Four new A/H1N1 flu cases confirmed in Britain

LONDON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Four new cases of the A/H1N1 flu cases were confirmed on Wednesday in Britain, bringing the total number to 32 in the country.

The Department of Health announced on Wednesday that the four new cases are all adults associated with travel to Mexico. The infected adults are all from different parts of England.

To date, 28 of the 32 confirmed cases in Britain are from England while Scotland has four.

"It is right that we are preparing for the possibility of a global pandemic. The UK's arrangements are continuing to ensure that we are well-placed to deal with this new infection," said a statement from the Department of Health.

Five schools in the country have been closed after some students attending the schools have been tested positive. Three of the schools are in London, and two are in southwest of the country.

Students from those schools might be exempted from sitting exams under emergency plans being considered.

A/H1N1 flu confirmed cases down to 8 in Asia-Pacific region

HONG KONG, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 in the Asia-Pacific region drops to eight as New Zealand ruled out one case on Wednesday.

More tests were carried out on a sixth person who had been identified earlier as having the influenza A/H1N1 virus but the tests ruled out the virus.

There are two confirmed cases of the influenza A/H1N1 in South Korea while one in China's Hong Kong.

The Ministry of Health in New Zealand said there are 14 probable cases - one down from the number of Tuesday. There are 84suspected cases and another 358 people are in isolation and treated with Tamiflu.

Meanwhile, six students and two teachers from Avondale College in Auckland are in self-imposed isolation after traveling on a plane from America with a person suspected of having the virus.

Numbers of suspected cases, and those receiving treatment and in isolation, will fluctuate when more suspected cases are found, or suspected cases are ruled out, a spokesman with the country's health authority said.

There is no evidence of community transmission in New Zealand which is in the containment phase.

Despite there being no confirmed cases of the new flu in Australia, the country's Health Minister Nicola Roxon said on Wednesday that the threat level was not downgraded.

"We do have medical experts saying to us we still don't know how this global virus will develop over future weeks," Roxon told reporters in Melbourne.

The latest suspected cases in Japan are a woman, in her 20s, who recently returned home from the United States, and a man, in his 40s, who tested positive in flu A examination and is yet to be confirmed, according to Japan's health ministry.

Japan has yet to confirm any cases of the A/H1N1 strain so far, although some people have tested positive for the influenza A virus.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura on Wednesday ordered the health ministry to make preparations for a possible upgrade of the World Health Organization's pandemic alert for the A/H1N1 flu to the highest level of 6.

In contrast, the authorities in Singapore said it will lower the alert level for influenza A/H1N1 from "orange" to "yellow."

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan told a news conference that the downgrading will be done progressively over the next five days, but adding that Singapore will remain vigilant and act nimbly.

In Hong Kong, where the first infection case in Asia was confirmed on May 1, 12 Mexican travelers left the city for Mexico on a Mexican charter plane on Wednesday morning. But the Mexican index patient, in stable condition, remained in hospital.

Four Mexican travelers, including two who have been quarantined in Metropark Hotel in Wanchai and another two in Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), were among the 12 Mexicans.

Quarantine orders imposed on other people in connection with the case would be withdrawn when the orders expire later this week, provided that they show no symptoms of influenza A/ H1N1 infection, a spokesman for the region's health authority said.

The charter plane was sent by the Mexican government to pick up Mexicans "who wanted to leave China." It had flown to Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou to pick up passengers.

The Bruneian government also lifted quarantine on about 200 passengers, who had arrived on a flight from Britain on Monday evening.

A passenger on the flight had higher-than-normal body temperature, Health Minister Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman said, adding that two other passengers on the same flight had traveled to flu-affected countries.

The minister said these three cases made it necessary for the authorities to take precautionary measures and quarantine all passengers on the flight.

To prevent against influenza A/H1N1, the government of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Wednesday announced that it will initiate a series of anti-flu activities which mainly involve a campaign to clean the entire city.

The region's health authority will launch a city-wide anti-flu activities, including the cleaning of public facilities, relevant exhibition and seminars of A/H1N1 flu prevention so as to raise the resident's awareness of personal and public hygiene.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), together with China, Japan and South Korea, will hold a "Health Ministers' Special Meeting" for combating influenza A/H1N1 on May 7-8 in Thailand.

The urgently-arranged meeting is aimed to slow down the propagation of the new Influenza A/H1N1 epidemic in the region, Dr. Suphan Srithamma, spokesman of Thailand's Ministry of Public Health said on Wednesday.

The main objective is to assess the latest development of the new strain of influenza in ASEAN countries and improve control and preventive measures while working on new effective control innovation, he said.

The control measures are expected to include surveillance system, laboratory examination, stockpiles on anti-viral drugs, research and development on vaccine development and epidemiological information exchange.

SADC on high alert following outbreak of influenza A/H1N1

HARARE, May 6 (Xinhua) -- SADC health ministers are advising travelers in the region to postpone journeys to areas affected by influenza A/H1N1 as a precautionary measure, New Ziana reported on Wednesday.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the SADC ministers said the flu, which had affected more than 1,000 people in 20 countries across the world and claimed over 27 lives, was a real threat to the region.

"Unless necessary, all travelers are advised to avoid or postpone travel to affected areas," the ministers said. "In the event of traveling to the affected areas travelers should visit their nearest health facility for more advice on precautionary measures to be taken."

The ministers expressed concern over the increase in the number of cases, deaths and the unusual age group most hit by the pandemic.

The advisory come at a time when South Africa has reported two cases of the virus, which started in Mexico more than a week ago. There are no other serious cases that have been reported in the region including Zimbabwe but fears were that the disease would spread.

Travelers to the affected countries are advised to be on the alert for Flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, nausea, coughing, fatigue and general feeling of un-wellness, warned the regional ministers.

SADC was working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and surveillance systems had been put on high alert, they added.

Regional members are signatory to the SADC Highly Pathogenic Avian and Pandemic Human Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan that ensures effective prevention and control of any outbreak. Member countries have epidemic preparedness and response plans and teams in place in case of any outbreak.

SADC has put in place a technical team to facilitate the availability of treatment in all SADC countries. "We remain vigilant and committed to prevent and address any potential outbreak in the region," the ministers said.

Zambia reports first suspected A/H1N1 flu case

LUSAKA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Health authorities in Zambia are still awaiting for results of a man developing symptoms of A/H1N1 flu, which is the first suspected case of the infectious disease ever reported in the southern African country.

A man, suffering from suspected A/H1N1 flu, was quarantined soon after he arrived at Ndola International Airport from South Africa on Tuesday.

Ministry of Health spokesperson Reuben Mbewe told Xinhua in an interview on Wednesday that the specimens have been taken to the country's best hospital -- the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) -- and results are still being awaited.

"The patient is so far responding well and the specimens have since been brought to the UTH," Mbewe said.

Meanwhile. Mbewe advised the public not to panic because there were also initial indications that the man could be suffering from a common flu.

He expressed confidence in the surveillance system put in place, which he said proved helpful in finding the suspected A/H1N1 flu case.

The government does not want to take chances and is doing everything possible to contain possible incidence in Zambia, the official said..

Last week, South Africa reported two suspected cases of A/H1N1flu which were later tested negative.

Confirmed A/H1N1 flu cases in U.S. rise to 642

WASHINGTON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed human A/H1N1 cases has risen to 642 in 41 U.S. states, with two deaths, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday.

Vietnam reports one A/H1N1 flu suspected case

HANOI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese health officials said on Wednesday that a traveler from Czech Republic who arrived in Hanoion Wednesday morning was suspected of being infected with the A/H1N1 flu virus.

The patient has been taken to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology for treatment and isolated from other persons, said Nguyen Van Kinh, director of the institute.

The patient came to Vietnam by way of Germany and arrived at Hanoi airport on Wednesday morning. The patient showed symptoms of fever and was taken to hospital immediately. His test result has not come out yet, said Kinh.

Vietnamese Health Ministry said on Wednesday that no confirmed A/H1N1 case has been reported in Vietnam so far.

Factbox: H1N1 flu cases in Asia-Pacific region

HONG KONG. May 6 (Xinhua) -- Following is the latest figure of the
Influenza A/H1N1 cases in the Asia-Pacific region on Wednesday:

-- CONFIRMED INFECTIONS CASES RELEASED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
(WHO):

South Korea: 2; China's Hong Kong: 1; New Zealand: 6

-- COUNTRIES OR REGIONS WITH SUSPECTED INFECTIONS CASES:

South Korea: 30; New Zealand: 107; Australia: 128

20 cases of suspected H1N1 flu tested negative in India

NEW DELHI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- India has tested negative 20 samples of suspected A/ H1N1 flu cases so far and remained free of the flu, while three samples are still being tested, said the Indian Health Ministry Wednesday.

