China Orders Emergency Bird Flu Measures

[still_one]

BEIJING - China ordered emergency measures Saturday to prevent an outbreak of avian flu after investigators said migratory birds found dead in a western province this month were killed by the virus.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050521/ap_on_re_as/china_bird_flu

[Skink]

1. This is only the begining....

[mike_c]

2. this is still just the bird epizootic....

There's still little evidence of direct transmission between humans. It's likely just a matter of time, however. The real question will be whether a recombinant H5N1 retains its current virulence in humans. That's the bomb.

[rodeodance]

3. we were warned!

[unhappycamper]

4. a little context is always good. . .

The 1918 pandemic had a kill rate of about 2.5%. I doubt we will ever know the true body count. The link below cites 20 ~ 40 million.

http://www.stanford.edu/group/virus/uda/

Epidemic kill rates of up to 70% throughout history have been well documented.

http://uhavax.hartford.edu/bugl/histepi.htm
http://www.bacteriamuseum.org/niches/features/diseasehistory.shtml
http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/famhist/genealgy/diseases.htm

The World Health Organization is quite concerned about H5N1. They have been closely watching the Asian outbreaks.

http://www.canada.com/health/story.html?id=b0648128-36ff-474a-bbcc-f0f8444b56ca

[amazona]

5. you know

If it was reported in the news how often the U.S.D.A. takes emergency measures to contain outbreaks of avian flu and other poultry diseases in the U.S. there would never be time to report on anything.

Fear is the enemy.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[Moderator]

6. kick to combine

[Canadian Socialist]

7. China declares bird flu emergency

Last Updated Mon, 23 May 2005 08:56:21 EDT
CBC News

BEIJING - Chinese authorities have ordered nationwide emergency measures to stem the spread of bird flu after the discovery of wild geese killed by the virus.

Agriculture officials say the birds were found dead in a western province in early May and recent tests indicate they died from the virulent form of avian flu, H5N1.

<snip>
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/05/22/ChinaAvian_050522.html

This frightens me on so many levels.

[whistle]

8. Question, could the bird flu virus be a form of bio-terrorism....

...against China's agriculture base?

[Canadian Socialist]

9. It could be, but I doubt it

in the CBC link there is an indepth report on Avian Flu. It didn't start in China, rather in Thailand.