Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES), the world’s leading provider of Building Performance Analysis tools to the building design and refurbishment industry, has launched a plug-in to Google SketchUpTM, a free, easy-to-learn 3D design tool from Google. This plug-in links directly to IES’s free VE-Ware tool which accurately determines the Energy Use and associated Carbon Dioxide Emissions for any building, in any part of the world. This exciting new development means that anyone can pick up these FREE tools and start analysing how their home, office or school performs. So whether you’re a self builder or architect wanting to take energy consumption into account during design, a property developer, facilities manager, a student undertaking a project, or you’re just plain interested, it is now possible to scientifically analyse for FREE how much energy a building uses and how that translates to associated carbon emissions. You can even look at how modifications will affect the outcome.
VE-Ware is not just another carbon calculator. Its calculation engine is part of the IES Virtual Environment, which is an industry respected building performance analysis tool used by the world’s top architectural and engineering firms in the design of low-energy buildings. The calculations are based on real geometry, international data on local climate and weather conditions and the typical characteristics of different building, room and heating and cooling system types.
Dr. Don McLean, the Founder and MD of IES, commented: “I’m incredibly excited by today’s launch, in many ways it’s a culmination of 14 years of work. When I founded IES in 1994 my aim was to develop what were primarily academic tools and bring them into mainstream use. Buildings are incredibly important in mitigating climate change – they account for around 40% of global CO2 emissions, but at the same time it is this sector which is the most cost effective when it comes to reducing those emissions. VE-Ware and our link to Google SketchUp gives everyone the capability to get involved and really opens the door wide to the incredible mitigation potential building performance analysis offers.”
HOW TO DETERMINE A BUILDING’S ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND CARBON EMISSIONS FOR FREE IN 5 EASY STEPS...
1. Model your building in Google SketchUp
2. Open VE-Ware and tell it where your building is in the world
3. Define your: Building type
Construction materials
Heating and cooling system types
Room types
4. Press a button - automatic detailed thermal simulation is
performed for you
5. Get output on: Energy consumption
CO2 emissions
US benchmark against the Architecture 2030
(Zero-Carbon) ChallengeIn addition, if you want to modify your building and assess what impact different options have on these factors, all you have to do is go back and make the required amends to the model or construction materials, etc. and re-run the analysis.
VE-Ware is available to download from: www.iesve.com/ve-ware
Google SketchUp is available to download from: http://sketchup.google.com/
The IES and Google SketchUp connectivity:
The direct link to VE-Ware takes the form of a Toolbar that sits within the SketchUp application. It is compatible with both the Free and Pro versions of Google SketchUp. The Toolbar also links to IES’s other more detailed building performance analysis tools: the VE-Toolkits and the full Virtual Environment. For many architects and other professionals in the building design and management industry, this level of integration with a mass market design tool is what they have been waiting for – it allows empowering analysis to be undertaken at the touch of a few buttons. See the associated press release on the IES Google SketchUp plug-in for more information.
John Bacus, Product Manager of Google SketchUp, commented: “With SketchUp, we dreamed of a simple tool that would give people the ability to think fast and iterate often on complex building design problems. With this release, IES is plugging a set of energy analysis tools into SketchUp at just the right level of complexity — enabling designers to think not just about how a building might look, but also how it will perform in a sustainable world.”
This launch is a public beta and is being refined over the coming months.
About Building Performance Analysis:
Building performance analysis allows the study of how the orientation, shape, construction materials and room positioning etc. impacts on energy use and occupant comfort. It also allows you to determine how effective solar shading, natural ventilation and other passive design strategies will be, and the feasibility of using innovative low-energy technologies and renewable energy sources.
About IES:
Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) Ltd. is a company at the forefront of the use and development of powerful building performance simulation tools:
VE-Ware: Free energy and carbon analysis tool which makes basic performance analysis widely available to anyone;
VE-Toolkits: mid-level tools that allow a variety of early stage sustainability energy, carbon, solar and daylight analyses to be undertaken at the touch of a few buttons;
The full VE: a powerful integrated suite of highly detailed performance analysis tools.
www.iesve.com
Google and Google SketchUp are licensed trademarks of Google Inc.
