Hiatus and some Advice

Tomorrow, I'll be making a road trip and will be gone for 5 days, so this blog will not be updated until Saturday, March 4th.


In the meantime, watch the news coming out of Asia. Europe and Africa are getting all the press, but S.E. Asia is a major hotspot for avian flu.

Disturbing reports of a mutated virus found in humans in Indonesia are, thus far, unverified. The authorities on the ground (and from the WHO and our own CDC) have been less than transparent. Data is being withheld. Scientists worldwide are clamoring for access, and are being denied.

Chinese officials have warned of a possible `massive outbreak' in bird flu this spring. Coming from the Chinese government, which has steadfastly maintained they were in control of the situation, this reference to `massive' is especially worrisome.

The reports of deaths, and infections, in Indonesia continue. The true extent of the problem is difficult to know. Right now, it doesn't appear to be a H2H outbreak, but the history thus far has been we find out several weeks after the fact.

There is new concern this weekend that other mammals may become vectors, a bridge between birds and humans. Swine, dogs, cats (my guess), even horses and seals have been proffered as possible carriers.

With Iraq on the verge of civil war and open warfare in the streets of Nigeria, two of the hottest breeding grounds for avian flu have bigger fish to fry. Erradication and control of avian flu is simply not their biggest problem.

India continues to claim they've contained the bird flu outbreaks, even as reports of additional bird die offs come in from other states.

And in France, 11,000 turkeys died this week in what was considered to be a bio-secure turkey farm. Quarantine measures are in effect.

While it is unlikely that the pandemic has begun, remember: Keep your eye on the Sparrow.