The absence of my column on Avian Influenza should not be seen as an indication that the threat of the virus appearing in our region has disappeared; far from it. The threat is still real and scientists are still learning about this potentially devastating virus. So what is the current status of AI or bird Flu around the world?
Indonesia continues to be in the frontline of the war against the virus (H5N1) which appears to have gained a foothold in that archipelagic nation. The virus is now considered endemic in Indonesia. Many other countries are actively trying to eradicate the virus from their poultry populations. These countries include Egypt, Nigeria, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. These are all poor countries lacking the financial, human and other resources needed to eradicate the virus in a timely manner. In the eradication effort these countries are spending millions of dollars on public education, mass culling and vaccination of poultry, upgrading of laboratory facilities and training of veterinarians and animal health workers. The longer the virus circulates in poultry the greater will be the risk that it will mutate to a form that will enable it to easily infect man. That’s the real fear.
(So far the virus has killed nearly 200 persons worldwide)
There are still many unknowns with this virus. For instance, scientists are still not sure why Country A gets the virus while neighbouring Country B does not. The exact role that wild birds play in spreading the virus is also not clear. Finally, no-one can say if and when the virus will appear in the Americas; as to why it has not yet appeared, your guess is as good as mine.
