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10.1.12

流感病毒樣本 急增一倍

【本報訊】冬季流感高峰期殺到,衞生防護中心發現近期流感活躍,本月初驗出的流感病毒樣本達一百四十一個,較去年十一月中急增一倍。有家庭醫學專科醫生指出,天氣持續寒冷,因感冒求診者較往日增近兩成。有呼吸科專家預告流感個案於未來數周逐步增加。


衞生防護中心公共衞生檢測中心最近分離出的流感病毒數目上升,截至去年十一月十二日的一周內錄得六十八樣本,今年一月七日一周急升至一百四十一個樣本。化驗顯示,截至今年一月四日共一百個樣本中,以乙型流感病毒佔多,有六十個,其餘為甲型流感病毒。
衞生防護中心表示,會繼續密切監察海外及本地流感情況,加強與醫院管理局及私家醫院聯繫,監察因流感並需入住深切治療部或死亡的個 案,兒童流感個案亦不會掉以輕心。家庭醫學專科醫生關嘉美指,近月因出現傷風、咳嗽、感冒或頭痛等徵狀的求診人數增加一至兩成,接種流感疫苗的人數亦增 加,但暫未接獲出現嚴重併發症如氣管炎的個案。

料農曆新年後感染人數升

中文大學呼吸內科教授許樹昌指,暫未發現流感入院病人大增:「通常凍咗一段時間先會多個案」,他預料農曆新年過後,感染人數將增加。
http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20120110/00176_033.html

伸延閱讀

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港關注美新流感疑人傳人

"點頭病"入侵穌丹(2003年BC新聞)

'Nodding disease' hits Sudan
Tuesday, 23 September, 2003, 21:46 GMT 22:46 UK



By Andrew Harding
BBC, Lui, southern Sudan

Ten-year-old Susannah Jackson is dying of what may be the world's newest and oddest disease - an illness so rare and mysterious that science has not yet come up with an official name for it.
Sitting outside her family's mud hut, near the small town of Lui, Susannah is gripped by a series of brain seizures which force her neck to arch forwards, down, and then up again.


Susannah
The disease is puzzling doctors and scientists
No wonder people in this isolated corner of southern Sudan call it "nodding disease." "We have no clue as what is causing this. It's like a detective novel and a murder mystery, because it's fatal," says Dr Mickey Richer, a tropical disease specialist from Unicef.
So far, almost 300 children are known to have caught the disease - all in one small region of the country.
Bizarrely, the seizures normally occur when the sufferers start to eat, or when it is particularly cold.
When Dr Richer asks for a bowl of sorghum to be placed in front of Susannah, the "nodding" begins almost immediately, and stop when she has finished eating.
Curiously, Susannah does not react if she eats unfamiliar food - a chocolate bar for instance.
Susannah's eight-year-old brother, Jacob, is now in Lui's crowded hospital with the same disease - at a more developed stage.
He shows signs of being mentally retarded and physically stunted.
During a particularly fierce seizure he threw himself into a fire, and is now being treated for severe burns to his leg.
Two other children in the same ward have almost identical stories.
Epicentre
An hour's drive from Lui along a rutted track lies the village of Amadi - a silent cluster of huts trapped in a forest of thick green grass.
Amadi is now considered to be the epicentre of the disease - 12% of children here are affected.

Dr Richer examines Malika Philip
About 12% of children in Ramadi are affected
Last year, experts from the World Health Organisation did neurological scans on some of the children, enabling them to confirm that this is a specific and unique condition. Twelve-year-old Ruben Nicholas stands in the middle of the village, gripped by a sudden seizure.
It looks as though someone is forcing his chin down onto his chest.
"He is nodding three times a day," says his father, Nicholas Lado.
"The disease stops him from growing. His brother died from the same disease, in August."
Dr Richer gets out her stethoscope and starts examining a dozen children. A small boy called Maika Philip stares dully into the distance. He looks about 11, but his mother confirms that he is 18.
So what could be causing this horrific outbreak? If this had happened in western Europe, it seems likely there would be at least some answers by now.
Here, in poverty-stricken southern Sudan, families still do not know if they should be trying to quarantine their children.
"If one child has nodding, we separate them from the other children, because maybe it's through air we don't know," says Reverend Sosthen Amen Lati, whose son is affected.
River theory
Some villagers say the disease is a curse, others blame the country's long civil war and suspect that government forces have been dropping chemical weapons on Lui and other rebel-held areas.
A toxicology report commissioned last year by the United Nations comes close to ruling out chemical warfare, and also plays down the likelihood of any link to local diets or food production.

