The World Health Organization on Monday announced that they are one step closer to eliminating one-third of all worldwide malaria cases over the next 10 years.

According to the agency one-third of the 108 countries who are experiencing a malaria endemic are working hard to eradicate the disease within their borders.

Robert Newman, director of the WHO’s Global Malaria Program, told international Malaria Forum conference attendees in Seattle:

“Better diagnostic testing and surveillance has provided a clearer picture of where we are on the ground — and has shown that there are countries eliminating malaria in all endemic regions of the world.”

Eradicating malaria is important because 3.3 billion people around the world are at risk of contracting the disease while the parasite killed 781,000 people in 2009 with most victims found in Africa.

Along with hopeful progress numbers Monday’s conference revealed that seven countries have recently eliminated malaria while working to stop future cases from re-appearing.

With international funding rising from $100 million in 2003 to $1.5 billion in 2010 it looks like the fight to end malaria is moving in the right direction.

Are you surprised with the progress the World Health Organization and other agencies such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have made in fighting the malaria parasite.

WHO Says One-Third Of Malaria Cases Will Be Eradicated In 10 Years is a post from: The Inquisitr

E.coli is a known bacteria that can have some pretty serious consequences to our health but there is a brand new strain starting to make the rounds that is downright deadly.

This new strain of E.coli produces what is called a Shiga toxin and it can cause people infected with it to suffer what is called acute renal failure, or in more plain language it causes your kidneys to shut down. So far this E.coli strain has infected 1,800 people across 12 countries resulting in 17 deaths in Europe.

Countries reporting incidents include:

• Germany (first report)
• Austria
• Denmark
• Norway
• France
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Britain
• Spain
• Czech Republic
• Netherlands
• United States

The current strain produces a toxin that causes infection in the various parts of the gastrointestinal (stomach and intestines) system, extending into the hepato-renal (liver and kidney) system. The HUS is characterized by renal failure, aneaemia, andthrombocytopenia (low platelet count), reports WHO. Symptoms are gastrointestinal in nature, mostly severe bloody diarrhoea, but without fever.

Currently, there is no cure for the bacteria. WHO says that this strain this strain of E coli “is a unique strain that has never been isolated from patients before”. It may also be more virulent than many other isolated strains.

via Techie Buzz

While the UN World Health Organization isn’t pressing any panic buttons yet they are very concerned over the rapid spread of the bacteria.

A new e.coli spreading worldwide with deadly consequences is a post from: The Inquisitr

The World Health Organization has risen the Pandemic alert level to 5 in response to the recent outbreak and rapid spread of the swine flu in North America and around the world. The WHO urges all countries to immediately activate their Pandemic emergency preparedness plans.

Definition of Pandemic level 5:

The definition of a Pandemic Alert Level 5, from the World Health Organization (WHO) site is:

“Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.”

WHO chief, Margaret Chan, says “it really is all of humanity that is under threat in a pandemic.” Chan goes on to say that the swine flu pandemic is evolving extremely fast and that it’s no longer a question of “if” it will become serious, but “how” the current pandemic will affect humanity.

Swine Flu: Pandemic Alert Level 5 Issued by World Health Organization is a post from: The Inquisitr

This just in – officials with the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a press conference today that they have raised the Swine Flu Pandemic Alert level to 4.

Swine Flu Pandemic Alert Level 4

Explanation of the Swine Flu Pandemic Alert Level 4 from the WHO official website:

Phase 4 is characterized by verified human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus able to cause “community-level outbreaks.” The ability to cause sustained disease outbreaks in a community marks a significant upwards shift in the risk for a pandemic. Any country that suspects or has verified such an event should urgently consult with WHO so that the situation can be jointly assessed and a decision made by the affected country if implementation of a rapid pandemic containment operation is warranted. Phase 4 indicates a significant increase in risk of a pandemic but does not necessarily mean that a pandemic is a forgone conclusion.

Also, we’re not sure why, but when you visit the page on the WHO official website listed above, look at the URL of the page in your browser’s address bar …/avian_influenza/… is in the URL instead of Swine Influenza.

Swine Flu Update: World Health Org. Issues Phase 4 Pandemic Alert is a post from: The Inquisitr

US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and other officials at a press briefing Sunday said that people should remain calm, and compared the declaration to a Hurricane storm warning.

Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) speaking at the same briefing, said that the CDC was acting aggressively in attempting to control the outbreak, but warned there would be worse news yet to come. “I would expect over time we’re going to see more severe disease in this country,” Dr. Besser said, explaining that additional cases could be found because public health officials are now aggressively searching for those affected by the disease and testing people with symptoms.

So far 20 cases have been confirmed in the United States, but only one person has required hospitalization. The different outcomes in US cases is confounding specialists, given that in Mexico the disease is currently showing a 10% mortality rate.

Video of the briefing as follows. For all the latest, follow our Swine Flu coverage. If you’re concerned, also see: Swine Flu symptoms, and preparing for a Swine Flu Pandemic.

US Declares Public Health Emergency over Swine Flu is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ten New Zealand students who had recently returned from a trip to Mexico have been confirmed as carrying Swine Flu, bringing the total number of countries with outbreaks to three (the other two being the United States and Mexico.)

There have been reports of suspected cases across Europe, including France, Spain and Israel. In Spain, three people have been tested for Swine Flu and isolated until results are available. French health authorities have found two suspected cases of swine flu in travelers returning from Mexico and others are expected to follow, a top health official told local media Sunday.

In Israel, one man recently returned from Mexico is believed to have the virus. Israeli authorities are taking no chances with the outbreak, and have issued a general warning to the entire country that asks Israelis keep as clean as possible, to avoid crowded areas, and to immediately seek medical advice should they have any flu-like symptoms.

An earlier report of infected airline staff in the United Kingdom was cleared after tests for the virus came back negative.

For all the latest, follow our Swine Flu coverage. If you’re concerned, also see: Swine Flu symptoms, and preparing for a Swine Flu Pandemic.

Swine Flu cases confirmed in New Zealand, suspected cases in Israel, France & Spain is a post from: The Inquisitr

The World Health Organization (WHO) has put the world on alert and is urging countries globally to boost up their surveillance of flu-like symptoms and pneumonia. The swine flu has pandemic potential because so little is known about the disease or it’s prevention and it is spreading rapidly.

From Geneva on Saturday, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said:

“It has pandemic potential because it is infecting people. However, we cannot say on the basis of currently available laboratory, epidemiological and clinical evidence whether or not it will indeed cause a pandemic.”

New possible outbreaks are being investigated in Kansas (2 cases confirmed) in the U.S. and the situation in Mexico is worsening to the point where the Mexican government has empowered the health department to isolate patients and actively inspect homes of those afflicted with the disease.

New York – The immediate relatives of students at the Queens School possibly affected by the swine flu have also reported flu-like symptoms.

WHO Warns Swine Flu Outbreak Could become Worldwide Pandemic is a post from: The Inquisitr