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10 May 2013

Army Public Health Weekly Update

The Army Public Health Update is a collection of articles taken verbatim

from public sources to offer awareness of current health issues and the

media coverage given to them. The articles do not necessarily represent

US Army Medical Department opinions, views, policy, or guidance, and

should not be construed or interpreted as being

endorsed by the US Army Medical Department.

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Contents

U.S. MILITARY

 Douglas Robb to head new Defense Health Agency

 E-records project taken from DoD health office

 Head of U.S. Air Force's anti-sexual assault unit arrested for sexual battery

 Hospitalizations among members of the active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2012

 Motor vehicle crashes: A little-known risk to returning veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan

 On guard against traumatic brain injuries

 Wounded Soldiers share journeys to inspire Boston bombing victims

GLOBAL

 Antibiotics may relieve chronic lower back pain cases

 Austerity seriously affecting health in Europe, North America

 Doctors to older, heavy smokers: Get CT screening for lung cancer

 New test distinguishes physical from emotional pain in brain for first time

 Report: 3 million newborns die within first month

 The rise of the tick

 Women altering menstruation cycles in large numbers, UO study shows

INFLUENZA

 Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center: DoD Influenza Surveillance Summary

 CDC: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report

 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control: Weekly Influenza Surveillance 

Overview

 Google.org: Flu Trends

 Naval Health Research Center: Febrile Respiratory Illness Surveillance Update

 PANDEMIC AND AVIAN INFLUENZA

 Another death in China raises H7N9 fatalities to 32

 Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

 To fight pandemics, reward research

VETERINARY/FOOD SAFETY

 China: Food poison deaths doubles in first quarter

 China's meat market infested by rats

 Horsemeat scandal prompts plan for EU fraud crackdown
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 Northern Greece: Re-emergence of animal rabies and subsequent human exposure, 

October 2012 – March 2013

 U.S.: Raw milk Campylobacter outbreak on Kenai Peninsula sickened 31

WELLNESS

 Guns at home pose a risk for suicidal teens

 Misdiagnosis is more common than drug errors or wrong-site surgery

 Nutritional quality at fast-food restaurants still needs improvement

 Parents who suck on their infants' pacifiers may protect their children against developing 

allergy

 Silk and cellulose biologically effective for use in stem cell cartilage repair

 Sleep problems tied to prostate cancer risk

 Sun's blood pressure benefits 'may outdo cancer risks'

USAFRICOM

 Nigeria: Tuberculosis

 South Sudan: Ministry of Health plans massive meningitis vaccination campaign

USCENTCOM

 Saudi Arabia: Novel coronavirus infection - WHO update

 World Bank agreed grant of 100mn USD to Afghanistan for expansion of health services

USEUCOM

 France: Novel coronavirus infection - update

 Spain: Abuse awareness poster is 'only fully visible to children'

 United Kingdom: Quarter of adults walk just an hour a week, survey finds

USNORTHCOM

 U.S.: 17-year cicadas to swarm from Georgia to New York

 U.S.: California braces for out-of-control wildfires

 U.S., California: Toxic pesticides burn up in wildfire, health warning issued

 U.S.: How state and local governments can address the obesity epidemic

 U.S.: Health concerns top list of retirement worries, study

 U.S.: Looser guidelines issued on prostate screening

 U.S.: Louisiana residents among least physically fit, says CDC survey

 U.S.: Medicare reveals hospital charge information

 U.S.: Prevention and control of influenza with vaccines: Interim recommendations of the 

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2013

 U.S.: Self-reported increased confusion or memory loss and associated functional difficulties 

among adults aged ≥60 years — 21 states, 2011

 U.S.: Testis cancer rates continue to rise

 U.S.: Young athletes not reporting concussions

USPACOM

 Bangladesh: Calamity planning - Bangladesh role-plays quake response

 China: Courts to get tough on food safety crimes

 India: Yellow fever risk

 Nepal: Behaviour change needed to combat malnutrition in Nepal

 New Zealand: Push to teach pupils about suicide

USSOUTHCOM

 Argentina: Hantavirus

 Brazil in talks to hire 6,000 Cuban doctors
3

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U.S. MILITARY

Douglas Robb to head new Defense Health Agency

2 May - Air Force Maj. Gen. Douglas Robb, former Joint Chiefs staff surgeon, has been 

appointed to lead the Defense Health Agency that will start operating Oct. 1, Marine 

Corps Times reported Wednesday. Patricia Kime writes the new agency will manage 

health care services such as the Tricare program, pharmacy services, medical education 

and training, logistics, acquisitions and research and development... The agency will run 

under the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs and will also receive orders 

from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs chairman as a combat support agency, according 

to the report. ExecutiveGov

E-records project taken from DoD health office

3 May - After five years and an estimated $1 billion spent trying to build a single 

integrated electronic health record (iEHR) system with the Department of Veterans 

Affairs, defense health officials have been taken off the project, sources confirm.

