Many of the pages linked to from this page longer exist or have been changed.
These are in the process of being noted or repaired.

References to the on-line resource LEXIS-NEXIS® Academic Universe are indicated by the abbreviation LNAU.

Thursday 21 June 2001
Xinhua News Agency
New Zealand
Flu sweeping through New Zealand's North Island.
Influenza approaching epidemic levels (400 cases per 100,000 people in Bay of Plenty).
(LNAU - Wires: Search Term: influenza)

Friday 22 June 2001
The New Zealand Herald
Current Headlines
New Zealand
Flu Epidemic Looms in North Island
Health officials say the East coast of the North Island is on the verge of an influenza epidemic and they say the virus may be on the move.
The number of people suffering flu in some regions is 10 times higher than normal.

Friday 22 June 2001
Financial Times Information - Global News Wire
Pakistan
Flu Spreads in Karachi
A flu virus is still making the rounds in Pakistan seaport city.
(LNAU - Medical: Search Term: flu)

Monday 25 June 2001
Sentiweb Weekly Report - Week 2001-25 - From June 18 till June 24, 2001
France
FLU-LIKE SYNDROMES : FLOOR ACTIVITY Weekly incidence is of 7 cases for 100 000 inhabitants, very next size down the epidemic threshold (60 cases for 100 000 inhabitants), what is usual at this time of year. This week, the threshold of epidemic activity is exceeded in 1 only region: Franche-Comté ( 94 ).

Tuesday 26 June 2001
New Zealand Herald - Feature - Health
By Monique Devereux Health Reporter
Wards jammed by flu victims
A flu outbreak sweeping the country is putting severe strain on the public hospital system.
In the past week the number of reported flu cases has doubled.
Go to:

Tuesday 26 June 2001
NASA Science News
All the World's a Stage... for Dust
Story includes movies of an African dust cloud blowing westward to North America in June. It also addresses questions like: Where does topsoil for Caribbean islands come from? And, are sneezes in Florida triggered by allergens from other continents?
See: Meet Conan the Bacterium NASA Space Science News - December 14, 1999

Wednesday 27 June 2001
Financial Times Information and the New Zealand Press Association New Zealand
Wellington braces for a raging flu outbreak spreading South
Current infection rate is considerably higher than for same time last year. Some Aukland hospitals [290 miles north of Wellington] are postponing operations. In some cases overflow influenza patients are being cared for in corridors.
(LNAU - Wires: Search Term: influenza)
[New Zealand is in its southern hemisphere winter flu season.]

Friday 29 June 2001
Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response Report
Kosovo
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Kosovo - Update 5
"As of 26 June, WHO has reported 69 suspected cases, out of which six have died. . . ."

24 - 30 June 2001
FluNet Global Influenza Surveillance Network (WHO)
New Zealand - Upgraded from Regional Outbreak to Widespread Outbreak for Influenza Like Illnesses

Sunday 1 July 2001
Associated Press AP Online - Randolph Schmid
Africa-United States
African dust brings germs, fungi across the Atlantic
Story is based on a telephonic interview with Dale Griffin, principal investigator, mentioned in the June 14 news release above. Readers are referred to an article on this research in the June 2001 issue of the journal Aerobiologia. Actually it is scheduled to appear in the September issue.

(LNAU - Wires: Search Terms: bacteria, africa)
The Lexis-Nexus® searches for this page were begun in finding the full text of this story. Thanks to Bob and Brenda Groves of Starkville, MS for calling this article to my attention.

Monday 2 July 2001
Associated Press - AP Online Alberta Canada
Bacteria blamed for Golfer's death.
A story filed in Edmonton, Alberta describes the rapid onset of an illness that claimed the life of professional golfer Lewis Chitengwa, a native of Zimbabwe. A meningococcus bacteria is the prime suspect but the picture is not clear.
(LNAU - Wires: Search Terms: bacteria, africa)

Wednesday 4 July 2001
Arizona, U.S.A.
Barbara Boelter of Jerome, Arizona (about 50 miles southwest of Flagstaff) writes:
(Many people in the local area) have been suffering from recurrent bouts with some kind of flu for around 6 weeks now. It is characterized by abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headaches, weakness, & lightheadedness. You think you're over it for a few days, then it happens again. [Six weeks ago would be about 23 May. RSF]
One thing that seems to help is dosing up with Echinacea, Goldenseal, & Olive Leaf, herbs available in capsule form at health food stores. The Olive Leaf in particular seems to fight viruses somehow.