Source: Business Wire
Published Aug. 26, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Australian decision validates EOS® Patent
EOS Remediation, LLC, a developer and manufacturer of advanced technologies for groundwater restoration, announced that it has received a decision from the Australian Patent Office validating Solutions-IES’ Australian Patent Application No. 782548 for groundwater bioremediation using emulsified oils. EOS Remediation is Solutions-IES’ exclusive licensee for this technology.
This win for EOS Remediation is the latest in a string of recent successes. 'The grant of our Australian Patent was opposed by William A. Newman. We are pleased that we successfully defended the validity of our application,” said Dr. Robert C. Borden, P.E. “The decision vindicates our position that the intellectual property disclosed is novel and non-obvious. The Australian Patent Office has affirmed that our patent covers the use of oil emulsions for aquifer bioremediation where the oil droplets are smaller than the aquifer pores.' EOS Remediation is the only company licensed by Solutions-IES to apply this innovative and effective process.
The use of emulsified oils, EOS®, for groundwater bioremediation is a significant advancement in the treatment of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents, energetic materials, nitrates, oxidized heavy metals, and radionuclides. The proven EOS® Technology substantially reduces the cost to restore contaminated aquifers.
EOS Remediation uses sustainable green chemistry in its family of groundwater bioremediation products. The addition of emulsified vegetable oils provides food for the microorganisms and stimulates biodegradation activity. The EOS® Technology has successfully turned land once deemed unusable into productive and safe real estate. The company annually completes more than 200 projects worldwide. Since first developed by Dr. Borden in 1999, millions of pounds of EOS® have been successfully applied at sites throughout the world.
Source: EOS Remediation, LLC
This win for EOS Remediation is the latest in a string of recent successes. 'The grant of our Australian Patent was opposed by William A. Newman. We are pleased that we successfully defended the validity of our application,” said Dr. Robert C. Borden, P.E. “The decision vindicates our position that the intellectual property disclosed is novel and non-obvious. The Australian Patent Office has affirmed that our patent covers the use of oil emulsions for aquifer bioremediation where the oil droplets are smaller than the aquifer pores.' EOS Remediation is the only company licensed by Solutions-IES to apply this innovative and effective process.
The use of emulsified oils, EOS®, for groundwater bioremediation is a significant advancement in the treatment of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents, energetic materials, nitrates, oxidized heavy metals, and radionuclides. The proven EOS® Technology substantially reduces the cost to restore contaminated aquifers.
EOS Remediation uses sustainable green chemistry in its family of groundwater bioremediation products. The addition of emulsified vegetable oils provides food for the microorganisms and stimulates biodegradation activity. The EOS® Technology has successfully turned land once deemed unusable into productive and safe real estate. The company annually completes more than 200 projects worldwide. Since first developed by Dr. Borden in 1999, millions of pounds of EOS® have been successfully applied at sites throughout the world.
Source: EOS Remediation, LLC
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Food scientists confirm commercial product effectively kills bacteria in vegetable washwater
Research conducted by food science faculty at the University of Idaho and Washington State University indicate that a commercially available fruit and vegetable wash, when used in a food-manufacturing setting, can dramatically decrease the number of disease-causing organisms in produce-processing washwater. That could reduce by manyfold the potential for cross-contamination within the water by such "gram-negative" bacteria as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7.
The product, sold commercially as FIT Fruit and Vegetable Wash, not only proved much more effective than the commonly used chlorine dioxide but is made from ingredients like citric acid and distilled grapefruit oil that are generally regarded as safe. Chlorine dioxide, whose use in food plants can put workers at risk, was compromised by soils and plant debris in the washwater and killed only 90 percent of the target organisms in the food plant and followup laboratory studies. By contrast, FIT killed 99.9999 percent, according to associate professor of food science Dong-Hyun Kang of Washington State University. "If you had a million bacteria, you would have one left."
The research—unusual because part of it was conducted under real-world conditions in an Idaho freshpack potato operation—will be published by the Journal of Food Science in August and is currently available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/jfds/0/0. University of Idaho Extension food scientist Jeff Kronenberg said the researchers chose potatoes for their study because their dirt-laden washwater poses the greatest challenge to products designed to control microbial contamination—not because of any food-safety threat potatoes pose. Indeed, Kronenberg said, "We have historically had zero problems with food-borne diseases in potatoes that are sold in grocery stores and restaurants because they're cooked."
Kronenberg believes FIT should be further investigated for fresh produce that has been associated with food-borne illness—including lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cilantro, parsley and other leafy vegetables—where it is has the potential to save lives.
