![[Valid Atom 1.0]](valid-atom.png "Validate my Atom 1.0 feed")
BBC MUNDO RADIO
German prostitutes are offering discounts, loyalty cards and 'extras'
Sunday, 26 April 200
afp
The Artemis Club in Berlin: The oldest profession tries modern marketing
domingo, 26 de abril de 2009
31,2 milhões de portugueses e luso-descendentes no mundo
| |
| Empresário português fez um levantamento detalhado dos portugueses que emigraram para as diversas partes do mundo |
| |
| O total de portugueses e luso-descendentes até à terceira geração soma cerca de 31,19 milhões no estrangeiro e Portugal teria actualmente mais de 40 milhões de habitantes, não fosse a emigração, segundo um estudo. A conclusão é resultado de um detalhado estudo realizado pelo empresário português Adriano Albino, 78 anos, através de um levantamento de portugueses que emigraram para diversas partes do mundo, entre 1951 e 1965. "Foi um período de grande emigração portuguesa para o mundo, depois da abertura do país, com o fim da II Guerra Mundial", disse o empresário. "Durante a guerra, Portugal estava fechado, como uma barragem cheia que se partiu, com uma grande debandada de portugueses à procura de um futuro melhor", disse. Estatísticas oficiais indicam que 4,53 milhões de portugueses emigraram nesse período, sendo 1,2 milhões para o Brasil, nomeadamente para os estados de São Paulo e do Rio de Janeiro. O estudo 'Emigração: A diáspora dos portugueses', publicado recentemente no Brasil, partiu dos 4,53 milhões de emigrantes originais das estatísticas oficiais e calculou um coeficiente multiplicador dessas famílias que chegaram às diferentes regiões do mundo. No Brasil, depois de realizar uma investigação de campo, através de entrevistas e recolha de dados de centenas de emigrantes, o empresário considerou que o factor multiplicador seria nove, o que totaliza 10,8 milhões de portugueses e luso-descendentes. Com base na mesma metodologia, o estudo indica que existem 9,31 milhões de portugueses e luso-descendentes nos Estados Unidos e Canadá, 3,19 milhões em África, 154.800 na Ásia, 7,54 milhões na Europa e 193.360 na Oceania. O estudo levou em consideração o nome do emigrante, estado civil, data de chegada, cidade de origem, número de filhos, netos e bisnetos, de cada uma dessas regiões do mundo. "Isso foi resultado de muita investigação, de muita convivência com a comunidade portuguesa. Caso não houvesse essa diáspora, Portugal teria mais de 40 milhões de habitantes", sublinhou. Conhecido empresário da comunidade portuguesa, Adriano Albino, natural de Grijó de Parada, em Bragança, emigrou para o Brasil em 1951, então com 18 anos. Logo começou a actuar no sector de turismo, onde foi responsável pela orientação e acompanhamento dos emigrantes portugueses que escolheram o Brasil. "Fiz disto uma empresa, entre 60 a 70% dos portugueses que emigraram para o Brasil passaram pela minha orientação", disse. Adriano Albino concedeu "milhares de cartas de chamada", uma exigência na época para a aceitação de um emigrante por parte das autoridades brasileiras. Motivado pelo trabalho, fez muitas viagens a Portugal e aproveitou para recolher dados sobre a emigração portuguesa, nomeadamente das regiões rurais do país. Durante quase meio século, o empresário realizou mais de 3.000 programas semanais de rádio dirigidos à comunidade luso-brasileira, em diversas emissoras de São Paulo. Em 1997, publicou o 'Roteiro da Saudade', um guia com um livro, CD e 10 cassetes em áudio, com 112 roteiros sobre Portugal continental, Madeira e Açores. |
| Lusa |
Mais de 60 comerciantes portugueses sequestrados na Venezuela no primeiro trimestre de 2009
| |
| A insegurança e a comunidade portuguesa foram temas abordados numa entrevista televisiva transmitida pela RCTV |
| |
| Mais de 60 comerciantes portugueses foram vítima de sequestro na Venezuela, no primeiro trimestre de 2009, revelou hoje o jornalista Wilmer Suárez durante uma entrevista no programa televisivo 'La Bicha', transmitido pela Rádio Caracas Televisão Internacional (RCTV). "Falando desse tema tão delicado que nós sempre tocamos que é a insegurança, a comunidade portuguesa na Venezuela está com as mãos na cabeça", começou por explicar Wilmer Suárez, do diário 'La Voz', a Berenice Gomez, condutora do programa. "Nestes (primeiros) três meses que vão (de 2009) há mais de 60 sessenta sequestros expressos de comerciantes portugueses que foram mantidos em cativeiro até 15 e 20 dias, obrigando-os a pagar somas que vão até seiscentos mil bolívares dos fortes [206.718 euros]", explicou. Segundo Wilmer Suárez "o problema mais grave é que se não têm com que pagar, dão uma parte e o resto vai-lhes sendo cobrado mensalmente". "Isto trouxe como consequências que tanto o consulado de Portugal como a embaixada se tenham reunido para estudar a possibilidade de trazer à Venezuela, através do convénio que há com a União Europeia, grupos policiais de investigação e da Scotland Yard (polícia de Londres) para que investiguem, com licença do governo venezuelano, o que está acontecendo", diz. Segundo o jornalista a insegurança na Venezuela é uma "situação realmente dantesca e perigosa". A insegurança é uma das queixas mais frequentes da comunidade lusa radicada no país, que oculta da imprensa as situações de que é vítima e muitas vezes não apresenta a respectiva denúncia ante as autoridades competentes. Desde Outubro de 2007 que a Polícia Judiciária de Portugal colocou, junto da Embaixada lusa em Caracas, um "oficial de ligação", Jerónimo Fernandes, para apoiar a comunidade e facilitar as relações com as autoridades venezuelanas. O "oficial de ligação" tem ainda a missão "de aumentar os níveis de confiança da comunidade portuguesa relativamente às polícias", além de desenvolver campanhas preventivas e educativas, sensibilizando os portugueses para a necessidade de adoptarem um conjunto vasto de medidas, que minimizem as hipóteses serem vítimas de sequestros. |
| Lusa |
'Bairro português' em Montreal
Cravos vermelhos marcaram inauguração de bancos artísticos portugueses
A inauguração em Montreal de doze bancos artísticos portugueses, numa homenagem daquela cidade à comunidade lusa, foi feita no sábado com cravos vermelhos em vez do tradicional corta-fitas, em alusão à Revolução do 25 de Abril.
São doze bancos em granito instalados na área portuguesa da centenária alameda de Saint-Laurent, os quais incorporam frases de poetas portugueses e pinturas originais em azulejo criados por quatro artistas plásticos lusos a viver no Canadá.
A inauguração no sábado foi em ambiente de festa - no mesmo dia das comemorações dos 35 anos da Revolução dos Cravos - no Parque de Portugal naquela cidade canadiana, perante uma assistência de duas centenas de pessoas, de entre portugueses, luso-descendentes e quebequenses.
Apesar de inicialmente previsto, o presidente da Câmara de Montreal, Gérald Tremblay, acabou por não estar presente devido ao falecimento da mãe.
Em sua representação, o autarca português Luís Miranda, membro do Conselho Executivo da edilidade, elogiou o contributo dos portugueses à cidade, ideia reiterada no discurso da presidente do bairro do Plateau Mont-Royal, Helen Fotopoulos.
