In 1997, Hong Kong took the extraordinary step of culling all of the poultry in the city after H5N1 was discovered, and they went 6 years without another reported case. Their decisive action, as difficult as it may have been, bought us precious time.
Today, we are hearing more and more reports that governments and private industries are covering up, or simply mismanaging, outbreaks of Avian Flu.
In India, where up until a few days ago officials claimed they had no bird flu, we now learn that massive poultry die offs occurred in January, and that thousands of dead birds were secretly buried.
In Nigeria, live poultry markets were kept open, even after H5N1 was detected, so as not to inspire panic in the population. In some cases, where culling of poultry was ordered, local officials were not told why, and took no precautions.
In Russia, several mass deaths of poultry were officially blames on Newcastle disease earlier this month. Officials denied Bird Flu was responsible. Today, we are told, Oops! It was Bird Flu. Sorry about that.
It seems that at every turn, there is some interest, public or private, that is determined to deny or delay that Bird Flu has arrived. And by doing so, but fiddling while Rome burns, instead of taking decisive action, the infection is allowed to spread.
This is about money being more important than public safety. A clear case of shortsighted stupidity. Insanity on a grand scale.
Each day that passes, our ability to contain this virus diminishes. It is becoming endemic, aided and abetted by our own stupidity, throughout the world.
We probably can’t stop it now, all we can hope to do is slow it down. But I see little sign that there is the political courage to do that. Money and power and greed all supercede common sense.
If you have a cancer, you’d best cut it out before it spreads.
Anything less, and the patient dies.
