6 replies to this topic

[Charles Chew]

A couple of new bird flu cases in Europe recently and today, we have a confirmed outbreak of two identified cases in Malaysia (second incident to date) which is really bad news because the previous incident happened some distances away and that means migratory birds could well be the main suspect for spreading the H5N1 virus.

Personally, my family have stopped consuming chicken meat and eggs (soft boil happens to be my favorite) but I ain't taking any risk no more. Don't mingle in crowds and avoid people who coughs and look pretty sick outwardly.......it looks at this stage that a global epidemic outbreak is pretty imminent. If so, millions of people might go.

Sciences need to be a big leap forward to get this out of the way. Is definitely worse than HIV.......an uncontrolled hazard or is it?

[Simon]

There has been a lot of coverage in the media on Bird Flu over the past few months. However, we are not sure at this stage of the implications of Bird Flu (for humans). I thought it would be sensible to split Charles post above and create a dedicated 'bird flu' thread. I wasn't sure which forum to put it in though.

If you have any updates on bird flu please add them here.

Regards,
Simon

[jamesgibb]

Charles,

Hopefully this will ease your worries

http://www.centredai...on/14120156.htm

having studied virus epidemiology as part of my degree I tend to agree with the above, after all we aren't all dying of SARS are we?

Don't forget that unless the governments of the world think there is an iminent threat they won't support research into the viruses.

http://mtbeurope.inf...2006/603015.htm

with the detection technology available today any outbreak can be contained within 2 or 3 steps from the initial outbreak, effectivley halting an outbreak prior to any sort of epidemic.

So far any outbreak has been limited to 2 or 3 infection cycles and most importantly (as far as I know) no medical personnel have been infected whilst treating infected persons.

Not eating soft boiled eggs may be a worthwhile activity but I can't see any reason why you should stop eating chicken altogether, just don't drink the blood!

James

[Charles Chew]

Hopefully this will ease your worries

James,
I truly hope you are right but in my view point, there is every chance a pandemic may lead to an epidemic and I like to bet that we are not heading for one. Nevertheless, I am not taking any chances since not only birds have died, there are cases of humans who have contacted the virus and died too. H5N1 viruses may not yet have mutated to pass from humans to humans but nobody is placing their last buck on the betting table on this one.

Human deaths have occurred in Asia and Turkey and I am pretty sure its not the end of it before science takes control. I hope it will be soon.

However, on the food safety point of view, my consulting clients are definitely taking emergency response actions to safe guard their food safety boundaries as part of their food safety program in complying with ISO 22000 requirements and ensure that they have a continuous business as an operating entity under their QMS 9001:2000. I hope this will encourage others to have similar views as there are really no potential hazards that can be too small to underestimate or ignore.

Edited by charleschew, 17 March 2006 - 04:38 PM.

[Simon]

Preliminary tests have confirmed the H5 avian flu virus in a sample from a swan found dead in north east Fife, health officials have revealed.

http://news.bbc.co.u...and/4881526.stm

[Simon]

Anyone know what happened to bird flu?

[jamesgibb]

Simon,

Perhaps they all got better now the Sumer Sales are on?

James