NZ Swine Flu numbers on 28 July
Confirmed: 2704
Deaths linked to Swine Flu: 13
People in Hospital: 72
New Zealand was one of the first countries outside of the American continent to have multiple cases of Swine Flu. A group of students from Rangitoto College tested positive after returning from Mexico on 25 April.
For today's posts see: latest posts
Showing posts with label Swine Flu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swine Flu. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Vivisection and Animal Welfare Standards in New Zealand
Against a background of Swine Flu's origin in intensive pig farming the New Zealand pork industry has been drawn into sharp relief again (see NZ Herald and TVNZ reports) when TVNZ's 'Sunday' programme showed shocking footage of pigs kept in cramped stalls and unable unable to turn round, the long term usage of sow stalls and distressed animals frothing at the mouth.
Sow Stalls banned in other countries
New Zealand's animal advocacy organisation SAFE (see Pigs in New Zealand) say that dry stalls, in which sows are kept for all of their 16 week pregnancies measure 0.6 x 2m, just big enough for the sow to stand up and lie down but not move around. The director of SAFE - Hans Kriek said that approximately 45% of sows - 22,000 animals are kept in these conditions in New Zealand.
Sow stalls are banned in the United Kingdom and Sweden and will be soon phased out in Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Denmark.
Farrowing Stalls banned in other countries
SAFE say:
"At the end of their pregnancies sows are transferred to farrowing crates where they will give birth. These are big enough to only allow the sow to stand up and lie down. With no straw for bedding, she scrapes her nose over the bare concrete floor in an attempt to build a nest for her piglets. Her inability to properly mother her piglets only adds further frustration and depression Her piglets will be taken away at a mere four weeks of age. The grieving sow will be impregnated again and returned to the sow stall where the cycle of abuse starts all over again.
In August 2007 animal advocacy organisation SAFE produced video to show the appalling conditions that pigs were kept under see (Youtube video "pig farm horrors exposed") yet little seems to have been done to improve conditions since then so I guess the answer to the above question can only be "No"
Hans Kriek later today named the owner of the pig farm as former New Zealand Pork Industry Board chairman Colin Kay. Kriek was reported as having said he expected a MAF investigation will find the piggery was acting within the law:
Robyn Kippenberger the chief executive of the SPCA has asked for a ban on sow stalls and farrowing crates. She called for Agriculture Minister David Carter "to ensure that the Animal Welfare Code for Pigs was altered, as soon as possible, to ban these cruel practices".
Vivisection on over 300,00 NZ animals inc. dogs and cats
But it's not just New Zealand's pigs that SAFE are very much concerned about. It looks like animal welfare in other sectors of the economy may be an issue, epsecially in vivisection centres (they fall under the same legislation as piggeries - the Animal Welfare Act 1999)
SAFE carried out a four month investigation into a company called VARC (Valley Animal Research Centre) owned by Allen Goldenthal (see: Who is Allen Goldenthal) which has kennels and catteries located in both Hawkes Bay and the Manuwatu, they revealed that:
"beagles and other companion animals are destined for a new wave of New Zealand animal research carried out on behalf of international organisations.
Sow Stalls banned in other countries
New Zealand's animal advocacy organisation SAFE (see Pigs in New Zealand) say that dry stalls, in which sows are kept for all of their 16 week pregnancies measure 0.6 x 2m, just big enough for the sow to stand up and lie down but not move around. The director of SAFE - Hans Kriek said that approximately 45% of sows - 22,000 animals are kept in these conditions in New Zealand.
Sow stalls are banned in the United Kingdom and Sweden and will be soon phased out in Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Denmark.
Farrowing Stalls banned in other countries
SAFE say:
"At the end of their pregnancies sows are transferred to farrowing crates where they will give birth. These are big enough to only allow the sow to stand up and lie down. With no straw for bedding, she scrapes her nose over the bare concrete floor in an attempt to build a nest for her piglets. Her inability to properly mother her piglets only adds further frustration and depression Her piglets will be taken away at a mere four weeks of age. The grieving sow will be impregnated again and returned to the sow stall where the cycle of abuse starts all over again.
