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Day: February 14, 2024
Alaska state health officials said that a man died last month of the virus, which occurs mostly in small mammals and causes lesions. There have been seven reported human cases since 2015.
The Alaskapox virus is normally found in small mammals, including red-backed voles like the one above.Credit…Michael Penn/The Juneau Empire, via Associated Press
An Alaska man died last month of Alaskapox, a rare virus that occurs mostly in small mammals and can cause skin lesions, according to state health officials.
Alaskapox was first identified in 2015 in a woman who lived near Fairbanks, Alaska, and there have been a total of seven cases of the virus reported to the Alaska Section of Epidemiology. Until last month, no one had been hospitalized or died of Alaskapox, which can also cause swollen lymph nodes and muscle or joint pain, Alaska epidemiology officials said on Friday.
Of the seven people who have had Alaskapox, six lived in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, where red-backed voles and shrews have been found to have the virus, according to the Alaska Department of Health. Alaskapox has not been found to spread between humans.
Dr. Julia Rogers, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview on Tuesday that the symptoms from Alaskapox infection were generally mild.
“There could have been cases in the past that we just did not pick up because of that,” Dr. Rogers said, adding that it is possible that recorded cases could increase as more doctors learn how to identify it.
The Alaska Section of Epidemiology, which did not release the name of the man who died of the virus, said in a statement that he was “an elderly man from the Kenai Peninsula with a history of drug-induced immunosuppression.”
Alaska health officials said that it was still unclear how the man had contracted the virus. The man lived alone in a forested area, had not traveled recently or had close contact with someone who had traveled recently, according to the state Health Department.
The man told doctors that he had been caring for a stray cat at his home, and that the cat often scratched him, including once near his right armpit, about a month before he noticed a red papule had formed there in September 2023, Alaska health officials said. The cat was later tested for other orthopox viruses, and all tests were negative, according to the Health Department. Still, health officials said it was possible that the stray cat could have been the source of the virus.
Dr. Rogers said that it was possible that the stray cat’s claws were carrying the virus from scratching around other rodents.
“But we can’t say for certain how the specific mode of transmission occurred with this patient or for the previous patients,” Dr. Rogers said.
Dr. Joe McLaughlin, an Alaska state epidemiologist and chief of the Alaska Section of Epidemiology, said in an interview that all patients who have had Alaskapox have had a cat or a dog, and that health officials are working to determine what role domestic pets may play in the spread of the virus.
“Because Alaskapox is rare, our No. 1 message is that Alaskans shouldn’t be overly concerned about this virus,” Dr. McLaughlin said, “but more be aware of it.”
In the six weeks after the man noticed the lesion, he went to his primary care doctor and the local emergency room several times because of the lesion, according to the Health Department. He was prescribed several rounds of antibiotics, which did not help, health officials said.
The man was hospitalized on Nov. 17 because the lesion had affected his ability to move his arm, and he was later transferred to a hospital in nearby Anchorage, health officials said. While hospitalized there, the man said he was experiencing a “burning pain,” and four small pox-like lesions were found across his body, health officials said.
After a number of tests, health officials said, doctors were able to rule out cowpox, mpox and other viruses. A swab of the man’s lesion was later sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that it was consistent with other cases of Alaskapox, according to health officials.
While the man was hospitalized, health officials said, he began to experience wounds that took long to heal, malnutrition, acute kidney failure and respiratory failure. He died in late January, the Health Department said.
Dr. McLaughlin said that because people who are immunocompromised have experienced worse symptoms with other orthopox viruses, it’s important for doctors in Alaska to make an Alaskapox diagnosis early.
Jesus Jiménez covers breaking news, online trends and other subjects. He is based in New York City. More about Jesus Jiménez
Alaska state health officials said that a man died last month of the virus, which occurs mostly in small mammals and causes lesions. There have been seven reported human cases since 2015.
The Alaskapox virus is normally found in small mammals, including red-backed voles like the one above.Credit…Michael Penn/The Juneau Empire, via Associated Press
An Alaska man died last month of Alaskapox, a rare virus that occurs mostly in small mammals and can cause skin lesions, according to state health officials.
Alaskapox was first identified in 2015 in a woman who lived near Fairbanks, Alaska, and there have been a total of seven cases of the virus reported to the Alaska Section of Epidemiology. Until last month, no one had been hospitalized or died of Alaskapox, which can also cause swollen lymph nodes and muscle or joint pain, Alaska epidemiology officials said on Friday.
