Health
Bird flu facts
01:00 AM EST on Saturday, January 14, 2006
Influenza A (H5N1) has been identified in birds in: Cambodia, China, Croatia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
Since 2003, the World Health Organization has confirmed 161 cases of human infection with the virus, and 79 deaths. Human cases have been reported in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.
So far all the sick people appear to have acquired the infections from birds. There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission.
But if the virus mutates into a form that is easily transmissible to people, and if it proves as severe as the 1918 Spanish flu:
Sources: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; World Health Organization; World Organisation for Animal Health
More top stories
Most viewed yesterday
Miles from shore, R.I. surfer prayed to get back home
A dazzling Manny being Manny moment
Patriots’ Tom Brady lauds Giants; wants to get past Spygate
Most active surveys
At what age should the state begin requiring senior drivers to renew their licenses more frequently?
Should there be a Mitchell Report-type investigation of Spygate?
Most e-mailed in the last 24 hours








