Avian Flu
Simplified Bird flu timeline
1997 (HONG KONG)
- 18 Hong Kong
people infected by
Avian influenza
- Epidemic of bird flu
in local poultry
Population, caused by
The same strain
March 2005
-55 people in Vietnam,
Cambodia and
Thailand
Had come down with
The flu (42 died)
1997
2005
2004
2004 (VIETNAM)
-8 confirmed cases
In people
-Try to eliminate
the threat by killing
millions of birds
Spreading from Asia to East Europe
June 2005 (INDONESIA)
-A man and his two
daughters die of
H5N1,although none of
them worked around
poultry.
October 2005
- H5N1 has
confirmed to
spread to birds in
Turkey and
Romania
Cumulative total cases in Asia
Russia
China
Vietnam
Last week
• China: 4 cases in one month
Inner MongoliaAnhuiHunan
Liaoning
follow the route of migratory birds
• Vietnam: confirmed more bird flu
outbreaks among poultry in three villages
What the world is fearing of?
• H5N1 virus may mutate to flavour humanto-human transmission
• Another pandemic?
- previous one in 1918-1919, Spanish Flu
killed 40-50 million people
- Experts agree that another one is
inevitable and probably imminent
What the world is fearing of?
• Another pandemic? (cont’)
- Prof. KY Yuen stated that the mortality
of bird flu in human race would be 50%,
even much higher than SARS
- UN Secretary General Kofi Annan:
- health systems overburdened
- families, communities and whole societies
devastated
- transport and trade, education and other services
disrupted or stop
- economic and social progress of nations risks
reversed
Main causes of avian flu
• Bird flu in birds: Influenza A virus affect
chickens, ducks and other birds
• Transmitted to human by:
- direct/indirect contact with wild ducks
and chickens
- unhygienic handling of infected poultry
e.g. not washing hands  in contact with
eyes and nose
• Migratory birds’ spreading
Symptoms in human avian flu
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fever
Fatigue
Cough
Sore throat
Eye infections
Muscle aches
Protection
• Vaccine:
- currently, no vaccines
- approximately 4 months to make one
vaccine
- impossible to make vaccine a virus that
hasn't been identified (no human-tohuman transmission strain yet)
Protection
• Antiviral drug:
- e.g. Tamiflu
- taken very soon (often within 48 hours) after an
infection is suspected  one pill every day
- WHO: those governments that can afford Tamiflu
should stockpile it
- The Swiss maker of Tamiflu, Roche, halt the supply
to local pharmacies and private clinics temporarily 
reserve all stocks for future
-Third World country gets generic version (because
can’t afford the brand name version)
Prevention
• Avoid touching live poultry or
their droppings
• Wash your hands thoroughly
with liquid soap and water
immediately after contact
with live poultry, birds or their
droppings
• Have a healthy lifestyle
• Maintain good indoor
ventilation
What did HK government do?
• Immigration control measures
• Suspend import of poultry and poultry meat from infected
regions (e.g. vietnam, Hunan and Liaoning)
• Stockpile tamiflu
- Department of Health 2.7-million doses
- Hospital Authority 800,000 doses
• A patient transfer mechanism will be formed between
public and private hospitals
• Regular drills are conducted
• Free vaccination programme to safeguard chickens
Are the world ready?
• WHO: No!!!!!
- Urge all countries to develop
preparedness plan  only 40 countries
done it
- Urge countries to stockpile antiviral drugs
 30 doing, but manufactory has no capacity
to fill immediately
- Present trend: no access to vaccine or drug if
the flu break out
• The only thing we can do: Pray, prevent and wait