O embaixador de Portugal no Canadá, Pedro Moitinho de Almeida classificou o projecto como "um exemplo excepcional de multiculturalismo".
Por sua vez, a vereadora portuguesa Isabel dos Santos, que coordenou este projecto, salientou tratar-se de "uma obra colectiva que faz a ponte entre Portugal e o Canadá".
Entrados agora ao serviço, os bancos induzem, para já, mais à curiosidade e admiração dos transeuntes do que à vontade de se sentar.
"Acho muito bonitos e modernos. Dá orgulho ver que é da nossa terra e que está escrito em português e em francês. Oxalá que não haja ninguém que o estrague, porque é mal empregado!", comentou à Lusa Maria da Conceição, uma portuguesa residente na zona há 44 anos.
Ali perto, Alexandra Mendes, deputada no Parlamento federal em Otava convidada à cerimónia, manifestou estar encantada com o resultado.
"Este é um dos poucos projectos que realmente representa o que nós [Portugueses] somos, sem ser folclórico. Tem a nossa cultura, as nossas artes", disse.
Para o professor catedrático português de História de Arte da Universidade de Montreal, Luís de Moura Sobral, esta "proposta da comunidade portuguesa é radicalmente inovadora e parece estar já a servir de exemplo para outras propostas de comunidades culturais".
"Do ponto de vista estético, são obras que podiam estar em qualquer parte do mundo, inclusivamente em Portugal, exactamente com as mesmas características estéticas", apontou.
"Revejo-me como português nestes bancos tal como me revejo na obra dos criadores [portugueses] actuais, numa Paula Rego, Júlio Pomar e outros".
Bancos de rua artísticos, que aliam frases e arte contemporânea, foi forma final encontrada para concretizar a ideia de "bairro português", uma aspiração de há longa data da comunidade lusa de Montreal, pondo assim de lado uma demarcação geográfica à semelhança dos dois bairros étnicos (chinês e italiano) já existentes na alameda.
Ao projecto associaram-se, nomeadamente, professores, arquitectos, a própria comunidade e escolas portuguesas em Montreal.
As citações dos poetas gravadas na pedra dos bancos fazem um percurso histórico pela literatura portuguesa, do século XIII ao nossos dias, começando por D. Dinis, seguindo-se Gil Vicente, Luís Vaz de Camões, Padre António Vieira, Bocage, Eça de Queirós e Antero de Quental, Fernando Pessoa, Miguel Torga, Natália Correia, José Saramago e António Lobo Antunes.
Este é o terceiro bairro étnico oficializado em Montreal, após o chinês e o italiano.
Lusa
Teacher hospitalised in swine flu scare
By Martin Johnston
Children in Mexico City yesterday wearing face masks as the capital responds to the threat of the virus. Photo / AP
A teacher who travelled to Mexico with Rangitoto College has been admitted to hospital with influenza symptoms, the Ministry of Health announced this morning.
School groups from Rangitoto and Northcote Colleges on the North Shore are being monitored for swine flu after visiting Mexico, where the strain of influenza A virus is believed to have killed scores of people.
The World Health Organisation fears the new virus, a mix of human, pig and bird flu strains, has the potential to become a global pandemic. It jumped species, infecting more than 1000 people across Mexico and killing as many as 86; 20 deaths have been confirmed.
Twenty-two Rangitoto Spanish language students and their three teachers were in Mexico for three weeks. Some were sick with flu-like symptoms, and the public health service was notified on Saturday by a GP and a North Shore Hospital physician.
Initial tests showed 10 of the group had some form of influenza A, which health officials believe is highly likely to be swine flu.
Announcing the Rangitoto College teacher's illness today, the Ministry of Health said another member of the school group had been hospitalised over the weekend but had since been discharged after being treated with antivirals.
"The remaining members of the party are being treated at home and remain in isolation," it said in a statement.
In brief:
• Swine flu is a subset of the influenza A virus known as H1N1
• The virus has killed at least 20 people in Mexico and infected over 1000
• Cases have also been confirmed in Canada and the US
• There are suspected cases in France and New Zealand
• Members of Northcote and Rangitoto College groups that travelled to Mexico are being kept in home isolation
• Ten Rangitoto students have tested positive for influenza A
• Passengers arriving in NZ on North American flights are being screened and given information on the flu virus
• The potential influenza epidemic status has been upgraded to yellow
Prime Minister John Key earlier said New Zealand was well prepared to handle swine flu and had increased surveillance.
Mr Key said the Government was invoking its flu plan and health officials hiked the potential influenza epidemic status to yellow, just below the code red response phase.
"I think New Zealanders can be confident that the government has a plan, that plan was put in place quite a number of years ago when we were concerned about avian bird flu," Mr Key told Breakfast on TV One.
Mr Key said the plan set up since the 2003 bird flu scare meant New Zealand had good stocks of the Tamiflu vaccine - about 1.4 million treatments and the single gateway into New Zealand via Auckland meant control was easier.
Tamiflu has been released from Middlemore Hospital to the Auckland Regional Public Health Service to treat patients and those who have had contact with them.
Mr Key said other options included people not being allowed onto Air New Zealand flights if they were ill and those who arrive at Auckland being sent by a doctor stationed there since 5am for checks.
Warning signs of severe flu are rapid breathing or difficulty breathing, chest pain, severe vomiting or if a child is difficult to wake up.
Students' symptoms
Samples from the 10 Rangitoto College students who tested positive for influenza A are being sent to the World Health Organisation laboratory in Melbourne to ascertain whether it is the subset H1N1 swine influenza.
Health Minister Tony Ryall said his officials believed the students were "highly likely" to have swine flu.
"All precautions are being taken to allow for this. However, I am also informed none of the affected patients are considered seriously ill."
Some of the other students who had not been sick were now showing symptoms, however.
Fourteen students and two parents from Northcote College also arrived home from Mexico that day and are being followed up by health officials. Three of the Northcote students have started developing symptoms, Mr Ryall said.
Pinehurst and Westlake Girls High School students initially thought to have also been in Mexico had not visited the country, it was established this morning.
Flight NZ1
The 364 passengers on Air NZ flight NZ1, on which the Rangitoto students returned, are being urged to see their GP or a health professional if they develop flu-like symptoms.
Air New Zealand said filters on its airconditioning killed 99.9 per cent of airborne viruses including influenza.
Clinical director of the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, Julia Peters, said while the weekend focus was on managing the sick school students, her staff would today be following up with other passengers.
"Now that we know that this is an influenza A virus, possibly the swine flu virus, our attention will definitely be turning to all the contact tracing.'
Dr Peters said the sick had respiratory illness symptoms including blocked nose, cough, fever, aching muscles, headache, loss of appetite, sneezing and watery eyes.
The sick and the well had agreed to stay in "home isolation" until the preliminary test results were known.
"Where there are non-symptomatic people, we have said other household members can go about their normal business," she said. "If the preliminary results are all clear it is likely we would be allowing people who are well to go to school and work [today]."
David Boyens, of Mairangi Bay, told the Herald last night he was relieved that tests on his 16-year-old twins Thomas and Anja, who went on the trip, had put them in the clear.
But because swine flu could not yet be ruled out for the whole group, health officials had told them to act as if they had been exposed. They would be given Tamiflu and were in home isolation.
"I was down to go to Australia [today] but I was told I can't - just cancel that and stay at home."
Passengers arriving in NZ
All passengers arriving in New Zealand from North America are being screened and given information about the flu.
They are also completing passenger locator cards so they can easily be contacted if required.
