Bird Flu - update

[SteveSxx]

Has anyone heard of any further cases of Bird Flu since the "only reported" case in Scotland early this year - Do they really expect us to believe that this was a one off - or are they covering up the truth ?

[LazyGun]

It is a far more likely scenario that the media, desperate to fill 24/7 rolling news reports, overplayed the likely impact upon the UK and talked up the doomsday scenario, rather than believe that there is some sort of conspiracy that is covering up the presence of H5N1 in the UK.... or do you really think that the Govt and the media could cover up widespread destruction of flocks of hens etc?

[WendyS]

No, I haven't heard a squeak, but we've had so many national crises recently - Loans for peerages, illegal immigrants set free from prison after committing dangerous crimes, John Prescott and his extra curricular activities, etc. that the media have been spoiled for choice for front page headlines. However, I read my newspaper avidly every day. Even if an outbreak had been reported as a "two liner" item, am sure I would have spotted it.

[nickmo]

Latest - July news- is that the Gov. has ordered tenders for 10million doses of bird flu vaccine . . . . seen that one in the news? This is for the birds - not humans by the way.

Concern is that as the migratory bird transfer risk to the domestic bird population has not occured as feared it might - and the one Scottish based case that was found - there may well have been others that did not get recovered of course - was contained, in that it was not in a bird that would mix with domesticated poultry by habit.

127 people have been killed by bird flu since 2003, but the 'doomsday' scenario is as for the 1919 pandemic - 70 million dead. I personally don't think we should take it lightly.

Spain has had the first wild bird case reported in the last couple of weeks and Hungary also has one now. The human risk is low in that this strain of bird flu is difficult - but not impossible - to catch from wild birds, and the fear is still that it will get into the domestic poultry flock, most likely from bird droppings as the wild birds pass over domestic flocks. the US has a problem with illegally inported poultry meat still turning up and this will also be a possible route.

As far as being told of an event - were you aware of the 30 million chickens slaughtered in Holland becasuse of b/flu in 2003? Doubt it. . .

The potential is still there - look out for more news as the 2007 migration occurs. If you have a further interest - go to the http://www.avian-influenza.com site and have a browse.

[Lewcee]

"Bird 'Flu" is only another "modern" name for a very old pestilence called Fowl Pest. It has been regulated in the UK for years - like the Cattle movement record books, it used to be enforced by the Police, who now have better things to do... Even in my time in the Dorset Police (1966-1977), it was not unknown for the keeper of Fowl to catch this 'Flu, which was treated with antibiotics. Its only now, with the "Panic Of The Press" that the risk of this virus mutating to cross over to humans more easily has been over emphasised. OF COURSE it can, and probably will do this SOMEWHEN, that is the nature of viruses. So stop worrying, let the World Health organisation watch for us, sod the press, they are only interested in getting as many people as possible to look at them (ratings), not in your interest - not at all, who are you? See what I mean, they DON'T care for us - not like the W.H.O. and other orgs.

[doglady]

For goodness sake. The only people who have been killed by bird flu are people who keep birds, and in not bvery good conditions at that. It's not going to spread!! The H5N1 strain can pass to humans from birds, but there is no strain that can pass from human to human. Therefore unless you are in direct contact with a LOT of birds, you're perfectly safe.

Achoo.

:-0