Filipina Soul

I write for another b5media blog, the FLU PATROL, where I relate world news and information about the flu – seasonal, avian/bird, and pandemic. More importantly, Flu Patrol was created to arm the public with as much awareness and preparedness as possible. As with other parts of my life, I believe there’s no need to panic, but we do need to prepare.

We have to deal with the seasonal influenza every year and the key to preparing for it is simple – vaccinations and cleanliness i.e., washing hands, cover when sneezing, staying home when sick. The bird flu virus is highly contagious among birds (domestic or wild, in ducks/swans/ostriches/chickens; basically all “avians” are susceptible) AND humans can become infected when there is close contact with an infected bird. An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak of disease that occurs when a new influenza A virus appears or “emerges” in the human population, causes serious illness, and then spreads easily from person to person worldwide. So far there is no vaccine against a pandemic flu or the bird flu virus(es), although drug companies are scrambling to develop one.

Experts are fearful concerned that the bird flu virus H5N1 might mutate into a form that can be passed from one person to another, and because humans have no current immunity against the bird flu viruses, the whole world is susceptible to a global pandemic that could infect (and possibly kill) millions. Recently, I ran a post on a bird flu survivor from Indonesia who witnessed how seven of his family members all died from bird flu. The theory is that a sister of his got it first and passed the infection to others in the family.

The bird flu virus is spreading across the globe especially in Asia and other developing countries. Indonesia and Vietnam top the list for the most human deaths from bird flu. Currently, the PHILIPPINES is the only Asian country that hasn’t seen any confirmed bird flu case yet, but we’re definitely preparing hard for it. A task force has been set up (and money set aside) to monitor checkpoints and movement of birds. Several sites in the country as considered “hotspots“, vulnerable to entry of the virus through migratory birds: Candaba Swamp, Palawan, Zamboanga, including Zamboanga City, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, the Liguasan Marsh and South Cotabato, North Cotabato and Antique in Western Visayas.

Check this post for what you can do to reduce the risk of contracting bird flu.

Tags: Asian, avian influenza, bird flu preparedness, H5N1, Pandemic flu, Philippines, vaccine

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