Bird flu: an emergency across Asia
24 September, 2005
ASIA
Jakarta (Asia News/Agencies) – Many countries across the Asian continent are seeking to counter a new wave of the H5N1 epidemic, that is, bird flu, which has struck down 113 people in Asia itself since July. From 2004, when the virus was isolated, H5N1 has claimed 59 victims. Vietnam, with 43 victims, takes first place as the country with the highest toll. The virus strikes birds which can transmit it to man. Scientists of the World Health Organisation (WHO) fear the virus could mutate and be transmitted from person to person, causing a pandemic which may claim millions of victims.
The international community should undertake to ensure that it is not caught ill-prepared to cope with such an emergency. Although vaccination of poultry is spreading and tens of millions of birds have been killed, it has been discovered that the virus is transmitted through migratory birds too. The virus is now found in Asia, but according to the WHO, it will reach Europe with the imminent bird migration. The unknown factor, say experts, is not “if it will arrive” but “when it will arrive”.
In Indonesia, there are four certified victims of the virus. Autopsy results are expected for another two suspect cases. Meanwhile 22 people are being kept under observation across the country, 17 of them in Jakarta. FAO officials say the Indonesian government “should immediately carry out control measures such as culling and targeted vaccination in high-risk areas”. A United Nations spokesman said Indonesian should immediately slaughter poultry in areas affected by bird flu and delegate more funds to stop the virus developing into a pandemic. The government in Jakarta has in recent days stepped up efforts to curtail the spread of the virus: infected animals will be culled and people showing symptoms of the disease will be hurried to hospital. The government is availing itself of help offered by a team of scientists from the United States and Japan, as well as aid from the international community, like 10,000 vaccines which Australia will send to Jakarta.
Some people contracted the virus while visiting the Ragunan zoo in Jakarta. The zoo was later shut down, after some eagles and other birds were found to have been infected. The epidemic has repercussions on the poultry market. Sales have dropped and many shops risk closure.
Vietnam has been the hardest hit by the virus. More than 90 people have been infected and 43 have died. The impact on the market does not seem to be that bad. “We are still doing good business,” said Nguyen Mai Anh, owner of a chicken noodle shop in Hanoi. "Customers trust us because we only buy chickens from farms that have been checked by animal health workers."
China is on high alert, especially in the southern province of Guandong. Sars expert Dr Zhong Nanshan, director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, defined the risk of bird flu in the region as "grave". He said: "The World Health Organisation has already issued an urgent warning in the region. For some time now, we have been acting in order to prevent an outbreak of the epidemic.” The doctor said rural areas were particularly vulnerable and he expected the disease to be found in provincial villages
In Thailand, the government wants to increase the number of vaccines which are however difficult to obtain. The Public Health Minister, Suchai Charoenratanakul said his country has vaccines for 75,000 people, which would be sufficient in normal circumstances. But if a pandemic breaks out, pharmaceutical companies will not be able to meet demands. Thailand was one of the countries hardest hit by the virus but since 25 February, no new cases of infection have been reported. For a time, breeding poultry was forbidden.
In the Philippines, vets, doctors and disease specialists are debating a plan to prevent the virus from reaching the country. The health department said that “for now, there have no cases of bird flu detected in people or in animals”.
Malaysia, which borders Indonesia, has taken a series of precautions to prevent an outbreak. Kuala Lumpur has stepped up border controls to prevent illegal importation of rare birds and it has also made the penalty for smuggling harsher. Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said: "At the moment, we are still free from the avian influenza, but we need to be stringent at all times to prevent it”. For now, the only victims of the virus are poultry breeders who have registered heavy economic losses.
The authorities in Mongolia have declared that since July more than 560 birds struck by the H5N1 virus have died. The first cases were discovered on the border with Russia. Ganzorig, from the General Emergency Office, said that so far 563 birds, mostly migratory, had been found dead in 16 provinces.
