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Bird Flu Already in Europe? | 10 comments (10 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: Bird Flu Already in Europe? (4.00 / 2)
If Künast says anything substantive on Friday I will post it here as well.

Now it's time for my dinner (not chicken).

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Wed Aug 17th, 2005 at 01:52:05 PM EST
Re: Bird Flu Already in Europe? (none / 0)
Worrying, and the authorities are wise to contain it as best they can. However, on the Agonist website and other pages, they spell out mutations of H5N1 and how they differ. Some are much more dangerous to humans than others.
We have had outbreaks of bird flu here in Texas, but with rigorous measures as far as slaughtering the affected chickens and burning the remains, they have been stopped. I think the real danger is in places where each animal represents food or income to the people involved, and so they are reluctant to kill anything that might be put to use.
by northsylvania on Wed Aug 17th, 2005 at 03:33:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Bird Flu Already in Europe? (none / 0)
I'm not entirely sure on this, but it is my understanding that this flu is only communicated bird to person at this point...not bird to person, then person to person yet. Does anyone have any further info on this (am I giving correct information?). I'll double check and get back with info.

"Once in awhile we get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if we look at it right" - Hunter/Garcia
by whataboutbob on Wed Aug 17th, 2005 at 03:36:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Bird Flu Already in Europe? (none / 0)
I just went to the World Health Organization webpage on the latest total of confirmed Avian Flu cases. There have been 112 cases and 57 deaths, in the last two years. How up to date is this? And how many unconfirmed cases? More...that's for sure, but I do think it will be huge news, if there is a confirmed case in Europe.

"Once in awhile we get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if we look at it right" - Hunter/Garcia
by whataboutbob on Wed Aug 17th, 2005 at 03:46:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Bird Flu Already in Europe? (none / 0)
That is my understanding as well, whereby imo the operative word is "yet".

The main fear at this point is that if a person infected with "human" flu additionally contracts H5N1, there is a high likelihood that DNA segments will become recombined in the replication process so as to give rise to an H5N1 strain that can be transmitted among humans.

This in addition to the inherent mutability of viruses.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Thu Aug 18th, 2005 at 03:52:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Bird Flu Already in Europe? (none / 0)
Mind you, the mutations and mixings could also result in the disease becoming less deadly as well.
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Aug 18th, 2005 at 04:03:25 AM EST
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Re: Bird Flu Already in Europe? (none / 0)
True. But is that a responsible basis for health policy?

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Thu Aug 18th, 2005 at 04:15:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Bird Flu Already in Europe? (none / 0)
No, but it's not a point you hear made very often.
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Aug 18th, 2005 at 04:52:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]
H5N1 (none / 1)
.
Diary H5N1


The Dutch are well prepared!

Russia admits bird flu outbreak is deadly H5N1 strain

The Emergencies Ministry has admitted that an outbreak of bird flu in Chelyabinsk, in the Ural mountains, is dangerous to humans. Nearly 500 birds had died over the past 24 hours.

Teams of sanitary workers have destroyed birds to prevent the westward spread of the virus.  Russia's top epidemiologist has warned that migrating birds may export the deadly virus to Europe and the Middle East.

The strain is the same one that has killed dozens of people in Asia and millions of poultry.

The Dutch government with Minister Vreeman, has ordered all poultry lifestock to be kept indoors from the moment the bird migration from Russia and Siberia starts. A precautionary measure to avoid another devastating outbreak similar to 2003 when many mistakes caused immense culling and sorrow by all citizens and agricultural sector at the time.

<click on pic> for article about 2003 Dutch bird flu outbreak

Vietnam to vaccinate chickens against bird flu

HANOI (Reuters) July 19, 2005 - Vietnam will use over 400 million batches of vaccine to inoculate its chickens and ducks against the deadly bird flu that has killed 40 people in the country, half of them since December 2004. Agriculture Deputy Minister Bui Ba Bong said in a plan that the government would use 415 million doses of Dutch and Chinese vaccines in a program starting in two provinces from August 1.

Other provinces facing high risk of infection would follow between October 1 and November 10, before the arrival of the winter when the deadly virus seems to thrive best. Vietnam has an estimated 210 million poultry.

The Chinese vaccine against the H5N1 virus, which international health officials fear could mutate into a form that might trigger a human pandemic, would be used on ducks.

A Dutch vaccine against the H5N2 virus, a less virulent strain which is not widespread in Vietnam, will be used on chickens. "The vaccine against the H5N2 virus works well against the H5N1 virus as it functions against the H5 subtype," Dau Ngoc Hao, deputy head of the Agriculture Ministry's Animal Health Department has told Reuters.

~~~

Mission to Thwart Peace ☮️

by Oui on Wed Aug 17th, 2005 at 03:52:58 PM EST
The Dutch may be prepared... (4.00 / 2)
but I worry about the rest of Europe. It only takes one outbreak that goes unattended to begin the spread.

We really are overdue for a major flu epidemic. I would hope that governments are stocking up on appropriate medicines. I'm not counting on it though, so I'm doing a little light planning (nothing too paranoid mind you, but just the usual emergency stuff that any good household should stock). I can't get into serious planning because I always remember Poe's Masque of the Red Death.

by gradinski chai on Wed Aug 17th, 2005 at 05:15:40 PM EST

Bird Flu Already in Europe? | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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