Among the three remaining cases, two of these are from Hyderabad, central India, and one person who reported himself for test from Jalandhar, Punjab in northern India, said the ministry.

A total of 39,315 passengers have been screened at all major Indian airports, among them 5,987 passengers being from affected countries and regions, said the ministry.

The ministry has also issued an advisory informing Indian people that retail sale of Tamiflu, the tablet for curing A/H1N1 flu, is not permitted in India over the counter.

"Indiscriminate use of this drug by the public could result in the virus developing resistance to this only known treatment of the H1N1 influenza," the advisory said.

The Indian government has adequate stockpiles of the drug that will be distributed free through the public health network in case of need to the confirmed cases of the disease, said the advisory.

Canadian scientists complete genetic sequencing of A/H1N1 virus

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu

OTTAWA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Canadian scientists have
completed a genetic sequencing of the A/H1N1 flu viruses that have appeared in
Mexico and Canada and confirmed that they are of the same strain, public health
officials said Wednesday.

The sequencing, which took place at the National
Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg and was completed in less than a week, has
eliminated a genetic mutation to explain why Mexican cases of the virus have
been more severe than in other countries.

"We are continuing our analysis, but essentially what
it appears to suggest is that there is nothing at the genetic level that
differentiates this virus that we've got from Mexico and those from Nova Scotia
and Ontario that explains the apparent differences in disease severity between
Mexico and Canada and the United States," Frank Plummer of the National
Microbiology Laboratory told a news conference on Wednesday.

Scientists cannot yet say why the cases in Mexico
have been much more severe than elsewhere, but one theory is that the patients
had underlying medical conditions that increased their susceptibility to the
virus.

This is the world's first sequencing of the new
virus, marking a "significant milestone" in studying the virus, the scientists
said.

The findings will help scientists eventually
understand how the virus originated, how it spreads and how it may change over
time, laying foundation for the development of a vaccine, scientists said.

The lab has submitted the sequencing to GenBank, a
public database where genetic sequencing information can be studied and compared
by scientists around the world, Plummer said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on
Tuesday a total of 1,490 laboratory tested H1N1 flu cases from 21 countries,
including 30 deaths.

In Canada, the number of confirmed cases rose to 165 on Tuesday. All cases appear to be mild, with the exception of a girl who was hospitalized in Edmonton, Alberta, due to severe symptoms. 

Sweden confirms its first A/H1N1 flu case

STOCKHOLM, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Swedish health officials on Wednesday confirmed the country's first case of A/H1N1 influenza in a woman who recently returned from the United States.

A woman in her 50s in the Stockholm area fell ill for three days with mild flu symptoms after returning from the United States. She quickly recovered without needing medical treatment, the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control (SMI) said in a statement.

The SMI said tests conducted by its virological laboratory confirmed she was infected with the A/H1N1 virus.

Stockholm's health authority said Sunday people who had been in close contact with her had been receiving antiviral treatment.

Israeli researchers discover method to neutralize tumor growth in embryonic stem cell therapy

JERUSALEM, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Researchers at the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem discovered a method to potentially eliminate the tumor-risk factor in
utilizing human embryonic stem cells, said the university on Wednesday.

The researchers' work paves the way for further progress in the promising
field of stem cell therapy, said the press release of the university sent to
Xinhua.

According to the release, human embryonic stem cells are theoretically
capable of differentiation to all cells of the mature human body (and are hence
defined as "pluripotent").

This ability, along with the ability to remain undifferentiated
indefinitely in culture, make regenerative medicine using human embryonic stem
cells a potentially unprecedented tool for the treatment of various diseases,
including diabetes, Parkinson's disease and heart failure.

However, a major drawback to the use of stem cells remains the demonstrated
tendency of such cells to grow into a specific kind of tumor, called teratoma,
when they are implanted in laboratory experiments into mice.

It is assumed that this tumorigenic feature will be manifested upon
transplantation to human patients as well. The development of tumors from
embryonic stem cells is especially puzzling given that these cells start out as
completely normal cells.

A team of researchers at the Stem Cell Unit in the Department of Genetics
at the Silberman Institute of Life Sciences at the Hebrew University has been
working on various approaches to deal with this problem.

In their latest project, the researchers analyzed the genetic basis of
tumor formation from human embryonic stem cells and identified a key gene that
is involved in this unique tumorigenicity.

This gene, called survivin, is expressed in most cancers and in early stage
embryos, but it is almost completely absent from mature normal tissues.

The survivin gene is especially highly expressed in undifferentiated human
embryonic stem cells and in their derived tumors. By neutralizing the activity
of survivin in the undifferentiated cells as well as in the tumors, the
researchers were able to initiate programmed cell death (apoptosis) in those
cells.

This inhibition of this gene just before or after transplantation of the
cells could minimize the chances of tumor formation, but the researchers caution
that a combination of strategies may be needed to address the major safety
concerns regarding tumor formation by human embryonic stem
cells.

Singapore to lower H1N1 flu alert level

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

SINGAPORE, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Singapore will lower its alert level for
Influenza A/H1N1 from "orange" to "yellow," the country's Health Minister said
on Wednesday.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan told a news conference that the downgrading
will be done progressively over the next five days, but adding that Singapore
will remain vigilant and act nimbly, according to TV broadcaster Channel
NewsAsia.

The Health Minister said that precautionary measures such as temperature
screening at border checkpoints and hospitals will continue, but the one visitor
per patient rule at hospitals will be lifted.

No A/H1N1 flu case reported in DPRK

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

PYONGYANG, May 6 (Xinhua) -- No case of the A/H1N1 flu virus has been reported in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the country's epidemic prevention department said on Wednesday.

"We have not discovered any A/H1N1 flu case so far, but we are strictly examining people back from visits to A/H1N1 flu-infected countries," Pak Myung Su, the vice-chairman of the State Emergency Anti-epidemic Commission told the official news agency KCNA.

"We will segregate patients if suspected cases are reported and carry out medical tests," Pak said.

He said the DPRK had already strengthened the quarantine of wild boar, and the inspection of pork and pork-related products, and increased the storage of anti-virus drugs. Researchers were also working on vaccine research.

Pak said the government is reporting about the A/H1N1 flu outbreak in other countries, and is sending medical workers to provide the public with physical check-ups and knowledge about flu prevention.

National medical diagnosis and reporting systems have also been set up to distinguish A/H1N1 flu from the common cold.

Indonesia reports first Influenza A/H1N1 suspect

Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu


JAKARTA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- An Indonesian doctor
disclosed Wednesday that an A/H1N1 flu suspect is currently treated in a
hospital in Surabaya, the capital of Indonesia's East Java province.

This is the first suspected case of A/H1N1 flu in
Indonesia and in Southeast Asia, a report the Elshinta radio said on Wednesday.

The Dr. Soetomo hospital in Surabaya is treating a
A/H1N1 flu suspect, the radio quoted Harko Hari Santosa, a doctor working in the
hospital, as saying.

At the present, Harko said, the suspect patient is
isolated in a particular isolation room in the hospital.

Without disclosing the patient's arrival date, Harko
said the patient had just arrived in Surabaya from Hong Kong. When the patient
arrived at the airport in Surabaya the thermal scanner spotted his high
temperature.

However, the hospital has yet to confirm whether it
was a A/H1N1 flu case, he added.

Swine flu scare: Spanish man locked in prisoners' ward

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhuanet) -- A Spaniard suspected of having swine flu was quarantined in a prisoners ward after the doctor learned he was on a holiday in Mexico.

The man had gone to the hospital to complain of a
rash. He was confined for three days and warned that if he tried to leave he
could face legal action under rules to control epidemics, Spanish newspaper El
Pais said, quoting the man.

The rules came into effect in Spain in response to a
flu virus that has killed 26 people in Mexico.

The man was referred to Madrid's Carlos III hospital
immediately after the doctor learned the man had been to Mexico. The staff in
Carlos III hospital were so afraid of the virus that they instructed the patient
on how to take his own temperature from behind a window.

"It took me two days to learn how to read the mercury
thermometer. They'd tell me over the telephone 'Turn it that way and you'll be
able to see it,'" the man said.

The man said he suffered because of the heating in
his room, which had the windows permanently locked.

"I thought it was because of infection, because they
were afraid the virus might get out through the window, but it turned out that I
was in a ward reserved for prisoners and mental patients," he told El Pais.

(Agencies)

Lessons from SARS have to be applied

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

BEIJING, May 6 -- I was living in Hong Kong during SARS - and read enough reports from the mainland - to know that the scars of that epidemic haven't yet healed.

Six years on, images of a besieged city are still vivid:

Masks, all shapes and colors to the point of becoming fashion accessories.

Swipes, wherever tap water wasn't available to wash hands so often to have the skin peeling off.

Elevators, where floor buttons were pushed with pens and keychains.

Escalators, where people did balancing acts to avoid touching the handrails.

