The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 09-05-07

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Worldwide H1N1 Flu Cases Tops 2000

The WHO has confirmed over 2000 cases of H1N1 flu worldwide and 44 deaths of the disease. Most H1N1 cases have been reported in Mexico, the US, Canada and in 13 European countries. While Mexico and China are easing quarantine, the World Health Organization warns that the H1N1 virus may be transmitted by infected pork meat.

Jorgen Schlundt, director of the World Health Organisation's Department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and Foodborne Diseases, said care must be taken to ensure that pigs and their meat were checked for all diseases, including the H1N1 virus that may be present in the blood of infected animals. Meat from pigs infected with H1N1 flu should not be eaten by humans, a WHO official said on Wednesday, while stressing that existing checks were sufficient to safeguard the food supply from the new virus strain."Meat from sick pigs or pigs found dead should not be processed or used for human consumption under any circumstances," he said.It is possible for flu viruses such as the new H1N1 strain to survive the freezing process and be present in thawed meat, as well as in blood, the expert said. But he stressed that there was no risk of infection from eating or handling pork so long as normal precautions were adhered to.

The H1N1 virus is only transmitted from human-to-human and not from pork-to-human, however the spread of the disease has led to drop in pork meat imports. US health authorities remain vigilant after 642 confirmed cases have been recorded in 44 states. There is a 60% rise in confirmed cases in the US since Tuesday. Life in Mexico has returned to normal after business, schools and public services remained closed for 5 days. Health inspectors examine employees with fever detectors to check whether they have fever. Mexico City authorities announced that restaurants, bars and cinemas will open today. China has also eased quarantine.

People that died from the new strain in Mexico rose to 42 from 29 but the government has said the worst is over and eased restrictions on commercial and public activity in the country that has been at the epicentre of the outbreak. Beijing lifted 7-day quarantine on passengers aboard a flight from Mexico City-imposed when a passenger was tested positive on H1N1 while no one of the 25 Canadian students who remained in quarantine in north east province Tsangstun showed symptoms of the disease. The first person infected in Poland was a 58 year old woman who returned from a trip in the US. All passengers in the flight remain under supervision. A third case emerged in South Korea, she is a 62 year old woman who had returned from a trip to the US. She travelled in the same plane with another confirmed case on April, 26. Dutch health authorities reported a second H1N1 case, a 53 year old woman who had returned to Holland on April, 30 aboard a flight from Mexico. In the meantime, 250 passengers in SAS Scandinavian Airways company flight from NY had to remain aboard for two hours in Copenhagen after alert on potent case among the passengers, which was finally wrong. The WHO said that it will decide next week whether drug companies should start producing vaccines for the new flu.

Sources: ÍÅÔ-ÁNA/ÌPA

News item: 22010

[02] No Voting Held on Pavlidis Second Case

The government states not concerned about mud slinging, placing priority on most important issues such as to deal with the financial crisis. PASOK blames the ND party for following practices to cover up scandals the party itself is generating. In an interviewwith state radio channel NET, the deputy-speaker of the House George Sourlas spoke of PASOK unfortunate selection to carry on scandals to elections. ND deputy Petros Doukas speaking to NET 105.8 underlined that all want the clearing up of cases and no shadow left behind, however, it is difficult to attribute justice. It is proven that the Parliament can not do a right job, there is not even agreement among opposition parties with each party issuing its own report. He underlined the need for a change in the relevant law. Speaking to private radio Athina 984, Thodoros Roussopoulos attributes responsibilities to everybody believing that it will have political benefits.

PASOK spokesman George Papakonstantinou described as "expected" the ND party stand in the Parliament as the government is not interested in the truth but only in cover up. "The government can not withstand another defeat in the Parliament .It is apparent that it has lost control of its Parliamentary team", he said. The president of SYRIZA Parliamentary Group Alekos Alabanos objected to mud slinging, underlining that the two large parties use this practice in view of euro-elections aimed to strengthen bipartisanship.

SYRIZA Walked out from Parliament

Fotis Koubelis SYRIZA spokesman announced that the party would walk out from the present parliament procedure, saying that ND abstention led to institutional deadlock. There is no sense in counting votes as the ruling party wounded institutions. LAOS also walked out of procedures. LAOS president George Karatzaferis said "Keep the Parliament open till October to investigate all scandals".

News item: 22009

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article