# 1127
With the northern hemisphere's flu season on the horizon, and the H5N1 virus continuing to mutate and spread geographically, we are reminded that the pandemic threat remains, and that the world is poorly equipped to deal with a serious pandemic.
Well worth reading the entire article, particularly the comments made by New Zealand's Health Minister Pete Hodgson on the fragility of our infrastructure.
Pacific Health Officials Confront Avian Flu Fears
By Kurt Achin
Seoul
12 September 2007Achin report (mp3) - download 530K
Listen to Achin report (mp3)
The World Health Organization says the threat of avian flu is as serious as ever. Members of the WHO's western Pacific region are in South Korea to discuss ways to combat bird flu. VOA's Kurt Achin is at the meeting in Jeju, South Korea, and reports that many countries do not have the minimum systems in place to deal with an outbreak.
World Health Organization Director for Communicable Diseases Tee Ahsian gave delegates a grim status report on avian flu.
"In the western Pacific region, the avian influenza situation remains serious and the human influenza pandemic threat shows no sign of abating," Ahsian said. "... The virus has become formally entrenched in many parts of Asia and much capacity-building work to address the challenges lies ahead."
WHO members are addressing avian flu among a host of other health concerns during their week-long meeting in Jeju, South Korea.
During this season, migratory birds criss-cross Asia, spreading a highly contagious and lethal form of flu known as H5N1 - which is transmissible to humans. Since the most recent outbreak appeared in Asia in 2003, the virus has killed about 200 people.
Most of the human cases were contracted through contact with sick birds or their feces. But there have been documented cases of human-to-human transmission - which is what has scientists worried.
Doctors warn the H5N1 virus is dangerously close to mutating so that is would pass easily between humans - which could spark a global pandemic that could kill millions of people worldwide.
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