2006-09-07 04:42:40 · 6 answers · asked by sketchdizzlecortez 1 in News & Events ➔ Other - News & Events
The avian flu is a very serious flu that currently has a death rate of about 6 out of every 10 people that are stricken with it. There has not been a recorded case of it yet in the USA. This type of flu is only spread to people who work closely with an infected bird, and/or eat the bird. So far, most of the cases are reported in the East .. like China, "over there". The main concern is that, the flu virus may one day mutate and become the kind of flu that is spread in more common ways . which would be from person to person. As in, the "normal" way of spreading a flu. Coughing, shaking hands with someone and touching your eyes or nose .. etc. Again, currently, there has been no clinical proof of this happening yet anywhere in the world. (With the exception of one or two cases where they think it is a possibility that a nurse that was working closely with a patient that had the Avian flu . may have "made the jump" from that person to the nurse.. it has not yet been verified as such) . If and when the flu does mutate to the point of being spread from person to person .. Well, at that point, we have have a major pandemic and health crisis on our hands. Although there is a medication called Tamaflu that is suppose to prevent, or lessen the affects of this flu on people.. there are not nearly enough doses to go around. Also, some experts now say that this flu has mutated past the point of Tamaflu being of much use to people. I know it is depressing news.. but you did ask to know more about it . so there you have it . Good luck and thank you for the question ! :)
2006-09-07 05:00:45 · answer #1 · answered by tysavage2001 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I asked about it here a couple of months ago, there were some real good informative answers, you might find em if you look over the archives. Basically the number of human to human transmissions is very very low at this point, so the main danger to people as of now is catching it from a bird, which is rather rare--you have to be in fairly close contact with the infected bird to get it. Still looks like Tamiflu or Relenza are the best bets for surviving. They are not readily available in the US because our government is incompetent and is busy with their war in Iraq and cutting taxes for billionaires: they couldn't care less. Think Katrina. There is progress being made on a vaccine, in some foreign country where science is still valued.
2006-09-07 04:48:10 · answer #2 · answered by jxt299 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All I know is that it's passed by birds, humans can catch it, and in some cases it has killed people. From what I've heard on the news, however, they're mostly concerned about the elderly and children since their immune systems are not as strong as the typical adult. Sounds like adults who get it would be sick for a week to ten days but would recover as long as they rest and do all the things you're supposed to do for the flu.
2006-09-07 04:49:51 · answer #3 · answered by sarge927 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know the best site to go to for good information
2006-09-09 11:50:22 · answer #4 · answered by Mary L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know some. You need to ask a question about it.
2006-09-07 04:46:09 · answer #5 · answered by Snuffy Smith 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Weren't we all supposed to be dead from that by now?
2006-09-07 12:52:51 · answer #6 · answered by zippychippy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