National Geographic/FAO: Raising awareness on hunger and nutrition

The FAO and National Geographic partnership envisages cooperation, a regular dialogue and access to FAO expertise, knowledge exchange, content-sharing, cross promotion, joint activities and participation at events and on publishing platforms.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1vEfMSI

Supporting family farms key for healthy food systems

While substantial progress has been made in the fight against hunger in recent years, more than 800 million people remain hungry and efforts need to be increased to reach the global target of cutting the percentage of hungry people in half by 2015, said FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva in his opening remarks at the annual World Food Day ceremony, held at FAO Headquarters in Rome.



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Putting family farmers first to eradicate hunger

Nine out of 10 of the world’s 570 million farms are managed by a family, making the family farm a crucial agent of change in pursuing sustainable food security and eradicating hunger in the future, according to a new U.N. report released today. Family farms produce about 80 percent of the world’s food. Their prevalence and output mean they “are vital to the solution of the hunger problem” afflicting more than 800 million people, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva wrote in the introduction to FAO’s new State of Food and Agriculture 2014 report.



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Principles for responsible agriculture and food investments are approved

Governments from around the world today approved a landmark set of principles meant to guide investment in agriculture and food systems around the world, aimed at assuring that cross-border and corporate investment flows lead to improved food security and sustainability and respect the rights of farm and food workers.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1vgsYMf

PRO/MBDS> Dengue - China: Guangxi Zhuang

Dengue -- Worldwide/Unknown

South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region reported 453 cases of dengue as of [Sun 12 Oct 2014], local health authorities said on [Mon 13 Oct 2014].

No deaths have been reported in the region so far, according to the provincial health and family planning commission.

The cities of Nanning and Wuzhou have reported local cases, while other cities reported infections contracted elsewhere.

The total number of cases in China has now exceeded 30 000, according to an earlier



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1u5fgra

China pledges $50 million in support of South-South cooperation on agricultural development

China has announced a $50 million donation to FAO to support the Organization's program of "South-South cooperation" to improve food security and promote sustainable agricultural development over the next five years.



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Partnerships are crucial to fighting malnutrition

Marking the first in a series of three public discussions leading up to the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) in November, Nancy Stetson, US Special Representative for Global Food Security, stressed the importance of partnerships at a US-led Dialogue on Nutrition.



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Thomson Reuters Foundation and FAO launch global food security news platform

The Thomson Reuters Foundation, the corporate charity of the world's biggest news and information provider, and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today launched a comprehensive global news section dedicated to food issues.



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PRO/MBDS> Dengue - China (03): Guangdong, alert

Dengue -- Worldwide/Unknown

Some 1340 new dengue cases were confirmed in south China's Guangdong Province on [Fri 10 Oct 204], said the provincial health authorities on [Sat 11 Oct 2014].

The total number of dengue infections in Guangdong rose to 28 851, over 27 times that of same period last year [1 Jan-10 Oct 2013], according to the provincial health and family planning commission.

Worst-hit Guangzhou, the provincial capital, has reported a total of 24 485 dengue cases. 20 cities in the province have reported



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1p9L1hr

PRO/MBDS> Leptospirosis - Malaysia: Negeri Sembilan, alert

Leptospirosis -- Worldwide/Unknown

A cluster of the bacterial disease, leptospirosis, has prompted Malaysian health authorities to temporarily close a popular national park, according to a Star Online report.

The 2 week closure of the Jeram Toi waterfall and recreational park, located about halfway between Seremban and Kuala Kelawang [in Negeri Sembilan state], occurred after 4 children, aged 15 to 18, contracted the disease after swimming there. The conditions of all 4 kids are stable and being treated at a local



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1sBy5qA

CFS set to endorse principles for responsible investments in agriculture and food systems

The 41st session (CFS 41) the Committee is expected to adopt a set of principles for responsible investment in agriculture and food systems that have been in development for the past two years.During CFS 41, one policy roundtables will focus on the issue of food losses and waste while the other deals with the increasingly critical contribution made by fish to food security and to healthy diets.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1vmUIA5

Countries agree on key policy commitments to fight malnutrition globally

Reaching an important milestone in the fight against global malnutrition, countries today agreed on policies aimed at ensuring that people around the world have access to healthier diets.Representatives of FAO and World Health Organization (WHO) member countries reached consensus on a political Declaration and a voluntary Framework for Action including more than 50 recommendations.



