"Deadly bird flu widens its reach"

[Scorpius]

The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has continued to spread around the world, with France becoming the latest country to confirm the presence of the virus. French officials said tests on a duck carcass showed it had died from the disease, hours after Iran and India confirmed their first cases. The H5N1 strain has killed at least 90 people since it emerged in 2003.

It can be caught by humans who handle infected birds, but it is not yet known to have been passed between people. Scientists have warned that if the virus mutates, it could create a pandemic that would kill millions of people.

In other developments:

* Austria records two more cases of H5N1 bird flu near Vienna, bringing its number of cases to seven.

* Indonesia confirms its 19th human death from the disease.

* In Hong Kong, a dead magpie tests positive for the disease - the ninth infected bird to have been found in the territory in three weeks.

* Egyptian authorities cull 10,000 birds at a chicken farm near Cairo, a day after Egypt reported its first cases of H5N1.

Source: Full Article @BBC NEWS.

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Believe in miracles and lets hope it doesn't mutate.

[spacenut]

I hope it dosnt mutate.

[ladygrim]

its obviously going to spread from bird to brd , because dont most bird 'head south for winter' were they come in to contact with other infected birds and bring it back with them spreading to them that dont migrate for winter ,

[different]

No! I hope it does not hit the US for a while. I love my chicken too much!

[newbloodmoon]

Well for starters eating cooked poultry cannot give you the bird flu. Secondly 90 deaths worldwide since 2003 isn't alot considering we have what 6 billion people on the planet. Thirdly Sars was supposed to be the next Pandemic and it never really amounted to anything big. I think that this is another "Scare" move, I have never had a flu shot and have never gotten the flu. (though there were a couple really bad salmonella cases but well you get the idea.) I very rarely ever get sick either, unless I am inundated around christmas time since I have a big family and if a few of them have colds then forget it.

As long as you're not 1) extremely young 2) extremely old 3) in poor health in general you shouldn't have to fear the bird flu virus. Just keep up your doses of vitamines, eat well and just try to be as stress free as possible.

[ladygrim]

Any type of flu is a risk any ways wether it be asain , russian , bird, whatever its just something else they try and frighten us with

[Sanjuro]

I am almost sure that US goverment created it to weaken China, Russia etc

Now it will mutate and we will be *****d up.

Edited February 19, 2006 by Sanjuro

[whoa182]

Any type of flu is a risk any ways wether it be asain , russian , bird, whatever its just something else they try and frighten us with

Not any flu kills two thirds of the people who get infected. This virus is very genetically similar to the one that killed 50 million people and that was without airtravel and other transport that we have today. A fifth of the world's population was infected, not exactly your typical yearly flu.

As long as you're not 1) extremely young 2) extremely old 3) in poor health in general you shouldn't have to fear the bird flu virus. Just keep up your doses of vitamines, eat well and just try to be as stress free as possible.

I also seem to be quite immune to any flu lately lol. but the fact is that most of the people who have died so far have been in their 20's I think. Stronger immune response to this virus may lead to a quicker death.

Edited February 20, 2006 by whoa182

[__Kratos__]

I am almost sure that US goverment created it to weaken China, Russia etc

Now it will mutate and we will be *****d up.

Actually, it was accidently made in China by using illegal feed and such, is what I heard.