Analysis: No cause for panic over spread of avian flu

[Lone_Star_Dem]

According to World Health Organization data - and contrary to the impression created by the intense media coverage of avian flu - an epidemic of avian flu in humans has not been detected anywhere in the world, and humans have not been found to infect other humans uncontrollably, as happens in epidemics.
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These are the known facts to date about avian flu: Among the dozens of flu strains that attack birds, a new strain, H5N1, was discovered in the last few years and led to outbreaks that have killed birds in 40 countries - including China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Turkey, Germany, Austria and Egypt. The H5N1 strain has primarily attacked chickens, ducks and turkeys, but has also been identified in migratory birds. There have also been several cases of wild boars contracting the virus, as well as a tiger in a zoo.
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According to doctors, this also indicates that it is very difficult for the H5N1 virus to infect humans on a mass scale, and that the chance that it will undergo the dreaded mutation and cause a human pandemic is very small. Moreover, the fact that the deadly strain of avian flu was first detected in humans in Hong Kong back in 1997 and since then has failed to mutate in a manner that would allow it to infect humans on a mass scale further strengthens the views of scientists who believe the chance of a human pandemic is very slight.

According to the information amassed until now, the virus can move from birds to people only through being in prolonged proximity to bird secretions. For this reason, the health and agriculture ministries are planning to vaccinate workers at the relevant poultry farms in Israel if the tests confirm the H5N1 suspicion. In Asia, only people living or working in proximity to birds became ill, such as farmers, butchers or merchants at open markets. There have been no known cases of humans infected by migratory wild birds.
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More...


After reviewing the facts on bird flu I suggest saving the tuna and powdered milk for your kitty, (s)he'll thank you for it.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

1. I suggest that you review how WHO gathers the information that....

...goes into their reports, and how current that information really is.

Time after time, the WHO has been behind the eight-ball when contagious diseases began to emerge...ebola in Africa, SARS in China, and now Avian Flu.

Time after time, WHO officials find themselves relying on the efforts of local doctors who are being closely monitored by governments intent on covering up problems.

Nothing to worry about, they say. No problem, they say.

Yeah...okay. Whatever.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. Are you saying that this hasn't been sensationalized?

And that the WHO is actually failing to report the severity of H5N1?

[Mojorabbit]

7. Actually he is right about the WHO

They do have to deal with politics on a global scale and they are slow both in investigating,testing, and especially in releasing info to the public. When they go into a country the news about what is going on is shut off within days.
But you are right, it is being sensationalized. I don't know if that is bad or good.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. I was honestly asking

They seem to have about the same information as the CDC on H5N1 right now and both of those are the primary public sources. I was curious if they knew of another source that I didn't.

[Mz Pip]

2. So I don't need to stockpile tuna?

Or do I?

Who to believe, who to believe???


Mz Pip
:dem:

[Maat]

3. By the way, I love your 'horrors' smilie (sp - smiley?)(n/t).

[Solly Mack]

4. LMAO

To tuna or not to tuna, that is the question

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. My three cats are voting for tuna and powdered milk

I'm wondering which one of them is moonlighting as a lobbyist...

[Mojorabbit]

8. I went and looked at the article

It begins
Even if the Agriculture Ministry tests confirm concerns that turkey flocks in the south have contracted a deadly strain of avian flu, there is no cause for panic, and currently no need to take any nutritional or medical precautions. The Health Ministry has stated that until further notice, the public can continue eating cooked chicken and turkey.
@@@@@@@@@@
The next paragraph is the one you posted. This is Israel trying to quell panic due to possible flu in their poultry today. It is misleading as it insinuates that the WHO made this determination which is far from the truth. It is an article with an agenda.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

12. Take from it what you will

We're allowed to only post 4 paragraphs. I try to give enough teaser to lead a person to actually read the article, which is what we're supposed to do, correct?

[kestrel91316]

9. NO, NO TUNA FOR CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Horrors!

Fish of all kinds is inappropriate in domestic cats (they being direct descendants of the desert wildcat of North Africa, Felis libyca). It causes serious dermatologic, gastrointestinal, and urinary tract disease in many cats. Tuna has been implicated in the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats (a deadly, virtually untreatable cancer). I have even coined a name for the severe facial dermatitis that some cats develop after exposure to tuna: Tuna Head (I know, it's TOO clever!).

Please - no fish for the kitties. Feed the tuna to the dog instead.

[rocktivity]

11. Candidate for this month's "You Call This NEWS?" award

And I didn't have to do a fancy study to figure out that the avian flu pandemic was merely playing the position vacated by the smallpox pandemic.

:eyes:
rocknation

[Lone_Star_Dem]

13. I hear you

But there are still some who are more more than a little concerned over H5N1. I thought this article was timely considering our recent tuna and dehydrated milk foolishness.

[autorank]

14. But how will "the Boy King" rescue us if there is no threat. We need to

be sufficiently frightened to appreciate his courage and magesty.

We'll have to find another source of fear, perhaps a commet...one that "HE" can attack in
the new star fighter being developed for the conquest of Mars.

God Bless the Boy King and give him a mountain to climb in our behalf.
:sarcasm: