Avian (Bird) Flu Discovered In Delaware; Birds To Be Destroyed

[DuctapeFatwa]

Delaware officials ordered the destruction of some 12,000 farm chickens on Friday after confirming that the flock was infected by avian influenza.

State agriculture secretary Michael Scuse said the flu strain is different from the one that has spread to the human population in Asia, and that there is no threat to human health.

Scuse wouldn't disclose the location of the infected chicken houses or identify the grower, saying only that it was an independent operation in Kent County.

http://news.nasdaq.com/news/newsStory.aspx?&cpath=20040206\ACQDJON200402062133DOWJONESDJONLINE001012.htm

[lastknowngood]

1. It's over dude that moves via any bird so migratory birds will

carry it all over the country.

[fortyfeetunder]

2. Day of doom

I don't think this is the last we will see of this bird flu...

[qanda]

3. That's pretty disturbing

Especially since Kent County is not that far from these parts.

[Merlin]

5. Us, too. Like 5 miles from Lincoln.

And there are a gazillion migratory birds around here.

[oneighty]

4. Dinosaurs-Avians?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm

180

[NickB79]

6. Anyone consider what they'd do if this is the next "big one"?

What would you do if what we are seeing is the beginning of the next major pandemic? I'm not someone who usually takes much credit in doomsday prophecies, but the "what if" thought has crossed my mind. Personally, I'd hightail it out to my parent's farm and stay there until the worst had passed. Miles out in the country, 500 gallons each of gasoline and diesel for vehicles and a back-up generator, hundreds of pounds of pork, beef and vegetables grown on the farm in the garage freezer, our own well, propane tank of fuel, a wood burning stove in the machine shed that could easily be moved and installed to heat our house should we run out of fuel. Worst case scenario, we can slaughter cattle or pigs ourselves, or hunt in our woods. Stay there until we hear on the TV or radio that the pandemic is waning, and in the meantime make sure no contact is had with anyone, not even neighbors. Ugh, I hate thoughts like that, I have no desire to live off the land like a survivalist.

[DuctapeFatwa]

7. Probably most people with the resources to do so would find a way

to get to a place where they could survive.

The poor would die.

[Bonobo]

9. Sound nice but...

Why recount your survival plans in such gleeful details when you KNOW that most that read your post do not have a family farm to run to?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

10. If you do that,

I'd avoid the poultry.

[kurtyboy]

13. Yeah, well, PLEASE still get out to

VOTE in November, will ya'?

[Occulus]

17. That's what I'm planning as well.

And the info I have says that this is the real deal. I truly hope I'm wrong.

[burrowowl]

8. If they kill all the chickens in the world

no egg-nog?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. Well seeing as most of our chickens

come from the Delmarva Peninsula, I'm feeling a little leery of the ones in my fridge right now...

Maybe I'll just boil the hell out of 'em.

[chasqui]

12. Woah. There is a thread in LBN

Where they are talking about this Avian Flu getting out of hand in the USA. It is already happening, and that information was going to be 'trickled out.'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=349633&mesg_id=350054&page=

[Occulus]

18. Trickle, trickle.

It'll be downplayed until it can't be downplayed anymore. Then, BAM! quarantines and military law will ensue.

This is one of the items I was hoping not to see.

Damn. Damn, damn, damn.

[depakid]

14. Not to worry- it's an H7, not an H5

Unless you are in the poultry business, this isn't a problem. When you read the literature, you'll see that there's a clear distiction between pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5 variants) and so called non-pathogenic Avain influenza (H7 variants). They're not even comperable.

[Occulus]

19. True, but

this will affect poultry producers in a big way. Unfortunately, it'll also affect the rest of us.

Eventually, we'll see mass slaughters as officials desperately try to avoid an outbreak of something or other. They will fail, of course, because it's already too late, but it will make people feel as though something's being done and lull them into complacency. Then the axe will fall, as it were.

[Grins]

15. And now for the politics...!

Avian bird FLU. An infectious disease easily transmitted.

OK, let’s go back a couple years. The head slot at NIH is open and has been open for quite a while causing a lack of direction, authority, and some backlog. It’s up to Pres. Bush to appoint someone and he takes his sweet time (i.e., his political thugs haven’t vetted the “right” guy for their constituents.)

Set the scene for the decision: It is a few months after 9/11 and postal employees have died from anthrax, health care workers and first-responders are getting immunizations, and the Capitol has been closed down. Smallpox is the next threat they are worried about. Not flu, but both certainly infectious diseases. The guy on the news addressing the public on these threats, the key, go-to guy in public health on infectious diseases – Dr. Anthony Fauci, NIH’s Director for the Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (And on “60 Minutes” – it's Dr. Anthony Fauci; on the flu epidemic last November – Dr. Anthony Fauci; Ricin in Congress this week – Dr. Anthony Fauci.)

So, with all that going on, Bush appoints Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D – a radiologist! Dr. Zerhouni’s credentials are outstanding - in his field. No doubt about that, but why not Fauci?

The story is that Fauci was asked in about the damage done physically and psychologically to young women that had had apportions. Fauci said the he hadn’t read all the literature, didn’t know if NIH or JAMA had a formal position and, on that basis, thought the topic needed more scrutiny. Basically, he honestly said he didn’t know, and said so. NOT the answer they wanted.

Politics trumps policy….again.

[Occulus]

20. Did you expect anything more?

:)

[donsu]

16. Isn't Perdu in Dela.?

nt