Wednesday 4 July 2001
The Associated Press State & Local Wire
Idaho, U.S.A.
Trail volunteers stricken by mysterious disease
Sixteen out-of-state summer program volunteers at Dinosaur National Monument were medically examined for flu-like symptoms. Eight were hospitalized. Fungal pneumonia is suspected cause. Utah and Colorado volunteers were not affected.
(LNAU - Wires - Search Terms: flu, dust)

Thursday 5 July 2001
Agence France Presse
Singapore issues New Zealand [influenza] travel warning.
Readers are warned to watch out for pneumonia following influenza.
(LNAU - Wires - Search Term: influenza)

1 - 7 July 2001
FluNet Global Influenza Surveillance Network (WHO)
Chile - Downgraded from Widespread Outbreak to Local Outbreak for Influenza Like Illnesses.
New Zealand - No report - Influenza Like Illnesses.

Tuesday 10 July 2001
Sentiweb Weekly Report - Week 2001-27 - From July 2 till July 8, 2001
France - No report on weekly activity.

Wednesday 11 July 2001
FluWatch.com
Volusia County, Florida 32168 (East coast, Daytona Beach area)
Placed on Watch status

Thursday 12 July 2001
WHO - Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response
Influenza Activity During 2000-2001 Season
Spain - The National Centre for Epidemiology, Spain, has reported a total of 470 cases of suspected legionellosis in Murcia. One-hundred-seventy-eight of these cases have been laboratory confirmed, and the first case was hospitalized on 1 July. One patient, a 65-year-old male, has died. No cases have been reported among tourists.

Friday 13 July 2001
FluAlert
South Africa
Influenza activity in South Africa: 2001 season
Since the beginning of June, the influenza activity in South Africa has steadily been increasing. Both influenza A (H3N2) and influenza B viruses have been isolated at the National Institute for Virology. The influenza A isolates are similar to the A/Panama/2007/99 H3N2 strain in the vaccine and the influenza B isolates are closely related to the B/Johannesburg/5/99 vaccine.

8 - 14 July 2001
FluNet Global Influenza Surveillance Network (WHO)
Chile - No report - Influenza Like Illnesses.
New Zealand - No report - Influenza Like Illnesses.
[No further reports for Chile and New Zealand thru 4 August 2001.]

Saturday 14 July 2001
WHO - Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response (CSR)
Influenza Activity from During 2000-2001 Season

The summary for October 2000 thru February 2001 (5 months) was done in 87 words. No countries were mentioned by name and the overall global picture was "mild to moderate."

The summary for March 2001 thru July 2001 (5 months) took 290 words. Sporadic activity was reported to have continued in 22 Northern hemisphere countries. Six Southern hemisphere countries (winter season) were mentioned. Chile was listed as having reached the widespread activity level in June but New Zealand's widespread level, which was identified in the WHO 24 -30 June FluNet, update was not mentioned

Tuesday 17 July 2001
Sentiweb Weekly Report - Week 2001-28 - From July 9 till July 15, 2001
France
CHICKEN POX: EPIDEMIC ACTIVITY Weekly incidence is of 32 cases for 100 000 inhabitants, over the epidemic threshold (28 cases for 100 000 inhabitants) for the second consecutive week. In metropolitan France, 5 areas present an activity superior to the national epidemic threshold: Languedoc - Roussillon ( 110 ), Bretagne ( 96 ), Aquitaine ( 38 ), Alsace ( 35 ), Pays-de-la-Loire ( 34 ).
[This level is up from the 20 cases per 100 000 reported two weeks ago (week 26). There were no weekly incidence reports last week (week 27).]
ACUTE DIARRHEAS: WEAK ACTIVITY Weekly incidence is of 134 cases for 100 000 inhabitants, next size down the epidemic threshold (166 cases for 100 000 inhabitants). This week, the threshold of epidemic activity is exceeded in one area only: Bretagne ( 192 ).
[The last time diarrheas were reported on was for 18-24 June (week 25) when there were 74 cases per 100 000 inhabitants.}