And, in the China Daily Hong Kong Edition office, the main door left open so that the fingerprint entry system could be suspended.

As the alarm was sounded on the H1N1 flu, it was, as they say, dj vu all over again - except for those who didn't live through the SARS crisis.

Which is why I can understand why the Mexican government reacted with distress to the quarantine of the country's citizens which the president, Felipe Calderon, described, without referring to any country, as "repressive, discriminatory measures".

The country's foreign minister went a step further, accusing China of isolating its citizens in what she characterized as "unacceptable conditions".

The Chinese foreign ministry tried to set the record right, saying the country was not discriminating against anyone, and that the quarantine measures were essentially a matter of health checks to ensure the virus did not spread.

Aggressive action by the Chinese government, against the backdrop of the World Health Organisation one step away from declaring the flu as a global pandemic doesn't sound "repressive" to me.

And, "discriminatory" may be misplaced when the same treatment would have been applied to citizens of Marshall Islands or Madagascar should the flu have originated in those countries; and, I dare say that Beijing would not have objected as strenuously if Chinese citizens were subjected to similar treatment abroad if the flu had originated in the country.

Mexico has been lauded for being upfront about the epidemic and taking decisive steps such as closing down schools, restaurants and bars - as well as playing soccer matches in empty stadiums.

Should the country not be a little sympathetic to a country - criticized for not doing enough in the initial stages of the SARS outbreak - trying to do the same?

Granted, it is not a pleasant experience to be subjected to quarantine. What other options did Beijing have at the time when the spread of the flu seemed inexorable?

Perhaps some "soft power", like making sure the quarantined guests had "acceptable" accommodation and access to home comforts.

Conflicting signals about the virulence of the flu haven't helped either.

The WHO warns that should the current crisis pass, the virus could mutate and become more deadly come autumn, raising visions of a similar trend of the Spanish flu in 1918, which killed millions.

But governments in the worst-hit countries - Mexico and the United States - seem content to declare that the epidemic is on the wane.

At the same time, experts point out that the H1N1 is an unknown quantity: Scientists are trying to determine its path, its progression, its pathology and the prognosis for us.

When China became the first country to send aid, including medical supplies, to Mexico, Calderon said his country had a lot to learn from how China handled SARS.

The lesson could be a bit of tough love.

And, not SARS all over again.

(Source: China Daily)

Australia remains on influenza A/H1N1 alert

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

CANBERRA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Australian Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said on Wednesday that the threat level to Australia from influenza A/H1N1 was not downgraded despite there being no confirmed cases of the disease in the country.

"We do have medical experts saying to us we still don't know how this global virus will develop over future weeks," Roxon told reporters in Melbourne.

According to Australian Associated Press, Roxon said she had been advised the appropriate status should remain at a delay phase, which means the government was trying to delay entry of the disease into Australia.

There has no confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 in Australia at this stage.

The government was hopeful the present status could be maintained, Roxon said.

Indonesia declares malaria elimination

JAKARTA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari declared malaria elimination in the country at the commemoration of the 2nd World Malaria Day in Jakarta on Wednesday.

In a statement, Fadilah said that malaria elimination was a policy to combat the disease gradually at various regions in Indonesia from 2010 to 2030.

According to Siti Fadilah, Indonesia as a tropical country and malaria endemic since November 12th, 1959 had stated 'the Malaria Combat Commando', marked by houses fogging to eliminate malaria mosquito by the Indonesian first President Soekarno in Yogyakarta province. The action managed to decrease malaria case significantly.

Last year, Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stressed the importance to increase awareness and alert against malaria via education, socialization and advocating to the public.

NZ's confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 down to five

Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu


WELLINGTON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed
cases of influenza A/H1N1 in New Zealand dropped one to five on Wednesday, the
Health Ministry said.

More tests were carried out on a sixth person who was
identified on Tuesday as having the influenza A/H1N1 virus but the tests ruled
out the virus.

The Ministry of Health said that there are 14
probable cases - down one from earlier on Wednesday.

The number of suspected cases is 84. Furthermore,
there are 358people in isolation and being treated with Tamiflu.

Meanwhile, six students and two teachers from
Avondale College in Auckland are in self-imposed isolation after traveling on a
plane from America with a person suspected of having the virus.

"Public health staff are working to make sure people
are well informed and as comfortable as possible while in isolation," said
Health Ministry Deputy Director of Public Health Fran McGrath on Wednesday.

McGrath said this was necessary to limit any spread
of the influenza A/H1N1 virus.

"So far we've been successful in stopping the virus
spreading in the community and this is largely due to people being understanding
and cooperating," McGrath said.

Numbers of suspected cases, and those receiving
treatment and in isolation, will fluctuate when more suspected cases are found,
or suspected cases are ruled out.

There is no evidence of community transmission in New
Zealand which is in the containment phase.

"We are continuing to maintain our emphasis on
limiting the spread," McGrath said.

U.S. confirms 4 A/H1N1 cases in Alabama

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

HOUSTON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. health officials on Tuesday confirmed four A/H1N1 infections and identified four as probable cases in the Alabama state.

The total number of probable and confirmed cases rose to 18 in the state, officials said.

New federal guidelines, however, do not call for closing schools for a probable or confirmed case of A/H1N1 flu.

"I am grateful that the A /H1N1 illness is mild enough that school dismissal up to 14 days is no longer thought to be necessary," Dr. Don Williamson, State Health Officer said on Tuesday.

"It is important that ill persons not go to school or day care facilities for at least seven days after the onset of illness, including one full day of being well before returning to class." he said in a written statement.

"If the disease becomes more severe, school dismissal might be recommended again in the future. Furthermore, school authorities might close schools if absenteeism is so high that it interferes with education." he added.

The 18 confirmed or probable cases of A/H1N1 flu have been detected in Madison, Jefferson, Shelby, Montgomery and Pike counties.

During a lunchtime press conference at the CDC on Tuesday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius also denied the closure of schools as a way of avoiding A/H1N1 flu.

Federal health officials are reversing themselves on the issue because they have learned that the A/H1N1 flu virus is not nearly as lethal as first feared.

In addition, Sebelius said local public health agencies have been reporting an outcry from parents and teachers about the burden of school closures. "We hope this will alleviate some of the burden," she said.

Dr. Richard Besser, acting CDC director, said there have been reports about parents losing jobs because they have to stay home and take care of their children.

Children have also been reportedly dropped off at malls and libraries because parents didn't know what else to do with them, he said.

Thai Health Minister: 2 Thais, German free of influenza A/H1N1

Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu


BANGKOK, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Two Thais and a German
tourist are free of the influenza A/H1N1 according to laboratory tests, Witthaya
Kaewparadai, Thai Minister of Public Health said Wednesday.

The three were earlier quarantined at hospitals
shortly after arriving at Thailand's Suvarnabhumi International Airport in
Bangkok since they developed flu-like symptoms.

All of them were allowed to return home, said
Witthaya, Thai language-news agency INN reported.

In a related development, Witthaya disclosed health
ministers of the ASEAN member countries and China, Japan and South Korea have
already confirmed participation in the health ministers' meeting on Thursday and
Friday in capital Bangkok.

The meeting plans to brainstorm in finding
precautionary measures to prevent the influenza A/H1N1 outbreak in the region.

Africa struggles to fend off A/H1N1 flu

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The Africans are struggling to prevent A/H1N1 influenza from arriving in the continent which has already been plagued by vital diseases such as AIDS.

According to the latest tally, the A/H1N1 flu has killed 31 worldwide, 29 in Mexico and two in the United States, with confirmed and suspected cases totalling 3,271.

Although there have been no confirmed cases of the killer virusin Africa so far, experts say that the disease could weaken health system and take a huge human toll in the continent once there would be a outbreak.

"People living with HIV/AIDS would be much affected because their immune system is already weak," said Sam Zaramba, director of health service in Uganda.

While the world is focusing its attentions on the A/H1N1 flu, thousands of Africans die without notice every day due to treatable diseases.

Statistics showed that nearly 3,000 children died each day of malaria, many simply for lack of a bed net. And a meningitis epidemic that has swept countries like Nigeria has killed more than 1,900 people and have sickened 56,000 more since January.

Concerns have been raised about whether the African authorities would be able to trace the A/H1N1 influenza.

Zimbabwe, where Cholera has killed 4,000 and sickened more than 80,000, has tightened surveillance at all ports of entry by intensifying the screening of flu-like syptoms of people coming into the country.

As a preventative measure, Kenya has established 26 surveillance centers nationwide to stop a possible spread of the killer virus.

The continent's richest country, South Africa, with an estimated 1,000 people die every day due to HIV/AIDS, admits its slow response to A/H1N1 influenza.

The country is also rushing to buy thermal imaging scanners at a cost of 120,000 U.S. dollars each for installation at major entry ports. However, medical professionals condemn that it is not reliable means of determining whether or not a person is infected.