Health Minister Tony Ryall has upgraded the alert level to code yellow - one below the highest code red. "[That means] increased surveillance and people arriving on North American flights will be told that if they have flu-like symptoms they should be in touch with their doctor or other health authorities."
Sick people should use tissues to cover sneezes and coughs; avoid contact with others and stay at home; wash and dry hands often; and avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth.
Global spread
Canada today became the third country to confirm human cases of swine flu with public health officials reporting six people falling ill in Nova Scotia and British Columbia.
In the US, health officials said 20 swine flu cases had been reported so far in New York, Ohio, Kansas, Texas and California. There are suspected cases in France as well as in New Zealand.
On Saturday, the World Health Organisation activated stage three of its six-stage global influenza plan. Stage three puts nations on "pandemic alert", urging them to intensify surveillance for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia, but is less serious than the declaration a pandemic is under way.
Stage 3 is activated when there is "no or very limited human-to-human transmission".
The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, but said there were gaps in knowledge on the virus.
Director-general Margaret Chan said symptoms of swine flu were similar to seasonal flu, but could include severe pneumonia causing death. Sometimes there were no symptoms.
The WHO said the current seasonal flu vaccine did not contain swine flu virus and it was not known whether the vaccine would protect against it.
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said Tamiflu and Relenza seemed to work against the new virus.
- With NZPA, AP
Sphere: Related ContentSwine flu fears prompt quarantine plans, pork bans
By FRANK JORDANS
Swine Flu Fears Prompt Global Quarantine Plans
GENEVA (AP) -- Canada became the third country to confirm human cases of swine flu Sunday as global health officials considered whether to raise the global pandemic alert level.
Nations from New Zealand to Spain also reported suspected cases and some warned citizens against travel to North America while others planned quarantines, tightened rules on pork imports and tested airline passengers for fevers.
The six Canadian cases in Nova Scotia and British Columbia all had links to people who had traveled to Mexico, and all are the same swine flu strain.
The six people have recovered, said Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer.
But "these are probably not the last cases we'll see in Canada," he said.
The news follows the World Health Organization's decision Saturday to declare the outbreak first detected in Mexico and the United States a "public health emergency of international concern."
A senior World Health Organization official said the agency's emergency committee will meet for a second time Tuesday to examine the extent to which the virus has spread before deciding whether to increase the alert for a possible pandemic - an epidemic that spreads in humans around the world.
The same strain of the A/H1N1 swine flu virus has been detected in several locations in Mexico and the United States, and it appears to be spreading directly from human to human, said Keiji Fukuda, WHO's assistant director-general in charge of health security.
Mexico's health minister says the disease has killed up to 86 people and likely sickened up to 1,400 since April 13. U.S. officials say the virus has been found in New York, California, Texas, Kansas and Ohio, but so far no fatalities have been reported.
Governments including China, Russia and Taiwan began planning to put anyone with symptoms of the deadly virus under quarantine
Others were increasing their screening of pigs and pork imports from the Americas or banning them outright despite health officials' reassurances that it was safe to eat thoroughly cooked pork.
Some nations issued travel warnings for Mexico and the United States.
WHO's emergency committee is still trying to determine exactly how the virus has spread, Fukuda said
"Right now we have cases occurring in a couple of different countries and in multiple locations," he said. "But we also know that in the modern world that cases can simply move around from single locations and not really become established."
Raising the pandemic alert phase could entail issuing specific recommendations to countries on how to halt the disease. So far, WHO has only urged governments to step up their surveillance of suspicious outbreaks.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan called the outbreak a public health emergency of "pandemic potential" because the virus can pass from human to human.
Her agency was considering whether to issue nonbinding recommendations on travel and trade restrictions, and even border closures. It is up to governments to decide whether to follow the advice.
"Countries are encouraged to do anything that they feel would be a precautionary measure," WHO spokeswoman Aphaluck Bhatiasevi said. "All countries need to enhance their monitoring."
New Zealand said that 10 students who took a school trip to Mexico "likely" had swine flu. Israel said a man who had recently visited Mexico had been hospitalized while authorities try to determine whether he had the disease. French Health Ministry officials investigated four possible cases of swine flu, but three were later found to be negative.
Spanish authorities said a total of seven suspected cases were under observation.
Hong Kong and Taiwan said visitors who came back from flu-affected areas with fevers would be quarantined. China said anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms within two weeks of arrival from an affected area had to report to authorities. A Russian health agency said any passenger from North America running a fever would be quarantined until the cause of the fever is determined.
Tokyo's Narita airport installed a device to test the temperatures of passengers arriving from Mexico.
Indonesia increased surveillance at all entry points for travelers with flu-like symptoms - using devices at airports that were put in place years ago to monitor for severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and bird flu. It said it was ready to quarantine suspected victims if necessary.
Hong Kong and South Korea warned against travel to the Mexican capital and three affected provinces. Italy, Poland and Venezuela also advised their citizens to postpone travel to affected areas of Mexico and the United States.
Symptoms of the flu-like illness include a fever of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius), body aches, coughing, a sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea.
The virus is usually contracted through direct contact with pigs, but Joseph Domenech, chief of animal health service at U.N. Food and Agriculture Agency in Rome, said all indications were that the virus is being spread through human-to-human transmission.
No vaccine specifically protects against swine flu, and it is unclear how much protection current human flu vaccines might offer.
Russia banned the import of meat products from Mexico, California, Texas and Kansas. South Korea said it would increase the number of its influenza virus checks on pork products from Mexico and the U.S.
----
Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.
----
On the Net:
WHO swine flu page: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html
La receta para fabricar células del corazón
- Añadir tres proteínas a las células del embrión permite obtener cardiomiocitos
- Los resultados se han logrado de momento únicamente en el laboratorio con ratones
Los puntos verdes son las células cardiacas creadas en el laboratorio (Foto: Nature)
Actualizado domingo 26/04/2009 21:24
MARÍA VALERIO
MADRID.- Todos los esfuerzos realizados hasta ahora para tratar de regenerar un corazón dañado, han obtenido resultados modestos. Tampoco la utilización de células madres capaces de convertirse en células cardiacas ha dado resultados suficientemente buenos hasta la fecha. Un trabajo publicado en la revista 'Nature' podría tener la receta para obtener células cardiacas capaces de reparar el tejido, tras un infarto, por ejemplo; eso sí, siempre con las reticencias que sigue generando la terapia celular por sus posibles riesgos.
El mecanismo por el que una célula embrionaria se convierte en cardiaca durante el proceso de formación del embrión ha sido objeto de intenso estudio, pero aún así no se conoce con suficiente detalle como para poder dirigirlo en el laboratorio y 'crear' las células que componen el corazón. Faltaba conocer la receta, los ingredientes que participan en este proceso denominado cardiomiogénesis.
Según el equipo dirigido por Jun Takeuchi y Benoit Bruneau, del Instituto Cardiovascular Gladstone, en San Francisco (EEUU): dicha receta está compuesta por tres elementos: dos factores de transcripción capaces de causar enfermedades cardiacas cuando se encuentran mutados (GATA4 y TBX5) y una proteína cardiaca, Baf60c.
"Aunque hace 20 años que los científicos tratan de utilizar estos reguladores de la identidad celular [los factores de transcripción] para convertir cualquier célula ordinaria en una cardiaca; ésta es la primera vez que tenemos éxito", se felicita Bruneau en declaraciones a elmundo.es.