Wielding the hook was Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel who signaled disappointment 

with his management team to a House panel this month, saying he halted a solicitation 

for bids from commercial electronic record designers because "I didn't think we knew 

what the hell we were doing." A congressional source confirmed that DoD oversight for 

developing an interoperable electronic health records is now under Frank Kendall, 

undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics. The shift was first 

reported Monday by the news website NextGov. Military.com

Head of U.S. Air Force's anti-sexual assault unit 

arrested for sexual battery

7 May - The officer in charge of a program to curb sexual assault in the U.S. Air Force 

was arrested over the weekend for allegedly grabbing a woman by the breasts and 

buttocks in a parking lot not far from the Pentagon, officials said on Monday. Lieutenant 

Colonel Jeffrey Krusinski, 41, was arrested on Sunday and charged with sexual battery 

after the alleged incident in the Crystal City area of suburban Arlington, Virginia, officials 

said. Krusinski, the head of the Air Force's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response 

Office, was removed from his job pending an investigation on Monday. Reuters

Hospitalizations among members of the active 

component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2012

April 2013 - ...In 2012, for every 15 active component service members, there was one 

hospitalization for any cause; for every 19 members, there was one hospitalization for a 

condition not related to pregnancy and delivery. Hospitalization rates for all causes 

among five percent of hospitalizations had longer durations: injury and poisoning – 18 

days; neoplasms – 26 days; mental disorders – 36 days; and “other” or V-coded 

hospitalizations (primarily orthopedic aftercare and rehabilitation following a previous 
4

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illness or injury) – 49 days... The crude hospitalization rate for mental disorders in the

Army (28.1 per 1,000 p-yrs) was more than double that in the other Services. Medical 

Surveillance Monthly Report

Motor vehicle crashes: A little-known risk to returning 

veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan

5 May - For men and women who have fought in the 

country’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, death behind the 

wheel is becoming another lethal aftereffect of combat.

After they leave military service, veterans of the two wars 

have a 75 percent higher rate of fatal motor vehicle 

accidents than do civilians. Troops still in uniform have a higher risk of crashing their cars 

in the months immediately after returning from deployment than in the months 

immediately before. People who have had multiple tours in combat zones are at highest 

risk for traffic accidents. Washington Post

On guard against traumatic brain injuries

6 May - They tend to be older, more experienced, and more likely to have families, but 

deployed members of the National Guard share something in common with their activeduty brothers and sisters -- the likelihood of suffering from traumatic brain injuries... 

What's missing is a reference data set specific to the National Guard so that its members 

may be compared to their peers. [Dr. Kristin Heaton, a neuropsychologist] and other 

USARIEM researchers aim to correct that by collecting data from a total of 3,000 Guard 

members from eight states, three different age groups, males and females, in combat 

support and combat arms units. Army.mil

Wounded Soldiers share journeys to inspire Boston 

bombing victims

6 May - Wounded Soldiers recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center have a message 

they'd like to pass on to the Boston bombing victims: "You're not alone." They can relate 

to the devastating aftermath of an explosion and the emotional and physical pain of lost 

limbs. And they know firsthand the courage and strength required to heal after blast 

injuries like those at the Boston Marathon. Army.mil

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GLOBAL

Antibiotics may relieve chronic lower back pain cases

7 May - As many as four in 10 cases of chronic lower back pain are probably caused by 

bacteria, and treatment with antibiotics may cure them, a study showed. As many as 80 
5

percent of the participants with persistent back pain following a herniated disc and 

swelling in the spine reported an improvement after taking antibiotics three times daily 

for 100 days, Danish scientists wrote in research published by the European Spine 

Journal. “In people who received the placebo, nothing happened,” Hanne B. Albert, an 

associate professor at the University of Southern Denmark who led the research, said 

today at a press conference in London. “People on the antibiotics attained highly 

clinically significant improvement.” Bloomberg

Austerity seriously affecting health in Europe, North 

America

3 May - Austerity is having a serious effect on health in 

both Europe and North America - that's according to a 

team of researchers at U.S. and European universities. 

