Hand Foot And Mouth Virus Persists In Claiming Additional Lives
Beijing, China- There are additional reported deaths coming in to Chinese authorities in Xinhua and Beijing from the outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth virus that is sweeping the Chinese countryside.
The virus has caused nearly 25 thousand children to become ill along the length of the Chinese mainland, and has resulted in 42 deaths so far. All of the patients who have perished from the disease have been children.
The virus is a variation of the enterovirus 71, one of the most common types of the Hand, Foot and Mouth Virus. (more…)
New York - A woman passenger fell overboard from the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship off the coast of Atlantic City on Sunday night.
The 46-year old woman was aboard the NCL Dawn headed to Bermuda from New York City.
She fell overboard at 7:50 p.m. according to cruise officials on Sunday.
The cruise line stated that the ship immediately began a search and rescue operation, but no other details were given.
The Coast Guard worked to try and search, but had to stop due to the high winds and heavy rain.
Norwegian, nor the Coast Guard released the passenger’s name or residence.
The Coast Guard has released the cruise ship, allowing it to go to the Bermuda and continue its path.
Toronto - As the death toll climbs in Myanmar, Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty has vowed to help the cyclone victims.
McGuinty says his office has been in touch with the federal government, the red cross and representatives from Myanmar to get a better understanding of what’s happening and how the province can help.
There is no word yet on exactly how the province will help, it’s still trying to figure out the best way to send aid.
When the Tsunami hit south Asia in 2004 Ontario donated 5 million dollars towards the Red Cross Relief effort.
Myanmar’s state television says the death toll in last week’s cyclone has jumped to 28,458.
33,416 people are still considered missing.
Hand, Foot And Mouth Virus Results In Yet Another Death In China
Beijing- The new death toll in China for the recent outbreak of the childhood virus has reached 34, with the most recent victim passing away in Anhui.
Most of the victims of the Hand, Foot and Mouth disease have been located in the Eastern Province of Anhui, where over 20 of the 34 victims have died from the child virus.
The World Health Organization says that surprisingly the current outbreak is not any more virulent than in the past, but that proper diagnosis and the suppression of notification to the public by Chinese officials are two reasons that there have been so many deaths during the current outbreak. (more…)
VA Department Undersecretary Cautions Against Rush To Judgement
San Francisco-In testimony before a Federal Court the VA department defended its treatment of soldiers and troops who are returning from active duty.
Top Undersecretary of the health department of the Veteran’s Administration, Michael Kussman told a federal judge of the current level of treatment and care.
“We monitor the satisfaction and the current outcomes from our patients, and they tell us good things in high numbers,” stated Kussman. (more…)
Washington - It is becoming very clear and apparent that the pilot of the Cosco Busan, the 900-foot vessel that crashed into a support tower of the Bay Bridge last November, dumping tens of thousands of gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay, was suffering from medical issues.
During testimony as well as documents being released at a federal hearing on Wednesday, it became clear that he should have never been at the helm as the captain of the vessel.
Capt. John Cota, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, was attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. He also suffered from migraine headaches, sleep anpea, pancreatitis, among other things. He has been convicted of DUI in the past as well.
He was taking prescription drugs to help treat his anxiety and depression, as well as to help him sleep. This could have easily made him very drowsy.
The Coast Guard is taking a lot of heat as the testimony and documents have revealed that Cota should have never been granted a mariner’s license after his physical last year.
Following the incident last Novemver, the Coast Guard asked Cota to turn in his license because of his medical issues, but it was too late.
He has pleaded not guilty to criminal negligence as well as violating environmental laws.
Mexican Official Says Original Arrest Was Invalid
Edmonton- The woman that has been held in Mexico for over 24 months was not arrested legally, and her detention could have been voided within 72 hours. This was the word from a Mexican Senior Federal Justice Official.
According to the Mexican Senior Official, there were a number of blunders, both on the part of the Mexican authorities, and the Canadian Consulate. The Canadian Consulate did not represent Brenda Martin in the proper way, and the actions of the Mexican Attorney General’s Department were also inept and wrong.
What has resulted is a mess that is very tangled and confusing, and the only apparent swift way out of prison for Brenda Martin may be from a pardon from the President of Mexico.
“I think that no one wants to find her guilty, but there have been so many screw ups that the case is very fouled up,” said the Senior Mexican Federal Official, speaking through an interpreter. The official spoke without giving his name for fear of reprisal.
Brenda Martin has been in jail since February of 2006, and is charged with criminal conspiracy and money laundering. She was employed in the town of Puerto Vallarta as a cook for a Canadian man, Alyn Waage. Mr. Waage posed as a rich investor and ran a large Internet fraud, bilking as much as $60 million dollars from investors.
Waage is currently serving a 10-year sentence in a North Carolina prison. Martin does not appear to have any connection to Waage, but despite this she was arrested in 2006, nearly five years after she had stopped working for Waage.
Oshawa - A 15-year-old Oshawa girl on a class trip from China is being held in Hong Kong. She is accused of stealing a pair of designer sunglasses from an airport kiosk.
Students were getting ready to board their flight when police chased the teen down.
A teacher and his wife is said to have stayed behind and posted bond for the girl so she didn’t have to be put in jail. She is confined to her hotel room.
She is expected to have a hearing as early as tonight, our time.
Crowd Takes To Streets Across Canada To Protest Afghanistan
Calgary - Despite the cold and the snow, about 60 protesters gathered in Calgary outside to march and make their combined voices heard on Saturday. Rallies were held at the same time in Calgary, Edmonton, and other locations across Canada in opposition to the War in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As the fifth anniversary of the occupation of Iraq draws closer, protest is rising across North America. The protestors on Saturday brandished peace banners, peace flags, and marched and sang in unison. (more…)
Houston - The former President of Poland, Lech Walesa was discharged from the hospital in Houston Tuesday after various treatments. Walesa was in the hospital for conditions surrounding his heart, but declared to reporters that he feels a lot better than he has felt in many years.
The doctors who treated the former Premier said the 64-year-old Walesa may at some point need heart transplant surgery, or perhaps heart bypass surgery, but that for now it is not the case. Walesa received surgery to install a heart stent to help hold open an artery in his coronary system that had closed. A pacemaker was also installed, with a built in defibrillator to help his heartbeat remain steady. (more…)