Estos tres genes serían los factores clave que guían el proceso por el que se generan las células cardiacas, según explican los investigadores; de manera que no descartan que la receta pueda servir en el futuro para convertir cualquier célula adulta del organismo en 'reparadoras' naturales de corazones dañados, por un infarto, por ejemplo.
Regenerar el corazón
"El corazón tiene muy poca capacidad de regeneración", explica el doctor Bruneau. "Y teniendo en cuenta que las enfermedades cardiovasculares son la primera causa de mortalidad en el mundo occidental, este trabajo es un primer paso significativo para comprender cómo podemos crear nuevas células capaces de repararlo".
Para sus investigaciones, este equipo empleó células del mesodermo de ratones; es decir, de la capa interna que compone el interior del embrión y da lugar durante su desarrollo a los huesos, músculos y tejido conectivo del ser humano.
Como aclara este investigador, son células del embrión, pero sin las características de las células madre. "En el momento en que nosotros realizamos el experimento, las células del mesodermo ya están 'predestinadas' a dar lugar al hueso, músculo, corazón o cerebro", apunta. "Sin embargo, nosotros no sólo fuimos capaces de cambiar su destino, sino hacer que se adelantasen en la cola y pasasen directamente a la etapa de células que laten".
A pesar de su optimismo, hasta el momento, la aplicación de este tipo de terapias celulares en humanos no está exenta de riesgos. El más importante es la aparición de tumores que se ha observado tanto con las células madre embrionarias como con las llamadas iPS (reprogramadas); y que aún no se ha descartado que también pueda existir con las células madre adultas y con estos recién creados cardiomiocitos.
La receta de un lector de El Mundo
Probando a añadirles distintas combinaciones de proteínas, dieron con la receta perfecta para transformarlas en cardiomiocitos (las células del músculo cardiaco que facilitan los latidos gracias a su elasticidad).
Inicialmente probaron sólo con GATA4 y TBX5, dos factores de transcripción que determinan qué genes están activos o 'apagados' en cada momento. Por ejemplo, en modelos animales se había observado que los roedores sin estos genes tienen importantes defectos en el corazón y parecían buenos candidatos para la prueba. Pero por sí solos no funcionaron.
Por eso probaron a añadir al cóctel un tercer compuesto: Baf60c. Y funcionó. La mezcla de los tres factores consiguió diferenciar las células del mesodermo hacia cardiomiocitos, capaces de latir por sí solos de forma natural.
Los autores no descartan que la misma receta aplicada a otro tipo de células adultas también permita obtener 'repuestos' cardiacos con éxito. "Para la medicina regenerativa en humanos, esperamos poder adaptar nuestros resultados y ser capaces de transformar cualquier célula adulta en cardiaca, incluso las de la piel", concluye Bruneau, no sin antes asegurar que fue lector de El Mundo durante el período en que su familia residió en España hace unos años.
Sphere: Related ContentFeds Declare Emergency Over Swine Flu
Federal Government Declares Public Health Emergency
By KAREN MATTHEWS
, AP
posted: 1 HOUR 24 MINUTES AGO
comments: 0
NEW YORK (April 26) — New York City was dealing with a growing public health threat Sunday after tests confirmed that eight students at a private Catholic high school had contracted the same strain of the swine flu that has ravaged Mexico. Some of the school's students had visited Cancun on a spring break trip two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the U.S. declared a public health emergency to deal with the emerging new swine flu, much like the government does to prepare for approaching hurricanes.
Skip over this content 
Officials reported 20 U.S. cases of swine flu in five states so far, with the latest in Ohio and New York. Unlike in Mexico where the same strain appears to be killing dozens of people, cases in the United State have been mild — and U.S. health authorities can't yet explain why.
Patients have ranged in age from 9 to over 50. At least two were hospitalized. All recovered or are recovering.
"As we continue to look for cases, we are going to see a broader spectrum of disease," predicted Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We're going to see more severe disease in this country."
New York officials previously had characterized the cases as probable, but Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that it was swine flu, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
About 100 students at St. Francis Preparatory School complained of flu-like symptoms; further tests will determine how many of those cases are swine flu.
Bloomberg stressed that the New York cases were mild and many are recovering, but said that some family members of students also had flu symptoms, "suggesting it is spreading person to person."
Skip over this content He said that the virus likely came from Mexico, although that has not officially been determined.
"We do know that some of the students from the school had a spring break in Mexico," Bloomberg said, surrounded by top city officials and members of Congress. "It is most likely to be brought back from Mexico, but nobody knows."
In Mexico, health officials say a strain of swine flu has killed up to 86 people and sickened 1,400.
New York officials said the flu strain discovered in the patients here is the same strain as in Mexico, though all the New York cases are mild.
St. Francis is the largest private Catholic high school in the nation, with 2,700 students. The school canceled classes on Monday and Tuesday in response to the outbreak.
Parent Jackie Casola said Sunday that her son Robert Arifo, a St. Francis sophomore, told her on Thursday that a number of children had been sent home because of illness. On Friday, he said hardly anyone was in school.
Skip over this content Casola said she expected to keep him home from school on Monday, even if it was open. He hasn't shown any symptoms, but some of his friends have, she said, and she has been extra vigilant about his health.
"I must have drove him crazy, I kept taking his temperature in the middle of the night," she said.
In New York, state infectious-diseases, epidemiology and disaster preparedness workers have been dispatched to monitor and respond to possible flu cases. Gov. David Paterson said 1,500 treatment courses of the antiviral Tamiflu had been sent to New York City.
The city health department has asked doctors to take extra precautions and test patients who have flu symptoms and have traveled recently to California, Texas or Mexico. Bloomberg and health officials also urged people to cover their noses and mouths when they sneeze and cough, and not to leave the house for two days after the symptoms disappear.
Investigators also tested six children who fell ill at a day care center in the Bronx. Five of the tests came back negative and the sixth was inconclusive. Two Manhattan families contacted the city, saying they had recently returned ill from Mexico with flu symptoms, New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said. Those cases were not found to be swine flu.
Frieden said New Yorkers having trouble breathing due to an undiagnosed respiratory illness should seek treatment but shouldn't become overly alarmed. Medical facilities near St. Francis Prep have already been flooded with people overreacting to the outbreak, he said.
"The bottom line is there is an outbreak at St. Francis school and we are monitoring that outbreak very carefully," Bloomberg said.
One commuter at Penn Station said she was concerned about the outbreak.
"It's something to be worried about, because we've got three major airports here," said Diani Wilverding of Linden, N.J.
In Ohio, state health officials said a 9-year-old boy who recently traveled to Mexico on vacation with his family has a confirmed case of swine flu and is recovering at his home. Officials do not know if the boy has the same strain linked to the deaths in Mexico, health department spokesman Robert Jennings said.
Kansas health officials said Saturday that they had confirmed swine flu in a married couple living in the central part of the state after the husband visited Mexico. The couple, who live in Dickinson County, weren't hospitalized, and the state described their illnesses as mild.
"Fortunately, the man and woman understand the gravity of the situation and are very willing to isolate themselves," said Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, the state health officer.
Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A flu viruses, the CDC's Web site says. Human cases are uncommon but can occur in people who are around pigs. It also can be spread from person to person. Symptoms include a high fever, body aches, coughing, sore throat and respiratory congestion.
At least nine swine flu cases have been reported in California and Texas. The most recent California case, the state's seventh, was a 35-year-old woman from Imperial County who got sick in early April. She had no known contact with the others.
