Bird Flu

[finlma]

Not caused by sitting too close to a bird on the bus with a cold but our feathered friends in the sky.

Its very worrying to see it spreading to Europe. Its slowly getting closer and closer to us. Some scientists are comparing it to the flu epidemic early last century which killed millions. I can't see it being that bad but definitely cause for concern.

[Lionel Ritchie]

It could be very serious indeed. One of these mutating flu's is a bullet with our number on it.

[Gareth]

Lads,

I am not surprised but a bit worried that for the last months this story has barely hit papers and I generally have to to go Science/Health on the BBC to get articles on it. I have been monitoring it for ages and I have got increasely worried that it will be a case of deal with it when it hits rather than prevent. With the recent disasters in the Middle East and the US focusing on the South after the hurricanes, we are potentially looking at a pandemic that could kill 100s of millions. Vaccines need to be found urgently or we will be facing a serious problem. I don't think its scare mongering either. Its ignorance that will cause the death of many!!!

[finlma]

9 people were put under observation in Turkey today after 40 pigeons died suddenly in their neighbourhood.

I agree with Gareth that not enough is being done. It seems action will only be taken when people start dying and it will be too late then.

[Gareth]

We clearly have not learned our lessons from the past. With freedom of movement so easy from asia to europe we are fooling ourselves to believe we are safe. We seem to think that all these issues are not issues until your neighbour is sick. Unfortunately due to economic reasons pharmutical companies have no profit in developing vaccines until required. This is insane to think. Whats the use of money if you have no one to sell it to? I just hope the WHO and the UN are more capable than I believe they are.

[drinkfeckarse]

I thought thats it's only going to be a problem if it mutates (which is a strong posibility) to affect humans, which at the moment it doesn't unless you're in direct contact with an infected animal?

[drinkfeckarse]

You can't really develop a vaccine for something for something that hasn't "developed" yet. If it mutates it could be a totally different strain to previous outbreaks so any vaccine would be useless.

[Macy]

I thought thats it's only going to be a problem if it mutates (which is a strong posibility) to affect humans, which at the moment it doesn't unless you're in direct contact with an infected animal?
At the moment, it can't be passed human to human, just bird to human (and with close contact at that). They seem to expect it to mutate, but at the same time they don't know whether it will or won't yet or when. (and as you say, they can't develop a vaccine until it mutates - that's part of the problem).

[Poor Student]

It's now reached Turkey and Romania. That's frighteningly close considering where it originates. Like Gareth I am concerned about the lack of action. I cannot see why the EU won't get drachonian on this. It sounds so potentially disasterous it's petrifying.

[holidaysong]

Lads,

I am not surprised but a bit worried that for the last months this story has barely hit papers and I generally have to to go Science/Health on the BBC to get articles on it. I have been monitoring it for ages and I have got increasely worried that it will be a case of deal with it when it hits rather than prevent. With the recent disasters in the Middle East and the US focusing on the South after the hurricanes, we are potentially looking at a pandemic that could kill 100s of millions. Vaccines need to be found urgently or we will be facing a serious problem. I don't think its scare mongering either. Its ignorance that will cause the death of many!!!

In fairness BBC news have been giving it coverage for the past few months both on their website and on their news programmes. I'm glad we don't have to rely on RTÉ for all our news. We will be fine unless it goes human to human (some scientists estimated a 100% chance of this happening though :eek: ) and then the feces really will hit the fan.

[Gareth]

I was praising the BBC. Sorry for my ignorance re vaccine. I think we need to get extreme and start limiting travel. For the sake of the future. Economies can recover, death has less likely prospects of...

[hoops1]

What are you going to do Gareth ask all the pigeons for there passports:D

[Gareth]

I was thinking of a lazer grid that is set up as a perimeter round ireland. If you fly thru it unauthroized you will be vapourised and your dust shot into space (in case of infection) Its easier than passport control. :)

[finlma]

Thats the problem - if it was carried by other animals it would be more containable.
We could put the IRA back to use and line them up along the coast with guns under order to shoot every bird entering the country.

[jofyisgod]

The birds are unlikely to migrate this far North, and any sick birds are unlikely to be well enough to complete such a journey.

Bear in mind, although Turkey is technically in Europe, it is still a long way off.
I wouldn't worry lads, remember such problems as SARS and BSE? Hype and panic.

[liam88]

The birds are unlikely to migrate this far North, and any sick birds are unlikely to be well enough to complete such a journey.

Bear in mind, although Turkey is technically in Europe, it is still a long way off.
I wouldn't worry lads, remember such problems as SARS and BSE? Hype and panic.
Remeber SARS to well-got back from China the day before it was annouced!!
#Having said that this one seems worse....British government have said 50 000 will deffinatly die but they are preparing for 175 000-one expert says it could be 2 million in theUK mainly teenagers :(

[REVIP]

Having said that this one seems worse....British government have said 50 000 will deffinatly die but they are preparing for 175 000-one expert says it could be 2 million in theUK mainly teenagers :(

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4346624.stm

It's not too reassuring when the chief medical officer says that 50,000 is probable and 750,000 is not impossible, and this is a guy who would be anxious not to cause a panic

[pineapple stu]

There was an article on it in this month's National Geographic as well - a few deaths reported out in Vietnam in recent months. Apparently, the flu may be able to mutate through pigs, who can get both bird flu and human flu (I think).

[finlma]

I don't understand how a recognised British scientist is saying at least 50,000 will die and there is still so little coverage or even panic about it.

Here comes the plague. Ah well, lets have a cup of tea and worry about it later.

[Dodge]

I don't understand how a recognised British scientist is saying at least 50,000 will die and there is still so little coverage or even panic about it.

