Bird flu, possible human to human transmission, page 1

"Thailand has confirmed a case of human bird flu which has sparked fears of possible human to human transmission.

A case of human to human transmission would raise fears that the bird flu virus could combine with a human flu virus, to create a more deadly version of the disease."

BBC: Human bird flu scare in Thailand

Taipei Times: Bird flu claims its 30th human victim in Asia

"SPREADING: Vietnam confirmed that a 14-month-old child was the latest victim of the disease, while Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra declared war on the virus.

Vietnam confirmed a new bird flu death to bring Asia's human toll to 30 yesterday, while Thailand rued its flawed efforts to control the epidemic after reporting its first likely case of the virus jumping from one person to another.

"Bird flu is a big problem ... we have to help each other manage. We have to fight a war to eliminate the bird flu," Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said, addressing an emergency meeting of 76 provincial governors."

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"The UK government has suspended the manufacturing licence of major flu vaccine maker Chiron.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said the three month suspension would take place with immediate effect.

The suspension means the Oxford-based company, which makes Fluvirin, will not be able to supply flu vaccines to anyone, including the major US market.

There are concerns about the way the vaccine is manufactured.



The World Health Organization said the suspension could have a major impact elsewhere - particularly as the flu season is just beginning in the northern hemisphere.

Dr Klaus Stohr, the WHO's flu chief, said: "The implications may be significant. There could be a shortage."



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"The bird flu virus, which has killed 31 people in Thailand and Vietnam this year, is very adaptable and has the ability to jump to many species, a Hong Kong expert on the disease warned on Monday.
The H5N1 swept through much of Asia this year and millions of fowl were slaughtered in a bid to contain the virus. The avian influenza virus was first seen in humans in 1997 in Hong Kong, where it infected 18 people, killing a third of them, Reuters reported.

Guan Yi, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong who has studied the virus since 1997, said it was prone to mutate in search of suitable hosts across different species.

"The virus is easily transmitted from one species to another. It can jump to many different species," he said in an interview."

Bird flu a very adaptable virus says HK expert
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