RSOE EDIS: United Kingdom - Epidemic Hazard - 2009.12.17

RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service Budapest, Hungary RSOE EDIS ALERTMAIL

2009-12-17 17:31:43 - Epidemic Hazard - United Kingdom EDIS CODE: EH-20091217-24200-GBR Date & Time: 2009-12-17 17:31:43 [UTC] Area: United Kingdom, Scotland, , Glasgow !!! ALERT !!! Number of death person(s): 1 Number of Infected person(s): 1 Damage level: Moderate (Level 2) Not confirmed information! Description: Anthrax has been found in two heroin users from Glasgow - one of whom has died in hospital. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the man died in the city's Victoria Infirmary on Wednesday. A woman being treated there has also tested positive. A second man with "serious soft tissue infections" is being tested at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Police believe contaminated heroin or a contaminated cutting agent may be responsible for the infections. Dr Syed Ahmed, consultant in public health medicine, said: "I urge all drug injecting heroin users to be extremely alert and to seek urgent medical advice if they experienced an infection. "While this section of the community need to be on their guard the risk to the rest of the population - including close family members of the infected cases - is negligible. "It is extremely rare for anthrax to be spread from person to person and there is no significant risk of airborne transmission from one person to another." The health board said it would investigate cases of drug injecting heroin users who presents with serious soft tissue infections now or during the last four weeks. Anthrax is an acute bacterial infection most commonly found in hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep and goats. It normally infects humans when they inhale or ingest anthrax spores, but cannot be passed from person to person. The last death from anthrax in Scotland was in 2006 when Christopher Norris died after inhaling the spores. The 50-year-old craftsman, from Stobs, near Hawick, made drums with materials such as untreated animal hides. The name of Hazard: Anthrax Species: Human Status: Confirmed Posted:2009-12-17 17:31:43 [UTC] Please DO NOT reply to this message: replies may be treated as errors and result in your subscription being deleted. If you have trouble or other queries, send email to havaria@rsoe.hu RSOE EDIS is operated by the National Association of Radio-Distress Signalling and Infocommunications (RSOE), Budapest, Hungary. Because of the complexity of this system and its dependence on other systems, we cannot be responsible for delays or failures in forwarding or transmission. You're receiving this AlertMail because you subscribed for the service. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Contact: havaria@rsoe.hu