Diarrhoea

Today’s Seafood Special: Pig Manure, Antibiotics, And Diarrhea Bugs

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– Today’s Seafood Special: Pig Manure, Antibiotics, and Diarrhea Bugs (Mother Jones):

Next time you tuck into a Red Lobster “Endless Shrimp” special or score some $7-per-pound salmon at a supermarket, consider this: You’re very likely eating imported seafood raised on a factory-style farm in Asia—and it almost certainly was never inspected by the Food and Drug Administration on its way into the country and onto your plate.

Is that…safe? Big retailers like Walmart and restaurant chains like Darden (owner of Red Lobster) say yes, in part because some of the seafood they buy bears the Best Aquaculture Practices label. Who issues that label? The Global Aquaculture Alliance, an industry endeavor—its board consists of representatives from (you guessed it) Darden, as well as Cargill, the Chilean salmon industry, and a large farmed-shrimp importer called Eastern Fish Company. Not surprisingly, BAP standards for farmed fish placed near the bottom (16 of 20) in a 2012 ranking of aquaculture labels by the University of Victoria’s Seafood Ecology Research Group. (Darden says it independently tests its shrimp for contaminants but declined to share its results; Walmart did not answer our questions about inspections.)

Read moreToday’s Seafood Special: Pig Manure, Antibiotics, And Diarrhea Bugs

Japanese Journalist Suffers From Severe Diarrhea After Visiting Fukushima Nuclear Plant

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– Japanese journalist suffers from severe diarrhea after visiting Fukushima plant (Fukushima Diary, Feb. 25, 2012):

Following up this article ..[LIVE] Inside of Fukushima plants (1,500 microSv/h in the bus)

A Japanese journalist, Iwakami Yasumi has been suffering from severe diarrhea since he visited Fukushima Plants.

He tweeted like this below

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? @iwakamiyasumi

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<Translation>

I’ve been sick these 3 days. Especially yesterday and today, I suffer from severe diarrhea and stomachache. My doctor diagnosed it as apendicitis. He says probably I had my immune system weaken by overworking. I still haven’t had peritonitis so no need of having open abdominal surgery, but was told to stay safe at home, don’t eat anything until Tuesday.

Read moreJapanese Journalist Suffers From Severe Diarrhea After Visiting Fukushima Nuclear Plant

US outbreak of salmonella spreads

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Officials have warned against Roma, round and plum tomatoes from some sources

More than 1,000 people in more than 40 US states are now confirmed to have become ill with salmonella since April, officials say.

The US health authorities suspect the bacteria to be present in some raw tomatoes, chilli peppers and the coriander used in salsa.

The outbreak is deemed to be the worst one of a food-borne illness in the US for more than a decade.

Two people are said to have died, and 200 people have been taken to hospital.

There have also been several cases in Canada.

Investigators say they think there are several sources for the outbreak as many of those ill say they did not eat hot peppers or foods like salsa that contain them, Dr Robert Tauxe, food safety chief at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We are quite sure that neither tomatoes nor jalapenos explain the entire outbreak at this point… We’re presuming that both of them have caused illness,” he told the Associated Press.

“We really are working as hard and as fast as we can to sort out this complicated situation and protect the health of the American people.”

(“Suspect”, “They Think”,“Quite Sure”, “Really Working Hard”, “As Fast As We Can”, that says it all.
They have not the foggiest idea. – The Infinite Unknown)

High-risk population

Read moreUS outbreak of salmonella spreads

Burma: The death toll could rise up to 1.5million following the cyclone

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“An estimated 100,000 people have already died in the badly hit Irrawaddy Delta region.

“Oxfam has warned the final figure could be as high as 1.5 million unless aid is given free access to the worst hit areas.”
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Aid should be dropped into Burma from the skies if access to Burma does not improve dramatically within the next day, Tory leader David Cameron urged today.

Amid increasing concern at the limited supplies getting through to those in need, he said: “The sands of time are running out.”

International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said nothing was being ruled out, although access had improved recently.
Devastation: Cyclone Nargis tore through Burma leaving destruction in its path.

Their comments came as charities warned Burma was on the cusp of a second wave of disaster due to the inadequate relief being allowed into the country.

Mr Cameron said he hoped direct drops would not be necessary but if Burma did not allow aid in that would constitute a “crime against humanity”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s The World At One: “What we need to do is say if the situation hasn’t radically improved by Tuesday then we need to consider the further steps of direct aid being dropped to help people in Burma.

Read moreBurma: The death toll could rise up to 1.5million following the cyclone