Health officials are concerned because people appear to have no immunity to the virus, a combination of bird, swine and human influenzas. The virus also presents itself like other swine flus, but none of the U.S. cases appear to involve direct contact with pigs, Eberhart-Phillips said.
People cannot contract the virus from pork products that are properly handled and prepared, however, according to the World Health Organization.
Associated Press writers John Hanna in Topeka, Kan., and Deepti Hajela in New York contributed to this report.
Inside the Ring
Obama's BlackBerry
President Obama will soon get his souped-up, high-security BlackBerry for use in and around the White House and during presidential travel, according to Obama administration officials.
The top-secret BlackBerry 8830 is in the final stages of development by the National Security Agency, which will soon begin checking to make sure its encryption software meets federal standards. The device could be ready for use in the next few months.
Once in hand, the president will be able to send text and e-mail and make phone calls to others with the secure software loaded on their devices. Others expected to get secure BlackBerrys include top aides as well as first lady Michelle Obama.
The software being used is called SecureVoice, developed by the Genesis Key Inc. of Washington. It can turn any BlackBerry 8830 or Curve into a device that is designed to defeat hackers, eavesdroppers and spies.
Steven Garrett, Genesis Key chairman, said he could not discuss details of the work on the presidential BlackBerry but noted that Mr. Obama had said he expected security officials to pry the device out of his hands once he was sworn in.
"We're going to put his BlackBerry back in his hand," Mr. Garrett said.
"With the recent foreign cybersecurity threats, it is important that the president has a BlackBerry that is completely secure at the top-secret level," said Gary S. Elliott, Genesis' chief information assurance officer, who is a specialist in cyberwarfare threats.
The president was forced to give up his unsecured BlackBerry after Inauguration Day, amid concerns that its communications and e-mail would be intercepted.
In the interim, Mr. Obama has been using a patchwork of two devices, a BlackBerry and an NSA-supplied secure hand-held device known as Sectera Edge. The General Dynamics Corp.-made Sectera must be plugged into the presidential BlackBerry, making its use more cumbersome than a secure BlackBerry.
The software that allows users access to data up to the Top-Secret classification level was developed by Genesis Key with the help of engineers from the Toronto-based Research In Motion, which makes BlackBerry.
The White House Communications Agency, part of the Pentagon's Defense Information Systems Agency, is working with the NSA on the project. A White House spokesman had no comment.
Pulitzer outrage
Retired military analysts are reacting with outrage that the Pulitzer committee awarded one of its prestigious prizes for a story discredited by an independent investigation, special correspondent Rowan Scarborough reports.
The Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting announced Monday went to New York Times reporter David Barstow for his story, "Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon's Hidden Hand" and other stories.
The main story looked at the public-affairs-office practice from 2002 to 2008 of inviting TV analysts to the Pentagon for private briefings. The story claimed improprieties and raised accusations against analysts of gaining unfair competitive advantage in winning contracts for companies they represented.
The April 2008 story sparked an investigation by the Pentagon inspector general, an office known for its independence. The office has not shied away from criticizing the tenure of former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who started the briefings for 70 retired military officers.
In January, the IG released its report, which rebutted the New York Times' major allegations.
On the practice of conducting meetings and conference calls with the analysts, the IG concluded:
"We determined that those activities were conducted in accordance with DoD policies and regulations. We found the evidence insufficient to conclude that [Retired Military Analyst] RMA outreach activities were improper. Further, we found insufficient basis to conclude that [the office of public affairs] conceived of or undertook a disciplined effort to assemble a contingent of influential RMAs who could be depended on to comment favorably on DoD programs."
On the allegations of favorable contracting, the IG said:
"With regard to [retired military analysts] who had ties to military contractors, extensive searches found no instance where such RMAs used information or contacts obtained as a result of the OASD(PA) outreach program to achieve a competitive advantage for their company. We found that 20 (29 percent) had some type of corporate association. We examined publicly available contracting information involving RMA-affiliated companies to identify any pattern of contract award or contract type that might indicate an irregularity. We did not isolate such a pattern and concluded that further investigative work into this matter was not warranted."
The Pulitzer prize citation reads, "Awarded to David Barstow of The New York Times for his tenacious reporting that revealed how some retired generals, working as radio and television analysts, had been co-opted by the Pentagon to make its case for the war in Iraq, and how many of them also had undisclosed ties to companies that benefited from policies they defended."
A number of military analysts believe they were smeared by the Times story and expressed dismay at it winning journalism's most coveted prize.
"It shows how corrupt the system is," said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas G. McInerney, who appears on Fox News.
He co-authored an online article with retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely and conservative activist Annie Hamilton.
They wrote, "Why in the [expletive] would the Pulitzer committee give the New York Times one prize, let alone five, after the publication of the 85-page [IG] report exonerating these inappropriately targeted officials? Shouldn't there be accountability, a day of reckoning for this so-called 'Reporter' who failed to meet the burden of proof in order to satisfy his story?"
They added: "It hardly requires genius to understand that Mr. Barstow's intent was to damage the credibility and reputation of the Bush Administration, our Military and that his publicly discredited attempts to undercut our Nation's bravest accomplishes little more than turning the Prize, his newspaper and his reputation into a laughing stock."
Larry Di Rita, a former Rumsfeld aide who helped set up the program, told Inside the Ring, "It seems to violate the Pulitzer committee's time-honored tradition of awarding the prize before the story is later debunked. This time they at least waited for the debunking to happen first. I look at it as just another laughable reminder that the establishment media are awarding themselves ever more grandiose awards in direct proportion to their increasing irrelevance and desperation."
Retired Army Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis, another analyst, said, "I believe the DoD IG report completely exonerates the analysts and the Rumsfeld Pentagon. Did Rumsfeld and his team make mistakes? Yes. But equipping the analysts with updated and accurate information and providing us access to decision makers just increased our ability to communicate credibly to the American people."
Mr. Barstow said in an e-mail that he did not want to comment specifically but noted that the Times' public editor, Clark Hoyt, found the IG report to be "highly flawed."
"Many others have noted significant errors, or even branded it a 'whitewash,' " Mr. Barstow said. "They have pointed out, for example, that the report erroneously identified Gen. McCaffrey as having no ties to any defense contractors."
Retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, an NBC analyst, runs his own defense-consulting business.
The IG report listed Gen. McCaffrey as one of the analysts who had "no direct affiliation with defense contractors."
"[I] suggest the New York Times should not have allowed Barstow to selectively mine the DoD IG report to defend his articles - and again attack me," Gen. McCaffrey said. "How could he not mention sworn testimony from a senior defense official that noted DoD anger at my criticism of Rumsfeld and the Pentagon? All of America expects excellence from the New York Times. This article today by Barstow is journalism which lacks integrity."
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates suspended the briefings after the Times' first story appeared.
Said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman: "I'm certain the new public-affairs leadership will want the opportunity to review this program before making any determinations about its future."
China cyberwarfare
The U.S. government's most senior counterintelligence coordinator warned recently that China is among the most aggressive nations involved in attacking U.S. government and private-sector computers.
Joel F. Brenner, the national counterintelligence executive, disclosed in a speech April 3 that the problem of foreign cyber attacks and spying is growing.
"Counterintelligence used to be a challenge for the FBI, CIA and the military," Mr. Brenner told a meeting of the Applied Research Laboratories at the University of Texas at Austin.
"Now it's a challenge for every private firm that lives on a network - which means all of them."
