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AgPreparedness Center
6301 Kirkwood Blvd. S.W.
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
1-800-464-6874
319-398-5893 |
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Welcome to the News site!
Here you will find:
- The latest updates on our AgPreparedness Center.
- Timely and relevant articles from national and international news sources.
 | The Plum Island Story [ external link ]
Posted: 9/11/2008
Plum Island has given rise to some interesting lore. Perhaps it’s the laboratory’s long history or its secluded location. Whatever the reason, conspiracy theorists and fiction writers alike have tried to link the site to germ warfare, anthrax, and even a purported “monster” found earlier this summer on a beach in nearby Montauk, NY. But reality offers a completely different story. It’s a tale of how the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) has protected America’s livestock and agriculture from the threat of foreign animal diseases for more than half a century. The lab—located off the tip of Long Island—serves as the front line of the nation’s defense against diseases that could devastate markets for livestock, meat, and other animal products.
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|  | | Pandemic Influenza Storybook: Personal Recollections from Survivors, Families & Friends [ external link ]
Posted: 9/2/2008
“Complacency is enemy number one when it comes to preparing for another influenza pandemic,” said CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding. “These stories, told so eloquently by survivors, family members, and friends from past pandemics, serve as a sobering reminder of the devastating impact that influenza can have and reading them is a must for anyone involved in public health preparedness.” more »
| | | Bangladesh reports first human case of bird flu [ external link ]
Posted: 6/3/2008
DHAKA (AFP) - Bangladesh reported its first confirmed case of human bird flu on Thursday, but said the 16-month-old victim had now recovered from the virus.
The baby boy from a Dhaka slum was diagnosed with the H5N1 strain of the disease in January, but this was only confirmed by a US laboratory this week, the government said.
"There is no reason to panic. The child contracted the H5N1 bird flu virus in January but we only got confirmation from the CDC (US Centers for Disease Control) on Wednesday it was a human bird flu case," said senior government official Saluddin Khan.
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| | | UN warns new lethal bird flu strain may emerge in Indonesia [ external link ]
Posted: 5/22/2008
A United Nations agency said on Tuesday the bird flu virus, common in Indonesia, could mutate into a form that could easily be transmitted from person to person, causing a global panic. more »
| | | Report Says Flu is Bigger Risk than Terror in UK [ external link ]
Posted: 8/18/2008
The British government has released its first ever national threat assessment which found pandemic flu, not terrorism, is the biggest threat to the United Kingdom.
The Associated Press’ David Stringer says the report is part of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s overhaul of the country’s homeland security strategy. It considers the dangers posed by threats including terrorism, climate change, extreme weather and pandemic disease.
“Previous government assessments have suggested an outbreak could cause as many as 750,000 deaths in Britain and acknowledged it could take several months to develop adequate vaccines against a particular strain of the virus,” Stringer says.
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| | | New bird flu strain detected in Nigeria [ external link ]
Posted: 8/18/2008
11 August 2008, Rome - A strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza previously not recorded in sub-Saharan Africa has been detected in Nigeria for the first time, FAO said today. Nigeria has recently reported two new Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreaks in the states of Katsina and Kano. “The detection of a new avian influenza virus strain in Africa raises serious concerns as it remains unknown how this strain has been introduced to the continent,” warned Scott Newman, International Wildlife Coordinator of FAO’s Animal Health Service.
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| | | Diseases Know No Frontiers: How effective is their control by Intergovernmental Organisations? [ external link ]
Posted: 7/25/2008
New infectious diseases capable of spreading worldwide emerged in the late 20th century. How effective are Intergovernmental Organisations in controlling their spread? more »
| | | WHO at odds with Indonesia over bird flu [ external link ]
Posted: 5/22/2008
A dispute over sharing samples of bird flu virus between Indonesia and the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) is jeopardizing efforts to prevent a global influenza pandemic and putting lives at risk, international health officials warn more »
| | | Influenza Pandemic: Federal Agencies Should Address Gaps in State Pandemic Plans [ external link ]
Posted: 7/25/2008
The Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza states that in an influenza pandemic, the primary response will come from states and localities. To assist them with pandemic planning and exercising, Congress has provided $600 million to states and certain localities. more »
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