# 1365
While we await the next incarnation of the Pakistan story, and ruminate over the other human infections reported this week (China, Indonesia, Myanmar) it is probably good to take a deep breath and remember that while these cases all appeared in the media over the past few days, they actually span more than a month.
The Myanmar case, of a 7-year-old girl hospitalized on November 27th, is more than 2 weeks old. The Pakistani cases are apparently older still, reportedly issuing from a cull done in late October.
If there was H2H transmission, it happened a month ago, and apparently has halted.
In other words, the sky isn't falling.
At least, not based on these reports.
If later today, or tomorrow, or next week we start getting more reports of other victims from the same areas, then maybe something more is going on here.
There are a lot of unanswered questions. And prime among those is why the Pakistan government is just now issuing an alert to that nation's hospitals to be on alert to receive bird flu patients. Perhaps that telegraphs a signal that there is more to come. Perhaps not.
We'll simply have to wait and see.
The winter season is upon us. Influenza viruses like colder, drier air. We can expect an upsurge in influenza cases over the next month, from both seasonal and bird flu. We may very well be looking at a very busy few months ahead.
While each H5N1 infection is a concern, and an opportunity for the virus to mutate, we've been down this road before. Compared to 2006, this year has seen fewer human cases. With 12 new human infections unveiled this week, it just doesn't feel like it.
Now is a time for watchful waiting. If anything major happens anywhere in the world, I believe our newshounds will detect it before the mass media, just as they have with this Pakistan case.
For now, pending new information, I remain concerned but not alarmed over these new cases.
Of course, that could change at any time.
I'll keep you posted.