Sudanese child fetching water from Yei River
Most victims live near Yeri River in southern Sudan
At the same time it cautiously raises a few intriguing theories, including the possibility of infected monkey flesh. International relief aid is also mentioned. Some locals have admitted to eating donated seeds, meant for planting not consumption, which are coated with toxic substances.
But Dr Richer's hunch is more straightforward. She notes that the victims are all concentrated near the Yei River.
She also points out that 93% of those surveyed are infected with a parasitic worm which causes Onchocerciasis (also known as river blindness).
The level of infection among children without "nodding" is 63%. The worm is carried by black flies which breed near fast-flowing rivers like the Yei.
Could it turn out to be the killer in Dr Richer's mystery? 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3133440.stm

有片:美國 疾病控制和預防中心/CDC回應烏干達的"點頭病"

Video: CDC Responds to Nodding Disease in Uganda

A team of CDC experts joined the Ministry of Health and of government, nonprofit, and health officials in Uganda to conduct a multifaceted investigation in Kitgum District, northern Uganda. Listen as Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer, Dr. Jennifer Foltz, tells the story about Nodding Disease, a neurologic syndrome which is devastating to afflicted children.

 



Watch on YouTubeExternal Web Site Icon | Download PowerPoint with embedded YouTube video Microsoft PowerPoint file

Transcript

I'm working as an epidemic intelligence service officer in the United States Public Health Service. We do public-health surveillance and alsooutbreak investigations.

Nodding disease mostly affects 5- to 15-year-old children that we saw when we went and visited them in Uganda. It seems that it starts maybe at 5, 6, 7 years old, and then may progressively get worse. It starts off in children. They can be born healthy. Then they start school and can be top of their class, then they have problems. It's reported that they have problems thinking and concentrating in class, and then this head-nodding starts. Then they can have problems concentrating so much that they drop out of school, become physically disabled. they become mentally disabled. We haven't had any reports that anybody's improved and gotten better from this disease, and we have gotten reports that children have passed away from the disease.


Initially, we got the request from the Uganda Ministry of Health back in November 2009. We've put together a team of a pediatric infectious-disease specialist, a pediatrician with nutrition specialty, which is myself, a toxin expert, and a neurologist from CDC U.S. So, we know at least that there's a seizure activity. It looks like a new seizure disorder. So, we have found that out, so that's a major step forward as far as knowing what we're dealing with and looking into treatment and looking into causes.

The thing that impressed me most about the people of Uganda were how receptive they were. People brought their children in for us to examine, to ask questions. When we held focus groups, many people showed up to tell us the stories of what they've lived through and the children they knew that were affected by disease. One mother came up to me and said that it's been a struggle for her, for her children, and her community, because to see her child that was previously healthy turn around and not be able to feed themselves or care for themselves, and this has been quite a struggle for the family, the community, and for everyone involved. But they hope that, through their struggle, that at least it can help us learn about the disease and then carry forward and maybe prevent it in other children.
http://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/video/nodding/nodding.htm

中國反駁美國防部報告指摘

外交部發言人劉為民稱,美國國防部日前發表的新軍事戰略報告中針對中國的指摘毫無根據,不可能取信於人。
劉為民在例行記者會上表示,中國的戰略意圖是明確的、公開的、透明的。中國堅定不移走和平發展道路,奉行獨立自主的和平外交政策和防禦性的國防政策。
他說:「我們的國防現代化建設服務於國家安全和發展的客觀需要,是維護地區和平穩定的積極因素,不對任何國家構成威脅。這份文件中針對中國的指責毫無根據,不可能取信於人。中方將深入研究這份文件的內容。」
劉為民表示,保持亞太和平、穩定、繁榮是本地區各國的共同利益所在。希望美方多為此發揮建設性作用。
美國國防部日前發表報告稱,中國崛起可能影響美國經濟和安全,並稱中國、伊朗等國繼續尋求旨在制衡美國軍事投送能力的非對稱手段,要求中國澄清戰略意圖,並強調美軍將加大在亞太地區的投入。(新華社)
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/中國反駁美國防部報告指摘-110216917.html

