Public health news: May 2006

WHO investigates bird flu cluster in Indonesian family

24 May 2006

The World Health Organization is urgently investigating a cluster of seven individuals in a Sumatran family who have all developed H5N1 infection, having had no apparent contact with poultry infected with the strain.  More reassuringly, genetic sequencing of the virus in the patients has shown no significant mutation, hopefully indicating that, even if this is a cluster of human-to-human transmission, that mode of spread is not sustained.  It is thought that there is a possibility the current strain of avian flu could mutate into a form which spreads easily between humans, leading to a worldwide pandemic.  If the outcome of the current investigation indicates likely human-to-human transmission and/or further clusters become apparent the WHO may be prompted to raise their pandemic alert level from 3 to 4.  See flu pandemic planning for more.

Alarm at human bird flu cluster (BBC News, May 2006)
Flu pandemic planning  (Internal link, regularly updated)
WHO Indonesia update 14 (WHO, May 2006)

Supervised injection centres recommended

23 May 2006

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has recommended setting up supervised drug consumption rooms (DCRs) for heroin users, in an effort to reduce morbidity and mortality resulting from infections and accidental overdoses.

Heroin addicts could inject themselves (Guardian, May 2006)
Drug consumption rooms should be piloted in UK  (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, May 2006)

Pledge on school meals

19 May 2006

The Education Secretary has announced minimum nutrition guidelines for school meals, in an effort to halt the obesity epidemic in the UK.  The guidelines will come into effect in September.

Junk food banned in school meals (BBC News, May 2006)
Setting the standard for school food  (DfES press release, May 2006)
School dinners set to improve  (Internal link, September 2005)

PCT mergers confirmed

17 May 2006

The Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt, yesterday confirmed the latest round of NHS reorganisation, with Primary Care Trusts and Ambulance Trusts across England set to merge over the next few months, returning PCTs in many areas to their old Health Authority boundaries.  This follows the recent confirmation of Strategic Health Authority mergers across the country. The mergers all result from the 'Commissiong a patient-led NHS' document published last year (follow link for PH policy & legislation for more information).

Reorganisation of primary care and ambulance trusts (DH, May 2006)
SHA reconfiguration confirmed (Internal link, April 2006)
Public Health policy & legislation  (Internal link)

Local council extends smoking ban

16 May 2006

Denbighshire council has extended its current smoking ban to almost all areas its staff work - including the homes of patients visited by council employees.

Council agrees on home smoke ban (BBC News, May 2006)
Health promotion (Internal link)

Growing global problem of crystal meth highlighted

10 May 2006

The American Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has reported that worldwide use of methamphetamines - including the increasingly popular crystal meth - is increasing.  The US state of Montana has recently spent US$4.5m on advertising the dangers of the drug.

US warns of 'global meth threat'  (BBC News, May 2006)
Shock tactics and saturation ads: how a tycoon is taking on crystal meth  (Guardian, May 2006)

HIV modifying sexual behaviour in East Africa

4 May 2006

The head of HIV/Aids at the United Nations has said that sexual behaviour is slowly beginning to change in some countries in East Africa, with loss of virginity happening at a later age, and condom use spreading, presumably in response to public health messages around the HIV epidemic.

African sex lives getting healthier  (Reuters AlertNet, May 2006)
Health promotion  (Internal link)