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Theresa42, faithful poster to the Website flutrackers.com, has toggletexted a translation of an Indonesian newspaper story (the link is below). 

15/08/2007 19:17 WIB
Two babies being treated at bird flu space RSUP Sanglah
Gede Suardana - Detikcom

Denpasar - Two babies, namely I Wayan Tendi Cahyadi (3) and Ni Nyoman Nisa Putri (3,5) from Tengah Village, Sambangan Village, Mengwi, Badung [this is about 13 km NNW of Denpasar - dbg] undergo intensive maintenance at special space bird flu handling Nusa Indah, RSUP Sanglah, Denpasar.

"They still in observation and enter category lidik(?) and be observed at hospital," said Kasubdin(?) Destruction of Contagious Disease and Sanitation Environment Settlement Dept. Bali dr I Ketut Subrata to journalist, Wednesday 8/15/07.

Subrata say both aforementioned babies that are neighbors enter hospital struck 18:00 Central Standard Time, Tuesday (14/08/2007). When was brought to hospital both babies suffer temperature 38 degrees Celcius, pilek and cough.

"Parents are afraid for child's health, exceedingly there is chicken at surroundings that died. Parents are afraid by spreading information bird flu," he said.

After undergo maintenance, condition of both aforementioned babies begin improved and said not spread epidemic bird flu. Temperature of the body already restored normal. Was estimated both babies be permitted return home on Thursday 8/16/07. "Not there is signs of disturbance breathing canal and lungs are normal," said Dr Ni Luh Siadi Purniti.

http://detiknews.com/index.php/detik...780/idkanal/10

Indonesian intransigence, Bali's suspected H2H2H and Australia's worsening seasonal flu epidemic spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E for the rest of the world. 

"Daddy, when did the pandemic begin?"

"Well,dear, it began in 2007.  You see, the government of Indonesia stopped sending samples of a very, very dangerous flu virus to the rest of the world.  This flu virus was not making too many people sick, but almost everyone who got sick died. And it came straight from birds, so no one had ever seen it before.

"The rest of the world's scientists all needed samples of this bird flu virus, so they could make a vaccine to fight it if it ever changed and made lots of people very, very sick very, very quickly.  But when the people who ran Indonesia refused to share their bird flu samples -- those people kind of stamped their feet and threw a little government tantrum, like you do when you don't get a toy that you want in the store -- well, dear, the rest of the world's scientists could not possibly know what was going on down there. They were in the dark, sort of feeling around, not sure of what was going on.

"Then events started moving way too quickly, and things sort of spun out of control, like you do when you get off that thing in the playground that goes around and around.  First, Australia had a nasty flu epidemic -- not bird flu, more like the flu we get up here in America in the winter.  But it was much, much worse than normal.  It made so many people sick that the Australian government started using special drugs on their people that they had been saving for the day when the flu pandemic would come. 

"Then, in a place in Indonesia called 'Bali,' the bad flu virus changed again.  Instead of people getting sick from birds, they started getting the bird flu from each other.  The worst possible thing was that Bali is a place where Australian people like to fly to go on vacation, like we used to do at Disney World before the pandemic came.  Anyway, those Australians liked to travel all over the island of Bali, and they traveled to that village where those other people all got sick.  And they traveled to other villages where people were getting each other sick, too, but they didn't know it.  Then these Australian people caught that new bird flu virus, and took it home to Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney -- all over the country.  And the people who had the bird flu also got the regular flu, and the genes inside both viruses mixed up and became a very bad virus that people caught real easy.  Once that happened, it was only a matter of time before all of Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia was sick.  Then, the rest of the world got sick."

"Why couldn't anyone stop it?"

"Because too many people got on too many planes, and flew too far, and it just sort of sprang up all at once."

"How many people died, Daddy?"

"I don't know, honey.  They are still counting the dead."

"And that's when Mommy died?"