According to Kang, most food-processing firms cleanse their produce in flumes that operate as aquatic conveyor belts. "If a pathogen is introduced in the washwater, it will grow and continuously contaminate the new produce," he said. With 15 years of experience, Kang has found it "very, very difficult" to control disease-causing organisms in flume water and said he "didn't expect this kind of reduction. I'm really happy to see it."
WSU research technologist Peter Gray agreed, noting that the bacteria were "knocked down below the detection limit almost instantaneously" in the FIT treatments.
Source : University of Idaho
The product, sold commercially as FIT Fruit and Vegetable Wash, not only proved much more effective than the commonly used chlorine dioxide but is made from ingredients like citric acid and distilled grapefruit oil that are generally regarded as safe. Chlorine dioxide, whose use in food plants can put workers at risk, was compromised by soils and plant debris in the washwater and killed only 90 percent of the target organisms in the food plant and followup laboratory studies. By contrast, FIT killed 99.9999 percent, according to associate professor of food science Dong-Hyun Kang of Washington State University. "If you had a million bacteria, you would have one left."
The research—unusual because part of it was conducted under real-world conditions in an Idaho freshpack potato operation—will be published by the Journal of Food Science in August and is currently available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/jfds/0/0. University of Idaho Extension food scientist Jeff Kronenberg said the researchers chose potatoes for their study because their dirt-laden washwater poses the greatest challenge to products designed to control microbial contamination—not because of any food-safety threat potatoes pose. Indeed, Kronenberg said, "We have historically had zero problems with food-borne diseases in potatoes that are sold in grocery stores and restaurants because they're cooked."
Kronenberg believes FIT should be further investigated for fresh produce that has been associated with food-borne illness—including lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cilantro, parsley and other leafy vegetables—where it is has the potential to save lives.
According to Kang, most food-processing firms cleanse their produce in flumes that operate as aquatic conveyor belts. "If a pathogen is introduced in the washwater, it will grow and continuously contaminate the new produce," he said. With 15 years of experience, Kang has found it "very, very difficult" to control disease-causing organisms in flume water and said he "didn't expect this kind of reduction. I'm really happy to see it."
WSU research technologist Peter Gray agreed, noting that the bacteria were "knocked down below the detection limit almost instantaneously" in the FIT treatments.
Source : University of Idaho
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Picarro Launches Liquid Water Isotope Analyzer With Unmatched Sensitivity and Simplicity
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug 18, 2008
-- The new Picarro L1102-i water isotope analyzer is the first instrument to combine simple, turnkey operation with the sensitivity and precision (delta-18 O < 0.1 parts per thousand, delta-D <0.5 parts per thousand) better than or equal to the IRMS (isotope ratio mass spectrometer) systems traditionally used in stable isotope labs. Moreover, this integrated, compact instrument provides simultaneous measurement of both delta-18 O and delta-D, directly from water samples, whereas IRMS requires either different chemical processes to separately measure these two ratios, or two different mass spectrometers. In addition to requiring no special training or setup, the Picarro L1102-i is fully automated for running large sample batches, requires little or no sample preparation, provides data in minutes and does not need frequent calibration because it has minimal memory and drift.
The heart of the Picarro L1102-i is the same WS-CRDS (wavelength-scanned cavity ring down spectroscopy) engine that is already field-proven in the company's CO2 and water vapor isotope analyzers. This new liquid water analyzer is equipped with a robust integrated robotic autosampler and vaporization accessory, which enables many samples to be analyzed in a single automated, hands-free sequence.
Michael Woelk, Picarro CEO explains, "Recognition of the utility of stable-isotope studies now spans applications as diverse as carbon/water cycle environmental studies, animal migration tracking, and human metabolic pathway research. Full exploitation of this potential requires easy and fast access to high quality isotope ratio data, but has been limited by the high cost and practical constraints of existing mass-spectrometry tools. We believe the advent of turn-key, cost-effective instruments that require no special training or sample handling is going to completely revolutionize this field, and more importantly, significantly expand the number of practical applications for stable isotope measurements."
The Picarro L1102-i has been extensively beta-tested at several labs specializing in stable isotope studies, including the Stable Isotope Lab at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado. Senior Scientist Bruce Vaughn at this lab notes, "Based on its performance in our laboratory, I truly feel this new instrument has the potential to transform the way the analytical world measures water isotopes."
