First confirmed human bird flu deaths in China

[T-shirt]

And so it begins
http://www.comcast.net/news/international/index.jsp?cat=INTERNATIONAL&fn=/2005/11/16/265619.html

[Bobenis]

THis will get worse...far far worse. It will soon mutate and spread like a cold. It will be a scary one. :Nope

[Kindom934]

THis will get worse...far far worse. It will soon mutate and spread like a cold. It will be a scary one. :Nope

Aye...and usually virus (these ones) are usually more prone to being caught......China, worlds largest population.....oh boy..

[egarrard]

Well...since global warming is claimed to be caused by humans, the reduction in China's population should help stop global warming, right? :devil

[T-shirt]

Well...since global warming is claimed to be caused by humans, the reduction in China's population should help stop global warming, right? :devil
Well sort of. unfortunatly chinese farmers aren't the portion of their population using vast quantities of fossil fuels believed to cause global warming, (but don't worry it will spread to the cities very quickly in an epidemic)
Because of the farming practices used in rural china, there is a very high probablity of a fast spread, and lots of bird to human infections increases the chance of the 'right' mutation, so that rather than being rare, human to human spread will become the most common form. since that area is also a major wild bird flyway rapid spread to other areas is also very likely even if you can sucessfully quarantine the human cases.

You might think that killing all the chickens RIGHT NOW, would be a good idea, except that chicken is a large part of the chinese food source, and having millions starving to death is even more likely to cause rural to urban movement spreading it even faster.
This is exactly the scenerio WHO feared the most, and hoped to delay for at least a couple years to find and build up stocks of effective AV drugs and vacines.
I saw one US offical on TV last week suggest that over the next couple months (to avoid a buying panic) that families should stockpile enough supplies to 'hole up' at home for 30 days, just in case of an epidemic.
Which would be effective in stopping the spread, but leave the economy in tatters, and lead to all sorts of other problems (those that either fail to plan or can't afford to stock pile and wait it out, would like resort to attempting to take supplies from those who did plan as the stores become empty or closed.
If you think what happened in New orleans after the hurricanes was bad, imagine what a nationwide panic would do.
Good thing we have strong and trustworthy federal agencies to deal with......
HEY! Wait, they suck....
Note to self buy ammo, beans, ammo, canned meat, ammo, beer,ammo rice, ammo...

[egarrard]

:beer Nah, you'll probably luck out and be one of the first to get it, so why worry about it. Drink the beer now and enjoy the time you have left. :thumb :lmao

[tanman_sg]

Aye...and usually virus (these ones) are usually more prone to being caught......China, worlds largest population.....oh boy..


Yes... Remember SARS? It was everywhere in China but they didn't tell anyone, because they were embarassed. (Good one :negative )

[T-shirt]

Yes... Remember SARS? It was everywhere in China but they didn't tell anyone, because they were embarassed. (Good one :negative )
I have kind of suspected that they have already had limited outbreaks, and if so that would imply that they expect this to be much worse or that the news would somehow get out anyway.
Much of what happens in china is still a state secret. inspite of new openess the old ways won't change until the next generation takes over positions of power within their government.

[egarrard]

I have kind of suspected that they have already had limited outbreaks...Me too. Otherwise, why are the other governments (US) getting so excited. They aren't telling us something. :Nope

[Bobenis]

What does it matter? It started in Southeast Asia and we have know about it for over a year now. It is spreading. Any scientist would have known over a year ago that this type of thing can mutate and eventually jump to humans. One should not have to put the blame on someone or some country. It is a virus, blame the nature of this planet. I think we should be more concerned about how it ever came about in the 1st place.

[egarrard]

What does it matter?Because the Chinese officials lie about everything. That's their nature.

(Or it has been for the past century or so.) It's a side effect of fear.

[Bobenis]

Because the Chinese officials lie about everything. That's their nature.

(Or it has been for the past century or so.) It's a side effect of fear.


Yes but so do the bureaucrats in your own country and mine. So do all politicians in every country. They are all corrupt. What is your point?

[bejohnson]

Symptoms for the Bird Flu in humans:

Tired, run-down feeling

Achy muscles

Blurred vision

Headaches

Congestion

Irresistible urge to crap on an automobile or statue.

[T-shirt]

What does it matter? It started in Southeast Asia and we have know about it for over a year now. It is spreading. Any scientist would have known over a year ago that this type of thing can mutate and eventually jump to humans. One should not have to put the blame on someone or some country. It is a virus, blame the nature of this planet. I think we should be more concerned about how it ever came about in the 1st place.
How it came about?
in a word
Evolution
I read an interseting piece earlier this week (forgot where)
That points out a group, some of the foes of teaching Evolution (couldn't, wouldn't,shoudn't happen) are seeking their own supplies of vaccine to protect their "chosen" people when (oddly enough) Evolution explains and predicted the spread of this bird disease to man, in fact none of their Inteligent Design theories allow this to happen.
The only other 'reason' would be God's will (which seems to have fairly broad range) but likely means you pissed him off pretty bad.
But why would chosen ones need protection (made based on the 'evil' theory) from God's will?

