Cyprus-Forum.com

[rulla]

i heard on the bbc radio programe that all the goverments around the world are geting ready for an epidemic of bird flu is our goverment doing the same? or do they thing that it want happen to us?we get alot of migrating birds in cyprus(thats how the flu is spread)and apparently theres been cases in russia allready, not so far away huh?

[Svetlana]

Hi Rulla

Soon it will be the hunting season and we will have no birds, so the Government can stay asleep

Lana

[devil]

I'm surprised that warnings have not been issued not to touch any dead birds found in the countryside. I don't know what part of Russia is affected but I do know that we are in the direct migration route of many birds from Russia, especially waders. The plus side is that sick birds will not make it to here, but the minus side is that birds that are infected but not yet ill may easily make it here and then not be well enough to leave again.

[Sotos]

What are the ways to protect ourselves from this? Is it transmitted from birds directly only or you can get it from other humans also?

[devil]

The human form is caught from birds, through the air, but handling infected birds is obviously an important risk factor. So far, there is no human-to-human transmission, but scientists believe that a mutation could occur, in which case there may be a pandemic. If this happens, the WHO estimates the global death rate would be 30 -150 million. For this reason, the chances of it occurring are reduced by minimising all contact with birds.

You may be interested to read this message in the Nature in Cyprus forum http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cypnature/message/82

[Sotos]

Apart from the bird shit I find on my car every now and then I have no other kind of contact with birds. But I eat chicken often Am I safe??

[rulla]

chickens are a no no im not eating any more chicken from now on!

[Blonde Goddess]

It apparently started in Asia and was transported by an asian guy to europe somewhere -
and belive it or not they are thinking of changing Airport laws on who can enter certain countries,

I am in England as as early as October we already have very bad flu epidemics spreading out - wether bird flu? who knows.
So many have died from this evil disease it is a scary fact of life just like terrorism.......

Of which wether involved or not i will never forget Al Quedas warning after september 11th - the next fatal blow to the europeans world will be
"The wings of death"

You decide!

[devil]

I'm sorry, BG, what you say bears no resemblance to any KNOWN facts.

1. A few tens of Asians have contracted bird 'flu by direct contact with infected birds and I think about 60% of them have died.

2. The infection has been across species and is probably carried by wild birds to poultry from country to country

3. There have been no known cases of human-to-human transmission, but the WHO fear that this could conceivably happen. If such a mutation of the virus occurs, it is impossible to say how serious the epidemic/pandemic would be. It could just as easily be a very mild form of 'flu with practically no symptoms as a deadly form. No one knows, so any projections are pure speculation.

4. As far as is known, it has been found in a number of countries in SE Asia, China and some parts of Russia (where?)

5. No cases have been found in Europe, to date.

6. Even if an Asian person was infected, I could hardly imagine a chicken farmer coming to Europe and, even if he did, he would not have infected any third party with the current known strains of the disease

7. If you liken a disease to terrorism, well, I'm lost for words! And how dare you say that a natural process is evil? Evil is only a human concept about other humans. If you are emotionally unstable, I can understand that you may be scared, even if you are a million times more likely to be killed by a no. 7 bus than by this disease -- and thousands of times more likely to die from TB, AIDS, heart disease, cancer, malaria, yellow fever or even measles than from bird 'flu.

8. As for your reference to Al Qaeda, this is just pure emotional claptrap: I'm surprised that you haven't quote Nostradamus, while you are about it, or one of the Apocryphal Mystic Gospels

I think, very seriously, that your exaggeration, combined with ignorance of the facts, is unduly alarmist but it is also dangerous, because others, equally unable to discern fact from fiction, might actually believe your male bovine excrement. If you really believe what you have written, you may be in need of professional help; if so, ask your Dr to arrange for a consultation with a specialist.

Rulla: there is no reason to stop eating chicken. You may risk more from salmonella than bird 'flu and this has not changed a jot. In any case, no strain of 'flu virus would survive cooking.

[davidp]

Question.
What would you do if a bird crapped on your windscreen?

Answer.
I wouln't go out with her again!