Bird World Site

Ashy Storm-petrel

Should we be worried that the bird influenza could turn into a pandemic? Worldwide only 160 people have been septic and about 80 have died. The people who became infected had close contact with infected birds. Currently it is not spread by human-to-human transmission. But scientists fear that it will turn into a form that can be well spread person to person or mix with normal influenza viruses to provide that human transmission. When that happens, the chances of a world bird flu pandemic will have greatly increased.

We have seen bird influenza virus spread among fowl throughout Southeast Asia and is now moving towards the west with new cases being observed in Turkey and other countries. While everything is being done to stop the spread, it continues to spread to other parts of the globe. New outbreaks will continue to pop up. Migratory birds will probably carry it into Europe, Russia, and throughout the Middle East. When new cases are confirmed in those countries we will know it is continuing to spread. The first cases of bird influenza have now reached northerly Africa. In African countries already devastated by HIV, poverty, famine, war and lack of wellness care it will infect the population at a much greater rate than other parts of the world. This will probably provide the greatest chance of the virus mutating into a form that can pass from person to person through human contact, coughs, etc. As more people become infected, the greater chance it will start to spread around the world. This is why the sterling(a) chance of a bird grippe pandemic will come not from Asia, where new outbreaks are being monitored very carefully, but from Africa.

Ashy Storm-petrel

In 1918 the Influenza started in Kansas and spread around the world within 9 months infecting millions and killing an estimated 40-50 million people. Today with increased population, more people living closer together in large cities and air travel, it could spread very quickly. One person traveling by air could infect dozens of other passengers, and those passengers would spread it to other travelers and other cities. A person coughing at a basketball game or concert. Another person cough as they walk through the skyways to their office, leaving the virus on door handles as they go. Adults spreading it to children, who bring it to school, who bring it home. One ìsuperspreaderî could taint dozens of people.

Within weeks or months the influenza has spread around the world. Emergency plans put in place may non be quick enough. Anti viral medication will take 6 months to get into production and delivered to those who need it. Planned regional stockpiles of antiviral medicine will quickly dwindle. Once the dominos start dropping we will be under the full effects of a pandemic crisis.

Ashy Storm-petrel

Once human-to-human transmission has been confirmed any where in the world, we will have from one month to a year to prepare for a possible avian grippe pandemic. Those who ar not prepared will be the hardest hit. Your best defense is to stay informed about bird influenza and start preparing for a potential avian influenza pandemic now.