• How many New Zealand pig farmers use farrowing crates? 67 per cent.
• Sweden and Switzerland have banned the farrowing crate.
• Most sows have 8-12 piglets each litter.
• Outdoors, pregnant sows construct a private nest apart from the group, in which to give birth to, and suckle, their babies."
In August 2007 animal advocacy organisation SAFE produced video to show the appalling conditions that pigs were kept under see (Youtube video "pig farm horrors exposed") yet little seems to have been done to improve conditions since then so I guess the answer to the above question can only be "No"
Hans Kriek later today named the owner of the pig farm as former New Zealand Pork Industry Board chairman Colin Kay. Kriek was reported as having said he expected a MAF investigation will find the piggery was acting within the law:
"This farm has previously been investigated by MAF, who found nothing in breach of the law. The farm is disgusting but appears to be operating within the law, so we doubt if MAF will find anything different this time.
"If you want to make a stand, walk past the pork line."Robyn Kippenberger the chief executive of the SPCA has asked for a ban on sow stalls and farrowing crates. She called for Agriculture Minister David Carter "to ensure that the Animal Welfare Code for Pigs was altered, as soon as possible, to ban these cruel practices".
"It is total nonsense for a code that is meant to reflect the humane principles of the 1999 Animal Welfare Act, to allow pigs to be kept for most of their lives in such tight conditions that they can't even turn round."
Pig farmers who continued to use sow stalls and farrowing craters were "behaving in a totally inhumane and unacceptable way, for the sake of short-term profit"Vivisection on over 300,00 NZ animals inc. dogs and cats
But it's not just New Zealand's pigs that SAFE are very much concerned about. It looks like animal welfare in other sectors of the economy may be an issue, epsecially in vivisection centres (they fall under the same legislation as piggeries - the Animal Welfare Act 1999)
SAFE carried out a four month investigation into a company called VARC (Valley Animal Research Centre) owned by Allen Goldenthal (see: Who is Allen Goldenthal) which has kennels and catteries located in both Hawkes Bay and the Manuwatu, they revealed that:
"beagles and other companion animals are destined for a new wave of New Zealand animal research carried out on behalf of international organisations.
VARC is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere to use beagles for research. Aside from beagles SAFE understands VARC plans to breed cats, horses and rabbits, also for research. While it appears no terminal experiments are taking place right now, the facility is still new. It is likely animals will eventually undergo invasive experiments and be killed. The head of VARC says his animals are necessary research tools in the quest to save human life. The "higher goal" as he describes it.
A total of 318,489 living animals were used for animal research (vivisection) in New Zealand last year. The most recent national figures available reveal 757 cats and 682 dogs were used in 2006. The use of cats and dogs for research in New Zealand has doubled since 2001. Most laboratory animals will suffer. Many will die. None will be loved. If they are lucky, their death will be quick and painless, but most won't be so lucky....."
"Most animal research in New Zealand is aimed at increasing the profits of the meat and dairy industries. 38 per cent of the animals used in 2005 were used by commercial researchers. A further 21 per cent were used by government departments and crown research institutes. The remaining 41 per cent were used in experiments at universities and schools. In 2005, only 4.8 per cent were used in medical research.
Secrecy
Animal research in this country is shrouded in secrecy. Although most of the research is funded with public money, few details are released. The National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) releases a bland annual report every year assuring us that everything is fine and that the New Zealand regulatory system is one of the best in the world. They say animals are used only when it is absolutely necessary, and that all possible steps are taken to prevent unnecessary and cruel research. This is simply not true.
Painful mutilations, electric shocks, lethal toxicological procedures, cutting, freezing and burning - even without pain relief - are legal. Many laboratory animals are forcibly restrained to undergo cruel experiments that you would never allow your beloved animal companion to endure."
Friday, May 1, 2009
Taranaki Backs Down on Tamiflu Restrictions
Taranaki DHB board has now lifted its restrictions.
From today Tamiflu may be sold over the counter by pharmacists to individuals displaying symptoms of influenza.
