THE
spread of bird flu (H5N1) has led us to Europe and Africa
since the last update in the Service newspapers. However,
there hasn’t been a significant change in the risk
to humans to date.
Bird flu has spread rapidly since late 2005 from Asia
to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The United States
expects it will arrive on its shores before year’s
end.
Since the virus re-emerged in Asia in 2003, outbreaks
have been confirmed in more than 45 countries and territories,
according to data from the World Organisation for Animal
Health (OIE). Since January 2006, more than 30 countries
have reported outbreaks, most involving wild birds such
as swans.
The virus has killed 107 people since 2003 in nine countries
and territories, according to the World Health Organisation
(WHO). Countries with confirmed human cases are Azerbaijan,
Cambodia, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey
and Vietnam. Indonesia and Vietnam have the highest number
of cases, accounting for 64 of the total deaths.
In total, the virus is known to have infected 190 people
since 2003, according to the WHO. A large proportion of
those who have died are children and young adults.
The H5N1 virus is not new to science. The virus made the
first known jump into humans in Hong Kong in 1997, infecting
18 people and killing six of them. The government ordered
the immediate culling of the territory’s entire poultry
flock, ending the outbreak.
Bird flu has so far not been transmitted from human to
human, but can be caught from close contact with infected
poultry and feathered birds.
Symptoms
Symptoms
in humans have ranged from typical influenza-like symptoms,
such as fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches, to
eye infections (conjunctivitis), gastrointestinal symptoms,
pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, viral pneumonia,
and other severe and life-threatening complications.
Travel
The
WHO advises travelers to affected areas to avoid live
animal markets and poultry farms and any free-ranging
or caged poultry.
Travellers are not considered at elevated risk unless
there is direct and unprotected exposure to infected birds
(including feathers, faeces and under-cooked meat and
poultry).
If human-to-human transmission, an epidemic or pandemic
occurs, Defence will promulgate updated advice.