[T-shirt]

Symptoms for the Bird Flu in humans:

Tired, run-down feeling

Achy muscles

Blurred vision

Headaches

Congestion

Irresistible urge to crap on an automobile or statue.
And the only cure is a piping hot bowl of chicken soup :rofl2

[maud'ib]

Symptoms for the Bird Flu in humans:

Tired, run-down feeling

Achy muscles

Blurred vision

Headaches

Congestion

Irresistible urge to crap on an automobile or statue.

Well that pretty much sums up my average day. Except for the last part -- I usually prefer crapping on Big expensive black automobiles ...

[Kindom934]

Well that pretty much sums up my average day. Except for the last part -- I usually prefer crapping on Big expensive black automobiles ...

Reminds me of a bird over a tree in a parking stall...

[Bobenis]

Oh this is just lovely. It is now here in BC!!


B.C. farm quarantined after bird flu found in single duck
Last Updated Fri, 18 Nov 2005 21:04:09 EST

CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/11/18/flu_051118.html)

A commercial farm in British Columbia's Fraser Valley has been quarantined after a duck was found infected with an avian flu virus.


B.C. government officials said Friday there is no risk to human health, but the Canadian Food Inspection Agency closed off the farm as a precaution after an outbreak of avian influenza in the area in 2004.


The director of animal health for the Canada Food Inspection Agency said it's not surprising to find the virus in a domestic duck flock, because the birds are known carriers.

The rest of the flock were healthy and showed no signs of disease, said Dr. Jim Clark.

"We are prepared to quarantine all commercial poultry operations that are within five kilometres of this particular premises, " he added. "We will be doing sampling in the farms, to determine whether there's any evidence of the virus we're currently characterizing is present in other locations."

While Clark confirmed the virus detected is the H5 strain, it will take another two days of tests to determine whether it is the same type that has infected humans in Asia. The duck will be sent to the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg for further testing.

An outbreak of avian flu in 2004 hit farms in a 70-kilometre-wide area from the Vancouver's eastern suburbs to Chilliwack in the eastern Fraser Valley, forcing the slaughter of 17 million birds.

In the end, about three million birds were found to be diseased and the rest were allowed to be sold to consumers.

[T-shirt]

Oh this is just lovely. It is now here in BC!!
That does it! We're closing the border, Until all your birds get passports and health checks ;)
Given the number of ducks and Canada geese flying south right now, I'd say if there is point of common contact It would likely spread down the west coast in days.
With Turkey day coming up, I was reading about how there is now a great demand for "free range" organic poultry.
seems like lots of outdoor birds would be more likely to have the occasional wild visitor as compared with current megafarm production turkey (which have their own health concerns)
I've already got my butterball in the freezer, but maybe this is a good year to have lamb.

[egarrard]

I'll say it again. Eat more tuna. :food

[bejohnson]

Avian Flu at B.C. Farm Not Lethal Strain (http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/11/21/D8E0T4380.html)

Nov 21 8:55 AM US/Eastern
ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia

A duck at a British Columbia poultry farm has tested positive for avian flu virus, but not the form circulating in Southeast Asia that has been blamed for more than 60 deaths, Canadian officials said.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Sunday the infection at the duck and goose farm in Chilliwack, just outside of Vancouver, is different, but that 60,000 birds on the farm will still be killed as a precaution.

Veterinarian Cornelius Kiley said the H5 virus found in a commercial duck is a low pathogenic North American strain, which means it doesn't kill poultry.

"This confirmation means we're looking at a virus capable of causing only a mild disease (in birds), if any at all," said Kiley, who works for the food inspection agency.

Federal officials separately reassured Canadians that the strain of the flu found in British Columbia and positive test results for the H5N1 avian flu virus found in two wild ducks in Manitoba pose no threat to humans.

On Saturday, officials said the H5N1 avian flu viruses found in the wild ducks is not the dangerous form of the virus circulating in Southeast Asia.

"I want to emphasize that the H5N1 subtype detected in Manitoba is completely distinct from the strain currently present in Asia," Dr. Brian Evans, Canada's chief veterinary officer, said in disclosing the findings.

"The identification of this virus, which has been previously identified in North American birds, poses no new risks to human health," added Dr. Arlene King, head of respiratory diseases for the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Avian flu viruses bearing the same subtype name can vary widely in their ability to cause disease in poultry or pose a human health threat.

Officials said Friday they had found a duck with the H5 avian flu virus on the farm in British Columbia.

The 60,000 birds on the farm, mostly ducks, will be killed in line with a plan set up after an outbreak of avian flu in the Fraser Valley in 2004 in which about 17 million birds had to be destroyed.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press

BC lucked out this time. :hail

[egarrard]

Pork Fat rules! :thumb

[Kindom934]

Phew...so many birds....can you imagen all those bodies......

Pork Fat rules! :thumb

Ehh...

[T-shirt]

Phew...so many birds....can you imagen all those bodies......

Since it's not the deadly strain, they will be allowed to process and sell the duck, so there should be a big sale :)
The US border is now closed to poultry from BC.