Rates of suicide, depression and infectious diseases are 

up, and even malaria, eradicated from most Western 

countries decades ago, has staged a comeback in Greece. Experts from leading U.S. and 

European universities compiled data for the World Health Organization's annual report 

on "health policy responses to the financial crises in Europe and the U.S." The report 

won't be released until September, but the researchers, alarmed at how much budget 

cuts have affected Greece, have begun speaking out. VOA

Doctors to older, heavy smokers: Get CT screening for 

lung cancer

7 May - Stepping into the debate over who should be screened for lung cancer, a 

leading medical specialty group issued new guidelines on Tuesday recommending that 

doctors offer annual low-dose CT (computed tomography) scanning to people whose 

age and smoking history puts them at significant risk of lung cancer. That means current 

smokers aged 55 to 74 with more than 30 pack-years of smoking, or former smokers 

with that profile who have quit within the last 15 years, said the American College of 

Chest Physicians. That was the population in whom the largest-ever lung-cancerscreening study, the National Lung Screening Test, found CT screening cuts deaths from 

lung cancer. Reuters

New test distinguishes physical from emotional pain in 

brain for first time

6 May - New research suggests physical pain may have a distinct brain “signature” that 

distinguishes it from emotional hurt. In the brain, the pain from broken leg and the 

anguish of a broken heart share much of same circuitry. But the latest evidence points to 

distinct ways that the brain processes each type of pain and could lead to a greater 

understanding of how to detect and treat them... [T]he researchers developed a program 

to predict whether people in the second experiment were experiencing [physical] pain. 

The model accurately determined whether they had been subjected to pain or to just 
6

warmth 93% of the time... The third study, however, provided the most revelatory 

information about how physical and emotional pain may differ. In that experiment, 40 

people who had recently been dropped by their romantic partners underwent the same 

type of physical pain testing while their brains were scanned. They were also scanned 

while viewing either an image of a close friend or a picture of the person whom they still 

loved, but had lost. What Wager wanted to know, he says, is “Does this physical pain 

pattern [detector] get fooled into thinking that [social rejection] is physical pain? The 

answer we get is, no, not at all. Time

Report: 3 million newborns die within first month

7 May - The humanitarian organization Save the Children has released its annual State of 

the World’s Mothers report. It says despite much progress being made in reducing 

maternal and child deaths, every year, three million babies die within the first month of 

life. Many just live a few hours. Save the Children President and CEO Carolyn Miles said 

there’s a widespread and mistaken belief that little can be done to save newborn lives in 

developing countries. As a result, many babies die. “This year’s report we really focused 

in on newborns. And we found that a baby’s birthday is actually the most dangerous day 

of their life. More than one million babies are dying the actual day that they’re born.”

VOA

The rise of the tick

30 April - With incisor-like claws that can tunnel 

beneath your skin in seconds, ticks are rapidly 

becoming the world’s scariest purveyors of deadly 

pathogens. Carl Zimmer walks into the woods to find 

out why these tiny beasts are skyrocketing in number –

and outsmarting scientists with every bite. Outside Magazine

Women altering menstruation cycles in large numbers, 

UO study shows

9 May - A surprisingly large number of women 18 or older choose to delay or skip 

monthly menstruation by deviating from the instructions of birth-control pills and other 

hormonal contraceptives, a team of University of Oregon researchers and others found 

in a study of female students at the university. Most women who alter bleeding cycles do 

so for convenience rather than to avoid menstrual symptoms, and many learn about the 

option from nonmedical sources. EurekAlert

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7

INFLUENZA

Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center: DoD

Influenza Surveillance Summary

2 May - AFHSC is monitoring the current status of the H7N9 influenza outbreak in China. 

More information will be presented as it becomes available. 

ILI and Pneumonia and Influenza (P&I) incidence rates continued to trend downward for 

all regions. This season, there have been 306 reportable medical event (RME) influenza 

cases among service members (82.7% were vaccinated); an additional 328 cases were 

reported among other beneficiaries. 

Across the overseas DoD laboratory surveillance network, influenza activity was at low 

levels. 

As of 26 March 2013, vaccine coverage in the active component of the U.S. Armed 

Forces is 97%. These rates are final. AFHSC DoD Influenza Surveillance Summary

CDC: Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report

During week 17 (April 21-27, 2013), influenza activity decreased in the United States. 

 Viral Surveillance: Of 2,746 specimens tested and reported by collaborating 

laboratories, 177 (6.5%) were positive for influenza.

 Pneumonia and Influenza Mortality: The proportion of deaths attributed to 

pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was below the epidemic threshold. 

 Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths: Seven pediatric deaths were reported. 

 Geographic Spread of Influenza: Puerto Rico and 3 states reported regional influenza 

activity. FluView

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control:

Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview

For weeks 17 and 18/2013, all twenty-five participating countries reported low-intensity 

transmission; decreasing or stable trends were reported by almost all reporting 

countries. 

 The proportion of influenza-positive sentinel specimens (8%) has continued to 

decrease since the peak observed in week 5/2013 (61%). 

 Since week 40/2012, 47% of sentinel surveillance specimens testing positive for 

influenza virus have been type A and 53% type B. Of the influenza A viruses 

subtyped, the proportion of A(H1)pdm09 viruses was 62%. 