Picarro, Inc. is a privately held company dedicated to developing instrumentation for the highest sensitivity, precision and accuracy measurements of specific molecules of interest in environmental analyses, process monitoring, and emissions control. The company is a leader in wavelength scanned cavity ring down spectroscopy (WS-CRDS) technology with eight exclusive licenses from Stanford University patents and nine of its own on WS-CRDS extensions.
SOURCE: Picarro, Inc.
-- The new Picarro L1102-i water isotope analyzer is the first instrument to combine simple, turnkey operation with the sensitivity and precision (delta-18 O < 0.1 parts per thousand, delta-D <0.5 parts per thousand) better than or equal to the IRMS (isotope ratio mass spectrometer) systems traditionally used in stable isotope labs. Moreover, this integrated, compact instrument provides simultaneous measurement of both delta-18 O and delta-D, directly from water samples, whereas IRMS requires either different chemical processes to separately measure these two ratios, or two different mass spectrometers. In addition to requiring no special training or setup, the Picarro L1102-i is fully automated for running large sample batches, requires little or no sample preparation, provides data in minutes and does not need frequent calibration because it has minimal memory and drift.
The heart of the Picarro L1102-i is the same WS-CRDS (wavelength-scanned cavity ring down spectroscopy) engine that is already field-proven in the company's CO2 and water vapor isotope analyzers. This new liquid water analyzer is equipped with a robust integrated robotic autosampler and vaporization accessory, which enables many samples to be analyzed in a single automated, hands-free sequence.
Michael Woelk, Picarro CEO explains, "Recognition of the utility of stable-isotope studies now spans applications as diverse as carbon/water cycle environmental studies, animal migration tracking, and human metabolic pathway research. Full exploitation of this potential requires easy and fast access to high quality isotope ratio data, but has been limited by the high cost and practical constraints of existing mass-spectrometry tools. We believe the advent of turn-key, cost-effective instruments that require no special training or sample handling is going to completely revolutionize this field, and more importantly, significantly expand the number of practical applications for stable isotope measurements."
The Picarro L1102-i has been extensively beta-tested at several labs specializing in stable isotope studies, including the Stable Isotope Lab at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado. Senior Scientist Bruce Vaughn at this lab notes, "Based on its performance in our laboratory, I truly feel this new instrument has the potential to transform the way the analytical world measures water isotopes."
Picarro, Inc. is a privately held company dedicated to developing instrumentation for the highest sensitivity, precision and accuracy measurements of specific molecules of interest in environmental analyses, process monitoring, and emissions control. The company is a leader in wavelength scanned cavity ring down spectroscopy (WS-CRDS) technology with eight exclusive licenses from Stanford University patents and nine of its own on WS-CRDS extensions.
SOURCE: Picarro, Inc.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
$298M for health research across Canada
Ottawa, ON - The federal government today officially announced funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for 764 health research projects across Canada, totalling over $298 million.
"The government of Canada is committed to investing in knowledge, science and innovation," said Tony Clement, federal health minister, in making the funding announcement. "In budget 2008, we increased CIHR's budget by $34 million and we made a number of other strategic investments designed to further strengthen Canada's research capacity."
Following is a provincial breakdown of funding by province, including the number of projects and total value in thousands of dollars:
- Alberta; 82; $34,881
- British Columbia; 113; $42,755
- Manitoba; 16; $7,772
- New Brunswick; 1; $81
- Newfoundland and Labrador; 4; $1,377
- Nova Scotia; 14; $4,466
- Ontario; 301; $120,206
- Prince Edward Island; 1; $3
- Québec; 217; $83,973
- Saskatchewan; 9; $2,791
- Outside Canada; 6; $116
- Total; 764; $298,421
The CIHR says that the number of new projects in this announcement represents funding decisions posted on its website between July 2007 and January 2008. It adds that the numbers will change over time as, for example, budgets and conditions for approved projects are finalized.
More information is available at the CIHR's website at www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
"The government of Canada is committed to investing in knowledge, science and innovation," said Tony Clement, federal health minister, in making the funding announcement. "In budget 2008, we increased CIHR's budget by $34 million and we made a number of other strategic investments designed to further strengthen Canada's research capacity."