From today Tamiflu may be sold over the counter by pharmacists to individuals displaying symptoms of influenza.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Taranaki Locks Down Tamiflu Supplies
New Plymouth's medical officer of health Dr Penny Hutchinson, has restricted supplies of Tamiflu within the Taranaki DHB area.
The move was thought to be independent of the MOH's directives and none of the other 20 DHBs are thought to have followed Taranki's example.
There are only 200 doses currently available in the region and another 800 on order.
Ever since Monday NO prescriptions OR counter sales of the drug have been permitted unless the request carries an authorisation number from Dr Hutchinson.
Dr Hutchinson's action seems to have added another unnecessary layer of bureaucracy and could potentially slow down the speed at which infected people access the anti-viral drug whilst in the early stages of illness, therefore increasing the risk of further transmission. Her action also prevents people from accessing preventative doses of the drug prior to travel to infected countries.
Pharmacies were first informed of the action when their stock was requisitioned under the Civil Defence Emergency Act 2002 on Monday.
Taranaki has 17 people in isolation and 3 suspected cases.
Some DHB's Ignored MOH Advice to Stockpile Anti-Virals
November 2005 the NZ Ministry of Health issued advice to District Health Boards to source and build up supplies of Tamiflu for the treatment of H5N1/Bird flu
Some DHBs decided not to do so, citing concern over the shelf life of the drug and no doubt were concerned about the cost of buying something that could expire before it was needed.
(Recent information is that shelf life of Tamiflu can be extended from 5 to 7 years if it is stored correctly and tests confirm that it has remained stable)
In March 2006 Bay of Plenty District Health Board chairwoman Mary Hackett told the Bay of Plenty Times
"One of the problems is that Tamiflu has an expiry date. If we do stockpile antibiotics, we are turning them over because we use a lot of antibiotics. But the Tamiflu we are not using for anything else,"
The board said it was counting on the Ministry of Health to distribute its stockpile of Tamiflu should a pandemic hit.
At the time news reports stated that Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Hutt Valley and Taranaki had extra supplies of Tamiflu, and that 4 others were ordering supplies.
In 2008 The MOH issued "National Health Emergency Plan, National Reserve Supplies and Usage Policies" in which it said that each DHB board only holds 200 courses of the national reserve of Tamiflu, authorised for immediate use.
It went on to state
"DHBs generally do not hold significant additional stocks of Tamiflu beyond the 200 course allocation. Accordingly national reserve stocks will be mobilised and made available as first response supplies in case of a pandemic or threatened pandemic"
Which raises the following questions:
* Why Taranaki DHB still only had 200 courses of Tamiflu?
* Why it felt the need to place restrictions of the prescription and sale of Tamiflu when national reserve stocks will be released in the event of a threatened pandemic? There is no mention in the MOH plan of district health boards needing to use the Civil Defence Emergency Act 2002 (CDEA) to requisition stock from pharmacies.
* Has the national reserve stock been released or not?
* Who is the national reserve stock being reserved for?
* Is Taranaki DHB holding back its 200 doses for its own staff?
The move was thought to be independent of the MOH's directives and none of the other 20 DHBs are thought to have followed Taranki's example.
There are only 200 doses currently available in the region and another 800 on order.
Ever since Monday NO prescriptions OR counter sales of the drug have been permitted unless the request carries an authorisation number from Dr Hutchinson.
Dr Hutchinson's action seems to have added another unnecessary layer of bureaucracy and could potentially slow down the speed at which infected people access the anti-viral drug whilst in the early stages of illness, therefore increasing the risk of further transmission. Her action also prevents people from accessing preventative doses of the drug prior to travel to infected countries.
Pharmacies were first informed of the action when their stock was requisitioned under the Civil Defence Emergency Act 2002 on Monday.
Taranaki has 17 people in isolation and 3 suspected cases.
Some DHB's Ignored MOH Advice to Stockpile Anti-Virals
November 2005 the NZ Ministry of Health issued advice to District Health Boards to source and build up supplies of Tamiflu for the treatment of H5N1/Bird flu
Some DHBs decided not to do so, citing concern over the shelf life of the drug and no doubt were concerned about the cost of buying something that could expire before it was needed.
