FIRE-EARTH Report: Wahhabi Arabia and Satellite States 03

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FIRE-EARTH Report: Wahhabi Arabia and its Satellite States

[Prepared by FIRE-EARTH Science Team.]

• Report is available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

 

New MERS-CoV Cases Reported in Arabia and UAE

Saudi respiratory syndrome crown virus (MERS-CoV) infect more people

Disease Outbreak News: Jan. 26, 2016

The National IHR Focal Point for Saudi Arabia has notified WHO of 138 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection including about 30 deaths [Sept 2015 – Jan 2016].

• The cases were reported in various cities including Madinah, Bisha, Aloyoun, Onizah, Najran, Alqweiyha, Buridah, Jeddah and Riyadh.

• Many of the victims are females, including several non-national health workers, in the 21 – 30 age range.

The National IHR Focal Point of the United Arab Emirates has notified WHO of 2 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death.

• Both cases were reported in Abu Dhabi.

Thailand has confirmed MERS-CoV disease in a traveler, the second such case in the country in the last seven months.

• A man from Oman, who arrived in Bangkok, Thailand for treatment on 22 January, and was admitted to a private hospital, tested positive for MERS-CoV.

Globally, since September 2012, WHO has been notified of 1,632 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including at least 587 related deaths.

The first confirmed case of the MERS-CoV infection was reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It’s believed that the virus has been present in bats for several decades and had spread to camels by early 1990s. The virus seems to have spread from camels to humans in 2010.

 

Countries with Confirmed MERS-CoV

To date, 26 countries have reported cases of deadly infection, with Saudi Arabia accounting for more than 85 percent of all cases:

• Middle East: Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia , United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

• Africa: Algeria, and Tunisia; in Europe: Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

• Asia: China, the Republic of Korea , Malaysia Philippines and Thailand.

• North America: The United States of America

Key Facts [WHO]

• Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012.

• Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

• Typical MERS symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Pneumonia is common, but not always present. Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhoea, have also been reported.

• Approximately 36% of reported patients with MERS have died.

• Although the majority of human cases of MERS have been attributed to human-to-human infections, camels are likely to be a major reservoir host for MERS-CoV and an animal source of MERS infection in humans. However, the exact role of camels in transmission of the virus and the exact route(s) of transmission are unknown.

• The virus does not seem to pass easily from person to person unless there is close contact, such as occurs when providing unprotected care to a patient.

Symptoms [WHO]

The clinical spectrum of MERS-CoV infection ranges from no symptoms (asymptomatic) or mild respiratory symptoms to severe acute respiratory disease and death. A typical presentation of MERS-CoV disease is fever, cough and shortness of breath. Pneumonia is a common finding, but not always present. Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhoea, have also been reported. Severe illness can cause respiratory failure that requires mechanical ventilation and support in an intensive care unit. Approximately 36% of reported patients with MERS-CoV have died. The virus appears to cause more severe disease in older people, people with weakened immune systems, and those with chronic diseases such as cancer, chronic lung disease and diabetes.

Source of the virus [WHO]

MERS-CoV is a zoonotic virus that is transmitted from animals to humans. The origins of the virus are not fully understood but, according to the analysis of different virus genomes, it is believed that it originated in bats and was transmitted to camels sometime in the distant past.

Related Links

• MERS Alert in S.K: 1,200 Schools Closed, 1,600 People Quarantined June 4, 2015
• MERS Deaths Surge to 282 in Saudi Arabia  June 4, 2014
• MERS Infection Kills More People  May 17, 2014
• Saudi MERS Death Toll Reaches 102 April 28, 2014

Monster Sandstorm Plagues UAE, Gulf Region

Massive sandstorm disruption air traffic throughout Gulf region

Large, blinding plumes of orange haze blanketing Saudi Arabia on Wednesday moved east severely reducing visibility and forcing authorities to cancel flights in Dubai, Abu Dhabi,  Bahrain and Qatar, according to local reports.

“According to followed procedures, domestic and international flights at both King Abdullah Airports of Jazan, Abha, Wadi Aldwasir, Bisha, Sharourah and Najran, have been suspended temporarily starting from Thursday morning until further notice,” the official Saudi Press Agency, SPA, quoted the authorities as saying.

“Normal operations have been disrupted at Dubai International [world’s busiest in 2014 with nearly 71 million passengers] and Al Maktoum International due to bad weather across the GCC,” Dubai Airports said on its website.