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The Committee on World Food Security 5 years later: an assessment by civil society

Civil society plays a crucial role helping building consensus, giving a voice to the hungry, representing society’s diversity and being a part of international decision-making processes, FAO Director-General told civil society representatives today at the Organization’s headquarters, where they began the annual forum of the International Civil Society Mechanism, a vehicle for non-state actors to participate in policy making.



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FAO sets standards to improve national forest monitoring systems

FAO has launched free software tools that it hopes will improve the way many developing nations monitor the state of their forests to tackle deforestation and climate change.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1w9giF0

Good harvests and ample stockpiles continue to drive international food prices down

Food markets are more stable and prices for most agricultural commodities are sharply lower than they have been in recent years, according to the latest edition of FAO's biannual Food Outlook report and a new update to the Organization's Food Price Index.



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Ebola: FAO launches new initiative to tackle growing food security threat

FAO today launched a new programme to urgently assist 90 000 vulnerable households in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone whose food supplies and livelihoods are threatened by the disruptive effect the Ebola epidemic is having on rural economies, agricultural activities and markets.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1vTiLDr

PRO/MBDS> Dengue - China: Guangdong, alert

Dengue -- Worldwide/Unknown

South China's Guangdong province reported 1431 new dengue cases on [Sun 5 Oct 2014], bringing the total number up to 21 527, said local health authorities on [Mon 6 Oct 2014].

The number was rising quickly, with more than 1000 new cases found each day last week [week of 29 Sep 2014]. One new fatality case was reported by the provincial health and family planning commission on [Sun 5 Oct 2014], bringing the death toll in the province to 6.

The latest case was found in the Liwan District



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1vPawbs

Ministers meet at FAO to discuss role of commodity markets

Governments ought to review the way international agricultural commodity markets are governed, making sure that smallholder farmers have more of a voice in a sector that employs one billion people and accounts for a fifth of the world’s economic activity, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva told more than 30 ministers from around the world gathered for a meeting on the subject Monday.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1s2uZLW

PRO/MBDS> Dengue - Malaysia (08): alert

Dengue -- Worldwide/Unknown

A total of 149 deaths resulting from dengue were recorded nationwide in the 1st 9 months [January-September] of the year [2014], compared to only 48 cases during the same period [January-September] last year [2013]. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said this is a significant increase, whereby 77 527 dengue fever cases were recorded [in 2014] compared to 23 099 cases last year [2013].

"Moreover, the ministry anticipates that the change in weather recently will contribute towards



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1vFx0Mj

PRO/MBDS> Plague, pneumonic - China (02): Gansu, fatal, RFI

Plague -- Worldwide/Unknown

A 45-year-old man in northwest China's Gansu province has died of a plague, the 2nd death of its kind this year [2014], official media reported on [4 Oct 2014].

The case was reported in Subei County under the jurisdiction of Jiuquan City. The man, a herder, died on [1 Oct 2014] in hospital.

The provincial health and family planning commission confirmed the case after lab reports were released, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. [The victim] grazed his sheep in a pasture where wide



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1xTOhpc

Locust plague in Madagascar halted, but at great risk of resurgence

A locust plague that spread across Madagascar threatening the main staple food crops and pasture in the country has been successfully contained, however, progress is under threat due to a gap in funding, FAO said today. In April 2012 the highly destructive Malagasy Migratory Locust ravaged crops and pastures on its way from the southwest of the country toward the North.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1rOmvHb

FAO urges Europe to support nutrition and sustainable farming

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva told agricultural ministers from the European Union at a meeting in Milan that governments must help combat hunger and malnutrition on a global level, noting that a failure to do so will only boost migration flows and stoke conflicts.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1otUi3B

FAO calls for “paradigm shift” towards sustainable agriculture and family farming

Director-General José Graziano da Silva addressed the Committee on Agriculture, one of FAO's governing bodies, on Monday, urging them to support a wide menu of options favoring sustainable agriculture, including agroecology and the use of genetically-modified organisms.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/250148/icode/

FAO joins new global efforts targeting Ebola and other infectious diseases

FAO Director-General, José Graziano da Silva today stressed the need for controls on animal health to help curb the spread of Ebola and other infectious diseases dangerous to humans, during discussions hosted by US President Barack Obama.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/ZYcEE3

Zero Hunger is not just a dream, says FAO Director-General

The FAO Director-General urged countries to take the "extra step" and take up the UN Secretary-General's Zero Hunger Challenge which seeks to eradicate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition worldwide.This "should not remain a dream. It is a vision that is within our reach," the FAO chief said.