 Of the 3 273 hospitalised laboratory-confirmed influenza cases reported since week 

40/2012, 1 988 (61%) cases were related to influenza type A and 1 285 (39%) to type 

B. Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview
8

Google.org: Flu Trends

9 May – Estimates of flu activity based on certain Internet search queries indicate that 

the level of flu activity ranges from minimal to low throughout the world. Google.org Flu 

Trends

Naval Health Research Center: Febrile Respiratory 

Illness Surveillance Update 

For week 18 through 4 May 2013:

 Influenza: One case of NHRC laboratory-confirmed influenza (B) among US military 

basic trainees.

 Adenovirus: Sporadic adenovirus cases at basic training centers in 2013. 

 FRI surveillance at all eight U.S. military basic training centers indicated FRI rates 

were at or below expected values. NHRC Febrile Respiratory Illness Surveillance 

Update 

PANDEMIC AND AVIAN INFLUENZA

Another death in China raises H7N9 fatalities to 32

8 May – Another patient in China has died from an H7N9 influenza infection, raising the 

number of fatal illnesses to 32, though no new cases were reported today, holding the 

overall case total to 131. CIDRAP

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus –

update

7 May - The National Health and Family Planning Commission, China notified WHO of an 

additional two laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza 

A(H7N9) virus. The first patient is a 69-year-old man from Fujian province who became ill 

on 29 April 2013 and the second patient is a 9-year-old boy, also from Fujian province, 

who became ill on 26 April 2013... To date, a total of 130 laboratory-confirmed cases of 

human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus including 31 deaths have been 

reported to WHO. WHO

To fight pandemics, reward research

4 May - That frightening word “pandemic” is back in the news. A strain of avian influenza

has infected people in China, with a death toll of more than 25 as of late last week. The 

outbreak raises renewed questions about how to prepare for possible risks, should the 

strain become more easily communicable or should other deadly variations arise. Our 
9

current health care policies are not optimal for dealing with pandemics. The central 

problem is that these policies neglect what economists call “public goods”: items and 

services that benefit many people and can’t easily be withheld from those who don’t pay 

for them directly. New York Times

top of page...

VETERINARY/FOOD SAFETY

China: Food poison deaths doubles in first quarter

7 May - Eighteen people died of food poisoning in China in the first quarter of this year, 

up 50 per cent year on year as the world's most populous country grappled with a wave 

of new cases of food adulteration, creating crisis of confidence among public over food 

chains. From January to March, 755 people suffered food poisoning in 24 cases reported 

nationwide, an increase of 72.4 per cent and 41.2 per cent, respectively, from the same 

period last year, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted the National Health and Family 

Planning Commission as saying. Zee News

China's meat market infested by rats

3 May - Chinese consumers are reeling following the 

latest scandal to rock the country's food supply - a 

crime ring that passed off meat from rats as lamb. 

Chinese police say they have arrested 63 people who 

allegedly ran the rat meat scam out of Shanghai and 

the coastal city of Wuxi. The arrests are part of a larger crackdown on fake or tainted 

meat that has resulted in the arrests of more than 900 people since the end of January. 

Authorities have also confiscated more than 20,000 tons of meat product made from 

rats and other small mammals, as well as meat tainted with additives and chemicals.

VOA

Horsemeat scandal prompts plan for EU fraud 

crackdown

6 May - The European Commission proposed more unannounced inspections of food 

companies and tougher fines for labeling fraud on Monday, after the discovery earlier 

this year that millions of Europeans ate horsemeat labeled as beef. If approved by EU 

governments and lawmakers, the new rules would force member states to impose fines 

equal to the financial gains from proven cases of food fraud, officials said. Unidentified 

criminal gangs blamed for Europe's horsemeat scandal are believed to have made huge 

profits by substituting millions of tons of cheap horsemeat for more expensive beef in 

products including meatballs and lasagna. Reuters
10

Northern Greece: Re-emergence of animal rabies and 

subsequent human exposure, October 2012 – March 

2013

2 May - Greece has been rabies-free since 1987 with no human cases since 1970. During 

2012 to 2013, rabies has re-emerged in wild and domestic animals in northern Greece. 

By end March 2013, rabies was diagnosed in 17 animals including 14 red foxes, two 

shepherd dogs and one cat; 104 subsequent human exposures required post-exposure 

prophylaxis according to the World Health Organization criteria. Human exposures 

occurred within 50 km radius of a confirmed rabies case in a wild or domestic animal, 

and most frequently stray dogs were involved. Eurosurveillance

U.S.: Raw milk Campylobacter outbreak on Kenai 

Peninsula sickened 31

7 May - At least 31 residents of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula 

were sickened early this year in a Campylobacter outbreak 

linked to raw milk, according to a report from state health 

officials. While this outbreak, which lasted from early 

January to mid-February, appears to be over, the farm 

whose raw milk caused the outbreak could still be serving contaminated product, 

according to the document, published by the Alaska Section of Epidemiology (SOE) last 

week. Food Safety News

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WELLNESS

Guns at home pose a risk for suicidal teens

6 May - Almost 20 percent of suicidal teenagers have guns in their home, according to a 

new study. That's a worry, researchers says, because having access to firearms makes it 

much more likely that a person who attempts suicide will complete it. "Half of all 

completed suicides in teenagers involved a firearm," says Stephen Teach, associate chief 

of emergency medicine at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. 