(Recent information is that shelf life of Tamiflu can be extended from 5 to 7 years if it is stored correctly and tests confirm that it has remained stable)
In March 2006 Bay of Plenty District Health Board chairwoman Mary Hackett told the Bay of Plenty Times
"One of the problems is that Tamiflu has an expiry date. If we do stockpile antibiotics, we are turning them over because we use a lot of antibiotics. But the Tamiflu we are not using for anything else,"
The board said it was counting on the Ministry of Health to distribute its stockpile of Tamiflu should a pandemic hit.
At the time news reports stated that Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Hutt Valley and Taranaki had extra supplies of Tamiflu, and that 4 others were ordering supplies.
In 2008 The MOH issued "National Health Emergency Plan, National Reserve Supplies and Usage Policies" in which it said that each DHB board only holds 200 courses of the national reserve of Tamiflu, authorised for immediate use.
It went on to state
"DHBs generally do not hold significant additional stocks of Tamiflu beyond the 200 course allocation. Accordingly national reserve stocks will be mobilised and made available as first response supplies in case of a pandemic or threatened pandemic"
Which raises the following questions:
* Why Taranaki DHB still only had 200 courses of Tamiflu?
* Why it felt the need to place restrictions of the prescription and sale of Tamiflu when national reserve stocks will be released in the event of a threatened pandemic? There is no mention in the MOH plan of district health boards needing to use the Civil Defence Emergency Act 2002 (CDEA) to requisition stock from pharmacies.
* Has the national reserve stock been released or not?
* Who is the national reserve stock being reserved for?
* Is Taranaki DHB holding back its 200 doses for its own staff?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tamiflu Rush Expected Friday
Pharmacists are gearing up for an expected rush on Tamiflu this coming Friday as prescription only restrictions on the drug are eased for the coming NZ influenza season.
Normally Tamiflu is only available on a doctor's prescription except during the flu season.
However, between the dates of 1 May and 30 September it can be obtained over the counter by a person exhibiting flu symptoms and after consultation with a pharmacist. The cost is around $65 for a 5 day course of treatment and may well be out of the reach of many low income families.
New Zealand is thought to be the only country in the world that will sell the drug to the general public without a doctor's prescription. Some pharmacists have already expressed concerns that sick people seeking out sources of the drug will ignore Ministry of Health guidance to stay at home and run the risk of spreading the disease into the community.
NZ is thought to have enough supplies to treat only 30% of the population with a single course of treatment, usually 5 days worth. Prophylactic (preventative) doses would be twice that at 10 days per course of treatment.
Pregnant Women and Babies
Pregnant women should be particularly diligent in preventing their own exposure to the virus because, according to the USA's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no clinical studies have been conducted to assess the safety of this type of medication for pregnant women.
Neither have there been any clinical trials on children under the age of 1, therefore Tamiflu is not licensed for that age group either and its supply in both cases falls to the judgement of the doctor who must be expected to weigh up the risks on a case by case basis.
Confusion
Meanwhile, the WHO has issued new figures which have scaled down significantly the number of confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Mexico to 26 confirmed human cases of infection, including 7 deaths but paradoxically upgraded its threat awareness level of a pandemic from 4 to 5.
WHO figures are for reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Canada (6), New Zealand (3), the United Kingdom (2), Israel (2) and Spain (2). Since then a 2 year old child with links to Mexico has died in the USA.
For further information see WHO Swine influenza - update 4
Normally Tamiflu is only available on a doctor's prescription except during the flu season.
However, between the dates of 1 May and 30 September it can be obtained over the counter by a person exhibiting flu symptoms and after consultation with a pharmacist. The cost is around $65 for a 5 day course of treatment and may well be out of the reach of many low income families.
New Zealand is thought to be the only country in the world that will sell the drug to the general public without a doctor's prescription. Some pharmacists have already expressed concerns that sick people seeking out sources of the drug will ignore Ministry of Health guidance to stay at home and run the risk of spreading the disease into the community.
NZ is thought to have enough supplies to treat only 30% of the population with a single course of treatment, usually 5 days worth. Prophylactic (preventative) doses would be twice that at 10 days per course of treatment.