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Oceans crucial for our climate, food and nutrition

Better management of the world's ocean resources is crucial to ensuring food global security, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said during a roundtable discussion with Secretary of State John Kerry.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/ZRqwzU

Queen Letizia of Spain to attend the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2)

Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1Chwlob

South Sudan: Progress made, but food security remains fragile

Despite current short-term improvements, 1.5 million people are projected to remain severely food insecure until the end of 2014, which is a fifty percent increase from December 2013.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1mS9uw7

PRO/MBDS> Avian influenza - MBDS region (25): Viet Nam (Quang Ngai, Quang Nam) H5N6, OIE

Avian Influenza H5N6 -- Worldwide/Unknown

Information received on [and dated] 20 Sep 2014 from Dr Dong Pham Van, Director General, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hanoi, Viet Nam

Summary

Report type: follow-up report no 3

Date of start of the event: 22 Apr 2014

Date of pre-confirmation of the event: 16 Jul 2014

Report date: 20 Sep 2014

Date submitted to OIE: 20 Sep 2014

Reason for notification: new strain of a listed disease

Manifestation of disease:



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1r4Hjec

New approaches to food systems needed to cope with climate change

Overcoming climate change is central to achieving a sustainable future for the planet's growing population, and food security must lie at the heart of that effort



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1v4Uj2w

Increased concern over latest strain of avian influenza in Southeast Asia

A recently-emerged strain of avian influenza virus in poultry in Southeast Asia known as A(H5N6) represents a new threat to animal health and livelihoods and must be closely monitored.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/XKxyVB

PRO/MBDS> Foodborne illness - China (02): Jiangxi, susp.

Foodborne Illness -- Worldwide/Unknown

Suspected food and water poisoning has hospitalized 320 people, most of whom are children, in east China's Jiangxi Province, local authorities said Thursday [18 Sep 2014].

The patients, aged from 3 to 18 years old, have suffered from diarrhea, nausea, stomach pains and fever since Sunday [14 Sep 2014] in Lianhua County, according to the county health bureau.

As of Thursday [18 Sep 2014] morning, 21 are still hospitalized. Initial investigations suggest they contracted a bacterial



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1wNztIh

PRO/MBDS> Tuberculosis - Indonesia: Jakarta, MDR

Tuberculosis -- Worldwide/Unknown

An official has disclosed that 20 multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) cases have been found in West Jakarta.

West Jakarta Health Agency head Widyastuti revealed the data over the weekend, saying that the agency had been on alert due to the cases. "This disease is contagious and very dangerous. One person who has been declared positive for MDR TB can transmit it to 10 to 11 people around him or her," she said as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

Widyastuti said the disease could appear



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/XELVee

World hunger falls, but 805 million still chronically undernourished

The State of Food Insecurity in the World (SOFI 2014) confirmed a positive trend which has seen the number of hungry people decline globally by more than 100 million over the last decade and by more than 200 million since 1990-92. The report is published annually by FAO, IFAD and WFP.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/XtPsMk

PRO/MBDS> Chikungunya - India: Tamil Nadu, susp

Chikungunya -- Worldwide/Unknown

A village in Thuraiyur block [Tiruchirappalli district, Tamil Nadu], where some people were suspected to have contracted chikungunya, is completely under the control of medical teams. Health officials said after 7 men developed high temperature with unbearable joint pain, they collected blood samples. They later ascertained it to be chikungunya.

The people of Maaradi village were infected with fever on [12 Sep 2014], following which medical teams rushed to the spot and conducted camps in



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1qFxyDc

PRO/MBDS> Influenza - India (05): Delhi, H1N1, spread, fatal

Swine Flu H1N1 -- Worldwide/Unknown

14 more people tested positive for swine flu in the national capital on [13 Sep 2014], including one from the elite Sanskriti school, taking the total number of people infected with the disease to 215 here.

Apart from this, 16 suspected patients of swine flu were admitted to hospitals across the city, a senior health ministry official of Delhi government said. One case was confirmed from Sanskriti school, he said, adding that a suspected case had tested negative. The school had declared



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1s517cs

Norway donates $10 million to FAO South Sudan

Norway has donated approximately $10 million to help FAO provide conflict-affected farmers, fishers and herders in South Sudan with critical livelihood support.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1xTfyJb

FAO food price index drops to four-year low

FAO's monthly food price index registered another drop in August, continuing a 5-month downward run and reaching its lowest level since September 2010.