"Suicidal thinking and access to firearms can be a very volatile mix." NPR

Misdiagnosis is more common than drug errors or 

wrong-site surgery

6 May -...Diagnoses that are missed, incorrect or delayed are believed to affect 10 to 20 

percent of cases, far exceeding drug errors and surgery on the wrong patient or body 
11

part, both of which have received considerably more attention. Recent studies 

underscore the extent and potential impact of such errors. A 2009 report funded by the 

federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that 28 percent of 583 

diagnostic mistakes reported anonymously by doctors were life-threatening or had 

resulted in death or permanent disability. A meta-analysis published last year in the 

journal BMJ Quality & Safety found that fatal diagnostic errors in U.S. intensive care units 

appear to equal the 40,500 deaths that result each year from breast cancer. Washington 

Post

Nutritional quality at fast-food restaurants still needs 

improvement

7 May - More than 25 percent of American adults chow down on fast food two or more 

times each week. Known for menu items containing high amounts of fat, sugar, and salt, 

fast-food restaurants have contributed to America's poor diets and increased risk of 

diet-related chronic diseases, like heart disease and diabetes. A new study funded by the 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Healthy Eating Research program and published in 

the American Journal of Preventive Medicine presents results from a 14-year study 

indicating that fast food restaurant menus have only modestly increased nutritious 

offerings, and much improvement is still needed. EurekAlert!

Parents who suck on their infants' pacifiers may 

protect their children against developing allergy

7 May - Swedish researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 

Sweden, report that a simple habit may give significant protection against allergy 

development, namely, the parental sucking on the baby's pacifier. Allergies are very 

common in industrialized countries. It has been suggested that exposure to harmless 

bacteria during infancy may be protective against the development of allergy. However, 

it has been difficult to pinpoint which bacteria a baby should be exposed to, and at what 

time and by which route this exposure should ideally occur. EurekAlert!

Silk and cellulose biologically effective for use in stem 

cell cartilage repair

7 May - Over 20 million people in Europe suffer from osteoarthritis which can lead to 

extensive damage to the knee and hip cartilage. Stem cells offer a promising way 

forward but a key challenge has been to design a 'smart material' that is biologically 

effective for cartilage tissue regeneration. Now researchers have identified a blend of 

naturally occurring fibres such as cellulose and silk that makes progress towards 

affordable and effective cell-based therapy for cartilage repair a step closer. EurekAlert!

Sleep problems tied to prostate cancer risk

8 May - Men who have difficulty falling asleep at night or staying asleep may be at 

increased risk for prostate cancer, researchers found. A prospective study of Icelandic 
12

men showed a 70% increased risk for prostate cancer among those who had problems 

falling asleep (HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.9) and a two-fold increased risk for those who had 

difficulty staying asleep (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.7), according to Lara Sigurdardóttir, MD, 

of the University of Iceland in Reykjavik, and colleagues. MedPage Today

Sun's blood pressure benefits 'may outdo cancer risks'

7 May - The health benefits of exposing skin to sunlight may far outweigh the risk of 

developing skin cancer, according to scientists. Edinburgh University research suggests 

sunlight helps reduce blood pressure, cutting heart attack and stroke risks and even 

prolonging life. UV rays were found to release a compound that lowers blood pressure. 

Researchers said more studies would be carried out to determine if it is time to 

reconsider advice on skin exposure... Production of the pressure-reducing compound, 

nitric oxide, is separate from the body's manufacture of vitamin D, which rises after 

exposure to sunshine. Researchers said that until now vitamin D production had been 

considered the sole benefit of the sun to human health. BBC News

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USAFRICOM

Nigeria: Tuberculosis

6 May - The Adamawa State records 3382 new cases of tuberculosis. The project 

manager of tuberculosis (TB) in the state Adamawa, Stephen John, said Friday [3 May 

2013] about 250 children were infected with TB between January and March. 