Duncan Mitchell, professor of the school of Physiology at Wits University, said it was "impossible" for scanners to detect a virus in passengers entering an airport.

The Health Ministry of South Africa now has sufficient stock of tamiflu to treat 100,000 people.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday it was sending a total of 2.4 million treatment courses of antiviral drugs to 72 "most in need" countries including Mexico, yet did not disclose the full list of countries receiving the drugs.

A total of 1,883 people from 21 countries have now been confirmed to have been infected with the A/H1N1 flu.

Confirmed, probable cases rise respectively to 6 in Missouri

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

HOUSTON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- State health officials announced on Tuesday that the federal Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) have confirmed four new cases of A/H1N1 flu in three counties in Missouri, bring the number of confirmed cases to six in the state.

The four new cases were found during testing at the state's Public Health Laboratory of specimens sent to the lab by doctors whose patients showed symptoms of the illness, the Department of Health and Senior Services said late in the evening.

The newly-confirmed cases involve three children in Platte County, a child in eastern Jackson County and a father and son in Howard County, the department added.

The two previously confirmed cases are a 19-year-old Kansas City man who received medical care in Nebraska and a 30-year-old Platte County woman.

The officials said the state also has six probable cases of A/H1N1 flu, specimens of which have been sent to CDC for confirmation.

The six probable cases involve three children in Platte County, a child in eastern Jackson County and a father and son in Howard County, local officials said.

The State Health Department is awaiting final test results from the CDC on the six probable cases, they added.

UN chief urges joint global response as flu cases continue to rise

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General BanKi-moon has called for "a collective global response" as the number of the A/H1N1 infections continues to rise mildly across the world.

"So far we have been fortunate that its (H1N1 flu) consequence has been relatively mild -- we have learnt valuable lessons," Ban told his monthly press conference in New York Tuesday.

"This outbreak is yet another reminder that we live in an inter-connected world. A threat to one country is a threat to all, requiring a collective global response," he said.

According to the latest official figures, 1,883 infections have been confirmed worldwide.

World Health Organization (WHO) Assistant Director-General Keiji Fukuda said Tuesday that the disease was still spreading, but there was still no evidence showing the new flu virus causing community-level transmission in regions outside North America.

"We do not feel we are seeing that right now," Fukuda told a news briefing, adding that most cases in Spain and other European countries were related to travel.

However, England's chief medical officer Liam Donaldson said it is "too early" to assume the A/H1N1 flu outbreak is "a mild infection." England reported later Tuesday a new case of A/H1N1 flu, bringing the confirmed total infections in Britain to 28,

Donaldson was quoted by the BBC as warning against complacency because flu viruses could change character "very rapidly," even though no one in Britain has died so far from the new flu.

On Tuesday, the U.S. state of Texas reported the second human A/H1N1 flu death in the state, which is also the second death in the United States which now has 651 confirmed infections.

Few details have been released but the state's health department said in a brief statement that a woman, who died from the disease earlier this week, was a Texas resident living in Cameron County, along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The woman had chronic underlying health conditions, the statement said.

A Mexican toddler who was visiting relatives died from the disease last week in Houston.

Meanwhile, at least 16 patients have been discharged from hospital in Mexico after they recovered from the A/H1N1 epidemic, Mexican officials said Tuesday

"What we have achieved in a week of unprecedented action is to reduce the speed at which virus can spread and avoid deaths," said Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon.

Twenty-nine people have been killed by the A/H1N1 flu virus in Mexico. The epicenter of the outbreak has now 942 confirmed infections.

Mexico closed educational institutions last week, effectively sending home 33 million people. These institutions will reopen in stages, starting with higher education institutions on Wednesday. Nurseries and primary schools will be the last to reopen on Monday.

Canada on Tuesday added 25 mild cases of the A/H1N1 flu virus infections, bringing the total to 165, according to figures revealed by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Health officials said the country's only serious case, a young girl in Alberta province is "recovering well" and is now breathing on her own. All other cases in Canada have been mild, with most patients having recovered.

The Spanish Health Ministry on Tuesday confirmed 16 new cases of influenza A/H1N1, lifting the total to 73.

The number of probable cases has lowered to 56 from 63, the ministry said, adding that all the confirmed cases except five had traveled to Mexico.

Other confirmed A/H1N1 infections include nine in Germany; six in New Zealand; five in Italy; four in Israel and France; two each in El Salvador and South Korea; one each in Austria, Costa Rica, Colombia, Denmark, Hong Kong (China), Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland.

WHO praises Mexico's response to H1N1 flu

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

MEXICO CITY, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The World Health
Organization (WHO) Tuesday praised Mexico's professionalism, responsibility and
transparency in handling the A/H1N1 flu outbreak.

People wear surgical masks in Mexico
city, May 3, 2009. Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos
late Sunday raised the death toll of the A/H1N1 flu to 22 and the number
of infected cases to 568 in the country. (Xinhua/AFP
Photo)
Photo
Gallery

The experience of Mexico would be essential for the
international community, said Philippe Lamy, WHO representative in Mexico, when
meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

Calderon expressed gratitude for the "exceptional
work" of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Canadian
government in their coordination with Mexico in curbing the epidemic.

Lamy and Calderon stressed the importance of
information exchanges in further understanding of the A/H1N1 flu strain's
features and its evolution.

They also discussed measures to further cooperation
with other countries in the region to curb the spread of the virus.

Mexico said on Monday that the impact of the epidemic
appears to be waning and the Latin American country can gradually get back to
normal.

The virus has killed 29 people and confirmed cases
have risen to 913, according to Mexico's latest official figures.

Myanmar introduces project on HIV prevention for migrant workers

YANGON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has introduced a project on HIV prevention for migrant workers moving into the country's two border areas of Tachilek and Muse for livelihood, the local Biweekly Eleven reported in this week's issue.

The project, to be implemented by Myanmar's Anti-Narcotics Association (MANA) with the cooperation of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), directs at young migrant workers including women coming to work at the border areas or crossing border.

Prevention against the spreading of HIV among them and reproductive health education will be covered by the project as an initial phase, the report said.

HIV prevention work through education is urgently needed to be carried out on such migrant groups whose undertakings are posing a high level of danger to the society, the health ministry said, warning that HIV prevalence rate has attained the most critical point especially in the border areas where socio-economic status is complicated.

The authorities has launched education campaign in eastern Shanstate in 2008, the report said, pointing out that the border town of Tachilek stands a main channel for trafficking women and children to Thailand and its nearby areas during the year.

The education campaign on HIV prevention is being extended to Muse in northern Shan state, project official of the MANA was quoted as saying.

With the assistance of UNFPA, measures are being taken to educate those moving across border for their living especially in their entertainment sector, it said.

Moreover, two Myanmar cities in the northern part -- Lashio and Mandalay were found with most HIV-carrying sex workers, according to the health ministry.

Of the 945 sex workers examined during a census conducted for six areas in the country in 2007, 147 were found infected with HIV with those from Lashio accounting for 22.7 percent, Mandalay 22.6 percent, Myitgyina 17.9 percent, Taunggyi 14.4 percent, Yangon 9.6percent and Kengtung 1.2 percent.

The HIV victims, aged from 30 to 34, took 22.8 percent, while those from 25 to 29 represented 18 percent, 20 to 24 17.3 percent, the figures showed.

More figures revealed that a total of 2,190 people, engaged in the sector, were exposed as carrying HIV in 2008.

However, according to a latest report of the UNAIDS, the number of people infected with HIV in Myanmar dropped to 240,000 in 2007 from 300,000 in 2001, thanks to the government's anti-HIV efforts for years.

HIV/AIDS is among the three major communicable diseases of national concern designated by Myanmar. The other two diseases are tuberculosis and malaria.

Myanmar treats the three diseases as priority with the main objectives of reducing the morbidity and mortality in a bid to become no longer a public problem and meet the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations.

Peru checks 25,000 int'l flight passengers for A/H1N1

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

LIMA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Peruvian authorities have checked about 25,000 passengers and crew members who arrived in the country by international flights due to the spread of A/H1N1 flu.

Health Minister Oscar Ugarte told the Health Commission of the Congress on Tuesday that the Ministry has checked 24,579 flight passengers and crew members, adding that all the health sectors in the country are on alert to avoid a possible access of the disease in Peruvian territory.

Ugarte said Peru has reported 21 possible cases, but all of them have been cleared.

"However, the possibilities is growing," He added.

Ugarte said his ministry has requested 250,000 antiviral tablets and currently the country has 5,300 treatments, with 4,300from the Health Ministry and 1,000 from the Social Security.

Emergency flight ferries 17 more Peruvians back home from flu-hit Mexico

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

LIMA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- A second emergency flight from Mexico arrived here on Tuesday, with 17 Peruvian citizens aboard who were fleeing the deadly new A/H1N1 flu strain.