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PRO/MBDS> Conjunctivitis - Thailand: alert, coxsackievirus A24

Conjunctivitis -- Worldwide/Unknown

The Department of Disease Control, a division of the Thai Ministry of Public Health, recently reported that the number of pink eye (conjunctivitis) patients [from 1 Jan to 1 Sep 2014] has increased to 160 906 cases from all 77 provinces of Thailand. The estimated attack rate was 253 per 100 000 in the overall population. Most cases were between the ages of 35-45 (12.4 percent), followed by cases in the age groups 45-54 and 25-34. The 5 provinces in Thailand with the highest rate are Ubon



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1qiFUjP

Food security tops agenda of FAO Director-General’s meeting with India’s Prime Minister Modi

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and FAO Director-General, José Graziano da Silva, have agreed on how to strengthen efforts to promote India’s food security and sustainable agricultural development during talks held in New Delhi.



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Indian institutions award FAO Director-General for efforts to promote food security

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva was named Doctor Honoris Causa by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and made a Fellow of India's National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) during his first official mission to the country.



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PRO/MBDS> Avian influenza - MBDS region (23): Viet Nam (QT, QG), H5N6, OIE

Avian Influenza -- Worldwide/Unknown

Information received on [and dated] 4 Sep 2014 from Dr Dong Pham Van, Director General, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hanoi, Viet Nam

Summary

Report type: Follow-up report No. 2

Date of start of the event: 22 Apr 2014

Date of pre-confirmation of the event: 16 Jul 2014

Report date: 4 Sep 2014

Date submitted to OIE: 4 Sep 2014

Reason for notification: New strain of a listed disease

Manifestation of disease:



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1qE11e7

PRO/MBDS> Dengue - Malaysia (07): (Perak) alert

Dengue -- Worldwide/Unknown

The Perak state department has reported 3657 dengue fever cases and 8 deaths up till now [2 Sep 2014], said Health, Public Transport, Non-Muslim Affairs, National Integration and New Villages committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon.

He said Aedes mosquito-breeding in rubbish disposal areas and vacant lots contributed almost 50 percent to dengue fever.

"A special circular from the state government will be issued to ensure all the office premises and surrounding areas are cleaned



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/Wgmrmq

Flood-affected Serbian farmers receive EU and FAO aid

European Union assistance to flood-affected Serbian farm households got under way with a first delivery of animal feed here today. Financed by the EU and delivered in partnership with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the assistance forms part of the EU's overall flood recovery package to Serbia valued at €30m.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1vRMr7b

Saudi Arabia helps FAO respond to the dire state of food security in Iraq

FAO is scaling-up critical food and agriculture assistance to highly vulnerable rural households in Iraq thanks to a generous $14.7 million grant from Saudi Arabia. The donation is part of a $500 million grant that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has provided to support Iraqis affected by the recent crisis.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1xefTGj

PRO/MBDS> Ebola virus disease - Cambodia: public health measures

Ebola -- Worldwide/Unknown

The Cambodian Ministry of Health has tightened its control measures for all visitors to Cambodia at international borders to prevent the transmission of Ebola virus and other infectious diseases.

Dr Ly Sovann, Director of the Department of Communicable Disease Control, told Doeum Ampil News on Tuesday evening [2 Sep 2014] that the Ministry made every effort to prevent the importation of the disease into Cambodia.

He went on to emphasize that there is currently no cure for the disease,



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1qcfW0t

Sustainable development of Small Island Developing States a global litmus test

Coping with climate change should be seen as more than just a question of survival for small island countries - the international community should view it as a challenge to take unified action and notch up efforts to shift to a sustainable model of development.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1lHfCGM

Over one million people in Somalia face acute food insecurity as food crisis worsens

The latest findings from a joint assessment by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit for Somalia (FSNAU), a project managed by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and other partners indicate that an estimated 1,025,000 people will be in Crisis and Emergency (IPC Phases 3 and 4).



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1vHvDzK

West Africa: Ebola outbreak puts harvests at risk, sends food prices shooting up

Disruptions in food trade and marketing in the three West African countries most affected by Ebola have made food increasingly expensive and hard to come by, while labor shortages are putting the upcoming harvest season at serious risk.



