Deadly bird flu, deadly hurricanes, nuclear terrorism, infinite resource wars, Peak Oil Panic. Get ready for a reduction in human populations all over the planet. Or go to a beach somewhere and do what Cypher did in the Matrix. Go back to sleep, with a sigh: 'Ignorance is bliss'.
UK population to be vaccinated against pandemic flu
19/10/2005 - 17:50:28
Plans to vaccinate everyone in the UK against pandemic ‘flu once a potentially-fatal strain emerges were announced by the British government today.
Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson said 120 million doses – the equivalent of two per person – would be needed to cover the population.
But he said the vaccine could not be created until the exact strain in a future ‘flu pandemic was known.
This means that many people could already be struck down with pandemic ‘flu before the vaccine is available for use, which could take up to six months.
He said that the UK would be “very lucky” not to have pandemic ‘flu arrive here from elsewhere in the world before the vaccine was produced.
But he said it would still help a lot of people who would otherwise get ‘flu.
The Government is inviting vaccine manufacturers to tender for “sleeping contracts”, which would mean they had to build up capacity to meet demand once the strain is identified.
Pandemic ‘flu is different to seasonal ‘flu because it can strike at any time of the year and occur all over the world.
Each wave of the pandemic could last between two and three months.
Experts predict that between two million and 50 million people could die globally.
Avian ‘flu has caused such concern because it can be caught by humans, who could turn into “mixing vessels”, enabling the virus to genetically mutate into a new potentially highly contagious form.
Pigs are also seen as possible mixing vessels because they are susceptible to both human and avian ‘flu.
Again, the virus could mutate in the pig and become potentially lethal to humans.
Thailand:
Phanom Thuan declared an avian flu epidemic zone
Man dies despite tests coming back negative
PIYARACH CHONGCHAROEN
An official and a villager of tambon Phangtu in Kanchanaburi's Phanom Thuan district take fighting cocks from the pen for culling. — Piyarach Chongcharoen
Phanom Thuan district of Kanchanaburi was declared a bird flu epidemic zone after a man who developed bird-flu like symptoms died early yesterday morning, although lab tests came back negative for H5N1 infection. More than 1,200 chickens were slaughtered in the district yesterday as the prevention campaign went into action.
Four districts of Phichit have also been put under watch with more than 2,500 chickens culled and disinfectant sprayed in all areas after the spread of the virus in neighbouring Kamphaeng Phet.
Yingyos Chusomphop, acting chief of Kanchanaburi's livestock development office, on Tuesday night led a team of officials and villagers to cull about 1,200 chickens in tambon Phang Tru and tambon Rang Wai to curb the outbreak in Phanom Thuan district.
Some villagers at first refused to hand their expensive fighting cocks to the team for culling, but relented later on.
According to Mr Yingyos, Phanom Thuan district has now been declared an outbreak zone. No H5N1 virus infections were reported in closed-system chicken farms or among the 44,250 free-range ducks, but confirmation was needed from the Ratchaburi-based animal health research centre's pending lab tests.
Bang-orn Benpad, 48, developed bird flu-like symptoms after coming into contact with dead chickens in tambon Phang Tru. He died about 3am yesterday, but the Medical Sciences Department said he had tested negative for avian flu.
His younger brother, Samorn Benpad, said Phahonpol Phayuhasena Hospital doctors advised relatives to cremate Bang-orn's body urgently without unwrapping the plastic bag containing his body.
Relatives yesterday refused to hand Mr Bang-orn's body to the hospital for an autopsy to establish the cause of death while villagers believed the man died of bird flu since he and his seven-year-old son Ronnarit, now in Siriraj Hospital, had been in direct contact with dead chickens.
Chamnan Boonmanuch, the father of the country's first bird flu fatality, seven-year-old Captain Boonmanuch, or Nong Tay, said his late son and Bang-orn suffered the same symptoms _ very rapid lung infection and failure _ after coming into contact with dead chickens.
He believed the doctors chose not to tell the truth to prevent negative repercussions for the country.
Indonesia Neglected Bird Flu Until Too Late, Experts Say
By Alan Sipress
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, October 20, 2005; Page A01
JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 19 -- Indonesian officials covered up and then neglected a spreading bird flu epidemic for two years until it began to sicken humans this summer, posing a grave threat to people well beyond the country's borders, according to Indonesian and international health experts.
Unlike Southeast Asian countries that began to see human cases almost as soon as avian influenza was identified in their poultry, Indonesia had a generous head start to prevent an outbreak among people. But since July, it has registered more human cases than any other country, including three deaths confirmed by international testing. Influenza specialists agree that the actual number of human cases is higher and expect it to rise with the approach of the rainy season.
No comments:
Post a Comment