"BIRD FLU" IN THE NEWS
News Date December 18, 2007
Reports of "bird flu"--both in human and avian populations--often increase when temperatures drop during the winter months. For example, the World Health Organization warned this week that countries should be on the alert for "bird flu" because it is again on the move. Myanmar recorded its first human case this year and several people fell ill in Pakistan; two of which have died.
On the avian front, five chickens have been found infected with H5N1 bird flu virus on a private farm in Poland in the latest outbreak of the disease in that country. This is the seventh case of the H5N1 bird flu virus discovered in Poland since the start of December, when the first case was found in central Poland at a turkey farm. In addition to Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, Egypt, Pakistan, and Vietnam have all reported High Path cases in avian species in the past month. 'Tis the season' for vigilance regarding this disease. (Contact: Bob Ehart)