Pregnant Women and Babies
Pregnant women should be particularly diligent in preventing their own exposure to the virus because, according to the USA's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no clinical studies have been conducted to assess the safety of this type of medication for pregnant women.
Neither have there been any clinical trials on children under the age of 1, therefore Tamiflu is not licensed for that age group either and its supply in both cases falls to the judgement of the doctor who must be expected to weigh up the risks on a case by case basis.
Confusion
Meanwhile, the WHO has issued new figures which have scaled down significantly the number of confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Mexico to 26 confirmed human cases of infection, including 7 deaths but paradoxically upgraded its threat awareness level of a pandemic from 4 to 5.
WHO figures are for reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Canada (6), New Zealand (3), the United Kingdom (2), Israel (2) and Spain (2). Since then a 2 year old child with links to Mexico has died in the USA.
For further information see WHO Swine influenza - update 4
Monday, April 27, 2009
Two Possible Swine Flu Cases in Waikato
A media release from Waikato District Health Board, made on Monday 27 April
"Waikato District Health Board is investigating two possible cases of Swine Flu today.
"Waikato District Health Board is investigating two possible cases of Swine Flu today.
These people and their household contacts (people they have been in regular contact with) are being tested to determine whether they have Influenza A (Swine Flu is a sub-set of A).
Both cases, Waikato DHB residents, are being isolated within their homes until the test results come back within the next 24 hours.
Both possible cases fit the case definition for Swine Flu, and have returned from the United States within the past two weeks.
"Currently, as per Ministry of Health guidelines, Tamiflu will be prescribed for probable and confirmed cases and their household contacts (as appropriate)," said Waikato DHB medical officer of health Dr Anita Bell.
"So if these two test results come back as being positive, they will then be administered with the medication."
"Dealing with influenza and pandemic is our business. It is what we do and something we have been prepared for, for at least two years now," said Population Health Service group manager Barbara Garbutt.
"We are comfortable with our previous pandemic planning and are keeping in regular contact with the Ministry of Health on this event."
If anyone is suffering influenza-like illness and has travelled to either Mexico or America within the past two weeks, or been in contact with someone who has, they should call their general practitioner immediately, said Dr Bell."
NZ Students Tested For Swine Flu
A group of students from Rangitoto College returning from Mexico yesterday morning have tested positive for Influenza A.
The students, who were on flight NZ1 from Los Angeles, are awaiting results of further tests to determine if they have contracted the Influenza A H1N1 subtype, also known as Swine Flu.
Pinehurst and Westlake Girls High Schools were reported as presently having students groups visiting Mexico who have yet to return to New Zealand.
Pinehurst School later issued a release saying that Health Minister Tony Ryall's information was wrong and NO students from the school were in Mexico, but were in Argentina which was unaffected by the outbreak
John Key has been reported as saying that "the plan set up since the 2003 bird flu scare meant New Zealand had good stocks of the anitviral drug Tamiflu - about 1.4 million treatments and the single gateway into New Zealand via Auckland meant control was easier."
New Zealand also has international airports at Christchurch (which receives passengers from Australia, Asia and the Middle East) Wellington, Queenstown and Dunedin.
Swine Flu FAQs
The World Health Organisation has published a FAQ on Swine Flu, covering the following questions:
• What is swine influenza?
• What are the implications for human health?
• Where have human cases occurred?
• How do people become infected?
• Is it safe to eat pork meat and products?
• What about the pandemic risk?
• Is there a human vaccine to protect swine influenza?
• What drugs are available for treatment?
With reference to treatment
"Antiviral drugs for seasonal influenza are available in some countries and effectively prevent and treat the illness. There are two classes of such medicines, 1) adamantanes (amantadine and remantadine), and 2) inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase (oseltamivir* and zanamivir).
Most of the previously reported swine influenza cases recovered fully from the disease without requiring medical attention and without antiviral medicines.
Some influenza viruses develop resistance to the antiviral medicines, limiting the effectiveness of chemoprophylaxis and treatment. The viruses obtained from the recent human cases with swine influenza in the United States were sensitive to oselatmivir* and zanamivir but resistant to amantadine and remantadine.