Following is a provincial breakdown of funding by province, including the number of projects and total value in thousands of dollars:
- Alberta; 82; $34,881
- British Columbia; 113; $42,755
- Manitoba; 16; $7,772
- New Brunswick; 1; $81
- Newfoundland and Labrador; 4; $1,377
- Nova Scotia; 14; $4,466
- Ontario; 301; $120,206
- Prince Edward Island; 1; $3
- Québec; 217; $83,973
- Saskatchewan; 9; $2,791
- Outside Canada; 6; $116
- Total; 764; $298,421
The CIHR says that the number of new projects in this announcement represents funding decisions posted on its website between July 2007 and January 2008. It adds that the numbers will change over time as, for example, budgets and conditions for approved projects are finalized.
More information is available at the CIHR's website at www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
Canada - New Proposed Legislation to Improve Biosecurity and Lab Safety
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed legislation to improve lab safety and biosecurity
Ottawa, ON - In late April, Health Minister Tony Clement tabled legislation (Bill C-54) that is aimed at strengthening bio-security and biosafety in Canada by establishing consistent safety requirements for laboratories working with human pathogens and toxins.
"This proposed legislation will bring Canada into line with other developed nations," he said. "It will also make Canada's laboratory environment safer for our scientists and lab workers, and improve security for all Canadians."
The proposed bill establishes a mandatory licensing system to track human pathogens. It will also provide inspection powers to help ensure compliance with the Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs), and that the legislation is applied properly and consistently across the country.
The proposed legislation builds on existing importation regulations and establishes legal prohibitions and authorities designed to ensure all work done with human pathogens and toxins is carried out in as safe a manner as possible, consistent with international standards.
The proposed legislation mandates the application of existing Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs) in all Canadian labs that possess human pathogens and toxins. The proposed legislation is the product of the Public Health Agency of Canada's extensive nationwide consultations with stakeholders, including scientists, lab workers, academics and bio-security experts.
Further to requiring adherence to the LBGs, the proposed legislation prohibits the following:
- possession of certain listed human pathogens and/or toxins (smallpox is currently the one pathogen on this list);
- the intentional misuse of human pathogens and/or toxins to cause risk of harm; and
- any use of human pathogens and/or toxins without a licence.
The government says the proposed legislation will bring Canada's laboratory legislation more in line with our international partners, including Australia, the UK, the US and other countries.
Table of Contents
Ottawa, ON - In late April, Health Minister Tony Clement tabled legislation (Bill C-54) that is aimed at strengthening bio-security and biosafety in Canada by establishing consistent safety requirements for laboratories working with human pathogens and toxins.
"This proposed legislation will bring Canada into line with other developed nations," he said. "It will also make Canada's laboratory environment safer for our scientists and lab workers, and improve security for all Canadians."
The proposed bill establishes a mandatory licensing system to track human pathogens. It will also provide inspection powers to help ensure compliance with the Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs), and that the legislation is applied properly and consistently across the country.
The proposed legislation builds on existing importation regulations and establishes legal prohibitions and authorities designed to ensure all work done with human pathogens and toxins is carried out in as safe a manner as possible, consistent with international standards.
The proposed legislation mandates the application of existing Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs) in all Canadian labs that possess human pathogens and toxins. The proposed legislation is the product of the Public Health Agency of Canada's extensive nationwide consultations with stakeholders, including scientists, lab workers, academics and bio-security experts.
Further to requiring adherence to the LBGs, the proposed legislation prohibits the following:
- possession of certain listed human pathogens and/or toxins (smallpox is currently the one pathogen on this list);
- the intentional misuse of human pathogens and/or toxins to cause risk of harm; and
- any use of human pathogens and/or toxins without a licence.
The government says the proposed legislation will bring Canada's laboratory legislation more in line with our international partners, including Australia, the UK, the US and other countries.:
Source: Lab Canada
Proposed legislation to improve lab safety and biosecurity
Ottawa, ON - In late April, Health Minister Tony Clement tabled legislation (Bill C-54) that is aimed at strengthening bio-security and biosafety in Canada by establishing consistent safety requirements for laboratories working with human pathogens and toxins.
"This proposed legislation will bring Canada into line with other developed nations," he said. "It will also make Canada's laboratory environment safer for our scientists and lab workers, and improve security for all Canadians."