Warning motorist about the poor visibility, the UAE National Center for Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) said, “brisk and strong winds are aggravating the effect of sand and dust, causing a near complete lack of vision in daylight.”

Authorities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia ordered schools to close, citing “extreme weather conditions.”

Iraq Violence Death Toll Nears 7,200 in 10 Months

Bloody October Leaves about 3,000 Iraqis Dead or Wounded

The death toll from violence in Iraq  reached at least 1,095 in October, according to Iraq Body Count and 979, according to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

Additionally, about 16,000 others have been wounded in the deadly violence so far this year. 

Some 852 civilians and 127 members of the Iraqi Security Forces were killed in October, while 1,902 others were wounded, including 1,793 civilians and 109 security personnel, reported UNAMI.

ALL Iraqis, civilians, soldiers and security personnel, are prime targets for Saudi-backed Sunni militants seeking to destabilize the country’s Shia-led government.

UNAMI 2013 Stats for Armed Violence in Iraq

According to information collected by UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and other sources, a minimum of 7,168 civilians [to be confirmed] have been killed and about 16,000 others wounded so far this year.

• In October 2013, at least 1,095 people were killed and more than 1,900 others wounded.
  • October death toll for Iraq was 979, exactly the same as September toll (!), according to UNAMI.
• In September 2013, at least 1,220 civilians were killed and about 2,000 others wounded
  • Baghdad, 1 October 2013 – According to casualty figures released today by UNAMI, a total of 979 Iraqis were killed and another 2,133 were wounded in acts of terrorism and violence in September.

• In August 2013, a minimum of 716 civilians were killed (including 106 civilian police) a further 1,936 were injured (including 195 civilian police) in ongoing armed violence in Iraq
• In July 2013, at least 928 were killed (including 204 civilian police) a further 2,109 were injured (including 338 civilian police) in ongoing armed violence in Iraq during July 2013.
• In June 2013, a minimum of 685 civilians were killed and 1,610 were injured.
• In May 2013, at least 963 civilians were killed and 2,191 were injured.
• In April 2013, a minimum of 595 civilians were killed and 1481 were injured.
• In March 2013, at least 229 civilians were killed and 853 were injured.
• In January 2013, at least 319 civilians were killed and 960 were injured.
• In December 2012, 230 civilians were killed and 655 were injured.
• In November 2012, 445 civilians were killed and 1306 were injured.

ALL figures remain estimates until full investigation and analysis have been carried out, said UNAMI.

Related Links

• 7,037 Killed in Iraq Violence October 27, 2013
• Bloody Sunday Bombings Kill 78 in Iraq October 21, 2013
• Deadly Violence Intensifies in Iraq October 6, 2013
• Every Day a Major Disaster Day in Iraq  October 1, 2013
• Iraq Carnage Negates All Human Values August 29, 2013
• Destabilization of Middle East Intensifies 26, 2013
• 1,057 Iraqis Killed in July August 1, 2013
• The Financial Legacy of Iraq and Afghanistan April 1, 2013
• US, UK Munitions ‘Cause Birth Defects’ in Iraq October 14, 2012
• Iraq Ecocide Nears Totality August 1, 2009

7,037 Killed in Iraq Violence

60 people killed across Iraq so far today

At least 10 car bombs ripped through Baghdad killing dozens of people and wounding many more, amid the worst violence in Iraq since 2008.

In the deadliest attack today, a suicide bomber targeted soldiers in the northern city of Mosul, killing at least 12 and wounding dozens more, Reuters reported police as saying.

The soldiers were waiting outside a bank to collect their salaries, when the bomber driving a car packed with high explosives blew himself up, said the report.

Iraqi soldiers and security personnel are prime targets for [Saudi-backed] Sunni militants seeking to destabilize the country’s Shi’ite-led government, the report said.

UNAMI 2013 Stats for Armed Violence in Iraq

According to information collected by UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and other sources, a minimum of 7,037 civilians [to be confirmed] have been killed and about 14,000 others wounded so far this year.

• October 2013: At least 964 people have been killed hundreds more wounded so far this month.
• In September 2013, at least 1,220 civilians were killed and about 2,000 others wounded
  • Baghdad, 1 October 2013 – According to casualty figures released today by UNAMI, a total of 979 Iraqis were killed and another 2,133 were wounded in acts of terrorism and violence in September.