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UN Conference on Small Island Developing States opens in Samoa

The Third International Conference on Small Developing States (SIDS) from 1-4 September in Apia, Samoa also seeks to build partnerships aimed at addressing issues such as food security, the safeguarding and harnessing of aquatic resources, climate change and environmental degradation.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1u7ToOz

PRO/MBDS> Japanese encephalitis - Viet Nam (03)

Japanese Encephalitis -- Worldwide/Unknown

The Preventive Medicine Department under the Ministry of Health has reported that the deadly mosquito-borne disease [Japanese encephalitis, JE] has claimed 32 lives out of 705 reported cases in the country so far this year [2014].

Over the past week alone, an additional 19 cases have been reported. Son La topped the list of provinces reporting fatalities with 18, followed by Hanoi and Bac Giang with 4 each.

Provinces with the highest number of diagnosed cases are Son La, Hanoi, Thai Binh



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1r0O67f

PRO/MBDS> Chikungunya - Philippines (02): Iloilo, spread

Chikungunya -- Worldwide/Unknown

At least 23 cases of chikungunya have been confirmed in Iloilo province by the Iloilo Provincial Health Office, after the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine [RITM] analyzed the blood samples of suspected cases sent to it.

The RITM results indicated Oton town had the most confirmed cases with 11, followed by Carles with 7, GMA Iloilo reported.

Tigbauan town had 2 confirmed cases while Alimodian, Badiangan and Igbaras towns had 1 case each.

Earlier this month [August 2014],



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1ubHYIF

FAO’s José Graziano da Silva: “Hunger leads to conflict and conflict exacerbates hunger”

The two-day (29-30 August) event is being held in Bali, Indonesia under the theme “Unity in Diversity: Celebrating Diversity for Common and Shared Values”.



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Swaziland is moving towards commercial farming

In a major effort to revitalize agriculture in Swaziland, the government, the European Union and FAO have helped over 20,000 smallholder farmers produce more, higher-quality food and connect with new markets. Agriculture is on its way to become a key driver of Swaziland’s development.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1qgvaA6

PRO/MBDS> Streptococcus suis, human - China: Hong Kong, fatal

Strep -- Worldwide/Unknown

1. Yu H, Jing H, et al: Human _Streptococcus suis_ outbreak, Sichuan, China, Emerg Infect Dis: 2006; 12(6): 914-20; available at .

2. Gottschalk M et al: _Streptococcus suis_ infections in humans: the Chinese experience and the situation in North America. Anim Health Res Re. 2007; 8(1): 29-45; abstract available at .

A map of China can be seen at and a map of Hong Kong at . - Mod.TTM]

[See Also:

For background information on _Streptococcus suis_ infection, the ProMED-mail posts below can



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1srUZfY

At all-star "Football Match for Peace,"FAO highlights connections between hunger and conflict

Greater progress in the effort to slash world hunger and malnutrition will pay a "peace dividend" by reducing pressures that feed into social unrest and civil conflict. FAO announces parternship in inter-religious all-star football "Match for Peace" taking place in Rome on September 1st.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/YTYXFv

PRO/MBDS> Avian influenza - MBDS region (22): Viet Nam (Lao Cai), pheasant, H5N6, OIE

Avian Influenza -- Worldwide/Unknown

Information received on [and dated] 22 Aug 2014 from Dr Dong Pham Van, Director General, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hanoi, Viet Nam

Summary

Report type: Follow-up report No. 1

Date of start of the event: 22 Apr 2014

Date of pre-confirmation of the event: 16 Jul 2014

Report date: 22 Aug 2014

Date submitted to OIE: 22 Aug 2014

Reason for notification: New strain of a listed disease

Manifestation of disease:



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1p3Ha9V

FAO urges sustained support for animal disease monitoring

Animal disease monitoring systems require sustained support and have a critical role to play in preventing human disease threats, according to FAO.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1oQg1Hp

Working together for a more resilient world

19 August marks the anniversary of the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, in which 22 people lost their lives. In 2008, the UN General Assembly designated this day as World Humanitarian Day in an effort to raise public awareness of the crucial role that humanitarian assistance plays in improving people's lives worldwide, and to recognize the contributions of those who risk their lives delivering it.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1kRf14M

PRO/MBDS> Japanese encephalitis - Malaysia: Penang, alert

Japanese Encephalitis -- Worldwide/Unknown

Penang state health executive councillor Dr Afif Bahardin says 3 cases of Japanese Encephalitis [JE] in Penang come from different areas in the state, suggesting that the infections did not come from a common source.