Of the seven people who have had Alaskapox, six lived in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, where red-backed voles and shrews have been found to have the virus, according to the Alaska Department of Health. Alaskapox has not been found to spread between humans.
Dr. Julia Rogers, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview on Tuesday that the symptoms from Alaskapox infection were generally mild.
“There could have been cases in the past that we just did not pick up because of that,” Dr. Rogers said, adding that it is possible that recorded cases could increase as more doctors learn how to identify it.
The Alaska Section of Epidemiology, which did not release the name of the man who died of the virus, said in a statement that he was “an elderly man from the Kenai Peninsula with a history of drug-induced immunosuppression.”
Alaska health officials said that it was still unclear how the man had contracted the virus. The man lived alone in a forested area, had not traveled recently or had close contact with someone who had traveled recently, according to the state Health Department.
The man told doctors that he had been caring for a stray cat at his home, and that the cat often scratched him, including once near his right armpit, about a month before he noticed a red papule had formed there in September 2023, Alaska health officials said. The cat was later tested for other orthopox viruses, and all tests were negative, according to the Health Department. Still, health officials said it was possible that the stray cat could have been the source of the virus.
Dr. Rogers said that it was possible that the stray cat’s claws were carrying the virus from scratching around other rodents.
“But we can’t say for certain how the specific mode of transmission occurred with this patient or for the previous patients,” Dr. Rogers said.
Dr. Joe McLaughlin, an Alaska state epidemiologist and chief of the Alaska Section of Epidemiology, said in an interview that all patients who have had Alaskapox have had a cat or a dog, and that health officials are working to determine what role domestic pets may play in the spread of the virus.
“Because Alaskapox is rare, our No. 1 message is that Alaskans shouldn’t be overly concerned about this virus,” Dr. McLaughlin said, “but more be aware of it.”
In the six weeks after the man noticed the lesion, he went to his primary care doctor and the local emergency room several times because of the lesion, according to the Health Department. He was prescribed several rounds of antibiotics, which did not help, health officials said.
The man was hospitalized on Nov. 17 because the lesion had affected his ability to move his arm, and he was later transferred to a hospital in nearby Anchorage, health officials said. While hospitalized there, the man said he was experiencing a “burning pain,” and four small pox-like lesions were found across his body, health officials said.
After a number of tests, health officials said, doctors were able to rule out cowpox, mpox and other viruses. A swab of the man’s lesion was later sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that it was consistent with other cases of Alaskapox, according to health officials.
While the man was hospitalized, health officials said, he began to experience wounds that took long to heal, malnutrition, acute kidney failure and respiratory failure. He died in late January, the Health Department said.
Dr. McLaughlin said that because people who are immunocompromised have experienced worse symptoms with other orthopox viruses, it’s important for doctors in Alaska to make an Alaskapox diagnosis early.
Jesus Jiménez covers breaking news, online trends and other subjects. He is based in New York City. More about Jesus Jiménez
quito, ecuador — Ecuador’s electoral court set April 21 for a referendum on measures to tighten security, fight organized crime and reform the constitution, it said on Wednesday, amid worsening conflict between government forces and criminal gangs.
The steps have been proposed by President Daniel Noboa, who launched a security offensive in early January to dismantle criminal groups he designated as terrorists. Noboa has also argued for legal reforms to expand the powers of Ecuador’s police and military.
Ecuadoreans will vote on 11 questions, five of which concern reforms to the country’s constitution, the National Electoral Council said in a statement.
Noboa had previously hoped to hold the referendum in March. Questions will seek approval to impose stricter gun controls in areas close to jails and increase prison sentences for organized crime offenses, among others.
Ecuador, long a haven for foreign retirees, has been gripped by spiraling violence since the coronavirus pandemic battered the South American country’s economy.
Armed men stormed a TV-station on air last month and a presidential candidate was gunned down as he left a rally during last year’s elections, while hundreds of inmates have been killed in prison riots.
Armenia and the European Union issued a joint statement following the fifth meeting of a partnership council in Brussels on Tuesday, which was preceded by talks between Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and the EU’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.
Below is the text of the statement.
The meeting confirmed the mutual interest and commitment of Armenia and the EU to strengthen and deepen their relations based on common values. To this end, they agreed to launch work on a new Armenia-EU Partnership Agenda, establishing more ambitious joint priorities for cooperation across all dimensions, reads the statement.
The EU announced an additional €5.5 million in humanitarian aid to support the displaced Karabakh Armenians. This funding comes in addition to the €12,2 million to address urgent humanitarian needs, as well as the recent adoption of €15 million budget support for socio-economic needs.