"The infected birds staggered like drunk men," he said.
ASIA
Jakarta (Asia News/Agencies) – Many countries across the Asian continent are seeking to counter a new wave of the H5N1 epidemic, that is, bird flu, which has struck down 113 people in Asia itself since July. From 2004, when the virus was isolated, H5N1 has claimed 59 victims. Vietnam, with 43 victims, takes first place as the country with the highest toll. The virus strikes birds which can transmit it to man. Scientists of the World Health Organisation (WHO) fear the virus could mutate and be transmitted from person to person, causing a pandemic which may claim millions of victims.
The international community should undertake to ensure that it is not caught ill-prepared to cope with such an emergency. Although vaccination of poultry is spreading and tens of millions of birds have been killed, it has been discovered that the virus is transmitted through migratory birds too. The virus is now found in Asia, but according to the WHO, it will reach Europe with the imminent bird migration. The unknown factor, say experts, is not “if it will arrive” but “when it will arrive”.
In Indonesia, there are four certified victims of the virus. Autopsy results are expected for another two suspect cases. Meanwhile 22 people are being kept under observation across the country, 17 of them in Jakarta. FAO officials say the Indonesian government “should immediately carry out control measures such as culling and targeted vaccination in high-risk areas”. A United Nations spokesman said Indonesian should immediately slaughter poultry in areas affected by bird flu and delegate more funds to stop the virus developing into a pandemic. The government in Jakarta has in recent days stepped up efforts to curtail the spread of the virus: infected animals will be culled and people showing symptoms of the disease will be hurried to hospital. The government is availing itself of help offered by a team of scientists from the United States and Japan, as well as aid from the international community, like 10,000 vaccines which Australia will send to Jakarta.
Some people contracted the virus while visiting the Ragunan zoo in Jakarta. The zoo was later shut down, after some eagles and other birds were found to have been infected. The epidemic has repercussions on the poultry market. Sales have dropped and many shops risk closure.
Vietnam has been the hardest hit by the virus. More than 90 people have been infected and 43 have died. The impact on the market does not seem to be that bad. “We are still doing good business,” said Nguyen Mai Anh, owner of a chicken noodle shop in Hanoi. "Customers trust us because we only buy chickens from farms that have been checked by animal health workers."
China is on high alert, especially in the southern province of Guandong. Sars expert Dr Zhong Nanshan, director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, defined the risk of bird flu in the region as "grave". He said: "The World Health Organisation has already issued an urgent warning in the region. For some time now, we have been acting in order to prevent an outbreak of the epidemic.” The doctor said rural areas were particularly vulnerable and he expected the disease to be found in provincial villages
In Thailand, the government wants to increase the number of vaccines which are however difficult to obtain. The Public Health Minister, Suchai Charoenratanakul said his country has vaccines for 75,000 people, which would be sufficient in normal circumstances. But if a pandemic breaks out, pharmaceutical companies will not be able to meet demands. Thailand was one of the countries hardest hit by the virus but since 25 February, no new cases of infection have been reported. For a time, breeding poultry was forbidden.
In the Philippines, vets, doctors and disease specialists are debating a plan to prevent the virus from reaching the country. The health department said that “for now, there have no cases of bird flu detected in people or in animals”.
Malaysia, which borders Indonesia, has taken a series of precautions to prevent an outbreak. Kuala Lumpur has stepped up border controls to prevent illegal importation of rare birds and it has also made the penalty for smuggling harsher. Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said: "At the moment, we are still free from the avian influenza, but we need to be stringent at all times to prevent it”. For now, the only victims of the virus are poultry breeders who have registered heavy economic losses.
The authorities in Mongolia have declared that since July more than 560 birds struck by the H5N1 virus have died. The first cases were discovered on the border with Russia. Ganzorig, from the General Emergency Office, said that so far 563 birds, mostly migratory, had been found dead in 16 provinces.
"The infected birds staggered like drunk men," he said.
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