Two cases come from George Town and Bagan Jermal in north Seberang Perai. In the 3rd case infection is believed to have happened in Tasek Gelugor.

"There are no abattoirs or pig farms in George Town and Bagan Jermal," Dr Alif told a press conference today [4 Jul



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1p09SYj

PRO/MBDS> Dengue - Myanmar (02): (Yangon)

Dengue -- Worldwide/Unknown

More than 1 200 people -- most of them children -- have been hospitalised with severe dengue in Yangon [region] between January and July [2014] and 12 of them have died from the mosquito-borne disease, the Yangon Region Health Department said. The number of cases is rising, especially in suburban areas with poor sanitation, it said.

Dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults. Its severe form, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), requires



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/VtyQ6m

PRO/MBDS> Avian influenza - MBDS region (21): Viet Nam (LS, HT) poultry, H5N6, OIE

Avian Influenza -- Worldwide/Unknown

Information received on [and dated] 12 Aug 2014 from Dr Dong Pham Van, Director General, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hanoi, Viet Nam

Summary

Report type: immediate notification

Date of start of the event: 22 Apr 2014

Date of pre-confirmation of the event: 16 Jul 2014

Report date: 12 Aug 2014

Reason for notification: new strain of a listed disease

Manifestation of disease: clinical disease

Causal agent: Highly



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/YaHBE9

Gaza: Damage to agriculture will have long-lasting effects

The fighting in Gaza has forced farmers and herders to abandon their lands and has paralysed fishing activities, bringing local food production to a halt and severely affecting livelihoods, FAO warned today. Recovery in the agriculture sector, once hostilities cease, will require significant external assistance over the long term.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/VmMCYu

FAO Food Price Index hits a six-month low in July

The FAO Food Price Index decreased for a fourth consecutive month in July mainly due to a sharp decline in international prices for maize, wheat and certain oilseeds, reflecting ample supplies for these commodities.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1ve5MA8

PRO/MBDS> Melamine, milk products - China: Guangdong, public health risk

Poisoning -- Worldwide/Unknown

State media said on [Thu 31 Jul 2014], Chinese police have seized almost 12 tonnes (1.1023 ton) of yoghurt candy tainted with melamine, an industrial chemical at the center of a scandal in 2008 in which 6 infants died and thousands were made ill.

Police in the southern province of Guangdong made the discovery during a sweep of food producers and have detained the manager of the factory that produced it, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

As the case was a complex one that involved



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1nf6anY

PRO/MBDS> Japanese encephalitis - China: Hong Kong ex Yunnan

Japanese Encephalitis -- Worldwide/Unknown

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today [29 Jul 2014] investigating an imported case of Japanese encephalitis (JE) affecting a man aged 54 and urged the public to take precautions against mosquito-transmitted diseases.

The patient, who has an underlying illness, lives in Pu'er, Yunnan. He developed fever, headache, and confusion since [23 Jul 2014] and was admitted to a local hospital on [24 Jul 2014]. He was transferred to a private hospital upon



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1n7uVTf

Food insecurity continues to deepen in South Sudan as funds dry up

Continued efforts to provide farmers, fishers and pastoralists in South Sudan with life-saving emergency livelihood kits are at risk due to a funding shortfall, aggravating the risk of famine in some areas of the country, FAO warned today.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1odjUjp

EU and FAO partner to help flood-affected Serbian farms rebuild

The European Union (EU) will partner with FAO to help small-scale farmers in Serbia recover from the devastating floods of the past spring. An EU grant of EUR 8 million, aimed at restoring the livelihoods of the most vulnerable farming families, was announced at a ceremony here today.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1nGdYoE

UN says more support urgently needed to tackle growing food insecurity in the Sahel

The UN today called on the international donor community to renew a commitment to fight hunger and food insecurity in the Sahel by protecting and strengthening the resilience of the poor and very poor families in the region.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1um7yyE

Global plans of action endorsed to halt the escalating degradation of soils

Urgent action is required to improve the health of the world’s limited soil resources and stop land degradation, so as to ensure that future generations have enough supplies of food, water, energy and raw materials, government representatives and experts meeting at FAO warned today. e basis for global agricultural production.



