New Reported Case and Death from nCoV out of Saudi Arabia Increases Mortality Rate to 60 Percent

Another confirmed case of nCoV out of Saudi Arabia has been reported making it the 15th such case of the Novel Coronavirus to be reported. A 39 year old male from the country checked into a hospital on Feb. 28th and died on March 2, 2013 becoming the 9th person infected to succumb to the illness. 

A preliminary investigation indicated that the patient had no contact with anyone from previously reported cases of nCoV infection. 

This instance raises the mortality rate to 60 percent with the death of this person.

Novel Coronavirus Shows Signs of Human-to-Human Transmission

Elizabeth R. Fischer/Rocky Mountain Labs/NIAID/NIH

The CDC issued warnings to State and Local health officials this past Thursday regarding the novel coronavirus that has killed 8 out of 14 infected.The warning comes after three confirmed British infections which suggest the virus can be transmitted from human-to-human.

The British infections occurred after a British man traveled to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and then back home. Samples from the man show that he was infected with both the novel coronavirus and H1N1 (swine flu). After the man arrived home two of his family members became infected with the novel coronavirus. This is the basis for the human-to-human transmission of the virus. Of the two family members, one healthy female who developed a respiratory illness has recovered, the second, an elderly man who already had an underlying illness passed away.

The mortality rate is currently 57.14% based on the deaths of the 8 of 14 confirmed cases as of this writing.

The CDC said people who develop a severe acute lower respiratory illness within 10 days of returning from the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries should continue to be evaluated according to current guidelines.

The CDC has set up a special website with updates on the infections at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/ncv/

Study Reveals Regular Use of N95 Masks More Effective For Protecting Healthcare Workers

Those who wore the N95 mask consistently were more than twice as likely to be protected from infection, compared with those who wore a surgical mask all the time.

Now, I know some of you already knew this. However, I am consistently surprised when I speak with people in the healthcare industry who do not. Further more, some settings do not have enough masks to go around to all workers facing the risks of exposure.

Currently N95 masks are only recommended for use only in a targeted, intermittent way for some infections.

This needs to change, and healthcare employers need to understand they are putting themselves at risk of legal action and workforce disruptions if such masks remain in short supply during outbreaks.

To read more on this please see Protecting Healthcare Workers

CDC Releases iPad App Called Solve the Outbreak

The CDC released a game based iPad App called Solve the Outbreak designed to be an engaging way to learn more about diseases and outbreaks.

From the CDC page:

New outbreaks happen every day, and CDC's disease detectives are on the front lines, working 24/7 to save lives and protect people. When new outbreaks happen, disease detectives are sent in to figure out how they started, before they can spread. In our new, free iPad app, you get to Solve the Outbreak.
In this interactive, engaging app, you get to decide what to do: Do you quarantine the village? Talk to the people who are sick? Ask for more lab results?
The better your answers, the higher your score – and the more quickly you'll save lives. You'll start out as a Trainee and will earn badges by solving cases, with the goal of earning the top rank: Disease Detective.

Fun to Play and Learn

Perfect for teens, young adults, and public health nerds of all ages, Solve the Outbreak is a great way to take the study of epidemiology outside the classroom.

• Learn about diseases and outbreaks in an engaging way.
• See how disease detectives save lives around the world.
• Try your hand at solving an outbreak.
• Post your scores on Facebook or Twitter and challenge your friends to do better!

Download the free app today!

Many U.S. Schools Still Unprepared for Pandemic

A study has found that many U.S. schools are unprepared for the next pandemic. In fact less than half of the schools participating in the study even address pandemic preparedness in their planning and only 40 percent have updated their school's plan since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
 
The study was published in the September issue of the American Journal of Infection Control and was conducted by a team of researchers from Saint Louis University. The researchers collected and analyzed data from survey responses from approximately 2,000 school nurses from elementary, middle, and high schools in 26 states. The goal of the study was to ascertain whether schools were prepared for another pandemic with a focus on infectious disease disasters.

The team found that less than one-third of schools (29.7 percent) stockpile any personal protective equipment, and nearly a quarter (22.9 percent) have no staff members trained on the school’s disaster plan. One-third (33.8 percent) of schools report training students on infection prevention less than once per year. Only 1.5 percent of schools report stockpiling medication in anticipation of another pandemic. On a positive note, although only 2.2 percent of schools require school nurses to receive the annual influenza vaccine, the majority (73.7 percent) reported having been vaccinated for the 2010/2011 season.

“Findings from this study suggest that most schools are even less prepared for an infectious disease disaster, such as a pandemic, compared to a natural disaster or other type of event,” says Terri Rebmann, PhD, RN, CIC, lead study author and associate professor of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Saint Louis University School of Public Health. “Despite the recent H1N1 pandemic that disproportionately affected school-age children, many schools do not have plans to adequately address a future biological event.”

The researchers conclude that U.S. schools must continue to address gaps in infectious disease emergency planning, including developing better plans, coordinating these plans with local and regional disaster response agency plans, and testing the plan through disaster drills and exercises. Whenever possible, school nurses should be involved in these planning efforts, as healthcare professionals can best inform school administrators about unique aspects of pandemic planning that need to be included in school disaster plans.

School preparedness for all types of disasters, including biological events, is mandated by the U.S. Department of Education.

Read The Full Report on US school/academic institution disaster and pandemic preparedness and seasonal influenza vaccination among school nurses

Novel Corona Virus Spreads

Report on Spreading of Deadly Corona Virus

Novel SARS-like “Coronavirus” Well Suited to Attack Humans

The Novel Virus known as HCoV-EMC which emerged in the Middle-East has been found to infect the lungs and respiratory system as easily as the common cold.

Like SARS and Hepatitis C the virus may be treatable with components of the immune system, known as interferons, according to Swiss researchers.

"Surprisingly, this coronavirus grows very efficiently on human epithelial cells," said study co-author Volker Thiel of the Institute of Immunobiology at Kantonal Hospital in St. Gallen, in a news release from the American Society for Microbiology. Epithelial cells line hollow organs and glands.

"The other thing we found is that the viruses [HCoV-EMC, SARS, and the common cold virus] are all similar in terms of host responses: they don't provoke a huge innate immune response," he said.

The study was published online Feb. 19 in mBio.

HCoV-EMC, which may have jumped from animal to human very recently, was first isolated in June after a man in Saudi Arabia died from a severe respiratory infection and kidney failure. Following his death, health officials identified 11 more people infected with the virus, the latest in Great Britain. So far, six of the 12 people with known infections have died. Nearly all patients have lived or traveled in the Middle East.