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Bird Flu Events Changing Our World
—————> Thailand Bird Flu Death Toll on the Rise
Thailand has tried to step up its defences against bird flu following the return of the virus after an eight-month lull and the death of a 17-year-old youth in the northern province of Phichit.
Adopting an extra cautious stance, health officials have placed more than 800 people involved in culling in Nakhon Panom or in hospitals in the area on a bird flu watch-list.
The Agriculture Ministry also banned imports of poultry and equipment from neighbouring countries, with violators facing a maximum penalty of 2 years in jail and/or a 40,000 baht ($1,000) fine.
—————> Indonesia / Thailand H5N1 Cover-up?
Indonesia has been accused of failing to send bird flu samples to official laboratories! In Thailand, as a new outbreak of avian flu began to appear last month, officials in Bangkok and the provinces reverted to cover-up and finger-pointing in place of accountability and speedy treatment.
“I think the situation in Indonesia is worrying for the rest of the world, and it is rapidly catching up, in terms of the number of outbreaks in poultry species, with Vietnam,” said Lance Jennings, a Christchurch virologist.
“One of the major issues with a number of countries is that they are putting caveats on those samples; for example, that the information is not allowed to be widely disseminated,” he said.
Experts say some countries have been reluctant to disclose the extent of bird flu infection for fear of sowing panic and damaging tourism.
—————> UN Global Response System Finalized
A special response system to track the emergence of zoonoses (animal diseases transmissible to humans) was finally announced in July. This web-based electronic platform combines data accumulated from three major organizations and is dubbed GLEWS, or Global Early Warning and Response System.
Not to be confused with the Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network (GOARN) started in April 2000 (with impressive results by the way), GLEWS has the potential to be enhanced to track the spread of Bird Flu. It is also to have local, national and international levels to ensure quick and accurate communication to help combat a possible pandemic before it hits.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) made a joint announcement late in July 2006.
See the related “Global Early Warning and Response System” article and video (link) here.
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