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.



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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.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1lvqKk1

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.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1w9Rbky

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.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1r82I3l

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.



Source: FAO Newsroom RSS http://ift.tt/1mHLU3M

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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