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Below is a roundup of the key developments on the spread of the bird flu virus (H5N1) and the threat it poses to human health. Each title is a link to the full article.
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Monday 28 November 2005
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Virus mutation found in China’s human bird flu cases
The H5N1 virus that caused China’s human cases of bird flu has mutated compared with the strain found in Vietnam’s human cases, said the Chinese Ministry of Health (Source: Xinhua).
Vietnam held a large-scale test of its bird flu preparedness strategy, involving 900 specialists (Source: China Daily).
Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are working together to prevent bird flu in the Middle East, with the FAO pledging US$400,000 (Source: IranMania).
A 16-year old boy is Indonesia’s 12th human case of bird flu; and the country has permission from drug company Roche to produce Tamiflu (Source: The Jakarta Post).
Nepal has asked the World Health Organization for US$8.1 million to prevent bird flu arriving there (Source: China View).
Sunday 27 November 2005
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Bangladesh takes steps to prevent bird flu
The government has asked health officials to prepare for a possible bird flu outbreak (Source: Associated Press).
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Saturday 26 November 2005
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Trinidad bans dyed feather imports from Asia
Trinidad and Tobago’s annual carnival will be without feathers from Asia, says the government (Source: Reuters).
Tanzania sets up bird flu monitoring team
In preparation for the arrival of migratory birds, which may be more numerous because of unusually cold weather in Europe, Tanzania has set up a specialist monitoring team (Source: Xinhua).
Taiwan in discussions to produce Tamiflu
Taiwan has said it wants to produce anti-flu drug Tamiflu, but Swiss patent-holder Roche Pharmaceuticals says this is ‘unnecessary’ (Source: ABC News).
Link to related Roche press release
New H5N1 outbreak in Inner Mongolia
China’s 23rd outbreak of H5N1 has been confirmed in Zalatun city, Inner Mongolia (Source: Bangkok Post).
New case of bird flu in Romania
A turkey has tested positive for bird flu in an area where the deadly H5N1 strain was found in October; the new case has yet to be confirmed to be H5N1 (Source: Reuters).
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Friday 25 November 2005
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China’s bird flu vaccine at least one year away
‘Panflu’, China’s human bird flu vaccine, is at least one year away from being sold; the government has approved clinical trials in people (Source: Reuters).
Vietnam: suspected bird flu patient flees hospital
A man in quarantine for bird flu in Vietnam fled the hospital, say officials (Source: United Press International).
‘No mutated H5N1 in Cambodia’ — officials, WHO
The Cambodian government and the World Health Organization have refuted claims that the H5N1 bird flu virus has mutated in Cambodia (Source: Xinhuanet).
Japan launches US$800 million bird flu vaccine study
Japan is to spend US$800 million developing human bird flu vaccine prototypes (Source: Associated Press).
Vaccinating poultry helps bird flu spread
The World Health Organization warns that inappropriate use of vaccines in poultry could help bird flu to spread (Source: BMJ).
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Thursday 24 November 2005
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Unknown quantity: bird flu in Cambodia
South-East Asia’s ‘forgotten’ hotspot for bird flu, Cambodia, faces up to the problems of tackling the issue (Source: SciDev.Net).
Vietnam reports another human bird flu case
Vietnam’s latest confirmed human case of H5N1 infection is a 15-year old boy from Hai Phong Province (Source: Ireland Online).
Bird flu expert says virus entering critical phase
A critical phase in the evolution of a bird flu pandemic could play out in China in the coming weeks, says world bird flu expert Robert Webster (Source: stuff.co.nz).
Bird flu hits Aceh, Indonesia
Hundreds of chickens have died of bird flu in the tsunami-ravaged region of Aceh, Indonesia (Source: Associated Press).
WHO to ask donors for US$31m
The World Health Organization will ask donors for US$31 million to fight bird flu at a meeting in China in January (Source: Reuters).
China refutes claims of hundreds of human deaths
The Chinese government has refuted the claims of a Japanese scientist that several hundred people have died of bird flu (Source: Xinhuanet).
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Wednesday 23 November 2005
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China reports second human bird flu death
A 35-year old woman has died of bird flu in China’s Anhui province (Source: Reuters).
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Monday 21 November 2005
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Chinese official warns of greater bird flu outbreak risk
A senior agricultural official in China has said that the outlook there remains grim (Source: Xinhuanet).
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