After getting off the plane, the passengers were immediately taken to a room to be checked for H1N1 flu-like symptoms, including breathing difficulties, headaches, muscular pain and sharply higher temperature.

On April 28, Peru suspended flights to and from Mexico in an effort to prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu virus, which has caused 29 confirmed deaths in Mexico.

Peru's Transport and Communications Ministry only allows a limited number of Mexico-Peru flights aiming to protect the health of Peruvians in Mexico who wish to return home.

First case of A/H1N1 flu confirmed in Oklahoma

Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu


HOUSTON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday confirmed the first case of A/H1N1 flu in the state of Oklahoma, local officials said, adding four other suspected cases are still being tested in CDC in Atlanta.

"We expected that eventually there would be a confirmed case of H1N1 flu in Oklahoma, so this is no surprise," Governor Brad Henry said in a news release. "The confirmation of a case in the state means citizens should be cautious, but not fearful."

The Governor called on Oklahomans to take commonsense measures to avoid getting the virus, and to see a doctor if they experience flu-like symptoms. "Oklahoma's healthcare and public safety communities have the resources and personnel in place to handle any challenges posed by H1N1 flu." he declared.

The confirmed case involved a Pontotoc County woman who recently returned from Mexico. The state health officials disclosed the woman is married and her spouse has not shown any symptoms of swine flu.

The patient did not require hospitalization and is expected to make a full recovery, they said.

The CDC has reported 403 cases of the swine flu in 38 U.S. states as of early Tuesday. Oklahoma's case had not yet been included in that count.

A number of Pontotoc County schools reported they are preparing for A/H1N1 flu just as they prepare for a typical flu season.

"Right now, we're sending out a letter that lists the symptoms. We're cleaning desks and doorknobs, just as we do during the seasonal flu," said Pat Harrison, superintendent of Ada Public Schools.

In an afternoon press conference, CDC Acting Director Richard Besser said the agency has changed its previous advice to schools to consider closure in the event of a confirmed A/H1N1 flu case. Since most U.S. cases are not severe, school closure is not necessary and can be very disruptive, he said.

"The points about personal preparedness and personal responsibility are critical," he claimed, including keeping sick students home from school for at least seven days.

Latest developments on A/H1N1 flu worldwide

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of A/H1N1 flu outbreaks worldwide on Wednesday, according to the World Health Organization and government data.

Confirmed deaths worldwide: 31. Twenty nine in Mexico and two in the United States.

Confirmed sickened worldwide: 1,883. Some 942 in Mexico; 651 in U.S.; 165 in Canada; 57 in Spain; 27 in Britain; nine in Germany; six in New Zealand; five in Italy; four in Israel and France; two each in El Salvador and South Korea; one each in Austria, Costa Rica, Colombia, Denmark, China's Hong Kong, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland.

Guatemala reports first confirmed A/H1N1 flu case

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

MEXICO CITY, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Guatemala's Health Ministry on Tuesday reported the nation's first confirmed case of A/H1N1 flu, according to news reaching here from Guatemala City.

"The first case of A/H1N1 flu virus has been confirmed, according to the report sent to us by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), which is located in the U.S. city of Atlanta," the Ministry said on its web site.

The patient is an 11-year-old girl, who has been in treatment for four days and has not been sick enough to be hospitalized, the nation's health minister Celso Cerezo told media there.

The girl's two sisters have tested negative for the virus, which causes breathing difficulties, headaches, muscular pains and sharp increases in temperature.

Cerezo said that the girls' family had recently visited Mexico and said that samples from her parents were currently being studied in the CDC.

Cerezo placed Guatemala on orange alert, which means hospital staffs will have to use facemasks and gloves when they deal with the public and stricter border controls will be applied at international ports and airports.

However, the Guatemala government has not yet ordered the closure of schools, restaurants and places where people gather in large numbers.

The new strain of flu has killed 29 and infected 913 people in Mexico. Over 1,700 people were sickened all over the world. Only two deaths have been registered outside Mexico, both in the United States.

Recovered A/H1N1 flu patients discharged from hospital in Mexico

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

MEXICO CITY, May 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 A/H1N1 flu patients have been discharged from hospital in Mexico after they recovered from the epidemic, Mexican officials said on Tuesday.

"What we have achieves in a week of unprecedented action is to reduce the speed at which virus can spread and avoid deaths," Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon told media.

Twenty nine people have died with symptoms consistent with the flu including breathing difficulties, but only five have been confirmed killed by A/H1N1 flu virus.

Some 913 people are infected with the flu as 68 of them are currently being treated in health centers in Mexico.

The nation closed educational institutions last week, effectively sending home 33 million people. These institutions will reopen in stages, starting with higher education institutions on Wednesday. Nurseries and primary schools will be the last to reopen on Monday.

Spanish Health Ministry confirms 16 new cases of A/H1N1 flu

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

MADRID, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Health Ministry on Tuesday confirmed 16 new cases of influenza A/H1N1, bringing the total to 73.

The number of probable cases has lowered to 56 from 63, the Ministry said, adding that all the confirmed cases except five had traveled to Mexico.

Currently, the regions of Catalonia has 21 confirmed cases, Andalucia and Valencia 19 each, Castilla-La Mancha five, Madrid four, while Aragon, Extremadura, Galicia, Murica and Basque each has one.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the confirmed cases have risen to 1,490 in 21 countries and the number of the deaths to 30, with 29 in Mexico with one in the United States.

S Korea sends $500,000 in aid to flu-hit Mexico

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

MEXICO CITY, May 5 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Tuesday formally presented the Mexican government with 500,000 U.S. dollars worth of aid to help the country fight A/H1N1 flu, Mexican media reported.

The shipments includes facemasks, thermometers, latex gloves and refrigerators for blood samples that will be delivered to Mexico on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively, South Korea's ambassador to Mexico, Whan-Bok Cho said.

Also on the list are liquid soaps, disposable diapers, sponges impregnated with alcohol, disposable medical smokes and other sterile disposable clothing.

Cho said that the international community should show recognition, appreciation and support for the great efforts made by Mexico to fight the flu crisis.

Latest official figures show that the A/H1N1 flu has infected 913 people and killed 29 in Mexico.

The ambassador said that Mexico has taken the right decisions and its people have confidence in the government's ability to control and overcome the health emergency.

"We are sure the Mexican government has taken the correct and effective decisions, which have already given rise to positive results," Cho said, adding that his country is ready to continue helping Mexico.

He also reiterated the solidarity of the South Korean government and people.

Lourdes Aranda, Mexico's deputy Foreign Minister, responded that the donation sends a valued message showing South Korea's friendship with Mexico, which is appreciated more than ever during tough times.

WHO rejects raising alert level in Colombia

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

BOGOTA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) in Colombia on Tuesday rejected a warning from the Pan American Health Organization (PHO) that the alert in the country should be raised to phase 6 as more suspected cases of A/H1N1 flu were found.

"The alerts are launched from the WHO central and for the moment we are on phase five. The level 6 has to do with the expansion of the virus. It will be announced if there is a change or not in the alert," WHO director of Public Health, Maria Neira told local radio Caracol Radio.

PHO representative Pierre Paolo Balladelli said on Monday that as suspected cases of H1N1 flu rose to 136 in Colombia, the alert level in the country would be risen to level 6 in a matter of days.

"I would dare to say that we are very near because the number of cases has grown and it is very probable that in hours or days we could reach to a sustained infection in its transmission," Balladelli said.

Neira said the H1N1 virus is very sensitive to weather conditions, noting that the low temperature could make transmission of the virus much easier.

"The message is to be careful and be ready, and things must be taken calmly and not with panic. The transmission is through people, and now we continue investigating the origin of the one confirmed case and later we will know which was the origin and the measure to be taken in the future," Neira said.

Colombian prosecutor's office has issued a communique, urging enterprises, public and private entities to take preventive measure.

Colombian government reported on Monday 136 possible cases of H1N1 flu, while only one man of 42 years old has so far been confirmed of being infected. The man is on good health conditions and under medical supervision.

A/H1N1 flu death toll rises to 29 in Mexico

Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu

MEXICO CITY, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Mexican health ministry announced three more confirmed deaths from A/H1N1 flu late Tuesday, bringing the national death toll to 29.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, the tally of confirmed infected patients is 942. It noted that the epidemic was waning in Mexico as it had peaked last week.

Health authorities were still carrying out tests on another 39 people who were suspected to die from the disease in the past weeks, the statement added.

Restaurants and shops in Mexico will reopen on Wednesday while universities and high schools will resume classes on Thursday.

Cambodian dengue fever patients rise sharply

PHNOM PENH, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The number of dengue fever patients of Cambodia rose to 960 until May 4, over 750 until the end of April, or an increase of over 200 in less than a week, national media said on Wednesday.

The 960 victims were mainly spotted in Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham province and Kandal province, Chinese-language daily newspaper the Commercial News quoted officials of the Ministry of Health as saying.

