Bird flu hysteria to die out soon? Asian nations see bird flu waning

[Roland99]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/14/world/asia/14flu.html?ei=5094&en=2e2d7c79762b3aab&hp=&ex=1147579200&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print

Even as it crops up in the far corners of Europe and Africa, the virulent bird flu that raised fears of a human pandemic has been largely snuffed out in the parts of Southeast Asia where it claimed its first and most numerous victims.

Health officials are pleased and excited. "In Thailand and Vietnam, we've had the most fabulous success stories," said Dr. David Nabarro, chief pandemic flu coordinator for the United Nations.

Vietnam, which has had almost half of the human cases of A(H5N1) flu in the world, has not seen a single case in humans or a single outbreak in poultry this year. Thailand, the second-hardest-hit nation until Indonesia recently passed it, has not had a human case in nearly a year or one in poultry in six months.

Encouraging signs have also come from China, though they are harder to interpret.

Bet Rummy's pissed. His glorious Tamiflu just may not make him a richer fuck.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. BushCo will have to come up with something else to scare the crap out of

everyone.

[MrModerate]

2. Right, so H5 is mutating so it's not so virulent among bird populations.

Wonder what other characteristics are changing? Wouldn't be the sites the virus prefers to attach to, would it?

[tocqueville]

3. last restrictions were lifted in France today... nt

[Minnesota Libra]

4. Get ready for the next populace controlling scare folks-coming soon nt

[mcscajun]

5. Not all of us are hysterical...

...and Dr. Nabarro had a few other things to say:

Dr. Nabarro and other officials warn that it would be highly premature to declare any sort of victory. The virus has moved rapidly across continents and is still rampaging in Myanmar, Indonesia and other countries nearby. It could still hitchhike back in the illegal trade in chicks, fighting cocks or tropical pets, or in migrating birds.

(snip)

"To say the disease is 'wiped out' there is probably too strong, too positive," said Dr. Wantanee Kalpravidh, chief of flu surveillance in Southeast Asia for the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, which fights animal diseases. The governments of Thailand and Vietnam "believe they got rid of it," she said, "but they also believe that it might be coming back at any time."

(snip)

"Tomorrow, the whole thing could change again," Dr. Nabarro said. "We need to be on the alert at all times."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/14/world/asia/14flu.html?hp&ex=1147579200&en=2e2d7c79762b3aab&ei=5094&partner=homepage

A 'wait and see' approach is still best; the influenza strain that caused the 1918 pandemic played a little game of peek-a-boo with humanity for a few months.

[depakid]

6. Try reading the article critically

and posting an honest headline instead of alluding to conspiracy theories.

Public health efforts are being credited for the reduction in cases (and I expect- the seasonal pattern of influenza outbreaks).

For the some of the actual science see:

WHO global situation updates:

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/updates/en/

and there's a chart of confirmed human cases here:

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/cases_table_2006_05_12/en/index.html

[Roland99]

7. Try reading the NY Times' own headline

:eyes:

[depakid]

11. errr there's nothing about "hysteria" in there....

that was your addition, I believe. ;)

[Roland99]

12. So? Do you not see the "?" after my comment?

Do you not believe there's an unrealisitc amount of hyping of bird flu by the M$M as a distraction?

[depakid]

15. No, actually I believe in the science

and the reports I've read from overseas for several years- long before our so called "mainstream media" ever got around to discussing the issues.

For example, Britain's had their pandemic contingency plans formally in place for over 14 months- and their agencies have been working seriously on them for much longer.

Here are their updated materials:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/EmergencyPlanning/PandemicFlu/fs/en

Same holds true for New Zealand- they've been preparing (and their press has been giving warnings) even longer, due to their proximity with Asia.

[Roland99]

17. Just making sure you support the hysteria. Good for you.

:eyes:

[depakid]

20. American exceptionalism at work again

Never ceases to amaze me how people in the US think they're somehow different than everyone else- to the extent that even the laws of nature don't apply to them....

Unfortunately for them- that's not how world works- and let's hope we don't have to find out the hard way in this instance, too- because unlike other countries, we're woefully ill prepared.

[Roland99]

21. There's a difference between making people aware and propaganda

[mom cat]

8. Don't worry. They managed to replicate the 1918 flu bug so they

still have a chance to produce a plague of Biblical proportions.
:sarcasm:

[pola]

9. yes, mom cat, I agree.... i don't put anything past them

[Roland99]

13. All they have to do now is perfect a strain that affects liberals only

;)

[mom cat]

18. I sure wouldn't want to give them any suggestions on how to do that.

They might be listening!

[Roland99]

19. "might" be listening? I always assume they are

;)

[mom cat]

22. Hi there Mr NSA man! Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Roland99]

23. We need a "mooning" smiley!

:evilgrin:

[mom cat]

25. Bingo!

[Roland99]

26. Found one!

[screembloodymurder]

10. The bird flue is just starting.

It's a covert operation used to signal others around the world about the impending collapse of the dollar.

[sable302]

14. looks like they'll need a new product

to scare the shit out of us with. Bird Flu's run it's course, just likt the color coded terra alerts

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

16. Dammit, what kind of bullsh*t crisis IS this?

Jeez, they need to go back to the lab and modify the virus to make it harder to kill off.

[SidDithers]

24. Ah, nice rhetoric there...

:eyes:

Sid