Tuesday 17 July 2001
Columbus, Mississippi
Bruce Kite, of Columbus, suggests that when thinking about desert dust storms maybe we should consider the dielectric properties of the silicates of sand and their interactions with terrestrial electrical charge variations brought about by solar storms. (Electrical forces may provide a lifting mechanism involved in dust storm generation.) He suggests that deserts may serve as reservoirs of "hibernating" biotic forms which can activate after being transported to more habitable environments. He posits that perhaps the dust storms that have recently kicked up on Mars may have been triggered by (electrical) solar wind perturbations.
(This item was installed in this sequence on 2 August 2001. See the associated entry for 1 August below.)

Wednesday 18 July 2001
The New Zealand Herald - Sports News
Brisbane
A rugby league veteran, Wally Lewis, who had been struggling with influenza for the past week, appeared confused (he could not complete his sentences) while introducing a sports story on television.

Friday 20 July 2001
The Associated Press
Hauppage, New York
West Nile Found in Birds
Two crows were found with the West Nile Virus in Long Island between June 29 and July 9.
Newsday.com - Health/Science. (Link doesn't work so good.) [Two references dealing with September 1999 as the earliest findings of WNV in the United States have been removed.
See: West Nile Virus.]

Friday 20 July 2001
FluWatch.com (Vanilla Version)
Washington (AP)
D.C. Bird Had West Nile Virus
Virus was detected in a crow's carcass found on 10 July in a residential neighborhood.
[Click on media, then on articles.]

Monday 23 July 2001
Sentiweb Weekly Report - Week 2001-29 - From July 16 till July 22, 2001
France
CHICKEN POX: DECLINE OF THE ACTIVITY Weekly incidence is of 23 cases for 100 000 inhabitants, below the epidemic threshold (26 cases for 100 000 inhabitants). In metropolitan France, 4 areas present an activity superior to the national epidemic threshold: Languedoc - Roussillon ( 141 ), Rhône - Alpes ( 94 ), Nord-Pas-de-Calais ( 64 ), Pays-de-la-Loire ( 31 ).
ACUTE DIARRHEAS: ACTIVITY OF SEASON Weekly incidence is of 120 cases for 100 000 inhabitants, next size down the epidemic threshold (169 cases for 100 000 inhabitants). This week, the threshold of epidemic activity is exceeded in 1 only area : Nord-Pas-de-Calais ( 319 ).

Monday 23 July 2001
Boston Mass, USA Shark terrorizes tourists: Beast batters boat, bites bass off fishing line
BostonHerald.com - Local and Regional News

[The reason that a number of shark and whale incidents are being included in this summary is because mental confusion and abnormal behavior are sometimes symptoms of influenza. Seals are known to suffer influenza epidemics. Seals, porpoises, dolphins and some species of whales are known to suffer viral respiratory (morbillivirus) illnesses which are related to human measles (rubeola) and canine distemper. Perhaps gilled aquatic animals (including sharks) are subject to viral diseases which produce symptoms (including mental confusion) similar to those caused by influenza and morbilliviruses. For a limited number of recent studies on aquatic respiratory viral illnesses see the recommended reading list at the end of this page.]

Wednesday 25 July 2001
FluAlert
South Africa
Influenza activity in South Africa: 2001 season
All three types of influenza virus are now circulating in South Africa - Since the beginning of June, the influenza activity in South Africa has steadily been increasing. Both influenza A(H3N2) and influenza B viruses have been isolated at the National Institute for Virology. The influenza A isolates are similar to the A/Panama/2007/99 H3N2 strain in the vaccine and the influenza B isolates are closely related to the B/Johannesburg/5/99 vaccine strain. In July more influenza A H3N2 viruses were isolated than influenza B viruses. The first influenza A H1N1 virus was identified on 23 July.

Friday 27 July 2001
Press Release - World Health Organization
WHO PLANS NEW FIGHT AGAINST FLU
WHO is developing a Global Agenda on Influenza. A call is made to all those involved in monitoring, treating or studying outbreaks to identify problems and propose ways to address them.
See: Press Release WHO/36.