FFS man, Kate Moss is in rehab!!!! How many journalists do you think there are free to cover piddly little stories like "bird Flu" :rolleyes:

[anto1208]

i saw a week or so ago an article about how our goverment are nt taking it seriously and are making any special plans to fight it , 2 days later the W.H.O. anounced every gov should be stock piling flu vacines , typical of our goverment .
then yesterday i see they have jumped into action by aquiring a secret mass burial site some where in the middle of the country to burry 50,000 people . seems they dont think it important enough to try and save these people !!.the britsh gov have one set up to hold up to 750,000 .

take this very seriously indeed

[finlma]

then yesterday i see they have jumped into action by aquiring a secret mass burial site some where in the middle of the country to burry 50,000 people . seems they dont think it important enough to try and save these people !!.the britsh gov have one set up to hold up to 750,000 .


Where did you hear about these mass burial sites? I'm suprised more isn't been said about them.

[pete]

I think we need to get the army & any hunters out at the East coast to shoot down any birds flying into the country.

[Poor Student]

i saw a week or so ago an article about how our goverment are nt taking it seriously and are making any special plans to fight it , 2 days later the W.H.O. anounced every gov should be stock piling flu vacines , typical of our goverment .
then yesterday i see they have jumped into action by aquiring a secret mass burial site some where in the middle of the country to burry 50,000 people . seems they dont think it important enough to try and save these people !!.the britsh gov have one set up to hold up to 750,000 .

take this very seriously indeed

From what I read in the broadsheets yesterday (possibly the Times) we're relying on the UK to supply us with flu vaccines despite the fact they are struggling to get enough to vaccinate 25% of their population.:confused:

[liam88]

From what I read in the broadsheets yesterday (possibly the Times) we're relying on the UK to supply us with flu vaccines despite the fact they are struggling to get enough to vaccinate 25% of their population.:confused:
Did we not also rely on the British for food supplies during the famine........:(

I'm really really worried about this.....it's meant to be worse than the one that hit after WWI...........if it takes out 2 million in the UK surley it can do the same in Ireland and that's half the population gone! Surely that's going to set the coutnry back decades??

Feel sick just thinking about it but on the brightside...........

....it's not predicted to hit till next winter and we might just have enough vaccine by them :D

Personally i'm working on my parents to emmigrate us to Tristian de Cuhna :D :D

[Poor Student]

I assume 2 million would be a percentage estimate which I estimate in my head to be 3.3% of the UK population. That's what? 130,000 of the Irish population I estimate again.

Whatever about the famine, we were part of the UK then and we were their responsibility. However our government should be taking care of this themselves.

[pete]

If birds get the flu can how they sneeze as they don't have noses?

:confused:

[anto1208]

i took this from the sky news website i think it answers most questions .

BIRD FLU FACTS: Q & A


Concern is growing among experts over the possibility of a pandemic of bird flu that could kill millions around the world.


Bird flu: What is it?
Birds, just like humans, are susceptible to flu and there are at least 15 different types.
The most contagious and deadly strains are H5 and H7 - it is the H5N1 strain that is currently causing panic.
Flu can affect all types of birds, especially affecting and migratory wildfowl, including ducks, which can carry the infection but do not always develop the symptoms.
The virus lives in the bird's intestines and is passed on through faeces.

Why all the fuss?
Experts are worried that the virus will be spread around the world by migratory birds, infecting poultry and meaning millions of birds will have to be culled. In turn, it raises the prospect of a pandemic among humans.
The major concern is over the risk of the H5N1 strain mixing with the human flu virus - the results of this could be catastrophic.
It would need a person to be infected with both the human flu virus and the bird flu virus at the same time, and for those strains to mix and mutate into a more powerful bug that could be passed directly between people.
It is feared that in this scenario, up to 50 million people, including 50,000 in the UK, could die.
So far, there are only a handful of cases thought to have been passed between people.

Am I at risk?
There have been over 100 known cases of the H5N1 virus affecting humans in southeast Asia - 60 of those resulted in death.
It can be caught through infected bird's saliva and dried faeces which becomes pulverised and then inhaled.
It is not a food-borne virus and therefore cannot be caught by eating chicken.
Experts say the risk to the UK is "very low".

What are the symptoms in humans?
Fever, sore throat, coughing and muscle aches - the same symptoms as human flu.
It can also cause more serious eye infections, pneumonia and respiratory diseases.
Scientists have also found that the virus can affect all parts of the body, not just the lungs, raising the possibility that there have been many more deaths from bird flu than previously thought.

How can it be treated?
No vaccine has been developed to counter the virus, although scientists are working on several possibilities.
At the moment, antiviral drugs are the best method of limiting symptoms, which could help control the spread of the virus.
The Government has bought 14.6 million courses of Tamiflu, the antiviral drug. It is enough to treat a quarter of the UK population.

[Peadar]

Avian Flu has been detected in Greece.
Lucky we got out of Cyprus when we did.

[Poor Student]

Avian Flu has been detected in Greece.
Lucky we got out of Cyprus when we did.

Relax Peadar. Yes it has been detected in the island of Chios but that's closer to Turkey than the Greek mainland where it has already been found. At the rate it's getting West it'll be here eventually anyway. After all it did start in Hong Kong. They're examining dead birds on the Croatian coast for it. So I wouldn't think of it in terms of "lucky I got away from there".

I just saw the news there and the government claims they are preparing. They've ordered a lot of ordinary flu medicine and the stuff they're getting off Britain is an Avian flu vaccine which will be given to staff working on patients. They've also began ordering in filter masks.

[Green Tribe]

i take it a bird sh!tting on you will no longer be a considered a sign of good luck!

:D :D Exactly!!!!

[The Stars]

sure a auld bottle of calpol will sort it out.

[holidaysong]

sure a auld bottle of calpol will sort it out.

hehe :D