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PRO/MBDS> Dengue - Malaysia (06)

Dengue -- Worldwide/Unknown

The government will declare dengue hot spots as outbreak areas if dengue cases continue to rise, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said such a move would give full power to the health minister to implement prevention and control initiatives in accordance to the Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insects Act 1975 (Amendment 2000).

"The residents cannot object and the local authorities cannot stop if the area is declared as an outbreak area because, if it is not



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1pcKF8N

FAO welcomes commitment to fight hunger from the Community of Portuguese Language Countries

The Tenth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) ended today in Dili, Timor-Leste, and placed food and nutrition security at the centre of the bloc's agenda.



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PRO/MBDS> Japanese encephalitis - China: Hong Kong

Japanese Encephalitis -- Worldwide/Unknown

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the [Hong Kong] Department of Health (DH) is today [21 Jul 2014] investigating a confirmed local case of Japanese encephalitis (JE), and hence urged the public to take precautions against mosquito-transmitted diseases.

The female patient aged 35, has developed fever, headache, and vomiting since [4 Jul 2014] and sought medical consultation from private doctors. She attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Tuen Mun Hospital and was admitted



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1pawdko

PRO/MBDS> Malaria - MBDS region: Cambodia

Malaria -- Worldwide/Unknown

Cambodia has reported 15 980 malaria cases in the 1st 6 months [January-June] of 2014, down 18 percent from 19 560 cases over the same period last year [2013], a health official said Sunday [20 Jul 2014].

During the January-June period this year [2014], the disease killed 5 people -- one person less than those killed over the same period last year [2013], Dr Char Meng Chuor, director of the National Center for Malaria, said at a press statement.

"There are averagely 1.1 malaria cases



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/UmWd0C

FAO warns of fruit bat risk in West African Ebola epidemic

Increased efforts are needed to improve awareness among rural communities in West Africa about the risks of contracting the Ebola virus from eating certain wildlife species including fruit bats, FAO warned today.



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PRO/MBDS> Leptospirosis - Thailand: Lower Northeast, alert

Leptospirosis -- Worldwide/Unknown

Over 100 people in the lower northeastern region have been diagnosed with leptospirosis this year [2014] while health officials are urging the public to take precautions against the disease, which can spread easily in the rainy season.

According to Dr Teerawat Valaisathien, Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Control 5, which has jurisdiction over Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Buri Ram and Surin provinces, as many as 102 cases of leptospirosis have been found in the region



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1oREkiX

PRO/MBDS> Tuberculosis - India (02): case numbers discrepancy, RFI

Tuberculosis -- Worldwide/Unknown

In 2013-2014, tuberculosis (TB) accounted for 8.1 per cent of the 87 027 deaths reported in the city [Mumbai, Maharashtra state], a glaring health concern highlighted by a report released by NGO Praja on [15 Jul 2014]. While TB deaths stood at 7075, there were 255 diarrhoea deaths, followed by 195 malaria and 108 dengue deaths in 2013-2014.

The report is based on death certificates collected from the civic body through the Right to Information applications, said Praja officials. There are,



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1nTMdYI

PRO/MBDS> Plague, pneumonic - China: Gansu, fatal, RFI

Plague -- Worldwide/Unknown

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the [Hong Kong] Department of Health last night [17 Jul 2014] received notification from the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of a fatal case of pneumonic plague affecting a man aged 38 in Gansu.

The patient, who presented with fever and cough since [13 Jul 2014], was admitted to a local hospital on [15 Jul 2014] for isolation and management. His condition deteriorated and he passed away on [16 Jul 2014]. He was a farm worker



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1oRtMQW

UN strengthens regulations on lead in infant formula and arsenic in rice

UN food standards body the Codex Alimentarius Commission this week adopted new standards to protect consumer health worldwide, including setting out maximum acceptable levels of lead in infant formula and of arsenic in rice.



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PRO/MBDS> Chikungunya - Philippines: Ilocos Sur, susp, RFI

Chikungunya -- Worldwide/Unknown

The Department of Health (DOH), through its Provincial Health Team Office (PHTO) here, is verifying what could be an outbreak of chikungunya in 2 barangays of Santa Lucia in Ilocos Sur province.

Dave Zaragoza, monitoring officer of the PHTO-Ilocos Sur, said at least 62 cases of suspected chikungunya virus infections have been reported in Barangays Paoc Norte and San Pedro, here.

