May 5, 2006 (CIDRAP News) – The latest human infected with H5N1 avian influenza died of the infection yesterday in Egypt, while a leading influenza expert called H5N1 the worst flu virus he has seen.The Egyptian victim was a 27-year-old woman from Cairo whose H5N1 case was announced yesterday, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). She had been hospitalized with bilateral pneumonia May 1, and a WHO statement yesterday had described her condition as stable.She was the 13th Egyptian confirmed to have an H5N1 infection and the fifth to die of it. Her case was the first reported in Egypt since early April. The WHO’s global case count now stands at 206 cases with 114 deaths.Meanwhile, virologist and influenza expert Robert G. Webster, attending an avian flu conference in Singapore, told the Associated Press (AP), “I’ve worked with flu all my life, and this [H5N1] is the worst influenza virus that I have ever seen.”Webster, who works at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, said that in poultry, the virus invades the brain and destroys the respiratory tract, the AP reported. Concerning the threat of a human pandemic triggered by H5N1, he said, “If that happens, God help us.”According to the story, he predicted it would take at least 10 more mutations to give the virus the ability to spread from person to person. He added there was no way to know when or if that will happen.”All of those mutations are out there . . . but the virus hasn’t succeeded in bringing it together,” Webster was quoted as saying.He also said far more needs to be done to prepare for a pandemic and to understand the virus’s behavior. Calling for stockpiling of more H5N1 vaccine, he labeled current efforts “miserable,” according to the story.Webster said research has been hampered by cultural attitudes preventing autopsies of victims, with autopsies conducted on only six people since the virus began spreading in late 2003.In other developments, the 21 countries in the group Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), meeting in Vietnam, agreed today on a plan for joint efforts to respond to the avian flu situation. The organization consists mostly of Asian and Western Pacific countries, but also includes the United States, Canada, Russia, Mexico, Peru, and Chile.The 5-page plan calls for various kinds of cooperation. For example, the members agreed to:Increase the prompt reporting of avian and human cases and sharing of biological specimensEncourage the business sector to get involved in the prevention and control of avian fluEstablish “best practices and common approaches to risk communications”Work to improve biosecurity on commercial and “transition” poultry farmsDevelop ways to exchange information on “management of travelers” to minimize damage to trade and travelEncourage steps, such as use of pre-authorized visas and customs, to ease the entry of WHO rapid response teams into countries that have invited themSee also:WHO statement on death of Egyptian womanhttp://www.who.int/csr/don/2006_05_05/en/index.html
Mr. Chauncey E. Slack, age 99, of Pleasant, Indiana, entered this life on November 22, 1917 in Switzerland County, Indiana, the son of the late, Harry M. & Emza (Scudder) Slack. Chauncey had spent most of his life in Switzerland County, Indiana. On February 4, 1942, Chauncey was inducted into the United States Army at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. He had served during WWII for which he was awarded the American Theater Ribbon, WWII Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with 3 Bronze Stars. Chauncey was honorably discharged on October 31, 1945 at Ft. Knox, Kentucky with the rank of Staff Sergeant. Chauncey was united in marriage on April 13, 1946 at the Brushy Fork Baptist Church near Pleasant, Indiana, to the late, Clara Bell Shaw and to this union arrived a son, Curtis and two daughters, Kathy and Carol Jean to bless their home. After 57 years of marriage, Clara Bell passed away on January 3, 2003. In his early life, Chauncey had worked for the Lawrenceburg Roller Mills in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. He later retired after 27 years from the Madison State Hospital in Madison, Indiana where he was employed as an Orchard Farmer. Throughout his life, Chauncey was a farmer and enjoyed raising cattle, bee keeping and fruit trees. He also enjoyed listening to the Cincinnati Reds ball games, gardening, growing roses and sitting on his front porch. He was a faithful member of the Caledonia United Presbyterian Church near Moorefield, Indiana, where he served as an elder. Chauncey passed away with his loving family by his side at 9:39 a.m., Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at the Kings Daughter’s Hospital in Madison, Indiana.Chauncey will be deeply missed by his son: Curtis E. Slack and his wife:Terrie of Madison, IN; his daughter: Kathy M. May and her husband: Michael “Reno” of Pleasant, IN; his grandchildren: Carrie Slack, Matthew May, Nancy Slack, Clint May, Curtis Slack, Chancey Tyler May, Candace Smith and Kameron Smith; his great-grandchildren: Kayla, Gabriella, Amanda, Isabella, Mason, Chancey Joseph, Finnley and Camden; his sisters: Naomi Coy of Milroy, IN, Janet Stonoff of Anderson, IN; his brothers: Orville Slack of Anderson, IN and Herbert Slack of Russiaville, IN; his half-sisters: Rebecca Brown of Nashville, TN, Barbara Freels of Macon, GA and his numerous nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents: Harry M. and Emza (Scudder) Slack; his step mother: Gladys Ferguson-Slack; his wife: Clara Bell (Shaw) Slack, died January 3, 2003; his daughter: Carol Jean (Slack) Smith, died February 15, 2011; his brother: Harry Slack, Jr. and an infant brother; his sisters: Hildred Bovard, Ruby Burnett, Doris Andrews, Evelyn Hatton, Anna Banta, Osee Slack, Freda Alford and Myrtle Whitham; his step-brothers: Donald Burley and Dale Burley.Funeral services will be conducted Sunday, January 22, 2017, at 2:00 pm, by Rev. Larry Freels, Pastor Bill Madison & Pastor Caren Griffith, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street Vevay, Indiana 47043.Interment will follow in the Caledonia Cemetery, near Moorefield, Indiana.Friends may call 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Saturday, January 21, 2017, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home 208 Ferry Street Vevay, Indiana 47043.Memorial contributions may be made to the Caledonia Cemetery or to the Keeping Pace Cancer Fund % Community Foundation of Switzerland County. Cards are available at the funeral home.