福島核電站工人暈倒昏迷

日本福島核電站一名工人暈倒昏迷。東京電力公司表示,這名工人六十多歲,是一名臨時工,中午在儲存放射性物質的設施內工作時,突然暈倒,心肺停止跳動,送到醫院搶救。公司指,工人身上其無沾有放射性物質,他暈倒可能與體力衰退有關。

去年三月福島核洩漏事故發生至今,最少四名核電站工人,工作時暈倒死亡。死者多數是臨時工,日薪相當於二千多港元。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/福島核電站工人暈倒昏迷-123200280.html

印尼一人疑接觸鴿子後感染禽流感死亡

印尼雅加達一名二十三歲病人,懷疑感染禽流感死亡。當地衛生部門表示,患者家中飼養的鴿子,一星期前死亡;而患者上星期二因高燒、嘔吐及昏迷入院,最終窒息不治,院方化驗後確定病人曾與家中的鴿子接觸。

當局為死者家人注射預防疫苗,並檢查死者住所附近的禽類,銷毀雞舍。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/印尼-人疑接觸鴿子後感染禽流感死亡-132200811.html

伊朗領袖:不會向西方制裁低頭

(路透德黑蘭9日電)伊朗最高領袖哈米尼(AyatollahAli Khamenei)今天表示,伊朗不會因屈服於西方國家的制裁壓力而改變核子計畫目標。
哈米尼透過國營電視台發表談話。他說:「伊朗舉國信賴國家領導人,敵國施加的制裁,對我國不會有任何影響。」
他說:「制裁措施不會改變我國的決心。」中央社(翻譯)
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/伊朗領袖-不會向西方制裁低頭-160300319.html

伊朗南部發生5.3級地震

美國地質勘探局錄得,伊朗南部發生黎克特制五點三級地震,震源深度三十七公里,暫時未收到傷亡或損毀報告。

http://hk.news.yahoo.com/伊朗南部發生5-3級地震-205400527.html

聯合國證實伊朗提煉濃縮鈾

聯合國國際原子能機構證實,伊朗已經開始在聖城庫姆附近啟動濃縮鈾項目。國際原子能機構指出,濃縮鈾項目在戒備森嚴的福爾多地下濃縮廠啟動。伊朗方面表示,計劃進行中級鈾濃縮,而分析人士則指出,這是向武器級別鈾濃縮發展的一個重要環節。

德黑蘭方面堅持說該國的核項目是為了能源發展。福爾多的核濃縮廠因2009年被西方情報機構發現才曝光於眾。BBC在伊朗記者雷諾德表示,有關的設施受到了很多關注以及質疑。該濃縮廠位於地下,戒備森嚴並有重軍把守,要空襲此處是非常困難的事情。美國和以色列則拒絕排除襲擊伊朗核設施的可能性。

伊朗精神領袖哈梅內伊9日堅持說,該國是不會向西方壓力低頭的。自從美國對伊朗中央銀行實施新的經濟制裁,以及歐盟也表示會因其核項目而禁止進口伊朗石油以來,伊朗與西方的關係非常緊張。哈梅內伊說,「進一步的制裁不會對我們這個國家帶來影響。」

伊朗方面還威脅說要封鎖霍爾木茲海峽,這裏是世界上20%石油貿易的關鍵通道。美國國防部長帕內塔指出,如果有這樣的舉動就「過線」了,而美方則會「採取行動讓海峽重新開放」。中國外交部副部長崔田凱周一拒絕將貿易與伊朗的核項目掛鈎。崔天凱說,中國與伊朗的貿易與伊朗的核項目沒有任何關係。中國超過10%的石油進口來自伊朗。美國財長蓋特納本周訪華希望中國支持對伊朗石油企業進行制裁,因此中美在此問題上的分歧也加劇了兩國的緊張關係。
(英國廣播公司)
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/聯合國證實伊朗提煉濃縮鈾-002221188.html