Thursday 31 July 2001
Victoria, British Columbia
Whale Altercation Lands Trio Boatload Of Trouble Angry killer whale rams seven meter power boat.
[Link no longer works. 2 August 2002.]

Wednesday 1 August 2001
Page reviewer comments furnished by e-mail
Amy Acheson - Seattle, Washington
... I may have noticed it because of the coincidence that it happened the day after I read your webpage. APOD (astronomy picture of the day) did a special about this month's Martian dust storm, which began June 17th in the southern hemisphere of Mars and slowly spread to all of Mars. I noticed this because in the caption they bemoan the fact that "the timing of the storm has hidden the Red Planet's surface from view during its period of close approach to planet Earth." I looked up the orbits and find that Mars is currently in the "above the ecliptic" stage of its orbit. This fits in with what I was wondering -- is the dust storm on Mars triggered by the Earth's magnetosphere at closest approach? [Earth was at inferior conjunction with Mars on 13 June.]
See: APOD 2001 27 July . Martian Dust Storm

Wednesday 1 August 2001
Sentiweb Weekly Report - Week 2001-30 - From July 23 till July 29, 2001
France Results of the telematic surveillance of communicable diseases in France:
CHICKEN POX: STRONG ACTIVITY Weekly incidence is of 26 cases for 100 000 inhabitants, close to the epidemic threshold (25 cases for 100 000 inhabitants).
In metropolitan France, 3 areas present an activity superior to the national epidemic threshold: Haute Normandie ( 83 ), Pays-de-la-Loire ( 62 ), Alsace ( 42 ).
ACUTE DIARRHEAS: ACTIVITY OF SEASON Weekly incidence is of 108 cases for 100 000 inhabitants, next size down the epidemic threshold (170 cases for 100 000 inhabitants).
This week, the threshold of epidemic activity is exceeded in 1 only region: Languedoc - Roussillon ( 277 ).
Because of computer problems and holidays, few doctors connected this week.

Thursday 2 August 2001
Yahoo! News
KITV TheHawaiiChannel.com
'Flu' Plagues Hawaii
Local hospitals and doctors report there is a nasty virus making the rounds in Honolulu. ...
Experts say it's not the flu.

Tuesday 7 August 2001
South Bend, Indiana
South Bend Tribune
State continues probe of swimmers' illness - Officials at the Indiana Department of Health are still probing what caused between 20 and 30 children to suffer flu-like symptoms of nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, and fever the day after swimming in a campground pond on about 7 July 2001. (LNAU - U.S. News - Search Term: influenza)

Tuesday 14 August 2001
FluWatch.com
Camden County, New Jersey 08034 (Across the river from Philadelphia, PA)
Placed on Watch status.

Wednesday 22 August 2001
United Kingdom - BBC News
'Big Bang' astronomer dies
Sir Fred Hoyle, originator of the Panspermia Theory (life from outer space), has died at the age of 86. Hoyle coined the phrase 'Big Bang" but challenged the popular belief that the universe is expanding.

Tuesday 28 August 2001
news-journal online.com
Volusia County, Florida USA
Shark bites 69-yearold pushing year's total to 20; Beach Patrol decides not to arrest violators of ban
Summaries of local and regional shark bite incidents.

Tuesday 28 August 2001
FluWatch.com
Volusia County, Florida USA
Placed on Influenza Alert status. (Volusia County, which was placed on Watch on 11 July, is the only location in the United States, currently in an Influenza Alert status.)

Tuesday 28 August 2001
FluNet Global Influenza Surveillance Network (WHO)
WHO has installed most of the missing Southern hemisphere reports (actually non-reports) which began on about 29 June 2001 and lasted through about 20 August 2001.

