Epidemics and pandemics

Minnesota company recalls two years of food products
Plainview Milk Products Cooperative is recalling two years of food products — instant non-fat dried milk, whey protein, fruit stabilizers, and gums— due to possible salmonella contamination
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First batch of swine flu vaccine shipped
Connecticut-based company ships first batch — 100,000 doses — of its swine flu vaccine; Protein Sciences Corporation uses insect cell technology to develop the vaccine
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Scientists block Ebola infection in cell-culture experiments
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have discovered two biochemical pathways that the Ebola virus relies on to infect cells; breakthrough could lead to first therapy for deadly disease
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Army lab find 9,220 uncatalogued vials of Ebola, anthrax, and plague
U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Fort Detrick, Maryland finds 9,220 unregistered vials of Ebola, anthrax, plague, and other pathogens
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Swine flu tally past 52,000
The United States remains the most infected country with 21,449 cases; biggest jump in cases was recorded in Canada
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Hosted model suitable for disaster recovery plans
Business continuity was once complex and costly; new services offer continuity and disaster recovery services which are less expensive, more technologically rich
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WHO declares H1N1 swine flu an official pandemic
Declaration will activate a slew of government pre-orders for pandemic vaccine, which will take precedence over recent orders for H1N1 vaccine; countries that do not have pre-orders will also face delays
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Scientists reveal swine flu origins
Oxford University researchers use computational methods to reconstruct the origins and timescale of this new pandemic; the latest swine flu strain has been circulating among pigs, possibly among multiple continents, for many years prior to its transmission to humans
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Panel object to using bioterrorism funds for swine flu
The Obama administration’s requested to take $3 billion from the Project BioShield Special Reserve Fund for use in the effort to contain sine flu; expert panel says it a risky move
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U.K. hospitals missing true scope of swine flu infection
An expert says the extent of swine flu infection in the United Kingdom is being underestimated because hospitals are failing to test patients with respiratory illnesses for the virus
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Dutch researchers develop new virus detector
A prototype of a new system can detect within minutes if an individual is infected with a virus; the system carry out measurements many times faster than standard techniques, and it is also portable
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New lethal virus discovered in Africa
Scientists identify a lethal new virus — called Lujo — which has already killed four people in Zambia and South Africa; the bug comes from a family of viruses found in rodents
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Opgal technology helps identify flu patients
Israeli company says its heat sensors can help stem the spread of swine flu and other diseases which cause elevated body tempreture
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Flu vaccine contracts worth $46.7 million awarded
Two companies awarded $46.7 million to supply influenza vaccine to the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies
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Food poisoning outbreaks prompt oversight efforts, II
President Obama had an organic vegetable garden planted at the White House, and his nominees to the FDA are pushing a more aggressive approach to food safety; many are are pinning their hopes on the Food Safety Modernization Act, which would essentially split the FDA, creating a separate agency to focus on food safety
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