capital of Guinea, Conakry, last night.

Mali became the latest nation to record a death when a two-year-old girl died there on Saturday. More than 40 people known to have come into contact with her have been placed in quarantine.

Sixty Days To Beat Ebola, United Nations Warns

The UN says the ebola outbreak must be controlled within 60 days or else the world faces an “unprecedented” situation for which there is no plan.

The United Nations made the stark warning as it warned that the disease “is running faster than us and it is winning the race”.

Nearly 9,000 cases of ebola have been reported so far in West Africa, including 4,447 deaths.

“The WHO advises within 60 days we must ensure 70% of infected people are in a care facility and 70% of burials are done without causing further infection,” said Anthony Banbury, the UN’s deputy ebola coordinator.

WHO: 21,000 Ebola cases by November if no changes

LONDON (AP) — New estimates from the World Health Organization warn the number of Ebola cases could hit 21,000 in six weeks unless efforts to curb the outbreak are ramped up.

Since the first cases were reported six months ago, the tally of cases in West Africa has reached an estimated 5,800 illnesses. WHO officials say cases are continuing to increase exponentially and Ebola could sicken people for years to come without better control measures.

In recent weeks, health officials worldwide have stepped up efforts to provide aid but the virus is still spreading. There aren’t enough hospital beds, health workers or even soap and water in the hardest-hit West African countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.