"However, there's no confirmation yet whether it is chikungunya or not, because the results of the examination



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1tRTa0T

PRO/MBDS> Dengue - Thailand (02): alert

Dengue -- Worldwide/Unknown

A total of 11 881 dengue fever cases have been reported in the country [Thailand] since the beginning of the year [2014], Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

Public Health permanent secretary Dr Narong Sahametapat said that of the total [11 881 cases], 13 people aged between 15 and 24 [years old] have died from dengue fever from [1 Jan 2014 to 8 Jul 2014].

However, the number of patients reported so far this year [2014] was 80 per cent lower compared to the same period in 2013.

Public



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1tRT9ds

PRO/MBDS> Malaria - India: (Tripura)

Malaria -- Worldwide/Unknown

According to Tripura Health and Family Welfare Minister Badal Choudhury, "At least 67 people, including 55 children, have died, and over 171 200 have fallen ill during the past one month." It was further revealed that evidence of malaria infection was found in the blood of over 29 600 people presenting with fever. Efforts have been stepped up by the state government to check the disease.

The minister also reported that among those 67 deaths, 35 died in government hospitals, and the



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1sUnCmS

PRO/MBDS> Rabies - India (02): Maharashtra, feline, human

Rabies -- Worldwide/Unknown

A 50-year-old woman from Beed district [Maharashtra state] succumbed to rabies infection at Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) run Naidu Infectious Diseases Hospital here [Pune, Maharashtra state], taking the toll to 18 in Pune city this year [2014], so far.

The victim, identified as a resident of village Chincholi in Ashti taluka, was bitten by a cat 5 months ago. As per the World Health Organization, the incubation period for the infection is typically 1-3 months, but may vary from a week



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1m1vzks

OECD and FAO see lower farm prices; livestock and biofuels outpacing crop production

The recent fall in prices of major crops is expected to continue over the next two years before stabilising at levels above the pre-2008 period, but markedly below recent peaks, according to the latest Agricultural Outlook produced by the OECD and FAO.



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PRO/MBDS> Dengue - Myanmar: (Yangon)

Dengue -- Worldwide/Unknown

An outbreak of dengue fever has hit Yangon, particularly suburban areas, with most victims of the mosquito-borne illness being school children, according to the Yangon regional health department.

The exact number of patients in all private and public hospitals is not yet known, but at least 654 patients have been treated so far this year [2014], of which 5 have died, health officials said. Preventive measures have been implemented at all schools in Yangon Region to contain the outbreak, but



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/VKWifM

FAO and the Thomson Reuters Foundation join forces on hunger and nutrition

An agreement signed today by FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva and the Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF) Editor-in-Chief Belinda Goldsmith outlines a number of joint activities to be undertaken by the Organization and TRF’s global team of journalists covering humanitarian issues, women’s rights, climate and corruption.



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Fish drying method changes lives in Burundi

An FAO project to equip small fishing communities with the tools and know-how to dry fish on simple raised racks instead of on the sand has changed lives along the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Burundi.



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PRO/MBDS> Japanese encephalitis - Viet Nam (02): RFI

Japanese Encephalitis -- Worldwide/Unknown

Encephalitis is plaguing in 31 provinces and cities in Viet Nam, having affected 325 people and killed 5 of them this year [2014], health authorities said.

The disease mainly affects children under the age of 15, yet hospitals also received some adults suffering encephalitis in the last months. There has been an increasing number of children with Japanese encephalitis.

A 20-year-old female patient in Dong Anh, Hanoi has been hospitalized in the National Tropical Disease Hospital for over



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1lRrnDY

PRO/MBDS> Legionellosis - China (05): Hong Kong

Legionnaires' -- Worldwide/Unknown

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the [Hong Kong] Department of Health on [4 Jul 2014] is investigating 2 cases of Legionnaires' disease (LD) affecting 2 men aged 55 and 85. The 1st patient is a 55-year-old man with underlying illnesses who lives alone. He has presented with fever, chills and cough since [24 Jun 2014]. He was admitted to Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) on [2 Jul 2014] and was discharged [4 Jul 2014]. His clinical diagnosis was pneumonia. He has no recent travel history and



Source: HealthMap Global Disease Alerts http://ift.tt/1xGyqrw

FAO Food Price Index dips for third consecutive month

The FAO Food Price Index was down for a third consecutive month in June, a decline mostly influenced by lower wheat, maize and palm oil prices that reflected ample supplies and improved global production prospects for these commodities.



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