# 5109
Scarcely a week goes by when we don’t get an oddball news story out of some part of the world that sounds like it might signal the start of an unusual disease outbreak.
If you read the daily infectious disease dispatches from ProMed Mail, or follow the work of the newshounds on the flu forums, in short order you learn just how common these sorts of reports really are.
Most of the time these outbreaks end up being caused by a pathogen that is already well known – just unidentified at first - and usually these outbreaks are limited.
Early reports media reports, while they can provide the first indication of an emerging pathogen, are prone to hyperbole and inaccuracies. Some news services are actually notorious for this sort of reporting.
So Caveat Lector remains solid advice.
Of course, we follow these stories because sometimes - albeit rarely - they turn out to herald something of genuine significance.
So with those warnings in mind, over the past 24 hours the newshounds on FluTrackers have been following a series of curious news reports out of Mongolia that suggest that they might be dealing with an unidentified flu strain.
Yesterday morning Dutchy posted the following (admittedly vague) translation from news.liga.net, a media site out of Kiev, Ukraine.
02.12.2010
In Mongolia recorded unknown influenza virus
New, not experts studied the flu virus, found in Mongolia. For current flu symptoms similar to the so-called "avian" and "pig" influenza viruses. The virus is classified as H3N2.
In Ulan Bator have registered 17 cases of the disease. The main danger of young children suffer.
As the channel "Vesti" , head of public relations, National Research Center for Infectious Diseases Mongolia Chuluunbat Urtnasan explained that doctors currently do not know how to protect yourself from the virus H3N2.
He said that primary attention be given to protecting the body from cold. It weakened to a cold body prone to a new viral infection.
Singular Urtnasan recommended for the very first symptoms of infection immediately contact a doctor for help. He recommends at work and at home more often ventilated room and do a wet cleaning.
At the same time Dutchy also posted the following alert.
From MOH Mongolia, National Influenza Center
The website is in English; lot of graphs.
Alert !!!
Contributed by B.DarmaaWednesday, 17 November 2010 22:42
Influenza A(H3N2) specific RNA has been detected in 7%(11/159) of the samples sent to the NIC, Mongolia in the 45th week of 2010.
The positive samples were collected in Ulaanbaatar City and Dornogobi aimak.
Health service institutions are called to start control activities according to the established rules recommended for the seasonal influenza outbreaks.
NIC, Mongolia
This second report simply made it sound as if the new Perth H3N2 virus had finally arrived in Mongolia. Hardly a newsflash worthy story, but perhaps worth keeping one eye on.
Today, we get a third story, this time from a Russian media outlet (http://www.vz.ru/news), stating that Russian doctors were going to Mongolia to investigate this `new kind of flu’.
Russian doctors will travel to Mongolia to explore a new kind of flu
December 3, 2010,Russian doctors interested in finding in Mongolia novel influenza virus, which, according to some, like swine and avian influenza.
"No panic. But we're interested in, because it is close to our borders "- said the head of Rospotrebnadzor, chief state sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko.
"Our Mongolian colleagues say they have discovered the flu virus H3N2. Through the Foreign Ministry, we have requested access to clinical material, which is in Mongolia ", - said Onishchenko.
According to him, the specialists of the Russian NGO "Vector" - the regional center for the study of influenza - are going to explore a new flu, which is found in Mongolia.
"They will go to Mongolia, if we agree, and if there will be something to investigate. It is unclear what kind of flu. The clinic, he is small, unlike normal influenza. More research is needed "- said the head of Rospotrebnadzor.
In Mongolia, we found a new, unexplored by experts virus, the symptoms similar to the so-called avian and swine influenza.
"It was classified as H3N2. In Ulan Bator today registered 17 cases. It is also known that the main risk exposed young children "- delivered on Thursday channel" Stork-TV, citing the National Research Center for Infectious Diseases in Mongolia.
"Now we do not know the specific methods of protection from the virus H3N2. We believe that the main thing - it's to protect themselves from cold. It is manifested through her new infection "- said the representative of the Mongolian Center, reports "Interfax"
The primary source of information for this story appears to be Russia’s Chief Health Officer Gennady Onishchenko, which lends at least a little credibility to the story.
Whether there is anything here or not remains to be seen. This may very well turn out to be nothing more than the (now) garden-variety Perth/H3N2 that has recently reemerged around the world.
While I tend to be skeptical about these sorts of media reports, the hardworking volunteer newshounds on the Flu forums will no doubt keep an eye on this situation, and I’ll update it in this column if it turns out to be anything significant.
In the meantime, you can follow new reports on this thread at FluTrackers.