So far this year, only two people died of the disease all over the country, according to ministry.

However, it was still early for the government to issue epidemic warning, as officials remained vigilant to watch the expansion of the illness, as well as guide people to kill mosquitoes and keep their water tanks clean, it added.

In 2008, 65 people died of dengue fever, out of a total of 9,542 infected cases in Cambodia.

Flight passengers in contact with influenza A/H1N1 to be out of quarantine on Thursday

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Passengers quarantined in
the Chinese mainland who took the same flight with a Mexican national later
diagnosed with influenza A/H1N1 in Hong Kong will be out of quarantine on
Thursday if they display no flu-like symptoms, China's Ministry of Health said
Wednesday.

The passengers, scattered in 18 provinces, autonomous regions
and municipalities on the Chinese mainland, would be free to go by 6 a.m.
Thursday, after local health authorities confirm they show no fever, acute
respiratory symptoms, or other signs of influenza A/H1N1 infection.

Those who show flu-like symptoms will be isolated at
designated health institutions and will receive medical treatment there, the
ministry said. People in close contact with them will also be quarantined.

None of the passengers had yet showed any flu-like
symptoms as of Monday, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

A flight crew of 13 Mexicans and 166 passengers who
remained in the Chinese mainland were put into a seven-day quarantine on May
1after taking Thursday's Mexican flight Aeromexico 098 from Mexico City to
Shanghai.

The quarantine came after a 25-year-old male Mexican
who took the same flight was confirmed on Friday in Hong Kong to be infected
with influenza A/H1N1.

On Tuesday, a Mexican chartered plane arrived at the
Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Tuesday to pick up the quarantined
Mexicans.

Andres Pena, vice consul-general of Mexico in
Shanghai, said those who got on the plane included 43 crew and passengers on
board the AM098 and 34 others, who worked and lived in China but were not under
quarantine. Six Mexican nationals volunteered to stay in the city.

Poll: One-third of Americans losing sleep over economy

Special Report:Global Financial Crisis

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- One-third of Americans are losing sleep
over the state of the U.S. economy and other personal financial concerns, a new
poll says.

The poll, released Monday by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), suggests
that inadequate sleep is associated with unhealthy lifestyles and negatively
impacts health and safety.

The number of people reporting sleep problems has increased 13 percent
since 2001. In the past eight years, the number of Americans who sleep less than
six hours a night jumped from 13 percent to 20 percent, and those who reported
sleeping eight hours or more dropped from 38 percent to 28 percent.

"It's easy to understand why so many people are concerned over the economy
and jobs, but sacrificing sleep is the wrong solution," said David Cloud, chief
executive officer of the Washington-based foundation.

"Sleep is essential for productivity and alertness and is a vital sign for
one's overall health," he added.

About 40 percent of Americans agree that sleep is as important as diet and
exercise to overall health and well-being; yet, only 32 percent of Americans who
report sleep problems discuss them with their doctor.

"Getting enough sleep every day is as important to your health as eating
healthy and being physical active," says Woodie Kessel, member of the poll task
force.

A lack of sleep is creating a major public safety problem as well -- drowsy
driving.

The poll found that more than one-half of adults (54 percent) --
potentially 110 million licensed drivers -- have driven when drowsy at least
once in the past year. Nearly one-third of drivers polled (28 percent) say that
they have nodded off or fallen asleep while driving a vehicle.

Two out of every 10 Americans sleep less than six hours a night. People
sleeping too few hours report being too tired to work efficiently, exercise or
eat healthy.

"With the economy worsening, we are seeing patients in our clinic who have
told us that they would not be returning for treatment because they or other
family members have lost their jobs, and they are concerned about costs," said
Meir Kryger, director of research and education at Gaylord Sleep Services in New
Haven.

"These patients may wind up far sicker. Sleep disorders are often
associated with other chronic diseases, like diabetes and hypertension, and they
can add complexity and even accelerate each other if untreated," he said.

U.S. study finds increased prevalence of left-handedness in children with facial development disorder

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- A new study by physician
researchers from Hasbro Children's Hospital in Rhode Island and Children's
Hospital Boston has identified an increased prevalence in left-handedness
in children with a congenital disorder known as hemifacial
microsomia (HFM).

The study was published in the March 2009 edition of
the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery.

Overall, ten percent of the population is
left-handed. A higher frequency has been associated with certain craniofacial
malformations such as cleft lip and other conditions.

Albert Oh, director of pediatric plastic and
craniofacial surgery at Hasbro Children's Hospital, along with researchers from
Children's Hospital Boston, developed this study to determine if the frequency
of left-handedness increased in patients with HFM.

HFM is the second most common birth defect after
clefts, and is a condition that affects the development of the lower half of the
face. It most commonly affects the ears, mouth or jaw, and can occur on either
side of the face or both.

A total of 86 patients who were diagnosed with HFM
were studied and compared to a control group using several factors. The study
group was 48 percent male, with an average age of 13.5 years. Of those patients,
49 percent had predominant right side involvement of HFM, while 38 percent had
left side involvement and 13 percent had almost equal involvement on both sides.
The control group included 96 children, 44 percent male with a mean age of 10
years.

When compared to the control group, the study group
showed 26 percent were left-hand dominant for writing compared with only 11
percent in the control group. Also of note, for the patients who had bilateral
involvement of their HFM, the side most affected was uniformly predictive of
hand preference. The patients with left-predominant involvement of HFM were
left-handed and the patients with right-predominant involvement were
right-handed.

Albert Oh, who is also a professor of surgery at the
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, says: "This study is
significant in that it revealed a significant shift to left-hand preference in
patients with HFM. This finding further emphasizes that the developmental
abnormality that causes HFM is not isolated to the face."

Oh and the authors also note that the study should
promote further discussion of the two major etiological theories of HFM:
vascular disruption and abnormal proliferation or migration of neural crest
cells (cells located in the neural plate in the embryo that migrate to their
final destinations during embryo development).

The study, while limited in size, found no
correlations between the side of facial involvement and hand preference that
would support the theory of vascular disruption.

Scientists modifies smallpox vaccine to fight H5N1 bird flu

HONG KONG, March 1 (Xinhua) -- A team of scientists
from the University of Hong Kong and the United States on Sunday said they have
developed a new vaccine strategy against the H5N1 bird flu virus by genetically
modifying a smallpox vaccine.

The new vaccine is potentially a sound solution in
case of an H5N1 bird flu pandemic, which many scientists have been worried
about, said Malik Peiris, a microbiologist and bird flu research authority at
the University of Hong Kong.

Peiris said that the new vaccine has proven safer in
experiments on mice and that "a single vaccine dose will provide rapid
protective immune responses."

It is also expected to enable fast mass production
thanks to the possibility of using cell-culture methods, which could help avoid
potential production bottlenecks as eggs will have to be used in the production
of vaccines currently on offer.

And the existing facilities used for the production
of smallpox vaccines can be used to produce the bird flu vaccines without much
trouble, which can help reduce the costs, said another member of the research
team, adding that alternative strategies available involving genetic engineering
methods have been typically expensive.

The highly contagious H5N1 bird flu virus has
infected hundreds of people around the globe over the past decade, with the
death rate standing at round 60 percent.

There had been no confirmed cases of the virus
spreading from human to human but scientists fear that a genetic mutation might
enable it to jump from human to human someday, thereby leading to a global
pandemic that could kill millions.

Many scientists have been working on the development
of effective vaccines to prevent such a bird flu outbreak and the University of
Hong Kong was among the leaders.

There are now vaccines for sale in the United States
and eggs were essential in manufacturing the vaccines, which might lead to
bottlenecks as eggs may not be readily available in large amount in the case of
a bird flu pandemic.

Peiris said his team planned to optimize the efficacy
of the new vaccine.

They will explore the new strategy to create a
"universal influenza vaccine" that can fight a range of subtypes of the H5
strain of bird flu virus.

The study, co-authored by scientists from the U.S.
National Institutes of Health, is published on the March issue of the Journal of
Immunology.

Vegetable-based drug could inhibit melanoma: U.S. researchers

WASHINGTON, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Compounds extracted from green vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage could be a potent drug against melanoma, according to cancer researchers. Tests on mice suggest that these compounds, when combined with selenium, target tumors more safely and effectively than
conventional therapy.

"There are currently no drugs to target the proteins
that trigger melanoma," said Gavin Robertson, associate professor of
pharmacology, pathology and dermatology, Penn State College of Medicine. "We
have developed drugs from naturally occurring compounds that can inhibit the
growth of tumors in mice by 50 to 60 percent with a very low dose."

Robertson and his colleagues previously showed the
therapeutic potential of targeting the Akt3 protein in inhibiting the
development of melanoma. The search for a drug to block the protein led them to
a class of compounds called isothiocyanates.

