13 Nov 2008 13:20:00 -0500 PandemicFlu.gov RSS Feed for Website Updates Welcome to the PandemicFlu.gov RSS news feed provided by the Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.pandemicflu.gov News en-us Secretary Leavitt's Webcast Now Available

The archive of Secretary Leavitt’s Pandemic Planning and Preparedness Webcast on October 29th, 2008 is now available at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/news/panflu_webinar7.html.

We would also like to cordially invite you to join us on Wednesday, December 17th at 2 p.m. ET for the next PlanFirst Webcast. Details about the upcoming Webcast will be posted on the PlanFirst Webcasts home page (http://pandemicflu.gov/news/panflu_webinar.html) in the near future.

 http://www.pandemicflu.gov/news/panflu_webinar7.html Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:20:00 -0500 HHS Secretary Leavitt Visits Southeast Asia to Advance Product Safety and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Efforts HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt is visiting Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam to advance the administration’s efforts to improve the safety of imports, and to review cooperative efforts to reduce the spread of disease, including HIV/AIDS and highly pathanogenic avian influenza. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2008pres/04/20080414c.html Tues, Apr 15, 2008 10:00:00 -0500 Human-to-Human Transmission Likely in Pakistan Outbreak Two additional H5N1 cases were confirmed by serological testing, thus providing final H5N1 infection test results on a previously reported family cluster in Peshawar. http://www.who.int/csr/don/2008_04_03/en/index.html Thu, 3 March 2008 15:20:00 -0500 Secretary Leavitt Writes About Pandemic Exercise With Bloggers We routinely hold readiness exercises at HHS on various emergency scenarios. Typically, people from various parts of the emergency management community sit around a square table, and a moderator paints a picture of a disaster unfolding. It is like a reader’s theater. As events are described, each actor assumes their part, describing what they are thinking and doing to respond. http://secretarysblog.hhs.gov/my_weblog/2008/03/pandemic-exerci.html Wed, 20 March 2008 10:20:00 -0500 HHS Releases Pandemic Planning Update V Report HHS Releases Pandemic Planning Update V Report http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/panflureport5.html Tue, 19 March 2008 10:20:00 -0500 U.N. Group Warns Indonesia Situation Critical U.N. Group Warns Indonesia Situation Critical http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000813/index.html Mon, 18 March 2008 10:20:00 -0500 Webcast on State Pandemic Planning Assessments Webcast on State Pandemic Planning Assessments http://www.pandemicflu.gov/news/panflu_webinar1.html Thu, 13 March 2008 10:20:00 -0500 New Guidelines for State Pandemic Planning Effective State, local and community functioning during and following an influenza pandemic requires focused planning and practicing in advance of the pandemic to ensure that States can maintain their critical functions. http://www.pandemicflu.gov/news/guidance031108.pdf Wed, 14 Feb 2008 15:20:00 -0500 Diagnostic kits for avian influenza and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) obtain the green light of the OIE Commission for Biological Standards The BioChek Avian Influenza Antibody and Prionics® Check Western diagnostic kits got a positive recommendation by the Commission for Biological Standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). http://www.oie.int/eng/press/en_080213.htm Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:30:00 -0500