More Bird Flu Cases in Turkey
This is worrying.
(Reuters) –
The deadly bird flu virus has been identified in five more people across Turkey, a local health official said on Monday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has so far confirmed four cases including two deaths in Turkey. The WHO reports only laboratory-confirmed cases. A third death in Turkey is still subject to WHO tests.
Following is a list of confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu from the WHO in Geneva. Total cases includes survivors.
Deaths Total cases CAMBODIA 4 4 CHINA 3 7 INDONESIA 11 16 THAILAND 14 22 VIETNAM 42 93 TURKEY 2 4
TOTAL 76 146
The H5N1 virus remains primarily a virus of birds, but experts fear it could change into a form easily transmitted from person to person and sweep the world, killing millions within weeks or months.
So far, most human cases can be traced to direct or indirect contact with infected birds.
I can’t deny I’m petrified of bird flu. Many residents of and visitors to Amsterdam visit Turkey and the region regularly – think of the traffic in and out of Schiphol- and with the latest outbreaks I’m even more worried. With Holland’s deltas and rivers being a prime site for migrating waterbirds, it’s inevitable that it will pop up here.
If I were relatively healthy I wouldn’t worry that much – but as I have end-stage renal failure and other medical issues and I’m having some biggish surgery soon, my resistance would be nil. If there’s an epidemic, even a contained one, in Western Europe I’m likely to die. I think I’ll be staying indoors for quite a while if it does show up here.
UPDATE: BBC Radio 4 news is reporting that the rate of infection may be being severely underestimated. There are 48 14 confirmed cases and 48 suspected in Turkey as of 1300 GMT.