Mr. Brenner then listed several examples of what he termed the real threats faced by security specialists.
In one case a U.S. company held negotiations with the Chinese "only to realize midway through that the Chinese know every one of their bottom line positions as a result of having hacked their network."
Another case involved a U.S. security expert who traveled to Beijing and shortly after turning on his personal digital assistant found that by the time he reached his hotel that "a handful of beacons" or tracking software had been remotely inserted into the device.
"Some are designed to track his movements, others to infect and investigate his home server when he e-mails home," he said.
Another case was a U.S. computer security company that sought to do business in China and hired a group of Chinese nationals to conduct research on security vulnerabilities. The company failed to properly vet the Chinese.
The hired Chinese included "at least one hacker with ties to the PRC government," Mr. Brenner said.
Then there was the case of a Chinese intelligence officer who tried to recruit an ethnic Chinese-American who was highly placed within the information office of a U.S. company.
Chinese intelligence agents "want him to spy on his own company," Mr. Brenner said.
"He turns them down. Later he's approached again - this time to say that his mother in China needs hospitalization, but the hospitals are, you know, crowded. Does he want to reconsider?" Mr. Brenner said.
Mr. Brenner also confirmed reports that counterfeit computer routers and microchips had "made their way into U.S. military fighter aircraft."
Chinese Embassy Spokesman Wang Baodong could not be reached for comment. China's government, however, routinely dismisses reports of Chinese cyberspying as groundless.
"[I] suggest the New York Times should not have allowed Barstow to selectively mine the DoD IG report to defend his articles - and again attack me."
- Gen. Barry McCaffrey
Sphere: Related ContentObama recupera su Blackberry
Fuente: www.washingtontimes.com
24 de abril de 2009.- Visto en el Washington Times: Obama vuelve a Blackberry. Tuvo que aparcar su teléfono, por motivos de seguridad, al tomar posesión de la presidencia de Estados Unidos y durante los primeros 100 días de su mandato ha utilizado una PDA desarrollada para el ejército y los servicios secretos del país, la Sectera Edge
Todo apunta a que en los próximos días podrá volver a llevar en el bolsillo una Blackberry, concretamente una 8830. El teléfono estará equipado con varias medidas de seguridad y un software de cifrado desarrollado por la Agencia Nacional de Seguridad y la empresa Genesis Key Inc. de Washington.
Obama sólo podrá hablar con otras personas que dispongan del mismo software de cifrado en el terminal. Varios de los ayudantes y su familia estarán, por supuesto, en la lista. El terminal estará algo menos limitado que el modelo Sectera Edge, más complicado de utilizar y que requería una conexión con otro teléfono para poder realizar las llamadas. En Canadá, sede de RIM, el fabricante de Blackberry, deberían estar contentos, no existe mejor campaña de publicidad.
Sphere: Related ContentChips para controlar la circulación de elefantes por las calles de Bangkok
Reuters
Los elefantes que circulan por las calles de la capital de Tailandia estarán a partir de ahora provistos de microchips, que alertarán a las autoridades en cuanto se salgan de sus áreas designadas, informó la prensa local.
El vicegobernador de Bangkok, Thirachon Manomaipiboon, declaró al diario "The Nation" que colocarán el dispositivo a unos 200 paquidermos para evitar que éstos interrumpan el tráfico y generen atascos en las principales arterias de la ciudad.
Cada día, los elefantes y sus cuidadores pasean por las calles de la caótica urbe como reclamo para los turistas.
Los animales llevan una vida miserable en la que deben sortear los coches, tragarse el humo y ser explotados por sus dueños, que los alquilan a desaprensivos que les hacen trabajar de sol a sol y en ocasiones hasta bien entrada la madrugada a cambio de un puñado de monedas.
Algunos cuidadores incluso les drogan con anfetaminas para mantenerlos activos todo el tiempo que sea posible, y así algún paquidermo ha enloquecido en plena calle y arremetido contra transeúntes.
Los elefantes, todo un símbolo de Bangkok y Tailandia, regresaron a la capital en 2006 tras casi veinte años de prohibición, pese a las quejas de los grupos conservacionistas.
¿Cómo salta la gripe del cerdo a los humanos?
){kind=small}
Cerdos en una granja en las afueras de Ciudad de México. | AP
Actualizado domingo 26/04/2009 18:02 (
MARÍA SAINZ
MADRID.- Igual que los seres humanos podemos transmitir, con relativa facilidad, el virus de la gripe a los cerdos, ellos pueden hacer lo propio con las personas. Esto se debe a que su organismo cuenta con el receptor humano del virus y, por tanto, igual que lo contraen pueden contagiarlo. Muy presumiblemente, esto es lo que ha sucedido con el brote de gripe porcina en humanos originado en México por el virus A/H1N1.
Como explica Antoni Trilla, jefe del Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Epidemiología del Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, para contraer el virus es necesario que éste "se pegue al epitelio del aparato respiratorio". Para ello, los seres vivos cuenta con un receptor específico.
"Los virus aviares se unen y activan un receptor especial, el de las aves. Se transmiten, por tanto, entre estos animales salvo en casos excepcionales, en los que puede contagiar a algunos seres humanos que cuentan con este tipo de receptor. Las personas, por nuestra parte, contamos con un receptor propio -para el virus de la gripe común-, que es el que permite la transmisión humana", explica este bloguero de elmundo.es.
Sin embargo, el caso del cerdo es especial. "Tiene los dos tipos de receptores, el aviar y el humano, en las células epiteliales de su tráquea. Por eso, puede recibir las dos clases de virus y es un estupendo 'caldo de cultivo'. En él se puede gestar un nuevo virus que además de diseminarse entr los cerdos, sea de más fácil transmisión entre personas o aves (nunca entre los dos a la vez)", apunta Trilla.
Por tanto, la especie porcina es un perfecto continente en el que se mezclan las distintas cepas y que puede generar un virus recombinante, que puede estar compuesto por una parte aviar, otra porcina y otra humana, por ejemplo. De hecho, eso es lo que parece haber sucedido con la nueva cepa H1N1 identificada originariamente en México.
Tal y como explica el citado epidemiólogo, la gripe que sufren los cerdos no tiene el mismo potencial mortífero que la que padecen las aves. Suelen enfermarse pero no mueren tantos animales, lo que dificulta su identificación.
"Que el virus venga del ganado porcino no aumenta el potencial de pandemia en sí. Virus mutantes hay siempre y, por lo general, no suelen ser muy dañinos, pero de vez en cuando son graves", aclara este experto.
¿Qué marca el riesgo de pandemia?
Entonces, ¿qué incrementa el riesgo de pandemia? Según Trilla, la primera condición es que se trate de un virus de reciente introducción, es decir, "con un cambio genético que lo haga ser nuevo. Que, por lo menos, una generación entera (durante 40 ó 50 años) no haya tenido contacto con él y, por tanto, no tengamos inmunidad frente a él".
El segundo factor es que la cepa sea capaz de provocar una enfermedad grave, algo que suele ocurrir en ocasiones muy contadas pero que puede suceder.
Por último, es clave que el virus pueda trasmitirse entre humanos, algo que en este caso sí parece estar sucediendo. Pero, además, este contagio "debe ser eficaz y sostenible, es decir, que no se produzca sólo en el seno de una familia sino a nivel más global".
En caso de que se dieran estos tres elementos, tampoco se aseguraría una pandemia. "La gripe es la enfermedad más imprevisible que hay", destaca Trilla, "además, una pandemia no es igual a una elevada cifra de muertes, lo que conlleva seguro es que la enfermedad se ha extendido".
