WHO warns of bird flu pandemic

[rodbarnett]

By Amy Kazmin in Bangkok
Published: February 26 2004 12:07 | Last Updated: February 26 2004 12:07


United Nations health experts warned Thursday the bird flu virus that has decimated Asian poultry stocks remained a serious human health threat, and conditions were "ripe" for the virus to mutate into a form that could spread easily between people.


"The avian flu epidemic is not yet under control," Dr. Bjorn Melgaard, the World Health Organization representative to Thailand, said at a regional meeting in Bangkok to assess Asia's battle against the disease. "As some outbreaks are eliminated, others erupt."

The World Health Organization's worst fear is that the virus will change into a form that can pass quickly from person to person, creating a major pandemic. While there is so evidence that has so far happened, Mr Melgaard warns there was no room for complacency.

"The threat to human health will last as long as avian influenza persists in the environment," he said. "Conditions in affected countries and elsewhere are ripe for the emergence of ...a pandemic strain of the influenza virus."

Nearly 100 million birds have died or been culled in recent weeks as part of the effort to contain and eliminate the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu. But the late start in the region's efforts to combat the disease - which is believed to have hit some countries late last year - allowed the virus to spread widely, making the eradication task more difficult.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1077690716797

[MrSoundAndVision]

1. Yeah Yeah....

The Virus of the Century of the Week

[nolabels]

2. Probably too late in this season for such a thing, but next year? yikes

This stuff has already made the jump

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/special/birdflu.htm
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/2004-02/20/Stories/07.htm

Bird flu claims two more victims

HA NOI — Bird flu killed a 16-month-old girl on Wednesday in HCM City, boosting death toll from the outbreak to 15.

Le Hoang Sang, deputy director of HCM City’s Pasteur Institute, said the girl had tested positive for H5N1, the virus responsible for the bird flu. She died after two days of treatment at HCM City’s Paediatric Hospital No1.

The virus also killed a three-year-old boy from Lam Dong Province in the Central Highlands on Thursday. He died 10 days after arriving at a provincial hospital. Test confirmed the H5N1 was responsible for his death.

Trinh Quan Huan, director of the Preventive Medicine Department, said 22 people had tested positive for the virus since last October. Three patients had recovered, while four others were still in hospital.

The Japanese government sent 70,000 Tamiflu pills to Viet Nam on Thursday. The Ministry of Health said it would distribute them to hospitals to treat the flu.

Chinese government donated 100 microwaves to disinfect hospital equipment. The World Health Organisation sent 21,500 doses of vaccine to prevent the flu virus from spreading.

Deputy Health Minister Tran Chi Liem said Viet Nam seemed to have contained the bird flu epidemic in the past 10 days.
(snip)

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/2004-02/16/Stories/07.htm
Bird flu victims increase, affected areas hold steady

HANOI — The bird flu has failed to spread beyond Viet Nam’s 57, out of 64, affected provinces since Tuesday, but the victim count jumped from 10 to 19 in the first two weeks of February, health officials said.

Director of the Medical Prevention Department Trinh Quan Huan said of the 19, 14 people had died.

"We must spare no cost to stop the outbreak," he said.

He said the health ministry continued to send its workers to rural areas to distribute protective clothing and advise farmers on culling chickens and distinfecting their properties.

"It is difficult to convince people in poor areas to observe safety regulations, so the infection-risk remains very high," he said.

"We must keep the ban on poultry transportation and processing," he said.
(snip)

on edit: found the lower story other story, notice the mortality rate