These naturally occurring chemicals found in
cruciferous vegetables are known to have certain cancer-fighting properties.
However, the potency of these compounds is so low that a successful drug would
require large impractical amounts of these compounds.

Instead, the Penn State researchers rewired the
compounds by replacing their sulfur bonds with selenium. The result, they
believe, is a more potent drug that can be delivered intravenously in low doses.

"Selenium deficiency is common in cancer patients,
including those diagnosed with metastatic melanoma," explained Robertson, whose
findings appear in the March edition of Clinical Cancer Research. "Besides,
selenium is known to destabilize Akt proteins in prostate cancer cells."

To study the effectiveness of the new drug --
isoselenocyanate -- researchers injected mice with 10 million cancer cells. Six
days later, when the animals developed large tumors, they were divided into two
groups and treated separately with either the vegetable compounds or the
compounds supplemented with selenium.

"We found that the selenium-enhanced compounds
significantly reduced the production of Akt3 protein and shut down its signaling
network," explained Robertson, who is also associate director of translational
research and leader of the experimental therapeutics program at Penn State
Hershey Cancer Institute. The modified compounds also reduced the growth of
tumors by 60 percent, compared to the vegetable-based compounds alone.

When the researchers exposed three different human
melanoma cell lines to the two compounds, the selenium-enhanced drug worked
better on some cell lines than others. The efficiency was from 30 to 70 percent
depending on the cell line.

The exact mechanism of how selenium inhibits cancer
remains unclear. However Robertson, who has a filed provisional patent on the
discovery, is convinced that the use of naturally occurring compounds that
target cancer-causing proteins could lead to more effective ways of treating
melanoma.

"We have harnessed something found in nature to
target melanoma," said Robertson. "And since we only need tiny amounts to kill
the cancer cells, it means even less toxic side-effects for the patient."

Human trials of the new drug are still some years
away, but the Penn State researcher envisions a drug that could be delivered
either intravenously to treat melanoma, or added to sunscreen lotion to prevent
the disease.

Half price Tuesday for Shanghai tourists

Tourists pose for photographson
May 3on the 259-meter-high transparent walkway in the Oriental Pearl
TV Tower, one of the most popular destinations for tourists during the May
Day holiday, when Shanghai attracted more than 2.45 million tourists,
about 20,000 more than last year, according to the Shanghai Tourism
Administration.(Photo Source: Shanghai Daily/ Zhang Ming)
Photo Gallery

BEIJING, May 6 -- Ten more tourist attractions will
offer a 50 percent discount on admission prices on Tuesdays from May 5, 2009,
the Shanghai tourism authority said.

The Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, Zhujiajiao Ancient Town,
Oriental Land in Qingpu District and Fengjing Ancient Town in Jinshan District
are among the "half price Tuesday" scenic spots, Labor Daily reported.

The tourism authority has listed 18 tourist
attractions, including the Oriental Pearl Tower, the World Financial Center and
Jinmao Tower, in the discount scheme.

On February 24, the first day of the scheme, the
Oriental Pearl Tower saw three times the usual number of tourists.

The scheme will be extended until July 28. It was due
to end on April 28 but the discounts have proved extremely popular, the Shanghai
Tourism Authority said.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)

Vice Premier: China, EU "Distant Neighbors"

BEIJING,May6
(Xinhuanet)--China's Vice Premier Wang Qishanhas said
thatChina and the European Union should take a responsible attitude and
demonstrate their common, clear commitment against trade protectionism at the
second China-E.U. high-level economic dialogue.

He made the remarks in an articlepublished by the
New York Timeson Tuesday, titled "Distant Neighbors."

The following is the full text of the article:

The most pressing task facing all countries in the
world today is to restore global economic growth as soon as possible. Yet it is
worrisome to note that the surge of trade protectionism has made the prospects
of the already fragile world economy even worse.

China and the European Union, two major economies and
stakeholders in the world, should take a responsible attitude and demonstrate
their common, clear commitment against trade protectionism at the second
China-E.U. high-level economic dialogue.

Trade liberalization is the engine of economic
growth. It has served as a strong propeller of economic globalization and
benefited people around the world. On the contrary, trade protectionism ¡ª
featuring the pursuit of benefits for one country at the expense of others ¡ª
will only lead to retaliation. It serves the interest of no one.

The world economy paid a heavy price for the
prevalence of trade protectionism during the Great Depression in the 1930s,
which led to the contraction of global trade by two thirds. We should make sure
that the same mistake is not repeated.

Europe is the birthplace of free trade theory, and
the E.U. is the product of successful free trade practices. The removal of trade
barriers promoted formation of a single European market and enhanced development
and prosperity in Europe. As a result, the E.U. has grown into the largest
economy in the world today.

China is firmly committed to reform and to opening
up. Since its accession to the World Trade Organization, China¡¯s market has
become much more open and its trade greatly liberalized. The current overall
tariff level of China is only 9.8 percent. Its average tariff on industrial
products is only 8.9 percent, the lowest among all developing countries. Its
tariff on imported agricultural products is only 15.2 percent, which is not only
lower than other developing countries but also far below that of many developed
countries.

The openness of China¡¯s trade in services has reached
a level close to that of an average developed country. China has taken steady
steps to improve its market economic system and legal system. In particular, it
has made remarkable progress in intellectual-property rights protection, product
quality and food safety, environmental protection and labor security. China has
also taken concrete actions against trade protectionism ¡ª the Chinese government
recently sent Chinese enterprises on procurement missions to Europe and the
United States.

The economies of China and the E.U. have much to
offer each other and our two-way trade holds a huge potential. The E.U. is now
China¡¯s largest trading partner and China is the second largest trading partner
of the E.U.

China and the E.U. should make full use of the
platform presented by the high-level economic dialogue to strengthen
communication and cooperation and jointly oppose trade protectionism. This would
better enable us to tackle the current crisis and promote economic recovery and
growth. It would also reinforce the trend of economic globalization and
facilitates a further growth of two-way trade.

The two sides should work actively to put in place
the agreement reached at the G-20 summit in London, promote early, comprehensive
and balanced outcome in the WTO Doha round negotiations and uphold an open, fair
and equitable international trading regime. An early conclusion of the Doha
round is of symbolic significance to curbing protectionism.

The two sides should further open markets to each
other. China will continue to lower the threshold for market access, improve
trade and investment environment and encourage Chinese enterprises to increase
procurement and imports from Europe.

We hope the E.U. will relax restrictions on the
exports of high-tech products to China, enhance cooperation with China on the
development and application of clean energy, new energy and renewable energy and
support cooperation among our small and medium-sized enterprises. Meanwhile, our
two sides should step up efforts to update the E.E.C.-China Trade and Economic
Cooperation Agreement.

The two sides should work in a cooperative spirit and
properly resolve trade differences and disputes. Each side needs to take proper
care of its own interests. Yet, more importantly, both sides should accommodate
the concerns of the other, taking into full account national conditions and
their stage of development, and steadily broaden the scope of our common
interests.

We should strengthen dialogue and consultation,
refrain from taking protectionist measures and avoid politicizing trade issues.
China hopes that the E.U. will evaluate the conditions of the Chinese economy in
an objective and unprejudiced manner and recognize China¡¯s full market economy
status as soon as possible.

Trade liberalization was, is and will continue to be
the only way to global economic prosperity. The Chinese side is ready to work
with the E.U. and take effective measures to oppose trade protectionism, promote
better growth of China-E.U. trade and jointly move the world economy out of the
current difficulties at an early date.

Chinese Vice Premier leaves for
Sino-EU dialogue, visit Britain

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Wang
Qishan left here Wednesday for the second Sino-European Union (EU) high-level
trade and economic dialogue in Brussels on May 7 and 8, and to pay an official
visit to Britain from May 8 to 12 at the invitation of British Chancellor of the
Exchequer Alistair Darling.

Wang will co-chair the dialogue with Catherine
Ashton, EU Trade Commissioner and personal representative of the European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, said Jiang Yu, spokeswoman of the
Chinese Foreign Ministry. Full story

Chinese diplomat stresses importance
of pragmatism, shared interests in developing Sino-EU ties

BRUSSELS, April 29 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese
diplomat said here Wednesday that China and the European Union (EU) should push
forward mutually beneficial cooperation in all spheres by practicing pragmatism,
keeping in mind the overall interest of the bilateral relations and working
together to promote common interests between the two peoples.

"If we keep in mind the overall interest of our
relations and work together to promote common interest between our peoples, we
will be able to enjoy a closer partnership in the long run, and for next month
to ensure the upcoming Sino-EU High-Level Dialogue and the summit great
success," said the Chinese Ambassador to the EU Song Zhe in a speech at a
seminar on Sino-EU relations in Brussels. Full story

Chinese Vice Premier to attend Sino-EU
dialogue, visit Britain

BEIJING, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier
Wang Qishan will attend the second Sino-European Union (EU) high-level trade and
economic dialogue in Brussels on May 7 and 8 and pay an official visit to
Britain from May 8 to 12.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu made the
announcement at a regular press conference here Thursday. Full story

China faces challenge of growing elderly society

BEIJING, May 6 -- The growing population of the elderly in the country is a colossal challenge for which we appear to be least prepared, if not altogether unprepared.