RelatedPosts Italy introduces compulsory virus testing for travellers from France Pirlo not out to copy anyone after Juventus’ comfortable opening win Nigeria records new COVID-19 infections, more deaths as figures rise to 57,242 Juventus suspended the activities of their under-23 team on Saturday after a fourth player at third-tier club Pianese, their most recent opponents, tested positive for the coronavirus. The Turin club, whose under-23 team play in Serie C, said it was a precautionary measure and they were in constant contact with health authorities. “It is specified that, six days after the game, the Juventus players remain asymptomatic and are under medical supervision,” added the club statement. Gazetta dello Sport said the players had been quarantined in their homes, though this was not mentioned by Juventus. Their under-23 side beat Pianese 1-0 last Sunday. Earlier, Pianese said that “after a series of checks, Pianese announce that a fourth player is infected by Covid-19. “He too is in solitary confinement at home and is under observation by the relevant authorities.” One member of staff has also been infected. The club, based in Piancastagnaio in the region of Tuscany, said on Friday that the entire squad had been quarantined in their homes. It said the first player tested positive on Thursday, several days after he missed a match because he was feeling slightly feverish. The number of deaths in Italy from the illness rose to 29 on Saturday and the accumulated total of cases reached 1,128, authorities said. Twenty of the 30 Serie C matches this weekend have been postponed because of the virus. Five Serie A games have also been called off. Reuters/NAN.Tags: CoronavirusJuventusPianeseSerie ASerie C
-GTTA given A+ for preparationELEVEN countries, including host Guyana, will battle in the 61st Senior Caribbean Table Tennis Championship, which officially serves off this morning at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.Included in the mix are a strong Puerto Rican side and The Dominican Republic. The two nations are early favourites to repeat as male and female team champions respectively.Aruba and Suriname were the only two original teams that were scheduled to travel that did not make the trip. The other teams here are Cuba, Martinique, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica and Guadeloupe.Prior to today’s competition, several of the teams were battling in the Pan American Qualifiers, and President of the Caribbean Region Table Tennis Federation, Teddy Matthews, was quick to point out that the organising body– the Guyana Table Tennis Association– had so far done an excellent job.A+ FOR PREPARATION Speaking at the official launch of the Caribbean Championships last evening, Matthews said that he was pleasantly surprised with the efforts of the GTTA and said that without a doubt he would give them an A plus for preparations.“They (the GTTA) did a fantastic job in just six months, the hotel is great, the food is great, and the transportation is of a high class.”Matthews added that some of the services are better than what he was exposed to at previous World Championships.President of the GTTA, Godfrey Munroe, told Chronicle Sport that the tournament is key for the further development of the sport locally.“This positions us as a table tennis nation, more than the ability for the players to compete for medals, this positions us to be strategically placed in terms of the new direction of the ITTF.”Last evening the teams were expected to do a draw for the start of this morning’s team battle. The countries will also play in the male doubles, the female doubles, the mixed doubles, the male singles, the female singles, the U-21 female singles, the U-21 male singles and an over-45 open competition from today until March 31.Guyana has a team of 30 players and Munroe is confident that several players will medal.The top three male and female nations will qualify for the Pan American Cup, which is scheduled for Paraguay in September. That event would be used as qualifications for the World Championships.Along with Munroe and Matthews, Latin American TT president Juan Vila, former Caribbean champion Sidney Christophe, and Director of Sport Christopher Jones, were at the opening for remarks and the meeting of the teams.