The proposed bill establishes a mandatory licensing system to track human pathogens. It will also provide inspection powers to help ensure compliance with the Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs), and that the legislation is applied properly and consistently across the country.
The proposed legislation builds on existing importation regulations and establishes legal prohibitions and authorities designed to ensure all work done with human pathogens and toxins is carried out in as safe a manner as possible, consistent with international standards.
The proposed legislation mandates the application of existing Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs) in all Canadian labs that possess human pathogens and toxins. The proposed legislation is the product of the Public Health Agency of Canada's extensive nationwide consultations with stakeholders, including scientists, lab workers, academics and bio-security experts.
Further to requiring adherence to the LBGs, the proposed legislation prohibits the following:
- possession of certain listed human pathogens and/or toxins (smallpox is currently the one pathogen on this list);
- the intentional misuse of human pathogens and/or toxins to cause risk of harm; and
- any use of human pathogens and/or toxins without a licence.
The government says the proposed legislation will bring Canada's laboratory legislation more in line with our international partners, including Australia, the UK, the US and other countries.
Table of Contents
Ottawa, ON - In late April, Health Minister Tony Clement tabled legislation (Bill C-54) that is aimed at strengthening bio-security and biosafety in Canada by establishing consistent safety requirements for laboratories working with human pathogens and toxins.
"This proposed legislation will bring Canada into line with other developed nations," he said. "It will also make Canada's laboratory environment safer for our scientists and lab workers, and improve security for all Canadians."
The proposed bill establishes a mandatory licensing system to track human pathogens. It will also provide inspection powers to help ensure compliance with the Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs), and that the legislation is applied properly and consistently across the country.
The proposed legislation builds on existing importation regulations and establishes legal prohibitions and authorities designed to ensure all work done with human pathogens and toxins is carried out in as safe a manner as possible, consistent with international standards.
The proposed legislation mandates the application of existing Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs) in all Canadian labs that possess human pathogens and toxins. The proposed legislation is the product of the Public Health Agency of Canada's extensive nationwide consultations with stakeholders, including scientists, lab workers, academics and bio-security experts.
Further to requiring adherence to the LBGs, the proposed legislation prohibits the following:
- possession of certain listed human pathogens and/or toxins (smallpox is currently the one pathogen on this list);
- the intentional misuse of human pathogens and/or toxins to cause risk of harm; and
- any use of human pathogens and/or toxins without a licence.
The government says the proposed legislation will bring Canada's laboratory legislation more in line with our international partners, including Australia, the UK, the US and other countries.:
Source: Lab Canada
Saturday, May 3, 2008
China on alert to try to stop deadly virus
BEIJING–China's Health Ministry issued a nationwide alert Saturday calling for heightened efforts to control a virus that has caused the deaths of 22 children in one city and shows signs of spreading.
Health bureaus around the country must step up monitoring for hand, foot and mouth disease following a "relatively large'' outbreak in the central city of Fuyang, the Health Ministry said in notices on its Web site.
The ministry warned that cases were more numerous this year than in recent years, and the peak for transmission would likely come in June and July.
The outbreak is another concern for China's communist government as it gears up to welcome hundreds of thousands of foreigners for this summer's Beijing Olympics. It's also an uncomfortable reminder of the SARS pneumonia outbreak in 2003, which Beijing tried to cover up but then adopted drastic measures to control.
Saturday's warning was prompted by a jump in cases in Fuyang of Enterovirus 71, or EV-71, a type of hand, foot and mouth disease.
Up to Thursday night, 3,321 cases of EV-71 were reported in Fuyang, a fast-growing city in largely rural Anhui province. Besides the 22 deaths, 978 people remain hospitalized, 58 of them in serious or critical condition, the ministry said in a separate statement.
The state-run Xinhua News Agency also reported that preliminary tests showed an 18-month-old boy who died Friday in southeastern Guangdong province was infected with EV-71, and a second suspected death was under investigation. Cases of hand, foot and mouth outbreaks, but not necessarily EV-71, have been reported in at least two other provinces.
"Health bureaus at all levels must recognize the importance and urgency of preventing the spread of infectious diseases," the ministry said in its nationwide order.
Enterovirus 71 is one of several viruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease, which is characterized by fever, mouth sores and a rash with blisters. It is spread by direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stool of infected persons.
The illness mainly strikes children young than 10 and is not related to foot and mouth disease, which infects cattle, sheep and swine.