Recent studies and articles by researchers both at home and abroad have sounded alarm bells for alerting us to the gravity of the situation the country will be facing in the coming decades.

According to the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, the current ratio of 16 elderly per 100 workers is set to double by 2025 and rise to 61 by 2050. By then China will have 438 million people aged 60 and over and 103 million aged 80 or over.

Information from China's State Information Center and the China National Committee on Aging also showed a similar trend.

In a matter of 18 years, China has achieved an aging population ratio that developed countries reached in several decades or nearly a century. This means the challenge for China is far greater because we are becoming a greying society before the country becomes rich.

What it means for the economy is that the population dividend - the steady supply of fresh workforce and the high savings rate - we have been cashing in on during the last three decades of economic boom will finally come to an end. We will instead face a shortage of labor, which spells a potential disaster for the world's "manufacturing workshop."

The vast aging population will also have a negative impact on the living standards of every Chinese as more government money would be spent on pension and other services related to senior citizens. That is probably why many experts call the "fast-greying population" as one of China's biggest challenges in the 21st century.

Such an unprecedented challenge facing a developing nation would require the early preparedness to avert a devastating blow to the country a few decades from now.

Unfortunately, our country is ill prepared even for the aging population of today. For example, there are only a little over 2 million beds in various senior citizens homes, averaging 11 beds per 1,000 elderly, compared with the average of 35 to 50 beds in other developing countries.

Surveys in Shanghai show that the elderly yearn for more home services, community medical service and psychological and mental comfort, all of which are seriously lacking now.

This is an appalling situation for a nation, which boasts a tradition of reverence for old age, and calls for immediate action on the part of both the government and society.

We must spend more money on pension and include people in the vast countryside, where the challenge is even bigger. We should also build more public facilities for the elderly in local communities to make their twilight years easier and more comfortable. The list could go on.

Such efforts and expenditure would mean less money for other sectors and possibly slower economic growth. But unless we act now, act decisively and courageously, we will be making a terrible mistake in dealing with one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century.

(Source: China Daily)

U.S. confirms 226 A/H1N1 flu cases in 30 states

WASHINGTON, May 3 (Xinhua) -- A total of 226 human A/H1N1 flu cases have been confirmed in 30 U.S. states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Sunday.

The only person that has so far died of the H1N1 flu virus is a Mexican toddler who was visiting relatives in Texas, said the CDC.

According to the center, the State of New York has reported 63 confirmed cases of the H1N1, followed by 40 of Texas, 26 of California, 18 of Arizona and 15 of South Carolina.

The number of confirmed cases on Saturday was 160 in 21 states.

As of Friday, at least 430 schools in the United States had temporarily closed, while the CDC suggested more schools "should consider" sending students home if campuses have one or more cases of the new strain of influenza.

In his weekly radio address on Saturday, President Barack Obama told the public that his administration is confronting the epidemic's outbreak, vowing to take all necessary precautions in case the virus turn into "something worse."

The administration also continue its public relation campaign on Sunday by sending Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and acting CDC Director Richard E. Besser to all five major TV talk shows.

Emergency plan for Influenza A/H1N1 under consideration in Pakistan

Special Report: World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu 

ISLAMABAD, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Health of Pakistan has planned to hold inter-provincial coordination committee meeting to prepare emergency plan for handling a possible epidemic of Influenza A/H1N1, official Associated Press of Pakistan reported on Sunday.

Instructions have been issued to concerned departments for detection and handling of importation of H1N1 virus that causes the disease, initially known as swine flu, said the report.

The ministry has made proper arrangements in hospitals in this regard including immediate isolation and hospitalization of any suspected case.

Instructions have also been issued to the airport authorities regarding screening of all incoming passengers to check any importation of the virus.

The Health Ministry has issued instructions to the officials at sea ports and land entry points for screening of individuals on their entering to Pakistan.

Heads of educational institutions of the federal and provincial level have also been asked to advise parents to have proper check on their children particularly those having flu-like symptoms.

The APP quoted sources as saying that the heads of all hospitals across the country had been instructed to advise their staff to maintain the history of such incoming patients with flu-like symptoms and use protective measures while handling such patients.

New anti-cancer vaccine developed by Czech lab

PRAGUE, May 3 (Xinhua) -- A new vaccine which may be capable of halting
cancer has been manufactured in the labs at the Prague Motol Hospital for a
year, local daily Mlada Fronta Dnes reported Sunday.

The vaccine is useful in the fight against a number of tumors, and it does
not have any such side-effects as chemotherapy has, the daily cited a report
published by prestigious medical journal Clinical Immunology.

"Now we are drafting a request for clinical tests," Jirina Bartunkova, a
leading researcher, was quoted as saying.

The vaccine, which was developed by a unique method that the Czechs had
worked for ten years, can be used in the treatment of melanoma, leukemia, bowel
cancer, ovary cancer and recurring tumors, the paper wrote.

One vaccine is sufficient for one patient for a year, and the treatment
costs about 100,000 crowns (5,000 U.S. dollars) per year, Bartunkova said.

However, using the vaccine to cure patients is very demanding in terms of
time and equipment, and only one vaccine a week can be manufactured in the super
pure labs.

"We are able to produce some 50 vaccines a year. However, the research has
reached the stage in which the production of the vaccine can be made on a large
scale," Bartunkova said.

The research group is negotiating with a biotechnological firm on the
production of the vaccine, said the daily.

Australian gov't to subsidize breast, bowel and kidney cancer

CANBERRA, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Australian federal government said on Sunday it
will allocate 600 million Australian dollars (432 million U.S. dollars) in the
upcoming budget to subsidize expensive bowel, breast and kidney cancer drugs.

"I think it's a sign that while we are in tough economic times, we still
are determined to do the things that are needed to help people in very
vulnerable circumstances," Health Minister Nicola Roxon told local media Ten
Network.

Roxon said that from July, the bowel cancer drug Avastin will be subsidized
under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which will cost the government about
311 million Aust dollars (223.9 million U.S. dollars) over the next four years.

"These drugs are expensive. We've made room for them to be able to be
funded. Sutent, Avastin and Herceptin deal with some of the most severe forms of
cancer ... bowel cancer and breast cancer," Roxon said.

Listing the drugs will mean new patients suffering advanced bowel cancer
will pay about 33 Aust dollars (23.75 U.S. dollars) for Avastin instead of more
than 2,000 Aust dollars (1440 U.S. dollars).

Sufferers of metastatic breast cancer will also receive a boost with the
free Herceptin program at a cost of 166 million Aust dollars (119.5 million U.S.
dollars).

With the free Herceptin program, patients will save about 60,000 Aust
dollars (43,200 U.S. dollars) a year.

One confirmed, nine probable of A/H1N1 flu in Alabama

Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu

HOUSTON, May 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
on Saturday confirmed the first case of A/H1N1 flu in the State of Alabama.

The patient is a kindergartener at Heritage Elementary School in the city
of Madison, local public health officials said late in the evening.

Meanwhile, six new probable cases of A/H1N1 flu are identified on Saturday
in the state, including five students. That brings to 10 the number of confirmed
and probable cases so far in the state -- one in Jefferson County, one in
Montgomery and eight in the city of Madison.

Local public health officials were notified late Saturday afternoon that
the Jefferson County, the largest in Alabama, has detected its first probable
case of A/H1N1 flu. The patient is an adult man with a type of virus that is 95
percent likely to be A/H1N1 flu.

Other five probable cases identified on Saturday in Madison were all from
students, but increased from one to four the number of schools affected.
Officials said all the elementary schools in the city of Madison remain closed
until May 14.

Alabama has been identifying probable cases that it then sent to CDC for
confirmation. Officials say starting next week the state will be able to confirm
its own cases.

Austria's first A/H1N1 flu patient discharged from hospital

Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu

VIENNA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Austria's first A/H1N1 flu patient has been
discharged from hospital Saturday after finding no more virus inside her body,
local media reported.

The patient, a 28-year-old female, left the hospital Saturday afternoon,
the report said.

According to the patient, she infected the A/H1N1 flu virus on a flight
from Mexico to the United States last week as there were a large number of
Mexicans onboard.

The girl was sent to hospital in Vienna after showing symptoms of flu. She
was then tested positive of the A/H1N1 flu virus.

Christoph Wenisch, the doctor who treated the infected woman, said on
Thursday that test results had showed there are no more viruses inside the
patient's body after the treatment.

Wenisch added that the patient showed improvement since taking medicines
for the second time.