H.S. How Ready Are We?

Hey folks,

In the "Health and Science" segment this week, I have a question. How Ready are WE? In the news on a daily bases is the war. Is the war here at home between Congress and the White House over the war. Nothing getting done at all.

While this is going on, some news outlets offer puff stories about celebs, as to take a break from politics. Who is sleeping with who. Who is dying. Where’s the money / kids going. Who got arrested, and why. Blah, blah, blah. Then right back to Politics.

It wasn’t always this way. THIS was big news for about a minute. Even made a movie about it. But now? I haven’t seen ANYTHING on this as of late. Are we ready? Are we working on a worst case scenario? Are we trying to prevent it? Yes, we are worried about pet food. Perhaps the poisoned pet food really was just a test by terrorist. Maybe they wanted to see if it would work? If it did, and it did, maybe they will try people food. So this is important to deal with also.

But what I’m talking about is nature. Well, so to speak. It is out there. It IS coming. So? Are we ready? According to the AFP -Four-year-old girl 32nd case of bird flu in Egypt

A four-old-girl girl has become the 32nd case of bird flu reported in Egypt, the fifth child afflicted in the North African country during the past week.

The "fifth child afflicted in the North African country during the past week?"

The health ministry said late on Saturday that Mariam Abdel Fatah from the town of Qanater, just north of Cairo, had been diagnosed with the H5N1 virus and taken to a hospital specialising in treating the condition.

Two other cases, both children from the impoverished south of Egypt, were announced the same day: Ibrahim Mahmud Helmi, four, from Qena province and Mahmud Mohammed Shalabi, seven, from Sohag.

Following the announcement Tuesday of two other children infected, there were at least half a dozen other cases of minors stricken by the deadly avian flu virus in March alone.

Women and children have borne the brunt of the virus due to their role in taking care of domestic fowl. Egypt is the hardest hit by the virus outside Asia.

The government says it is conducting a vigorous campaign to combat the spread of the virus through vaccinations and raising awareness, but cases continue to appear. So far 13 people have succumbed to the virus.

Now I tried to go to the CDC website to get a better definition of the "Bird Flu" virus. Basically, it seems they have not updated in a while. It says "Bird Flu" that doesn’t usually effect people, and that when it does, it is usually the sick and elderly. I repeat above, "A four-old-girl girl has become the 32nd case of bird flu reported in Egypt, the fifth child afflicted in the North African country during the past week."

Then this story, also by the AFP -Bird flu hits Vietnam duck farms

Bird flu has struck two poultry farms in Vietnam's far south, killing 65 ducks and forcing the slaughter of 20 more, state media and veterinary officials said Sunday.
The latest cases were reported by the animal health department just days after Vietnam said there had been no new outbreaks in 21 days, the time period after which an epidemic is technically considered contained.

I guess they were wrong about that also.

The 65 ducks, which were 20 days old and unvaccinated, began dying on March 22 on two small farms in Khanh Binh Dong commune of Ca Mau province and later tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus, said the department.

Avian flu hit Vietnam from late 2003, killing 42 people over the next two years and devastating the poultry industry, but authorities contained the epidemic and no new human cases have been reported since November 2005.

Until now. I understand that accord to The World Health Organization, "it has only killed 170 people World wide," I believe the number is most likely much higher, {unreported cases, ETC.} but as this article ends, "Experts fear it could trigger a pandemic if it mutates to pass easily among humans."

The BBC asks Would free-ranging stop bird flu?

The outbreak of bird flu on a turkey farm in Suffolk has sparked a debate over whether intensive farming or free-range is better for the animals.

It goes on to say there is a debate between the two methods.

Intensive? "Those who run intensive poultry farms are keen to point out that they protect their livestock from disease coming in from outside, by keeping them in sealed sheds, with carefully monitored ventilation.

They are also in a better position, they say, than farmers with free-range birds, to monitor their health and administer medicine if necessary."

Free-range? "However, some farmers with free-range flocks are adamant that their poultry are healthier than intensively reared birds, and feel their exposure to the outdoors makes them stronger and less likely to succumb to disease."

Now I do not know if any of these methods work to prevent any diseases. But at least they are trying. What are we doing in this country? I would like to think that we are working on different ways to prevent diseases. Do we have scientists across the country working on preventive, if not a possible cure. Is our government doing ANYTHING about this apparent return and increase of this very real threat?

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we need to worry to much about this, yet, however, it would be wise not to ignore it either. There seems to be an increase in the re-occurrence of "Bird Flu" around the world. Now is the time to work on a solution. Before it becomes OUR problem.
Peter

Sources:
AFP -Four-year-old girl 32nd case of bird flu in Egypt
AFP -Bird flu hits Vietnam duck farms
BBC -Would free-ranging stop bird flu?
Timeline: Bird flu in Britain