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Unreported Bird Flu Cases and Deaths in Vietnam
>> An additional 11 people have been infected with bird flu in Vietnam and about eight of them have died, though the cases have yet to be reported officially by local health authorities, according to a person familiar with the matter.The cases add to the official death toll of 46 people, including 33 in Vietnam, the worst-hit nation, since the latest wave of cases of bird flu emerged in 2003. The new cases also are fueling concern about the reliability of statistics regarding the extent of the flu -- especially data from Vietnam. In a separate bird-flu development, seven people who tested negative for H5N1 avian influenza in Ho Chi Minh City in January were later found to have the virus when their samples were retested. Some of them also died. <, The above report identifies serious under-reporting of cases in Vietnam. The sudden halt of reports on human cases in Vietnam just before Tet was suspect. Many patients were hospitalized with symptoms, but not confirmed. The same was true of patients who died. It is not clear if these patients are included in the 11 unreported cases. SNIP While its not clear if all of the new cases represent a real increase or just better identification, it's clear there has been a sharp increase in the number of cases over the last month or two - more in the last month than the whole of last year. Such an increase can only mean the virus is now transmitting person to person and the pandemic is on its way. It remains to be seen how severe it is. Current 50%+ fatality rates will certainly drop but even a 1% fatality rate will mean 80 million dead. Note that the MSM is parroting the WHO line that person to person transmission is not or only rarely occuring. Posted by: phil_b 2005-03-11 |
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