Sunday, January 08, 2006

Bird flu part deux

I'd like to be a calming voice on this bird flus thing again. There is some concern growing out of this Times of London story which, as Hugh Hewitt notes, claims that there are dozens of cases of human infections in Turkey right now. A little information from deeper in the article is called for:
So far it appears that the disease has been contracted only through direct contact with fowl, but the extensive human exposure to infected birds in eastern Turkey has given rise to concern that an even more infectious mutant strain could emerge. (emphasis mine)

Let's separate facts from conjecture. Known cases of the bird flu look to have been contracted through direct contact with fowl. Many more cases are being treated as possible bird flu infections. At this time we do not know if they are bird flu and/or how the cases were contracted. Let's not jump the gun just yet. Given the existance of the bird flu in Turkey, it is a very good thing that they are questioning whether some bad cases of flu are the bird flu. This does not mean that they are, and given the apparently high incidence of human-chicken interaction in Turkey, even if they are they may not be human to human cases. Remember, preparation may help you in the future, but worrying about what you can't control will not.

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