Information is insufficient to make recommendation on the use of the antivirals in prevention and treatment of swine influenza virus infection. Clinicians have to make decisions based on the clinical and epidemiological assessment and harms and benefit of the prophylaxis/treatment of the patient.
For the ongoing outbreak of the swine influenza infection in the United States and Mexico, the
national and the local authorities are recommending to use oseltamivir* or zanamivir for treatment and prevention of the disease based on the virus’s susceptibility profile."
* Oseltamivir is marketed under the trade name of Tamiflu
H1N1 Warning Given a Year Ago
Replikins Ltd released a statement on 8 April 2008 stating that H1N1 was replicating rapidly and may succeed H5N1 as the leading candidate for the next expected pandemic.
Further information about this suspected outbreak can be found on the WHO website, Wikipedia Channel4.com and other news sites
The students, who were on flight NZ1 from Los Angeles, are awaiting results of further tests to determine if they have contracted the Influenza A H1N1 subtype, also known as Swine Flu.
"Health Minister Tony Ryall said: "Ministry of Health officials advise me there is no guarantee these students have swine influenza, but they consider it likely.
"However, I am also informed none of the affected patients are considered seriously ill, and most in fact seem to be on the road to recovery."
The ten students had tested positive for Influenza A, and their results would be sent to the World Health Organisation laboratory in Australia to ascertain whether it was the H1N1 swine influenza, Mr Ryall said."
A group of students from another Auckland school, Northcote College who also returned home from Mexico that day on flight NZ5 are being monitored by health officials, three of started to develop flu like symptoms but were later cleared.Pinehurst and Westlake Girls High Schools were reported as presently having students groups visiting Mexico who have yet to return to New Zealand.
Pinehurst School later issued a release saying that Health Minister Tony Ryall's information was wrong and NO students from the school were in Mexico, but were in Argentina which was unaffected by the outbreak
John Key has been reported as saying that "the plan set up since the 2003 bird flu scare meant New Zealand had good stocks of the anitviral drug Tamiflu - about 1.4 million treatments and the single gateway into New Zealand via Auckland meant control was easier."
New Zealand also has international airports at Christchurch (which receives passengers from Australia, Asia and the Middle East) Wellington, Queenstown and Dunedin.
Swine Flu FAQs
The World Health Organisation has published a FAQ on Swine Flu, covering the following questions:
• What is swine influenza?
• What are the implications for human health?
• Where have human cases occurred?
• How do people become infected?
• Is it safe to eat pork meat and products?
• What about the pandemic risk?
• Is there a human vaccine to protect swine influenza?
• What drugs are available for treatment?
With reference to treatment
"Antiviral drugs for seasonal influenza are available in some countries and effectively prevent and treat the illness. There are two classes of such medicines, 1) adamantanes (amantadine and remantadine), and 2) inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase (oseltamivir* and zanamivir).
Most of the previously reported swine influenza cases recovered fully from the disease without requiring medical attention and without antiviral medicines.
Some influenza viruses develop resistance to the antiviral medicines, limiting the effectiveness of chemoprophylaxis and treatment. The viruses obtained from the recent human cases with swine influenza in the United States were sensitive to oselatmivir* and zanamivir but resistant to amantadine and remantadine.
Information is insufficient to make recommendation on the use of the antivirals in prevention and treatment of swine influenza virus infection. Clinicians have to make decisions based on the clinical and epidemiological assessment and harms and benefit of the prophylaxis/treatment of the patient.
For the ongoing outbreak of the swine influenza infection in the United States and Mexico, the
national and the local authorities are recommending to use oseltamivir* or zanamivir for treatment and prevention of the disease based on the virus’s susceptibility profile."
* Oseltamivir is marketed under the trade name of Tamiflu
H1N1 Warning Given a Year Ago
Replikins Ltd released a statement on 8 April 2008 stating that H1N1 was replicating rapidly and may succeed H5N1 as the leading candidate for the next expected pandemic.
Further information about this suspected outbreak can be found on the WHO website, Wikipedia Channel4.com and other news sites
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