Responding to questions from the News Agency of Nigeria in Yola, the project manager 

said that 3382 cases were detected with 50 were children under 6 years. ProMED-mail

South Sudan: Ministry of Health plans massive 

meningitis vaccination campaign

3 May - The National Ministry of Health has announced it will carry out a massive 

meningitis vaccination campaign after an outbreak of meningitis in Upper Nile state 

capital Malakal claimed two lives and left dozens hospitalized. The outbreak of the 

deadly bacterial disease confirmed on April 30 by the Ministry of Health and the World 

Health Organization is said to have started from Malakal County with the first suspected 

cases reported on the April 15. AllAfrica

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13

USCENTCOM

Saudi Arabia: Novel coronavirus infection - WHO 

update

9 May - The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of an additional two 

laboratory confirmed cases of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV). The first 

patient is a 48-year-old man with multiple coexisting medical conditions who became ill 

on 29 April 2013. He is in stable condition. The second patient is a 58-year-old man with 

existing medical condition who became ill on 6 April 2013. He fully recovered and was 

discharged from the hospital on 3 May 2013. The two patients are from the same cluster 

reported since the beginning of May 2013, which is linked to an outbreak in a health 

care facility... From September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a global total of 

33 laboratory confirmed cases of human infection with nCoV, including 18 deaths. WHO

World Bank agreed grant of 100mn USD to 

Afghanistan for expansion of health services

8 May - The World Bank on 7 May 2013 announced that it will provide grant of 100 

million US dollar to Afghanistan for expansion of the basic health and essential hospital 

services in the country. The World Bank and Afghan Government released a press 

statement on the agreement reached and signed between the two to this effect at 

Kabul... Afghanistan will use the grant for expansion of the scope and quality of the basic 

health and essential hospital services across the nation, which includes 22 rural and 

urban areas of its 34 provinces. It will also strengthen the National Health System by 

developing the capacity of the Public Health Ministry. Jagran Josh

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USEUCOM

France: Novel coronavirus infection - update

8 May - The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in France has informed WHO of one 

confirmed case with infection of the novel coronavirus (NCoV). The patient had an 

underlying medical condition, including an immunocompromised state. The patient 

became ill on 23 April 2013 and later developed respiratory symptoms. Laboratory 

confirmation with nCoV was confirmed on 7 May 2013 by Institut Pasteur... The patient is 

currently hospitalized. Preliminary investigation reveals that the patient had a history of 

travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. WHO
14

Spain: Abuse awareness poster is 'only fully visible to 

children'

6 May - A poster than can only be fully seen when 

looked at from a child's point of view has been used in 

an anti-child abuse campaign. Spanish organisation the 

Anar Foundation used lenticular printing - a technique 

which means those looking at different angles see a 

different image. On the poster, a "secret" message showing a child helpline would show 

up when seen from a child's height. The foundation said it helped children gain 

confidence to call the number. BBC News

United Kingdom: Quarter of adults walk just an hour a 

week, survey finds

6 May - A poll for the walking charity the Ramblers 

suggests 25% of adults walk for no more than one hour 

each week. The YouGov survey, which polled 2,000 

adults across Britain about walking habits, found 

another 43% reported walking for less than two hours a 

week. Government guidelines suggest people should do 150 minutes of "moderate" 

physical activity each week. The survey asked people about the total amount of walking 

they did, including trips to school, work or the shops. BBC

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USNORTHCOM

U.S.: 17-year cicadas to swarm from Georgia to New 

York

5 May - Colossal numbers of cicadas, unhurriedly growing underground since 1996, are 

about to emerge along much of the U.S. East Coast to begin passionately singing and 

mating as their remarkable life cycle restarts. This year heralds the springtime emergence 

of billions of so-called 17-year periodical cicadas, with their distinctive black bodies, 

buggy red eyes, and orange-veined wings, along a roughly 900-mile stretch from 

northern Georgia to upstate New York. VOA

U.S.: California braces for out-of-control wildfires

3 May - The lack of precipitation over the past two winters has California and federal 

officials concerned about the impact wildfires could have in the summer months. 
15

California has already recorded 845 wildfires this year, a 60 percent increase compared 

with the average for the previous five years. Homeland Security Newswire

U.S., California: Toxic pesticides burn up in wildfire, 

health warning issued

5 May - Locals in the western US state of California have been warned against inhaling 

the fumes from a massive wildfire especially since the blaze has burnt a considerable 

amount of highly toxic pesticides. On May 3, firefighters announced that a fire had 

gutted a store of highly poisonous pesticides at a farm near the campus of California 

State University Channel Islands. The conflagration sent a black cloud into the air, 

prompting air quality and health warnings. Officials urged the local residents to avoid 

inhaling the smoke from the fire even if there were no flames nearby. Medical experts 

say inhaling the smoke can burn internal organs, and harm the respiratory system, 

making it difficult to breathe. Press TV

U.S.: How state and local governments can address the 

obesity epidemic

9 May - With simple and innovative measures, public agencies at state and local levels 

can play a significant role in promoting healthier eating habits—steps that could make a 

difference in curbing the nation's obesity epidemic. One effective option, according to 

researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is requiring 

restaurants to include calorie counts on menus, along with the physical activity 

equivalents required to burn off a meal. The researchers, who examined studies on 

calorie labeling and regulatory options available to local governments, offer several 

recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of menu labeling. The suggestions are 

especially applicable to chain restaurants with fewer than 20 locations, a category that 

represents more than half of the restaurants in the U.S. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg 