IAEA證實伊朗提煉濃縮鈾

國際原子能機構(IAEA)證實,伊朗在聖城庫姆附近弗多一座地下設施,開始提煉濃縮鈾。

IAEA發言人表示:「IAEA證實,伊朗已開始在弗多一座地下設施,提煉純度20%的濃縮鈾。」

美國表示,伊朗於新設施中提煉濃縮鈾,是對逐步增溫的核子問題向國際社會進一步攤牌。美國譴責,此舉勢必讓伊朗與西方國家的緊繃關係,進一步加劇。

消息指,地下設施內有近350離心機運作,有關濃縮鈾純度,高於早前成功提煉的3.5%純度,可加快核子物料裂變。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/iaea證實伊朗提煉濃縮鈾-005800293.html

俄左翼反對派二百人集會反普京

俄羅斯反對派左翼陣線的領袖,發動約二百人,在首都莫斯科一個廣場集會,反對總理普京執政。他們要求當局,推動民主選舉和政治改革,捍衛工人權益,改善社會制度,保障貧困群體。反對派又號召工人下月四日參與示威,反對普京出選總統,預計有數以萬計的民眾響應。

雖然普京所屬的執政統一俄羅斯黨,上月贏得國會選舉,令他在三月競逐總統的形勢,趨於明朗,但執政黨在選舉中涉嫌舞弊,引發民眾示威。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/俄左翼反對派二百人集會反普京-005600819.html

藏僧自焚 美表嚴重關切

(法新社華盛頓9日電) 美國今天表示,「嚴重關切」藏族僧侶自焚事件;並說,這反映出藏僧對中國大陸宗教自由遭壓制深感不滿。美國國務院發言人努蘭(Victoria Nuland)說,「我們嚴重關切報導所說,過去數天又有3名藏人自焚」;並說,美方一直對中國方面提出此一問題。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/藏僧自焚-美表嚴重關切-230508408.html

奧巴馬宣布白宮幕僚長戴利辭職

美國總統奧巴馬宣布,白宮幕僚長戴利辭職,白宮預算主任雅各布.盧,將接替他的位置。
奧巴馬說,戴利上星期提出辭職,他說希望回到故鄉芝加哥,與家人度過更多時光。
奧巴馬說,儘管一再挽留,但戴利去意已決;戴利參與白宮各項重大決策,他感謝戴利過去一年所做的工作。
戴利去年1月開始擔任白宮幕僚長,接替離開白宮,競選芝加哥市長的伊曼紐爾。
有報道指戴利接任以來,一直未能融入奧巴馬的團隊。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/奧巴馬宣布白宮幕僚長戴利辭職-221800924.html

美譴責伊朗判「間諜」死刑

美國白宮發言人卡尼表示,美國對伊朗判處美國間諜赫克馬蒂死刑表示強烈譴責。

卡尼說,國務院正在通過其在德黑蘭的利益代表處瑞士大使館,對赫克馬蒂的死刑報道真實性進行核實。他說,如果報道是真實的,那他們強烈譴責這一判決,並將與他們的夥伴合作,向伊朗政府表達譴責。

卡尼說,針對赫克馬蒂的間諜指控是不真實的。他說,美國呼籲伊朗政府允許瑞士使館人員和赫克馬蒂見面,允許他得到司法幫助,並且立刻將其釋放。

當有記者問美國是否會採取行動對此事進行干預或者保護赫克馬蒂時,卡尼拒絕就此進行預測。他說,他們將認真對待此事,正以恰當的方式處理此事。

當天,美國國務院發言人紐蘭說,美國以最強烈的措詞譴責這一判決。她稱,針對赫克馬蒂的指控是捏造的。

伊朗媒體9日報道,伊朗一法庭已判處美國間諜赫克馬蒂死刑。報道未提及宣判的具體時間。

現年28歲、出生在美國一個伊朗移民家庭的赫克馬蒂,被指控與懷有敵意的美國政府合作、為美中央情報局工作,並試圖指控伊朗涉嫌恐怖主義。伊朗媒體報道說,赫克馬蒂在審理過程中承認,他試圖滲入伊朗情報系統以協助美國中情局,並表示自己被中情局矇騙。