The Partnership Council reviewed the implementation of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The EU welcomed Armenia’s commitment to CEPA implementation, appreciated the progress achieved and encouraged Armenia to pursue its reform agenda. The new Armenia-EU Partnership Agenda will aim to unlock the full potential of the CEPA.
The Partnership Council reiterated the shared commitment of Armenia and the EU to human rights, the rule of law and democratic principles. The Partnership Council welcomed the accomplishments to date on the implementation of justice reform and the fight against corruption, the creation of a Ministry of Interior and the reform of the police service in Armenia, with EU support. The parties also acknowledged remaining challenges in the fight against discrimination, hate speech and disinformation, and Armenia committed to work towards further progress in these areas. The EU commended Armenia on recently becoming the 124th state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and encouraged Armenia to consider relevant capacity-building opportunities.
The Partnership Council acknowledged Armenia’s willingness to start a visa liberalization dialogue with the EU, and the EU’s preparedness to continue to undertake further efforts to explore options to do so, further to the November 2023 Foreign Affairs Council. The EU welcomed the implementation of the Visa Facilitation agreement and of the Readmission agreements by Armenia and encouraged Armenia to sustain and further up its efforts.
The EU expressed its commitment to stand by Armenia to strengthen its resilience in different sectors, notably trade, energy and connectivity. The Partnership Council noted that while CEPA did not provide for preferential tariffs for trade in goods, it contained important potential for increasing bilateral trade flows. The parties committed to unlocking this potential through joint efforts. The parties committed to further cooperation to prevent sanctions circumvention while the EU commended Armenia’s efforts in this regard.
The EU underlined the importance of applying administratively the Common Aviation Area Agreement, which has the potential to create new and more direct air transport connections and generate economic benefits to both sides. The parties discussed ways to advance the energy transition of their economies to become more resilient and competitive. The EU reiterated its support to Armenia’s participation in the Black Sea electricity cable project. The parties will continue to work together to enhance Armenia’s energy production from renewable sources, including through investments under the Economic and Investment Plan, as well as to ensure nuclear safety.
The parties also reaffirmed the importance of combating climate change, and in this context welcomed Armenia’s adoption of a Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy, and encouraged Armenia to further scale up its ambitions to reach climate neutrality.
“The Partnership Council discussed the progress made in reforms of the education, research, health, social protection and civil protection sectors. The parties acknowledged the positive evolution of Armenia-EU cooperation on research & innovation, and discussed how to use the unexploited potential on digital connectivity.
The Partnership Council underlined the importance of the Eastern Partnership framework as a regional cooperation platform. The Partnership Council noted that the Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) has successfully mobilized over €550 million worth of investments in Armenia. It supported amongst others regional connectivity, access to finance for SMEs, green buses and energy efficient public buildings, and the socio-economic development of Syunik, which also benefits from a dedicated Team Europe Initiative. The Partnership Council expressed a commitment to continue fostering sustainable development in Armenia by leveraging public and private investments and welcomed the recently launched Armenia-EU Investment Coordination Platform.
The EU side also expressed its strong condemnation of Russia’s illegal aggression against Ukraine and the negative effects this unjustified war has for the wider Eastern Partnership region, Europe as a whole and globally.
Armenia informed the EU about the humanitarian and human rights impact of Azerbaijan’s use of force in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023 and the subsequent displacement. The EU reiterated its rejection of the use or the threat of use of force, also in the context of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and supports a peaceful conflict resolution.
The parties further stressed the absolute necessity of establishing durable peace and stability in the South Caucasus. The EU reiterated its commitment to support the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on the principles of mutual recognition of territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders based on the 1991 Almaty Declaration. The EU welcomed the policy direction of the Government of Armenia aimed at working towards peace and normalization in the region, including the opening of regional transport links under the countries’ sovereignty and national jurisdiction, as well as according to the principles of equality and reciprocity, which also underpin Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace” project. Armenia welcomed the ongoing strengthening of the EU Mission in Armenia. The parties confirmed the need to fully, immediately and effectively implement all the International Court of Justice orders in the case on the Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia v. Azerbaijan).
Ahead of the Partnership Council, the EU issued the Partnership Implementation Report on Armenia-EU relations since the previous Partnership Council in May 2022. The report underlined that Armenia continued implementing an ambitious reform agenda with strong EU support including financial assistance. It concludes that Armenia-EU relations have never been stronger.
The Partnership Council was chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Mr Josep Borrell. The Armenian delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, Mr Ararat Mirzoyan. The European Commission’s Director-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Mr Gert Jan Koopman, also participated in the meeting.