Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Bird flu deaths drop in migratory birds

This is good news that you probably won't hear about anywhere else:

“In the first half of 2007, countries reported fewer deaths of wild and migratory birds, which could indicate the disease is coming closer to the end of a cycle. Reversely poultry flocks still continue to be infected in some countries and that shows the international community needs to keep up its high level of prevention and control measures of the disease in animals,” commented Dr Bernard Vallat, Director General of the OIE.

The disease remains endemic in at least three countries ( Indonesia , Nigeria and Egypt ) and continues to appear in previously unaffected countries. These events offer valuable opportunity to further identify the complex issues in dealing with the disease.

Continued vigilance is necessary, of course, for a virus that has been as lethal as this one. Just the same, the world didn't come to an end yet because of the bird flu, and don't expect the media to remind you of that.

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