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Virus WAtch Week Ending 18 May 2014

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http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/cproot/5768/2/20140518_virus_watch.pdf Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) Summary: Influenza activity remains low. ILI presentations to sentinel general practitioners (GPs) and emergency departments (EDs) remain low; the number of persons hospitalised with influenza also remains low. There was a small increase in the number of influenza cases notified to the Department of Health. Influenza virus detections remain low, with influenza A/H1N1, influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B co-circulating. Overall detections of non-influenza respiratory virus detections remained stable this week, with RSV and rhinovirus […]

Disease WAtch May 2014, Volume 18, Issue 1

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Disease WAtch is the newsletter of Communicable Disease Control in Western Australia.  It provides analysis, expert opinion and hot issues relating to infectious disease control in Western Australia. May topics of interest include: Measles cases linked to Philippines outbreak Avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in China WA lifts uptake in antenatal influenza vaccination Regional teams working to ‘Close the Gap’ sexually transmitted infections Bold new direction for 2014 chlamydia campaign Rising immunisation rates a win for regional WA Community alliance helping […]

Virus WAtch Week Ending 11 May 2015

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20140511_virus_watch Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) Summary: Non-influenza respiratory virus activity is increasing; indicators of influenza activity remain low. ILI presentations to sentinel general practitioners (GPs) and emergency departments (EDs) remain low and consistent with inter-seasonal levels. The number of persons hospitalised with influenza remains low. Influenza virus detections remain low, with influenza A/H1N1, influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B co-circulating. Non-influenza respiratory virus detections increased this week; in particular, detections of respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza viruses increased.  Gastroenteritis  Gastroenteritis […]

Virus WAtch Week Ending 4 May 2014

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20140504_virus_watch Influenza and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) Summary: Respiratory syncytial virus activity (RSV) remains elevated this week, but influenza activity remains low. ILI presentations to sentinel general practitioners (GPs) and emergency departments (EDs) remain low and consistent with inter-seasonal levels. The number of persons hospitalised with influenza remains low. Influenza virus detections remain low, with influenza A/H3N2 and influenza B co-circulating. Non-influenza respiratory virus detections varied, with an increase in parainfluenza activity, a decrease in rhinovirus and adenovirus activity, and little […]

Infection Prevention and Control of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities OD 0516/14

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The Department of Health Western Australia (WA) recently published its revised Operational Directive (OD) on Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE).  The OD describes the requirements for routine screening and subsequent management of people identified with VRE in WA healthcare facilities.  You can view the OD at http://www.health.wa.gov.au/CircularsNew/circular.cfm?Circ_ID=13088  

Health Warning for Poliovirus

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On Monday 5 May 2014 the WHO Director General (DG) declared the recent international spread of wild poliovirus a “public health emergency of international concern” and issued Temporary Recommendations under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005. The Temporary Recommendations are for an initial period of 3 months and only apply to travellers from the 10 countries deemed to have active transmission of poliovirus: Pakistan, Cameroon, Syrian Arab Republic (Syria), Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Somalia and Nigeria.  Under these […]