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2005-02-23 Home Front: Tech

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Posted by Anonymoose 2005-02-23 2:04:49 PM|| || Front Page|| [11132 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 This is getting to be an annual event, like hurricanes and union strikes.

Posted by BH 2005-02-23 2:31:45 PM|| 2005-02-23 2:31:45 PM|| Front Page Top

Bird flu?

Posted by BigEd 2005-02-23 2:44:56 PM|| 2005-02-23 2:44:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 If we work this right, we could solve SS, Medicare and most of our individual debt in one fell swoop.

Posted by anonymous2u 2005-02-23 3:11:57 PM|| 2005-02-23 3:11:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 This time is different.

Ten years ago, scientists first expressed concern because statistically we were late for having a killer flu, which comes cyclically.

Then, about 7 years ago, the avian flu variant first appeared. It was troubling because it seemed to be a souped-up version of the usual avian flu, so precautions were taken. Millions of chickens have already been slaughtered, replenished, then their replacements in turn slaughtered, when this strain was detected, and to no avail. The strain is too well embedded in wild fowl to be destroyed.

Now, only one thing has to happen for this to become a nightmare plague. Right now, humans only contract the disease from exposure to contaminated ducks and chicken. But if the virus mutates slightly, so that it can *easily* be transmitted from human to human, the nightmare begins.

Get this straight, if you catch this disease from a bird right now there is a 72 PERCENT CHANCE THAT YOU WILL DIE. And if the disease is transmitted from person to person, this mortality rate will stay the same.

The latest news on this is the WHO is contemplating WIPING OUT MOST OF THE WILD DUCKS IN SOUTHERN ASIA. Maybe 500 million birds killed to stop this disease.

We are danger close to having a catastrophe beyond anything the human species has ever experienced.

And there's not a damn thing they can do to stop it.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-02-23 5:03:44 PM|| 2005-02-23 5:03:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 I just wish it had a more elegant name. Dead's dead, but a pandemic killer ought to be more romantic...

Posted by Seafarious 2005-02-23 5:09:47 PM|| 2005-02-23 5:09:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Bird flu virus found in flies. I would question the article's claim that flies cannot transmit the disease. BTW moose it is definitely person to person transmissable there have been several recent clusters. However, it is not easily transmissable.

Posted by phil_b 2005-02-23 5:26:53 PM|| 2005-02-23 5:26:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 If you are interested this site does a good job of tracking bird flu. Although be warned Niman thinks undiagnosed spread is common. He thought the same about SARS and was wrong.

Posted by phil_b 2005-02-23 5:33:14 PM|| 2005-02-23 5:33:14 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Sooo 45 dead in one year, some 77 sick total if 72% fatality holds true. Meanwhile, regular flu in the US alone strikes some 500,000 with 2,000 a year in fatalities.
I'm not impressed.....

Posted by mmurray821 2005-02-23 8:09:04 PM|| 2005-02-23 8:09:04 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 The current H5N1 virus doesn't transmit easily because it hasn't yet exchanged genes with a human infuenza virus strain. When that change occurs, it will be as easy to catch as the common flu. That's what's got experts worried, or should I say panicked?

Posted by HV 2005-02-23 10:53:36 PM|| 2005-02-23 10:53:36 PM|| Front Page Top

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