Eighth Human Bird Flu Death Confirmed in Indonesia

Eighth Human Bird Flu Death Confirmed in Indonesia

Indonesian officials say the World Health Organization has confirmed the country's eighth human death from bird flu.

The officials said Saturday, tests conducted at a laboratory in Hong Kong show that a 25-year-old woman who died earlier this week had the H5N1 strain of the virus.

Meanwhile, officials in Ukraine have reported the country's first outbreak of bird flu in poultry. The Agriculture Ministry says the virus was detected in Ukraine's Crimea peninsula, but it is not known yet if the virus is the strain that is dangerous to humans.

Bird flu has killed nearly 70 people in Asia since 2003, and has also spread among poultry flocks in many European countries.

Health experts fear the virus could mutate into a form that could be easily transmitted between humans and kill millions of people.

Seems like the latest official number. Anybody know how many are sick?

As you posted earlier, things don't look too good in Jakarta.

IMO - we won't know it's happening until it's totally out of control. Undeveloped countries don't have the resources to test and monitor people OR animals. Developed countries don't have the will - monitoring and prevention strategies are blocked by corporate industry. Over 65 million Americans have inadequate health insurance or none at all - they're the most vulnerable, but they won't be tested until it's too late.

H5N1 bird flu is not being monitored adequately; prevention strategies went out the window for the last time in Canada this fall. I'd say we're all pretty much on our own.

...I do think that because H5N1 has been around so long (46 years) - we may have developed immunities that will carry over even to a new virulent strain. It might be that those who already 'succombed' lived in isolated areas and had not been exposed before.

It's a hope.

I'd suggest that we monitor suspicious outbreaks on the board here, but given the USA's new quarantine rules and the history of quarantine being used for depopulation - I recommend strongly against it.

Sofi, whether or not a person has health care insurance might be a moot point. If this ever gets as bad as predicted (by some), the best thing to do will be to stay at home.
And, anyway, medical facilites would be overwhelmed...as has been mentined elsewhere on ATS.

Regarding the possible immunity:
Is H5N1 the same strain that was the last big flu outbreak (in 1967?)

Originally posted by DontTreadOnMe
Sofi, whether or not a person has health care insurance might be a moot point. If this ever gets as bad as predicted (by some), the best thing to do will be to stay at home.
And, anyway, medical facilites would be overwhelmed...as has been mentined elsewhere on ATS.

True - but surviving infection likely will be dependent on access to technology that can support organ function (dialysis, ventilators, etc) - and the ability to buy life support will be critical.

See here: Report: Tamiflu "Useless" Against H5N1 Bird Flu

Regarding the possible immunity:
Is H5N1 the same strain that was the last big flu outbreak (in 1967?)

No. But H5N1 has been circling the world since 1959 - so we probably have been exposed, and our immune systems likely have developed some ability to deal with it.

...I keep thinking about a flu I had around 1994. I was in bed delerious for about 3 days - didn't go to a hospital, it hit too fast for me to cope. Every time I came to, I could feel it moving and settling in different organs. I remember that well - the pain in my kidneys, then gall baldder, lungs - thru my body around and around. One of the scariest things I've ever experienced. Now I wonder - maybe it was H5N1, and I developed an immunity? ...Makin lemonade here.

At least if the transition happens in South East Asia - we should have *some* warning about it - the place that is really worrying WHO is Africa...


WHO's African risk assessment