The nationwide order said preventing the spread of infectious diseases was necessary "to guarantee the smooth staging of the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics and to practically preserve social stability.''
The order targeted hand, foot and mouth disease, as well as hepatitis A, measles and other infectious diseases commonly spread in the spring and summer.
Mindful of the SARS experience, the order vowed to punish any person or agency who tried to cover-up or delay disclosure of outbreaks.
State media cited the SARS experience in reports this past week that said people in Fuyang had criticized the government's response as slow, allowing rumors to spread about the outbreak.
A press officer with the World Health Organization said representatives were not available for comment on Saturday. The WHO in a statement on Thursday said that while cases in Fuyang cropped up in early March, they increased sharply starting April 19 but a rapid response from China also steeply decreased the rate of fatalities in the second half of April.
With no vaccine or specific therapy developed for EV-71, the WHO recommended better hygiene, with more frequent hand-washing and disinfecting areas – something that it said China was doing.
State-run television footage showed workers spraying disinfectant around houses in rural areas outside Fuyang and medical teams visiting families with small children.
Since the SARS crisis, the government has increased spending on the detection and monitoring of communicable diseases. The Health Ministry has ordered regular reports on outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth diseases and has sent expert teams to Anhui province to lead treatment and prevention.
May 03, 2008
CHARLES HUTZLER
The Associated Press
Health bureaus around the country must step up monitoring for hand, foot and mouth disease following a "relatively large'' outbreak in the central city of Fuyang, the Health Ministry said in notices on its Web site.
The ministry warned that cases were more numerous this year than in recent years, and the peak for transmission would likely come in June and July.
The outbreak is another concern for China's communist government as it gears up to welcome hundreds of thousands of foreigners for this summer's Beijing Olympics. It's also an uncomfortable reminder of the SARS pneumonia outbreak in 2003, which Beijing tried to cover up but then adopted drastic measures to control.
Saturday's warning was prompted by a jump in cases in Fuyang of Enterovirus 71, or EV-71, a type of hand, foot and mouth disease.
Up to Thursday night, 3,321 cases of EV-71 were reported in Fuyang, a fast-growing city in largely rural Anhui province. Besides the 22 deaths, 978 people remain hospitalized, 58 of them in serious or critical condition, the ministry said in a separate statement.
The state-run Xinhua News Agency also reported that preliminary tests showed an 18-month-old boy who died Friday in southeastern Guangdong province was infected with EV-71, and a second suspected death was under investigation. Cases of hand, foot and mouth outbreaks, but not necessarily EV-71, have been reported in at least two other provinces.
"Health bureaus at all levels must recognize the importance and urgency of preventing the spread of infectious diseases," the ministry said in its nationwide order.
Enterovirus 71 is one of several viruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease, which is characterized by fever, mouth sores and a rash with blisters. It is spread by direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stool of infected persons.
The illness mainly strikes children young than 10 and is not related to foot and mouth disease, which infects cattle, sheep and swine.
The nationwide order said preventing the spread of infectious diseases was necessary "to guarantee the smooth staging of the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics and to practically preserve social stability.''
The order targeted hand, foot and mouth disease, as well as hepatitis A, measles and other infectious diseases commonly spread in the spring and summer.
Mindful of the SARS experience, the order vowed to punish any person or agency who tried to cover-up or delay disclosure of outbreaks.
State media cited the SARS experience in reports this past week that said people in Fuyang had criticized the government's response as slow, allowing rumors to spread about the outbreak.
A press officer with the World Health Organization said representatives were not available for comment on Saturday. The WHO in a statement on Thursday said that while cases in Fuyang cropped up in early March, they increased sharply starting April 19 but a rapid response from China also steeply decreased the rate of fatalities in the second half of April.
With no vaccine or specific therapy developed for EV-71, the WHO recommended better hygiene, with more frequent hand-washing and disinfecting areas – something that it said China was doing.
State-run television footage showed workers spraying disinfectant around houses in rural areas outside Fuyang and medical teams visiting families with small children.
Since the SARS crisis, the government has increased spending on the detection and monitoring of communicable diseases. The Health Ministry has ordered regular reports on outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth diseases and has sent expert teams to Anhui province to lead treatment and prevention.
May 03, 2008
CHARLES HUTZLER
The Associated Press
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