伊朗情報部上月17日發表聲明說,伊朗拘捕美國中情局間諜赫克馬蒂。聲明說,赫克馬蒂是美國中情局一名分析員,曾就職於美軍駐伊拉克和阿富汗軍事基地的情報部門,其目標是執行精心策劃的任務並打入伊朗情報機構內部。

近年來,伊朗多次聲稱拘捕美國間諜。去年11月,伊朗宣布拘捕12名美國中情局特工。去年5月,伊方宣布破獲一個間諜網絡,逮捕至少30人,指控他們為中情局工作。此外,伊朗多名核科學家過去幾年在伊境內遭暗殺,伊朗方面稱這些暗殺事件均與美國和以色列特工有關。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/美譴責伊朗判-間諜-死刑-015300819.html

伊朗啟動鈾濃縮 美:核議題加劇

(法新社華盛頓9日電) 美國今天表示,伊朗於新設施中發展鈾濃縮工作,是對逐步增溫的核子問題向國際社會進一步攤牌。

伊朗週末宣布,鄰近科姆市(Qom)的福爾多燃料濃縮廠很快就會啟動,且有能力提煉純度20%,以及純度3.5%和4%的濃縮鈾。

美國國務院發言人努蘭(Victoria Nuland)在華府表示:「如果伊朗正於福爾多提煉純度20%濃縮鈾,就進一步違反了核義務。」努蘭告訴記者:「我們再次呼籲伊朗停止鈾濃縮活
動,充分與國際原子能總署(IAEA)合作,並遵守所有安理會和IAEA理事會決議。」
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/伊朗啟動鈾濃縮-美-核議題加劇-020505636.html

台灣花蓮一分鐘內發生兩次地震

台灣東部的花蓮,今早近九點半,在一分鐘內發生兩次地震,分別是黎克特制三點四級和三點一級。震央都位於花蓮市轄區內,地震深度分別是十點公里和十六公里。暫時未有人員傷亡及損毀報告。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/台灣花蓮-分鐘內發生兩次地震-021400211.html

太陽神13號文件 NASA禁拍賣

【本報綜合報道】美國太陽神十三號(Apollo 13)一九七○年登月之旅途中遇險,三名太空人乘坐登月艙返回地球,僥倖保命。事隔四十多年後,當時指揮官拍賣太陽神十三號一份文件,以逾三百萬港元成交。惟太空總署(NASA)得悉後立即阻止,稱文件不屬他擁有。

太空船指揮官用作計算航程

太陽神十三號當時因氧氣罐爆炸,損失大量氧氣和電力,太空人被迫改乘登月艙返回地球。指揮官洛弗爾(James Lovell)在今次拍賣的文件上計算回程航道,他和兩名同伴才得以保命。
然而現年八十三歲的洛弗爾去年十一月拍賣文件,引起NASA關注。當局隨即向拍賣行重申文件屬NASA所有。
太陽神十四號太空人米切爾去年也拍賣登月任務一部攝影機,聲稱是NASA當年贈予太空人的禮物,NASA否認並入稟控告他。
http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20120110/00180_033.html

衞生部料禽流感不會大規模爆發

深圳一名男子在去年年底因感染高致病性禽流感病毒死亡,國家衞生部表示,今後還會繼續出現個案,由於各地的監測及整頓都比以前改善,相信不會爆發大規模疫情,造成大型公共衞生問題。
衞生部發言人鄧海華說,深圳的案例只是去年全國的唯一一宗,以後偶爾都會再出現。衞生部和各地衞生部門已加強禽流感的防控工作,加强監測及疫情報告制度。
中國疾控中心病毒病所所長李德新表示,由於各地的監測及整頓工作都比以前改善,診斷能力提高,未來不會爆發大規模疫情,亦無出現人傳人趨勢。
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/衞生部料禽流感不會大規模爆發-042200480.html