School of Public Health News

U.S.: Health concerns top list of retirement worries, 

study

6 May - Health problems and the cost of healthcare are the biggest concerns for those 

entering retirement, according to a study released on Monday from Bank of America 

Corp's Merrill Lynch. The findings, part of a larger study focused on how people are 

feeling about and preparing for retirement, were based on a survey of more than 6,300 

individuals aged 45 and older across the United States. Reuters

U.S.: Looser guidelines issued on prostate screening

3 May - In a major shift, the American Urological Association has pulled back its strong 

support of prostate cancer screening, saying that the testing should be considered 

primarily by men aged 55 to 69. The association had staunchly defended the benefits of 

screening men with the prostate test, even after a government advisory committee, the 
16

United States Preventive Services Task Force, said in 2011 that healthy men should not 

be screened because far more men would be harmed by unnecessary prostate cancer 

treatments than would be saved from death. But in new guidelines issued Friday, the 

urology association says that routine screening is no longer recommended for men 40 

to 54 years old who are at average risk of getting prostate cancer. Screening is also not 

recommended for men 70 and older. New York Times

U.S.: Louisiana residents among least physically fit, 

says CDC survey

6 May - There's more confirmation that Louisiana residents 

are among the least physically fit in the United States. A new 

report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

says that just three states have a lower percentage of adults 

who meet both the aerobic and muscle strengthening 

components of the government's physical activity recommendations. Just 15.5 percent 

of Louisiana residents meet the recommendations, compared to 20.6 percent of adults 

surveyed across all 50 states and Washington D.C. The only states with lower rates than 

Louisiana were West Virginia and Tennessee, both with 12.7 percent of adults meeting 

recommended physical fitness levels, and Alabama, with 15 percent. NOLA.com

U.S.: Medicare reveals hospital charge information

8 May - The Obama administration made public on Wednesday previously unpublished 

hospital charges for the 100 most common inpatient treatments in 2011, saying a similar 

release of physician data is on the horizon. The massive data file reveals wide variation in 

charges for these 100 services listed in hospitals' "chargemasters" -- industry jargon for 

what hospitals charge. The data set represents added transparency the administration 

hopes will influence consumer behavior. MedPage Today

U.S.: Prevention and control of influenza with 

vaccines: Interim recommendations of the Advisory 

Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2013

10 May - ...Influenza vaccines that are currently licensed and expected to be available for 

the 2013–14 season and their approved age indications are summarized in a table 

available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/acip/2013-interimrecommendations.htm#table1... The table lists four newly licensed influenza vaccines 

that are expected to be available during the 2013–14 influenza season. These vaccines 

are acceptable alternatives to other licensed products listed in the table, to the extent 

that their specific indications allow. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
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U.S.: Self-reported increased confusion or memory loss 

and associated functional difficulties among adults 

aged ≥60 years — 21 states, 2011

10 May - Declines in cognitive function vary among persons and can include changes in 

attention, memory, learning, executive function, and language capabilities that 

negatively affect quality of life, personal relationships, and the capacity for making 

informed decisions about health care and other matters. Memory problems typically are 

one of the first warning signs of cognitive decline, and mild cognitive impairment might 

be present when memory problems are greater than normal for a person's age but not 

as severe as problems experienced with Alzheimer's disease... CDC analyzed data from 

21 states that administered an optional module in the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor 

Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. The results indicated that 12.7% of respondents 

reported increased confusion or memory loss in the preceding 12 months. Among those 

reporting increased confusion or memory loss, 35.2% reported experiencing functional 

difficulties. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

U.S.: Testis cancer rates continue to rise

7 May - The incidence of testicular cancer continued its puzzling rise through the end of 

the last decade, according to a study reported here. Caucasian men continued to lead 

the rise with an incidence of 8.6 cases per 100,000 in 2009. However, Hispanic males had 

the biggest increase, from 4.9/100,000 in 2003 to 6.3/100,000 by the end of the decade.