Por otro lado, Emilio Bouza, jefe de Microbiología y Enfermedades Infecciosas del Hospital Gregorio Marañón (Madrid), pide prudencia a la hora de valorar la gravedad de la situación. Y destaca que hay que tener en cuenta que "una cepa animal siempre va a tener menos capacidad de transmitirse entre personas que una de origen humano".
Sphere: Related ContentYa son ocho las personas posiblemente afectadas por la gripe porcina en España
Sanidad investiga ocho posibles casos de gripe porcina en España
Un pasajero a su llegada al aeropuerto de Barajas.| Sergio González
* El Ministerio tardará 48 horas en confirmar si están afectados
* 'No hay situación de emergencia', asegura Trinidad Jiménez
* Sanidad convoca una reunión extraordinaria con las CCAA el miércoles
* Los pasajeros procedentes de México rellenan un cuestionario en Barajas
* Un joven valenciano se encuentra 'estable' en el Hospital La Fe
* El paciente de Bilbao evoluciona favorablemente en el Hospital de Cruces
* El joven de Albacete también evoluciona favorablemente
* En Cataluña, los posibles infectados rondan los 21 y 24 años
Rafael J. Álvarez | Agencias | Madrid
Actualizado domingo 26/04/2009 21:24 horas
Ocho personas están siendo sometidas a pruebas en España para determinar si contrajeron durante un viaje a México el virus de la gripe porcina. El último caso, una joven de Algeciras, ha sido notificado por la Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía al Ministerio de Sanidad. Por la mañana, en rueda de prensa, la ministra de Sanidad, Trinidad Jiménez, anunciaba tres casos sospechosos de gripe porcina en España en Albacete, Valencia y Bilbao. A éstos le sucedieron otros cinco. La Generalitat de Cataluña ha informado de otros tres y la Sanidad aragonesa de uno más.
A los tres primeros posibles casos -en Almansa (Albacete), Bilbao y Valencia-, se suman dos mujeres y un hombre con un cuadro leve de tos, cansancio y fiebre. El séptimo caso, es una joven aragonesa de 22 años y el octavo una mujer de 22 años que ha regresado de un viaje a Cancún y que permanece hospitalizada en el Hospital Punta de Europa. Los ocho han viajado a México de forma reciente y regresaron en los últimos días.
En Cataluña, según informa Xiana Xicardi, dos de los pacientes, de 22 y 21 años, son un hombre y una mujer de Gerona. El otro, es una mujer de 24 años de Barcelona. Todos están en observación y evolucionan de forma favorable.
Por su parte, la consejera aragonesa de Salud y Consumo, Luisa María Noeno, ha asegurado que no hay motivos de alarma, dado que la joven de Teruel no se ajusta "estrictamente" al patrón de caso Sanidad, aunque ha sido ingresada y aislada "por precaución".
Pacientes aislados
Trinidad Jiménez compareció ante los medios de comunicación en la sede del Ministerio, donde se reunió con su equipo para analizar la situación ante el riesgo de pandemia generada por la llamada gripe porcina. En México se contabilizan ya un millar de casos y 81 muertos.
El caso de Valencia es el de un varón joven que regresó de vacaciones en México hace 2 ó 3 días con síntomas de "un proceso gripal común", según informa la Conselleria de Sanidad.
Se encuentra ingresado en el Hospital La Fe de Valencia en régimen de aislamiento por precaución. Su situación es "estable". El centro ya ha tomado muestras que ha remitido para su análisis al Ministerio de Sanidad, informa Rodrigo Terrasa.
La ministra de Sanidad y su equipo se mantienen en contacto con las comunidades autónomas y con las autoridades de la Unión Europea. Así, se ha convocado el comité ejecutivo nacional para la prevención del virus de la gripe. Y el próximo miércoles la ministra comparecerá a petición propia en el Congreso de los Diputados para informar sobre la situación del brote y para explicar los pasos dados.
En cuanto al caso de Bilbao, se trata de un hombre de 30 años que evoluciona de manera favorable en el hospital de Cruces, donde se encuentra aislado. El consejero vasco de Sanidad en funciones, Gabriel Inclán, instó a los ciudadanos a mantener la "tranquilidad" ante este caso "importado".
El paciente llegó ayer al aeropuerto de Loiu procedente de México, vía Madrid, con síntomas gripales y fiebre muy alta y decidió acudir directamente al hospital de Cruces, que activó el protocolo establecido para estos casos.
El paciente ha sido tratado con un medicamento, adquirido en la época de la gripe aviar, con lo que le ha bajado la fiebre. La confirmación que permitirá establecer si se trata de un caso de gripe porcina o no se conocerá en 48 horas tras remitir muestras del paciente a laboratorios de Madrid, en un primer momento, y de EEUU o Inglaterra, posteriormente.
En Almansa, un joven de 23 años permanece aislado en el hospital general de la ciudad albaceteña evoluciona favorablemente. Regresó de un viaje de estudios por México el pasado 22 de abril. El consejero de Salud y Bienestar Social de Castilla-La Mancha, Fernando Lamata, ha explicado que las muestras biológicas del joven han sido remitidas al laboratorio del Instituto Nacional de Toxicología de Majadahonda (Madrid).
Detectados este fin de semana
Según ha explicado Jiménez, las autoridades sanitarias españolas detectaron el primer caso la medianoche del sábado; el segundo ya de madrugada y el tercero durante la mañana del domingo. La ministra ha dicho que en las próximas 48 horas habrá confirmación de si estas tres personas están afectadas por la gripe porcina o no.
El Ministerio ha pedido a AENA que le facilite la lista de pasajeros de los vuelos que cogieron los posibles infectados para ponerse en contacto ellos y pedirles que si sienten síntomas de gripe en los próximos 10 días acudan a un hospital de forma urgente.
La titular de Sanidad ha convocado una reunión extraordinaria el próximo miércoles del Consejo Interterritorial, el máximo órgano coordinador del Sistema Nacional de Salud, para analizar la situación y hacer frente a la epidemia de gripe porcina detectada en México y Estados Unidos.
La cita tendrá lugar al día siguiente de una reunión en Ginebra del comité de expertos de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. De forma previa, Jiménez reunirá este lunes al Comité Ejecutivo Nacional para la Prevención, el Control y el Seguimiento de la Evolución Epidemiológica del Virus de la Gripe.
Control en Barajas
En el aeropuerto de Barajas se ha activado un protocolo de prevención, con la presencia de un equipo de médicos de Sanidad Exterior, según ha añadido en rueda de prensa el director general de salud Pública, Ildefonso Hernández,
De hecho, el ministro de Fomento, José Blanco, ha dado instrucciones a Aena para que este organismo "refuerce al máximo en los aeropuertos su colaboración con los equipos de Sanidad e Interior y extreme la aplicación de todos los sistemas de control, con arreglo a los protocolos establecidos".
Los pasajeros del vuelo MXA 1586 procedente de México DF con destino Barajas explicaron a su llegada al aeropuerto madrileño que antes de salir del país deben pasar una revisión por si hubiera casos de fiebre o dolor de garganta, y que a su llegada a España han rellenado un breve cuestionario para poder estar localizables en caso de necesidad.
Varios de ellos señalaron que miembros dependientes de Sanidad les han preguntado el destino final de su viaje, les han realizado una pequeña encuesta y han tomado nota del número de teléfono móvil de cada uno para poder localizarlos con facilidad.
