It has been hot news when people around the world were informing that there’s been an emerging influenza virus, the H5N1 virus, far worse than the latter influenza virus we last encountered the H1N1subtype.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1, has a new strain that has been known to kill six out of ten people who are affected. Influenza is a viral disease which is also known as “bird flu” or simply H5N1. This new bird flu virus can cause illness in humans and many other animal species. H5N1 is easily transmissible among birds facilitating a potential global spread of H5N1. Because this is highly contagious among birds, it can be also deadly to them. It is enzootic in many birds’ populations, especially in Southeast Asia.
Eleven outbreak of H5N1 were reported worldwide in June 2008 in five countries namely; China, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Vietnam. After appearing first in Asia, one strain of H5N1 flu virus is spreading around the globe effecting animals of many species, especially over a wide area, and killing tens of millions of birds, and spurring the culling of hundreds of millions of others to stop its spread.
The H5N1 (bird) flu virus doe not usually infect people, but scare infections with these viruses have occurred in humans. There is some evidence of limited human-to-human transmission of the virus. And almost all the human cases have direct or close contact with H5N1-infected poultry of H5N1-contaminated surfaces. Symptoms of the H5N1 bird flu virus in human have ranged from typical human influenza-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, and muscles aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases, such as acute respiratory distress, and other severe and life-threatening complications.
Although there weren’t any reported human cases, yet, in our country we should all be aware and prepared for any occurrences that are possible. It’s still in our hands to take care of ourselves. We should take extra care and cautions for our health’s safety.
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