News

Surveillance of infections related to the novel coronavirus (MERS-CoV) As of October 29, 2013, the WHO report on the international situation lists 145 cases of novel coronavirus infection (including 62 deaths) across 9 countries/emirates: Germany: 2 cases (1 death), Saudi Arabia: 121 cases (51 deaths), France: 2 cases (1 death), Italy: 1 case, Jordan: 2 cases (2 deaths), Qatar: 5 cases (2 deaths), United Kingdom: 4 cases (3 deaths), Tunisia: 3 cases (1 death), and United Arab Emirates: 5 cases (1 death). In France, 347 reports of suspected MERS-CoV infections have been received, of which 94 possible cases were tested: only 2 have been confirmed by the CNR to date (including 1 death).In France, the High Council for Public Health (HCSP) updated a document on June 28 regarding the management and prevention of MERS-CoV infections, the coronavirus responsible for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV).

Surveillance of mushroom poisoning An increased risk of death by suicide has been observed among farmers in several French and international studies. The InVS recently published the results of the first analysis of suicide mortality based on comprehensive national data among active farmers. Suicides were the third leading cause of death in this population over the entire study period. The study population comprises approximately 500,000 people per year, 68% of whom are men and 32% women. During the three years studied (2007 to 2009), 2,769 deaths were observed among men and 997 among women. Among these deaths, 417 suicides among men (130, 146, and 141 in 2007, 2008, and 2009, respectively) and 68 among women (19, 27, and 22 in 2007, 2008, and 2009, respectively) were recorded. A comparison of suicide mortality among active farmers with that of men of the same age in the general French population shows a 28% excess of suicides in 2008 and a 22% excess in 2009. This excess is particularly pronounced in the 45–64 age group and in the dairy and beef cattle sectors, which had the highest excess suicide mortality rates in 2008 and 2009. These findings coincide with the timing of the financial difficulties encountered in these sectors during the study period.