"Yes, that's when Mommy died.  She was pregnant with your sister Sarah and they both got very sick and died.  A lot of pregnant mommies died in the pandemic.  And you almost died, too."

"Why didn't the people in Indonesia help the rest of the world?  Why did they let Mommy die, Daddy?"

Good hypothetical question. This is what can, and possibly will happen when two worlds collide.  We are watching events unfold slowly, agonizingly, then suddenly and with tremendous speed accelerate in the South Pacific.  Indonesia's inability to face up to its global responsibility and its previous agreements is on a collision course with the fate of the rest of the world.  And the consequences of that collision are too high a price to pay for State reneging on previous agreements and treaties.

So let us now openly, firmly, and with great candor speak of punishing Indonesia economically and in the court of world opinion.  Perhaps we should begin discussing the "quarantine" of Indonesia.  With more documented cluster H2H cases of H5N1 than the rest of the world combined, the Indonesian government would seem to gladly hold the rest of the world hostage.  It is the equivalent of Nero fiddling while Rome burned. 

It is also the epitome of ingratitude.  When the December, 2004 tsunami struck that embattled, beleaguered nation of 18,000 islands, the rest of the world stepped up and produced emergency support on a level never before seen in peacetime.  Why now, and why suddenly, would the Indonesian government hold the health of the world at bay? 

Let us call it what it is.  Indonesia is committing viral extortion.  The nation and its leaders will be held to account if its tantrums result in the next pandemic. 

It will not be pretty.

Nebraska is a great state.  I love it dearly, and not just because my boy played college football for the Huskers for a season.  OK, well, that has a lot to do with it.  I just love the people and their excellent attitude. Go Big Red!

So I hope they are coping well with two news stories, the double-whammy of which elevates the Cornhusker state as a kind of Ground Zero for infectious disease -- for fifteen minutes, anyway.  First, the Lincoln Journal-Star is reporting the banning of Nebraska-raised poultry, following the discovery of H7N9 avian influenza on a turkey farm in Seward County. 

Apparently the mild strain was discovered in June, and things didn't hit the fan until the FAO and OIE were dutifully notified of the findings.  Then Russia, Japan and the Philippines, in succession, banned Nebraska poultry. 

Nebraska's Deputy State Veterinarian Del Wilmot says that migratory wildfowl brought the disease in.  The farm in question remains unnamed.  The Journal-Star's story link is below.

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2007/08/08/news/local/doc46b900ad7f2fe001280419.txt

The next story revolves around West Nile Virus.  Again, the Lincoln Journal-Star is reporting that a Seward County man has tested positive for West Nile, bringing the state total for 2007 to 14.  I'll bet Seward County hasn't had this much excitement since its namesake bought Alaska from the Russkies.  A Knox County man also tested positive for WNV.  Last year, some 264 Nebraskans tested positive, making their state fifth overall on the list of states with documented human cases of WNV (Idaho led the list with 996).  Now Nebraskans normally will take a Top Five ranking gladly, but not when it comes to life-threatening, mosquito-driven disease.

Since West Nile cases since 2002 have climed at a rate making us wish it were the stock market, we can assume that Nebraska has not lost WNV cases, but instead, people are not being tested for the disease.  And since Nebraska had 264 cases in 2006, and Florida only reported three human cases, what case is made for surveillance in the south and east?  If you look at the maps below, reported cases of WNV east of the Mississippi (with the exception of Illinois and Mississippi itself) are virtually non-existent. And 2007's numbers are dramatically less than 2006's, and it will take veritable epidemics of WNV to surpass 2006's totals in most states.  This doesn't exactly square with global warming, summer rainstorms and all.

By the way, Seward is only 20 miles from the capital, Lincoln.  It is a beautiful area, with rolling hills and much farmland.  Very nice to drive through.

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2007/08/01/news/local/doc46b0c427c5afb874871248.txt

The 2006 and 2007 reported West Nile Virus official CDC maps follow.  Any explanation for the reduction in reported cases would be greatly appreciated.

