Avian Flu

[Prrromotion]

The World Health Organization is on full alert what with this Bird flu virus spreading through Asia and heading toward Europe. Right now there is only cirrculating rumors of a vaccine for it, and only about half the people who catch it survive it. According to WHO, once a person catches the virus, their only chance of survival is a tough immune system and a strong will to live. Tamiflu, a normal flu vaccine, only helps at least 2 days before symptoms develope.

Scientists fear the virus will mutate so it can spread easily between humans, thus sparking a possible global pandemic. WHO estimates between 2 to 7 million people or more may die should this virus mutate. Scary stuff.

[Shadow®]

China announced its 12th human casualty today:
A 21-year-old migrant worker has died of the H5N1 bird flu virus in China, the country's 12th human fatality from the disease since November, the government said Friday. The man, identified only by the surname Lai, died Wednesday at a hospital in the central city of Wuhan, the official Xinhua News Agency said, citing health officials. The government hasn't said how Lai was exposed to the virus. China has suffered dozens of flu outbreaks in poultry, prompting the government to destroy millions of chickens, ducks and other birds that contain the virus. Lai became ill on April 1 and was hospitalized with a fever and pneumonia. He was confirmed Monday to have the H5N1 strain.

[Amused To Death]

nightblade said:

The World Health Organization is on full alert what with this Bird flu virus spreading through Asia and heading toward Europe.

It's already hit Europe. In fact there's been doscoveries of it in the UK already, though i think it's a different strain to the H5N1, and it can't be spread to humans.

It's actually gone bit quiet about it here in the UK. It's mainly journalistic properganda though. It'll have the same outcome of the SARS outbrak a few years ago - everyone will forget about it, and get on with our lives. Avian Flu has actually been around for about 30-40 years, just in different strains. In the UK we're more likely to end up catching MRSA than Avian Flu

[Prrromotion]

Yeah, my sources were a little dated. (I think it was a Time magazine from October)

[Shadow®]

lol. What i dont get is whe you see something like this happening why wouldnt you try to stop it for a short time like Ebola in Africa.

[Prrromotion]

Well, I don't quite understand what you mean, but efforts are being made to slow the spread of the disease. Many chicken farms and other poultry are being put down, and captured migratory birds, such as ducks and geese, are being given vaccinations (I don't quite understand the nature of this vaccination and as to IF its a vaccine, and why humans aren't receiving it).

So far, people who come in direct contact with the infected birds are catching it, and I'm not sure if there were any human to human transmissions.

A movie is said to come out, called...dang, I forget, its about "what if" the bird flu got out (Its fictional as of now, and its not a documentary), and the previews showed a guy on an airplane coughing, and then a shot of an extremely crowded urban area with hundreds of people walking. Kinda freaky.

[Amused To Death]

nightblade said:

So far, people who come in direct contact with the infected birds are catching it, and I'm not sure if there were any human to human transmissions.

I don't beleive its mutated yet, and that's what is stopping it being contracted from human to human. It's all ok as long as it doesnt mutate. If it does, then that's when the panic will set in