Rates among black men and Asian/Pacific Islanders also increased, but remained 

substantially lower compared with men in the other two racial/ethnic groups. MedPage 

Today

U.S.: Young athletes not reporting concussions

6 May - Many young athletes think it is okay to play with a concussion, even though 

they know it puts them at risk of serious harm, according to a new U.S. study. The 

research was conducted by a team from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center 

and is set to be presented Monday, May 6, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 

annual meeting in Washington, DC. A total of 120 high school football players in the 

Cincinnati area were involved in the investigation. Twenty-five percent of the participants 

had experienced a concussion and over 50% admitted that they would keep playing with 

symptoms of a concussion. Medical News Today

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USPACOM

Bangladesh: Calamity planning - Bangladesh role-plays 

quake response

7 May –As Bangladesh armed forces retrieve bodies from the country’s worst ever 

industrial disaster, a garment factory collapse killing over 700, contingency planning is 

taking place for something worse - a long-predicted earthquake striking the megacapital of Dhaka. “We can’t have people just showing up with a shovel,” said Pete 

DeFelice, a disaster response exercise designer for the US Pacific Command (US armed 

forces stationed in Hawaii to promote regional security and disaster response in the 

Asia-Pacific), which is co-hosting a planning workshop from 5-14 May with the 

Bangladesh Armed Forces. IRIN

China: Courts to get tough on food safety crimes

3 May - The Supreme People's Court (SPC) Friday vowed 

to severely punish crimes related to food safety by 

unveiling more specific criteria in handing out sentences, 

after the country saw a significant increase in such cases 

over the past three years. Sun Jungong, spokesperson of 

the SPC, told a press conference on Friday that from 2010 to 2012 courts across the 

country had concluded trials of 1,533 food safety-related cases, convicting 2,088 people.

According to Sun, the country's food safety situation is still "very grave," given that the 

number of criminal cases related to food safety has seen a significant rise over the past 

three years. Global Times

India: Yellow fever risk

6 May - This is certainly not a shot in the arm for those travelling to African countries. 

Non-availability of yellow fever vaccine is turning out to be a major hindrance to them 

with the vaccine going out of stock in the state. For travelling to an African country, it is 

mandatory to submit a yellow certificate along with visa papers at the immigration and 

emigration counters. The yellow certificate is issued to tourists by authorised port health 

organisations and select private hospitals after the person has been vaccinated at least 2 

weeks before the travel. "I was to travel on 6-17 May [2013] to the African region. My 

work requires me to travel to Dhaka and then go back to Ethiopia. So taking that vaccine 

is a must. But due to its non-availability, I am not able to travel," said a business 

consultant for the World Bank. He said this had affected the travel plans and jobs of 

several people who have to visit these countries. ProMED-mail
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Nepal: Behaviour change needed to combat 

malnutrition in Nepal

1 May - More work is needed to improve nutritional behaviour in Nepal, where nearly 

half of children under five are chronically malnourished, experts say. “Food is more than 

nutrients and knowledge - it is culture, practice, and what you have been told about 

your life since you were born,” Ramesh Adhikari, a paediatrics professor at Kathmandu 

Medical College, told IRIN. Across the country, childhood malnutrition, which results in 

stunting (low height-for-age, also known as chronic malnutrition) and other long-term 

health effects, occurs not because of food insecurity or lack of access to nutritious food, 

but because of behaviour in households which is preventing nutrients from getting to 

children, they say. IRIN

New Zealand: Push to teach pupils about suicide

9 May - In New Zealand, the Government has this month released a major new review of 

evidence to guide suicide prevention activities in schools. It found programmes run 

through schools can be effective in recognising and supporting young people at risk of 

suicide, but that care must be taken to identify and manage any unintended negative 

consequences... A Herald campaign on bullying last year began with Chief Coroner 

Judge Neil MacLean backing proposals to target cyber-bullying because of concerns it 

was helping to fuel New Zealand's high youth suicide rate. Inciting someone to commit 

suicide will be punishable with up to three years in jail under the new laws. New Zealand 

Herald

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USSOUTHCOM

Argentina: Hantavirus

6 May - The San Lucas Medical Center in Gualeguaychu [Entre Rios province} confirmed 

a hantavirus [infection] case in the city. [The case] concerns a 35 year old man who is a 

gatherer of firewood and has been working in the elimination of rats [rodents]. The 

patient had been admitted with a clinical picture of pneumonia and the samples sent to 

Malbran Hospital confirmed the case [as a hantavirus infection]. In respect [to this case], 

physician Javier Geuna stated that the man's health has been progressing favorably, and 

he is off of the respirator... This person was working in an area where there had been a 

large number of rodents, in a firewood storage area, and in the elimination of rats. 

ProMED-mail
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Brazil in talks to hire 6,000 Cuban doctors

6 May - Brazil has begun negotiations to hire at least 6,000 Cuban doctors to work in 

rural areas, Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota says. Both countries are 

consulting the Pan American Health Organization to allow Cuban doctors to practise in 

Brazil. Most Brazilian doctors are concentrated in the country's bigger cities, leaving 

remote areas badly covered. Cuba has already sent tens of thousands of doctors to work 

in Venezuela, which in turn provides Havana with cheap oil. BBC News

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