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Osterholm On The Recent Rise In Bird Flu Reports

 

 

 

# 5354

 

This morning we are still watching a couple of potential human H5N1 `clusters’ in Indonesia, although neither has been confirmed by laboratory testing as yet. 

 

In one, 5 infants in the city of Padang are hospitalized (up from 2 yesterday) and in another, a family of 4 in Indramayu are in isolation (see More Indonesian Bird Flu Suspicions).

 

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Despite difficulties getting timely news out of Egypt due to the political upheaval, we are aware of at least 6 human H5N1 infections in the first two months of the year and there may be others. 

 

And we’ve seen three human cases in Cambodia over the past 30 days as well.

 

And from Korea to Japan, and from India to Bangladesh, and of course in Indonesia and Egypt, outbreaks in poultry and wild birds are continually being reported.

 


Bird flu, it would seem, is back in a big way.

 

If you are a reporter anywhere in the Minneapolis area (or the nation, for that matter), and are looking for an expert comment on bird flu, or any other public health issue, the `go to’ person is Michael Osterholm, director of CIDRAP at the University of Minnesota.

 

 

And CBS news does exactly that with the following brief interview with  Dr. Osterholm on the recent rise in bird flu activity.   A short audio interview is available at the link below.

 

A hat tip to Carol@SC on the Flu Wiki for this link.

 

 

Is Bird Flu Making A Comeback?

March 3, 2011 12:34 PM

 By Steve Murphy, NewsRadio 830 WCCO

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Avian flu claimed 310 lives in 15 countries from 2004 to 2006, then the disease quieted down — until now.

 

“Actually, we’ve had as much activity in the bird side of it — meaning poultry flocks, wild birds and humans — in Asia and Africa over the past four months as we’ve really had at almost any time since H5N1 became a problem back in 2004,” said noted University of Minnesota disease expert Michael Osterholm.

 

Osterholm says the increased activity “has really got us concerned.”

Related Post:

Bird Flu
H5N1
CIDRAP

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