Avian Flu

Simplified Bird flu timeline

1997

1997 (HONG KONG)- 18 Hong Kongpeople infected byAvian influenza- Epidemic of bird fluin local poultryPopulation, caused by The same strain

2004

2004 (VIETNAM)-8 confirmed casesIn people-Try to eliminate the threat by killingmillions of birds

2005

March 2005-55 people in Vietnam,Cambodia and ThailandHad come down withThe flu (42 died)

June 2005 (INDONESIA)-A man and his two daughters die of H5N1,although none of them worked around poultry.

October 2005- H5N1 has confirmed to spread to birds in Turkey and Romania

Spreading from Asia to East Europe

Cumulative total cases in Asia

Russia

China

Vietnam

Last week

• China: 4 cases in one month

Inner MongoliaAnhuiHunan

Liaoning

follow the route of migratory birds

• Vietnam: confirmed more bird flu outbreaks among poultry in three villages

What the world is fearing of?

• H5N1 virus may mutate to flavour human-to-human transmission

• Another pandemic?

- previous one in 1918-1919, Spanish Flu

killed 40-50 million people

- Experts agree that another one is

inevitable and probably imminent

What the world is fearing of?

• Another pandemic? (cont’) - Prof. KY Yuen stated that the mortality of bird flu in human race would be 50%, even much higher than SARS - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan: - health systems overburdened - families, communities and whole societies devastated - transport and trade, education and other services disrupted or stop - economic and social progress of nations risks reversed

Main causes of avian flu

• Bird flu in birds: Influenza A virus affect chickens, ducks and other birds

• Transmitted to human by: - direct/indirect contact with wild ducks and chickens - unhygienic handling of infected poultry e.g. not washing hands in contact with eyes and nose• Migratory birds’ spreading

Symptoms in human avian flu

• Fever• Fatigue• Cough• Sore throat• Eye infections• Muscle aches

Protection

• Vaccine: - currently, no vaccines - approximately 4 months to make one vaccine - impossible to make vaccine a virus that hasn't been identified (no human-to- human transmission strain yet)

Protection

• Antiviral drug:

- e.g. Tamiflu

- taken very soon (often within 48 hours) after an infection is suspected one pill every day

- WHO: those governments that can afford Tamiflu should stockpile it

- The Swiss maker of Tamiflu, Roche, halt the supply to local pharmacies and private clinics temporarily reserve all stocks for future

-Third World country gets generic version (because can’t afford the brand name version)

Prevention

• Avoid touching live poultry or their droppings

• Wash your hands thoroughly with liquid soap and water immediately after contact with live poultry, birds or their droppings

• Have a healthy lifestyle• Maintain good indoor ventilati

on

What did HK government do?

• Immigration control measures • Suspend import of poultry and poultry meat from infected

regions (e.g. vietnam, Hunan and Liaoning)• Stockpile tamiflu

- Department of Health 2.7-million doses

- Hospital Authority 800,000 doses • A patient transfer mechanism will be formed between pu

blic and private hospitals• Regular drills are conducted• Free vaccination programme to safeguard chickens

Are the world ready?• WHO: No!!!!! - Urge all countries to develop preparedness plan only 40 countries done it - Urge countries to stockpile antiviral drugs 30 doing, but manufactory has no capacity to fill immediately - Present trend: no access to vaccine or drug if the flu break out • The only thing we can do: Pray, prevent and wait