Outbreaks and Alerts: July 22, 2010

A daily digest of international outbreaks, alerts and food safety news

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United States

• Concord, NH. July 19: An elevated cyanobacteria cell concentration has been measured at Forest Lake in Winchester, NH. As a result, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) has issued a precautionary cyanobacteria warning for recreational users of Forest Lake .DES advises lake users to avoid contact with the water in areas experiencing elevated cyanobacteria cell conditions, typically where lake water has a surface scum or blue-green flecks. DES also advises pet owners to keep their pets out of any waters that have a surface scum or blue-green or bright green flecks.
• Baton Rouge, LA. July 21: The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals announced today the closure of oyster harvesting Area 23 in response to the BP oil spill in the Gulf.
• Raleigh, NC. July 21: Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler will host North Carolina's sixth annual Food Safety Forum on August 10th. More than 200 farmers, food manufacturers and retailers, and government scientists are expected to attend.
• Clinton, NJ. July 21: The Town of Clinton Water Department has issued a "boil water" advisory after E. coli was found in a water sample taken from Well #11 before treatment.
• Steamboat Springs, CO. July 21: Steamboat Lake’s E. coli levels exceeded 235 organisms per 100 milliliters again, closing the park’s swim beach, Steamboat Lake State Park Ranger Matthew Schuler said today.
• Sterling, MA. July 21: The town has issued a boil-water order after routine monitoring detected E. coli in a water sample taken from the Worcester Road Well No. 2.
• New Buffalo, MI. July 21: The New Buffalo Beach was opened Wednesday, but beachgoers were warned by the Berrien County Health Department to stay out of the water, because a test found high levels of E. coli.
• Grand Rapids, MI. July 22: About 100 people reported becoming sick after visiting Millennium Park on Friday or Saturday. The Kent County Health Department has confirmed that at least some of the people were infected with Norovirus. The park closed early on Wednesday for cleaning; health workers are still trying to pinpoint the source of the virus.

Europe

• Kaliningrad, Russia. July 22: In the past week, Kaliningrad experienced 126 reports of acute intestinal illnesses, including 69 cases in children under 14 years.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Taiwan. July 16: The Department of Health assures Taiwan consumers that no made-in-China dairy products are sold in Taiwan.
• Abu Dhabi. July 21: Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority has called upon small groceries in the emirate to adhere fully to the stipulations regarding the preservation of food products and not to expose them to the sun or heat, especially during the summer. The Authority stressed that if rotten food products were found in the shelves of groceries, the inspectors will take stringent action.
• Tien Giang, Vietnam. July 21: A total of 563 workers of Dream Mekong factory in Cai Be Commune of the southern province of Tien Giang were taken to provincial hospitals due to food poisoning last Monday. Workers said that stomach aches, vomiting and dizziness had appeared a lunch featuring bamboo shoots and tuna. The provincial medical centre is carrying out tests on the food.
• Shimla, India. July 21: Total number of those stricken with the water borne disease has passed 300, even as the health official make the rounds of a house to house visit in the affected locality for preventing its spread. A health spokesman said that of 28 people who reported with diarrhea today, 5 were admitted at IGMC hospital and 2 at Rippon hospital.

Australia and New Zealand

• Hobart, Australia. July 21: Two nursing homes and St Johns hospital in Hobart have notified the Tasmania Health Department about outbreaks of Norovirus. A Calvary Health Care spokeswoman says one ward with elderly patients at St Johns was locked down on the weekend to prevent the infection spreading further. A health department spokesman says the hospital and nursing homes are managing the situation well.
• Wellington, New Zealand. July 22: Beginning on May 1st of next year, cough and cold medicines for children under 12 years of age containing dextromethorphan and phenylephrine will only be sold in pharmacies. Products containing these ingredients will only be available in supermarkets after 1 May 2011 if they are re-labelled for use in adults and children over 12 years of age. All non-compliant products will be removed from supermarket shelves from this date.