Published Date: 1997-12-31 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH> Influenza, bird-to-human - China (Hong Kong) (30)
Archive Number: 19971231.2566
INFLUENZA, BIRD-TO-HUMAN - CHINA (HONG KONG) (30)
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A ProMED-mail post
See Also
Influenza, bird-to-human - China (Hong Kong) (27) 971227205120Influenza, bird-to-human - China (Hong Kong) (28) 971228223928
Influenza, bird-to-human - China (Hong Kong) (29) 971229235024
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 08:46:26 -0800
From: ProMED-mail <promed@usa.healthnet.org>
[Media sources summarized, reworded, and probably distorted by Moderator CHC
It appears that it has been possible to slaughter only about 20% of the
birds intended for slaughter. 1.2 million are a lot of chickens. Efforts
continue.
Killing all the chickens in Hong Kong may not eliminate the risk of H5N1
transmission there, no matter to whom, to what, or whether it is being
transmitted, unless chickens comprise the sole source of the virus. It may
be that other birds also are infected. David Heymann, Director of W.H.O.'s
Communicable Diseases Division was quoted as saying that the virus
(influenzavirus A H5N1) is capable of infecting other species of birds but
it is not known whether these birds are infected. Ducks, geese, quail,
partridges, and pigeons also are being culled.
More than 1,000 chickens in south China proper have been tested by the
Chinese Government but none was positive.
As this is beginning to sound to me like the description of an outbreak of
hysteria, rather than an outbreak of a disease (except in chickens),
ProMED-mail will not post further messages in this string unless there are
data concerning human illnesses. How many chickens, ducks and geese have
or have not died, how many people are trying to sell chickens at a discount
in Hong Kong (better to post this on Interpol's web site than on
ProMED-mail), and how much a dead chicken is worth are not questions I want
to continue staying up all night to answer.
Investigations of this chicken business is in the hands of the most
competent people Hong Kong, C.D.C., and W.H.O. have. That's good enough
for me. We will henceforth let them do their work and wait for some real
results.
--
Charles H. Calisher, Ph.D.
Moderator, ProMED-mail
AIDL, Department of Microbiology
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado
Voltaire: "God is a comedian playing to an audience of people afraid to
laugh."
......................................es
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