Pese a estas medidas, Trinidad Jiménez ha insistido en mandar a la población un mensaje de tranquilidad. "No hay situación de emergencia", ha afirmado la ministra, quien además ha querido dejar claro que "el consumo de carne es seguro". Según ha explicado, "no hay ningún riesgo en las granjas porque este virus se transmite entre humanos a través del aire".
Sobre la posibilidad de que se cancelen temporalmente los vuelos a las zonas afectadas o que no se recomiende viajar a las mismas, Jiménez indicó que no es decisión del Gobierno de España y que en esta materia "nos ajustamos a lo que se defina en las organizaciones internacionales".
En este orden de cosas, el Partido Popular presentará mañana una Proposición no de Ley urgente en el Congreso, para que el Gobierno adopte una pauta de actuación ante el brote de gripe porcina que suponga "establecer un adecuado nivel de alerta sanitaria y actuar con el mayor nivel de anticipación posible ante esta amenaza de salud global", en palabras de Santiago Cervera, portavoz adjunto del GPP y miembro de la Comisión de Sanidad.
Los 'populares' consideran que las autoridades sanitarias deben trabajar "anticipándose a los posibles acontecimientos, y han de reforzar los recursos humanos y materiales de Sanidad Exterior". Al mismo tiempo, emplazan al Ministerio a que refuerce la información a los viajeros, y coordine sus actuaciones con las Comunidades Autónomas. Sphere: Related Content
Situação nos EUA é de emergência, diz governo sobre gripe suína
Autoridades confirmaram 20 casos da doença no país.
Casa Branca diz que não há motivos para pânico.
AFP
Casal de mexicanos se beija usando máscaras cirúrgicas, usadas na prevenção da gripe suína no país (Foto: AFP)
A secretária de Segurança Nacional dos Estados Unidos, Jannet Napolitano, disse hoje que a saúde pública do país vive uma "situação de emergência" devido à propagação do vírus da gripe suína.
Napolitano fez esta declaração num encontro com jornalistas na Casa Branca, onde o diretor interino do Centro de Controle de Doenças (CDC, em inglês), Richard Besser. Vinte casos de gripe suína foram confirmados nos Estados Unidos neste domingo (26), depois que se confirmou a doença em estudantes de Nova York . Além disso, quatro casos foram confirmados no Canadá.
Richard Besser, diretor dos centros de controle de doenças e prevenção dos EUA, afirmou a jornalistas na Casa Branca que todos os casos no país são brandos. Autoridades norte-americanas disseram que o presidente dos EUA, Barack Obama, está sendo informado constantemente sobre a potencial expansão do surto, que já matou até 81 pessoas no México (20 mortes foram confirmadas).
"Neste momento, a prioridade é garantir que a comunicação seja intensa e que os esforços de vigilância médica estejam totalmente ativados", disse John Brennan, assistente do presidente na área de segurança doméstica.
Segundo Brennan, haverá rápida identificação e notificação de novos casos que possam ocorrer nos EUA e no México.
O governo dos Estados Unidos está acompanhando a evolução da gripe suína de perto e acredita, entretanto, que não há motivos para que norte-americanos entrem em pânico, disse o porta-voz da Casa Branca, Robert Gibbs.
Pandemia no mundo
O vírus da gripe suína tem potencial para se espalhar pelo mundo, disse a Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) neste domingo (26).
O secretário-geral adjunto da OMS, Keiji Fukuda, disse que a organização está estudando se deve elevar o nível de alerta mundial do grau 3 para o grau 4, o que deverá ser decidido na terça-feira, a partir das informações coletadas.
"Se decidirmos passar para o nível 4 (da escala que vai até 6), será uma mudança muito significativa, pois mostrará que um vírus potencialmente pandêmico como é este terá provado que é capaz de ser transmitido de pessoa para pessoa" fora de pequenos grupos, como os dos familiares que cuidaram de seus doentes, acrescentou.
Nesse caso, disse Fukuda numa entrevista coletiva , os países terão que começar a tomar medidas muito drásticas.
O especialista não descarta a hipótese de o vírus da gripe suína evoluir e se tornar ainda mais perigoso.
"Quando temos um novo vírus como este, contra o qual a maioria das pessoas no mundo não está imunizada ou está muito pouco imunizada, ele pode ser transmitido facilmente", acrescentou.
Fukuda destacou que, neste momento, a OMS "não tem evidências" de que o vírus surgiu de um ataque bioterrorista destinado a matar o presidente dos Estados Unidos, Barack Obama. Porém, disse a organização "continua estudando" todas as possibilidades.
A declaração do especialista foi uma resposta a uma pergunta relacionada à recente viagem que Obama fez ao México. Na visita, o presidente americano se reuniu com um arqueólogo renomado que dois dias depois morreu com sintomas similares aos da gripe.
Prevenção pelo mundo
As medidas de precaução para identificar o mais rapidamente possível os possíveis portadores do novo vírus da gripe suína se multiplicam no mundo inteiro. Diversos países da América Latina, como o Brasil, mais próximos do epicentro onde a doença foi detectada, vêm anunciando desde sexta-feira medidas de precaução.
As autoridades de Saúde de Brasil, Peru, Chile e Costa Rica ativaram planos de vigilância sanitária. No Peru, a vigilância dos turistas provenientes do México e dos EUA foi intensificada, enquanto no Chile o pessoal da área de saúde e a opinião pública foram alertados.
No Equador, medidas de prevenção e controle foram adotadas nos portos e aeroportos. Na Colômbia, cinco passageiros provenientes do México foram colocados sob observação e as autoridades sanitárias foram convocadas sábado para adotar um plano de prevenção.
No norte do continente americano, a ministra canadense da Saúde, Leona Aglukkaq, pediu mais vigilância aos canadenses.
Na Europa, três espanhóis que voltavam do México foram colocados sob vigilância por suspeita de estarem com gripe suína. As autoridades recomendam aos espanhóis prudência antes de ir ao México e sugerem aos que pretendem ir ao México se informar do avanço da epidemia.
Na Rússia, o primeiro-ministro, Vladimir Putin, assinou domingo uma ordem, criando uma comissão de prevenção contra a propagação da gripe suína no território. Além disso, suspendeu a importação de carne e derivados do México e países vizinhos.
Na França, onde há duas suspeitas da doença, o ministério da Saúde acionou uma célula de crise, que deve principalmente orientar os franceses que vivem no México. O centro de crise do ministério dos Assuntos Estrangeiros adotou um método para informar o público.
Na Alemanha, os serviços do ministério alemão da Saúde estão prontos para enfrentar possíveis casos da gripe suína e vão informar a população da dimensão do risco.
O continente asiático, ainda traumatizado com a Sars de 2003, ativou um alerta este fim de semana e pediu cuidado aos turistas. Na China, as autoridades indicaram que estão estudando medidas de inspeção e de quarentena para se precaver diante do risco de pandemia. No Japão, as autoridades reforçaram os controles nos aeroportos com os passageiros procedentes do México. Elas distribuíram máscaras e medem a temperatura dos passageiros para identificar eventuais casos de febre.
Na Nova Zelândia, um grupo de 22 estudantes e 3 professores estão em quarentena depois de terem passado três semanas no México. As autoridades locais pedem às pessoas que apresentarem sintomas de gripe que consultem um médico. Sphere: Related Content
Assinar:
Postagens (Atom)