• In August 2013, a minimum of 716 civilians were killed (including 106 civilian police) a further 1,936 were injured (including 195 civilian police) in ongoing armed violence in Iraq
• In July 2013, at least 928 were killed (including 204 civilian police) a further 2,109 were injured (including 338 civilian police) in ongoing armed violence in Iraq during July 2013.
• In June 2013, a minimum of 685 civilians were killed and 1,610 were injured.
• In May 2013, at least 963 civilians were killed and 2,191 were injured.
• In April 2013, a minimum of 595 civilians were killed and 1481 were injured.
• In March 2013, at least 229 civilians were killed and 853 were injured.
• In January 2013, at least 319 civilians were killed and 960 were injured.
• In December 2012, 230 civilians were killed and 655 were injured.
• In November 2012, 445 civilians were killed and 1306 were injured.

ALL figures remain estimates until full investigation and analysis have been carried out, said UNAMI.

Related Links

• Bloody Sunday Bombings Kill 78 in Iraq October 21, 2013
• Deadly Violence Intensifies in Iraq October 6, 2013
• Every Day a Major Disaster Day in Iraq  October 1, 2013
• Iraq Carnage Negates All Human Values August 29, 2013
• Destabilization of Middle East Intensifies 26, 2013
• 1,057 Iraqis Killed in July August 1, 2013
• The Financial Legacy of Iraq and Afghanistan April 1, 2013
• US, UK Munitions ‘Cause Birth Defects’ in Iraq October 14, 2012
• Iraq Ecocide Nears Totality August 1, 2009

Bloody Sunday Bombings Kill 78 in Iraq

Suicide bomb attacks kill at least 78 across Iraq

A suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a cafe in Baghdad’s Al-Amil area on Sunday, killing at least 38 people, and leaving 39 others wounded, Reuters reported.

At least 40 others were killed in separate, mostly coordinated attacks, across the country including up to 28 people in the town of Rawa in Iraq’s western province of Al-Anbar.

The Sunday killings raises the October death toll to at least 716, and the 2013 total to 6,789 so far this year.

Perpetuating the Deadly Violence in Iraq

Saudi, Qatari, UAE and other [US-assisted] Arab regimes that help perpetuate the sectarian slaughter in Iraq and Syria must realize that they will NOT escape the carnage unscathed.

UNAMI Stats for Armed Violence in Iraq

According to information collected by UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and other sources, a minimum of 6,073 civilians [to be confirmed] have been killed and at least 12,000 others wounded between January 1 and September 30, 2013.

• In September 2013, at least 1,220 civilians were killed and about 2,000 others wounded
  • Baghdad, 1 October 2013 – According to casualty figures released today by UNAMI, a total of 979 Iraqis were killed and another 2,133 were wounded in acts of terrorism and violence in September.

• In August 2013, a minimum of 716 civilians were killed (including 106 civilian police) a further 1,936 were injured (including 195 civilian police) in ongoing armed violence in Iraq
• In July 2013, at least 928 were killed (including 204 civilian police) a further 2,109 were injured (including 338 civilian police) in ongoing armed violence in Iraq during July 2013.
• In June 2013, a minimum of 685 civilians were killed and 1,610 were injured.
• In May 2013, at least 963 civilians were killed and 2,191 were injured.
• In April 2013, a minimum of 595 civilians were killed and 1481 were injured.
• In March 2013, at least 229 civilians were killed and 853 were injured.
• In January 2013, at least 319 civilians were killed and 960 were injured.
• In December 2012, 230 civilians were killed and 655 were injured.
• In November 2012, 445 civilians were killed and 1306 were injured.

ALL figures remain estimates until full investigation and analysis have been carried out, said UNAMI.

Related Links

• Deadly Violence Intensifies in Iraq October 6, 2013
• Every Day a Major Disaster Day in Iraq  October 1, 2013
• Iraq Carnage Negates All Human Values August 29, 2013
• Destabilization of Middle East Intensifies 26, 2013
• 1,057 Iraqis Killed in July August 1, 2013
• The Financial Legacy of Iraq and Afghanistan April 1, 2013
• US, UK Munitions ‘Cause Birth Defects’ in Iraq October 14, 2012
• Iraq Ecocide Nears Totality August 1, 2009