Thursday 30 August 2001
Caracas Venezuela
Inter Press Service
Health-Venezuela: Dengue Epidemic Reaches New Heights
"More that 30,000 cases of dengue fever have been recorded in Venezuela in the last five months, ... The dengue epidemic, the third here in six years, exploded 21 weeks ago in 20 of Venezuela's 23 states." [This would have been around the first week in April.] "The initial symptoms of the [mosquito borne] disease are similar to those of the flu, such as fever, headache and muscle pain. ... The vast majority of the dengue cases this year have been people ages five to 44..." [44 years ago would have been 1957, which was the year that the Asian flu pandemic was in full swing.] "...8.4 percent of the cases involve...hemorrhagic dengue which is blamed for three deaths."
LNAU - Wires - Search Term: influenza)

Tuesday 04 September 2001
FluWatch.com
Volusia County, Florida USA
Lowered to Watch status. (Volusia County had been elevated to Alert status on 28 August.)

Friday 07 September 2001
FluWatch.com
Volusia County, Florida USA
Restored to Influenza Alert status. (Currently five states have counties that are active on the FluWatch.com site; New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Louisiana, and Florida. These are all East of the Mississippi river )

Tuesday 11 September 2001
FluWatch.com
Volusia County, Florida USA Lowered to Watch status.
New Jersey Removed from Watch status.
Humbolt County, Nevada Added to Watch status.

Tuesday 11 September 2001
United States of America
Original entry removed on 2 August 2002. (Heartfelt condolences are offered to the families and loved ones of those who perished in the September 11th tragedies.)

Thursday 13 September 2001
Jackson, Mississippi - The Clarion-Ledger (Page 7A)
Doctors warned to look out for bioterrorism
"State health officials have warned emergency room doctors across the state to be on the lookout for signs of biological terrorism. ... Emergency room doctors are asked to pay close attention to symptoms that could be linked to infectious agents like anthrax, small pox, plague and tularemia. That includes keeping tabs on the number of flu-like cases and rashes reported in coming weeks."

[Tularemia is a bacterial disease associated with animals and humans. People who spend a great deal of time out of doors are most likely to come into contact with it. Symptoms can include lesion, swollen glands, throat infection, intestinal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, fever and pneumonia-like illness.] For more info see: New York State Department of Health Communicable Disease Fact Sheet.

Saturday 15 September 2001
FluWatch.com
Volusia County, Florida USA Yo-yoed back to Alert status.
Counties in the United States currently on Watch status.
DuPage County, Illinois
Washington County, Louisiana
Humbolt County, Nevada
Queens County, New York

Abbreviated descriptions of FluWatch levels of activity
No Activity - No positive flu reports reported.
Watch - Positive flu results reported
Alert - Positive flu results reported as consistently as every other day in moderate numbers
Warning - Positive flu results reported on a consistent daily basis in high numbers
Epidemic - Influenza has attacked people in epidemic numbers.

Tuesday 18 September 2001
FluWatch.com
Putnam County, Tennessee USA Placed on Flu Alert status.

Friday 21 September 2001
FluWatch.com (Macromedia Flash Player version)
Kent County, Rhode Island, USA Placed on Flu Watch status.

Wednesday 26 September 2001
FluWatch.com
Washington County , Louisiana - Dropped to No Activity status.
Rabun County, Georgia - Placed on Watch status.
Queens County, New York - Elevated to Alert status.

To view a map showing counties in the United States that are listed on FluWatch.com see:
Current USA Influenza Conditions

References:

(2) Richard Stenger, "Scientists Discover Possible Microbe from Space," The Electronic Astrobiology Newsletter, Vol. 7, No. 45, 27 Nov 2000, Article 3.

(3) Kolata, Gina, Flu, The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It, Simon & Schuster, Touchstone, New York, (1999).

Recommended reading

Seals pose influenza threat - BBC News, (Sci/Tech) Thursday, 11 May 2000

Beaked Whale Stranding - Mike Williamson - Monday, 14 Dec 1998

Viral Harpoon Reveals Ancestry of Measles, Mumps Viruses
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research News - 17 December 1999
Findings suggest that viruses that cause measles and mumps may be viral cousins of HIV, influenza and Ebola virus.

Jaws and Laws - Muse News June & July 1991 Volume 5 Number 6 - South African Museum
"Little is known of white shark behavior and socio-biology, and this needs to be studied in detail.
... there is almost nothing known of other predators, disease, and other natural causes of white shark injury or mortality." L.J.V. Compagno and Mike Boon - Shark Research Centre