Current HHS Assistant Secretary for Health, Dr. John Agwunobi, has resigned to accept an appointment with Wal-Mart Corporation.  This move should not really come as a surprise, as Washington insider speculation had Agwunobi pegged early on as a contender for the position of Surgeon General.  When President Bush decided to appoint another individual to serve in that position, Agwunobi realized his political and government service careers had, at least temporarily, reached their zenith.

What is not in the press (and one of the reasons why you hopefully read and subscribe to this blog) is the Rest of the Story on the Wal-Mart move.  The individual who recruited Agwunobi to the Bentonville, Arkansas megacorp is none other than Bill Simon.  Bill is former Secretary of the Department of Management Services under former Governor Jeb Bush, and served as Secretary while Agwunobi served as Florida's Secretary of Health.  Simon left State government, in no small part, because of radiation poisoning from the still-radioactive PeopleFirst debacle.  Simon had nothing to do with that project, except try in vain to repair it and make it workable.  When it became apparent his legacy as Secretary would revolve around that unstable radioactive mass, he wisely left and cashed in at the House That Sam Built.

Ditto Agwunobi.  Here are the HHS and Wal-Mart press releases, in full.  I also wanted to give a hat-tip to the "reveres" at flu blogsite Effect Measure for breaking the story.

For Immediate Release Contact: HHS Press Office

August 7, 2007 202/690-6343

STATEMENT FROM HHS SECRETARY MIKE LEAVITT ON THE RESIGNATION OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH DR. JOHN AGWUNOBI

I regret to announce the resignation of Dr. John Agwunobi as Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH) and an Admiral in the US Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps effective September 4th, 2007.

Since joining HHS in 2005, Dr. Agwunobi has been a passionate voice for advancing the health care of all Americans. His leadership, counsel and expertise have contributed greatly to increasing American's awareness and preparedness for pandemic influenza, encouraging adoption of healthier lifestyles and leading the renewal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.

Dr. Agwunobi has distinguished himself through the energy and commitment with which he has approached every task at HHS. I will miss him personally and professionally and wish him well in his future endeavors.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sarah Clark, Wal-Mart

1-800-331-0085

 

Dr. John Agwunobi to join Wal-Mart as Senior Vice President and President for the Professional Services Division

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Tuesday, August 7, 2007 --Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is pleased to announce that Dr. John Agwunobi, current Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and an Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, has been named Senior Vice President and President for the Professional Services Division for Wal-Mart in the U.S. effective September 4.

Dr. Agwunobi will oversee the company's health and wellness business unit including pharmacies, vision centers and health care clinics. He is the country's expert on public health, and he will bring new perspective, diverse talents and tremendous expertise to our company in his new role.

He will report to Bill Simon, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Wal-Mart Stores U.S.

"John is the country's expert on public health, and I look forward to his contributions in furthering Wal-Mart's health and wellness efforts," said Simon. "He will bring new perspective, diverse talents and tremendous expertise to our company in his new role."

Added Dr. Agwunobi, "Wal-Mart touches many lives in many communities and this position provides me with a new opportunity to reach people in the places where they live, work and shop. I am very excited to join the Wal-Mart team."

Dr. Agwunobi, also a pediatrician, is a seasoned public health professional with experience in health care delivery, managed care and health care policy. As Assistant Secretary for Health, he was responsible for disease prevention, health promotion, women and minority health efforts, the reduction of health disparities, the fight against HIV/AIDS, pandemic influenza planning and vaccine preventable disease initiatives.

Prior to his current position, Dr. Agwunobi served as Florida's Secretary of Health and State Health Officer from October 2001 to September 2005. In this role, he confronted many public health challenges, including leading the state's public health and medical response to four major hurricanes, led the call for a healthier Florida, managed the response to the nation's first-ever intentional anthrax attack, and guided Florida's nationally-recognized efforts to protect the state against bioterrorism.