WHO says new bird strain is "one of most lethal" flu viruses

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - A new strain of bird flu that has killed 22 people in China is "one of the most lethal" of its kind and is more easily transmissible to humans than an earlier strain that has killed hundreds around the world since 2003, a top World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Wednesday.

The H7N9 virus has infected 108 people in China since it was first detected in March, according to the Geneva-based WHO. Although it is not clear exactly how people have been infected, WHO experts see no evidence so far of the most worrisome scenario - sustained transmission between people.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/04/24/uk-birdflu-china-idUKBRE93N0AW20130424

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New bird flu strain 'more easily caught by humans' than 2003 outbreak. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/24/bird-flu-strain-humans-outbreak

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

1. WHAT, if anything, should we do to avoid it?

Other than add this to the list of reasons to avoid air travel.

[snooper2]

20. "Cain't Hurt?", except for when you die. Remember the dude that died while praying in Medina

There are YouTube videos of it-


Happens to women too---

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-7509-Woman%20drops%20dead%20during%20Muamba%20prayer/news.aspx


A ZIMBABWEAN woman suffered a heart attack and died while praying for the Bolton midfielder, Fabrice Muamba.
Christina Goredema, 35, died in front of a shocked congregation at the Majestic Christian Centre in Hillingdon, England, last Sunday.

Friend Artur Correia, who was at the service with her partner, Edward, and their two children aged four and two, said: “She had taken the microphone and was talking about how Fabrice was too young to be this sick when she fell on to a pastor.

“Someone rushed to try and revive her, but it was no good.

“We are in shock.”

Friends have been paying tribute to the mum-of-two.

[Marrah_G]

11. At the moment it's spread through contact with poultry or waterfowl

Unless you are handling birds or are in close quarters with birds in Asia you should be fine.

Now if it jumps to a human to human strain, then things get more hairy. Then best things to do are washing your hands alot and be mindful of what you are touching, including your mouth,nose,eyes.

[Nihil]

15. Without wishing to panic-monger ...

> Taiwan on Wednesday reported the first case of the H7N9 bird flu outside of mainland China.
> ...
> The patient said he had not been in contact with poultry or eaten under-cooked
> birds or eggs while staying in Suzhou

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014464454

[Marrah_G]

17. I hadn't seen that one

[snagglepuss]

18. No that is definitely not the case. Most people have gotten it without contact with birds.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/17/us-birdflu-china-idUSBRE93G04B20130417

[Marrah_G]

19. It says they don't know for sure if it has been spread human to human

But to be honest I haven't been following it much over the last week due to the Bombing stuff etc.

The more people it infects the more likely it is to mutate.

The scary thing about this outbreak is that the birds aren't showing signs of sickness. This makes it really hard to cull flocks and to follow the spread.

[xchrom]

2. Du rec. Nt

[tclambert]

3. "WHO said this?" "That's right." "What?" "What's on second."

"Who's on second?" "No, WHO said the thing about flu." "I don't know." "Third base."

[ewagner]

4. .somebody had to say it. n/t

[progressoid]

6. Well played.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

21. Good. I'm glad I'm not the only one ...

it's sorta WHAT i tried to do with my reply #1.

i failed.



I DON'T KNOW...

[tclambert]

22. Third base.

[byeya]

5. China has the perfect conditions for developing flu mutations: Crowded domestic fowl and

people living among them. The fowl are often brought to market alive bringing the flu, if present, to the shoppers.

It's hard to change peoples' customs but if it's not done it'll 1918, or worse, all over again.

[Sunlei]

10. more than just the locals, the mega factory farms (Tyson is in china) slaughter millions of chickens

[Marrah_G]

12. yup

Not just China, Southeast Asia as well.

[byeya]

16. SE Asia, including SE China also has the problem of humans, fowl AND swine living in close

proximity. The flu virus can bounce between three potential vectors there.

[cynzke]

7. Meanwhile.....

Some people are getting all bent out of shape about letting Muslims into this country.

[Sunlei]

9. It's almost impossible to prevent spread of air, manure dust, or virus contaminated meat

What about the sewer systems from from those mega factory farms in China. Then there is slaughter area wastes too...does that just run into their rivers?

They already wash meat with all kinds of chemicals to kill bacteria. This is not good enough for a virus.

I think these large corporations should pay the costs to develop simple killed vaccines from the current flu strains. For the meat chickens they raise to sell. They spay vaccines on the chicks.

[Marrah_G]

13. The cooked meat is not a problem, its the live poultry

[Sunlei]

14. It's a virus. A lot of meat is not cooked to the point of killing virus or bacteria.

I'm sure their factory farms/slaughter process with a million manure covered chickens stuffed tightpack for life- aren't able to wash off every single speck of virus.