Et tu, Bird flu?

Looks like the bird flu is making a comeback these days. In recent months, it has flared up in China, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, South Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam. A few weeks ago, it re-emerged on the European continent in Hungary. Today, the U.K. confirmed that is has found the deadly strain of the bird flu on a turkey farm there while the World Heath Organization (WHO) confirmed Nigeria's and also Africa's first human death from the strain.

Bird Flu Reappears in South Korea, Ivory Coast

H5N1, the virulent form of avian influenza or bird flu, is resurgent again in South Korea and the Ivory Coast. The last time bird flu appeared in South Korea was in 2003. The Ivory Coast had been clear of the bird flu since April of this year. Most likely H5N1 was brought to South Korea by migratory birds. To deal with the outbreak, South Korea plans to kill over 230,000 chickens within a 500-meter radius of the initial outbreak site. What's worrisome is the possibility of bird flu becoming endemic in North Korea where the infrastructure is not equipped to handle a large outbreak there.

Bird Flu Updates

A couple of sobering reminders on the threat of pandemic flu. Although no longer in the media headlines, the current global bird flu crisis is still there, festering in the background, with the virus just waiting for a few genetic mutations to make it go human-to-human. The first analysis comes from the Council on Foreign Relations. The second one comes from Scribe Media and includes commentary on a recent symposium on the avian flu that was held last week near Philadelphia. Be sure to check out the videos.

FDA Posts New Tamiflu Warning

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning that Tamiflu, a prescription drug manufactured by Roche and used for treating influenza, may cause abnormal behavior such as self-injury and hallucination, especially in children. The drug will now have to carry a new warning stating that those taking it for the flu should be monitored closely for confusion and abnormal behavior. So for all those that have built a private stockpile out there in preparation for the coming pandemic, this one's for you.