Only half of human bird flu cases reported: WHO
Saturday May 6 2006 17:39 IST
AP
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE320060506071730&Page=3&Title=Features+%2D+Health+%26+Science&Topic=168&
DANANG, VIETNAM: Only half of the human bird flu cases detected by countries are being reported to the world health organisation within two weeks, a response time that must be improved to head off a potential flu pandemic, a senior WHO official said on Saturday.
Dr Shigeru Omi, the WHO's regional director for the western Pacific, said it's estimated that two to three weeks is all countries would have to stamp out or at least slow a pandemic flu strain after it began spreading. He said the first move would be to identify cluster cases and report them to WHO.
International teams would then be deployed to investigate the site, the area would be quarantined and antiviral treatment would be given. ?All the steps have to be done within two to three weeks. As of now... Even reporting the first step, it takes sometimes more than two weeks for half of the cases,? Omi said at the end of an Asia-Pacific meeting on bird flu in central Vietnam.
?There's a lot of challenges.? Omi said political commitment is now strong at National levels across the region, but weaknesses still exist in getting the message all the way down to villages.
He said that ordinary people would understand what to do if they see a number of people or poultry coming down sick at once. Omi attended a meeting with agriculture and health ministers representing the 21-member Asia-Pacific economic cooperation. They endorsed a plan aimed at stamping out bird flu and preparing for a potential flu pandemic on Friday.
Saturday May 6 2006 17:39 IST
AP
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE320060506071730&Page=3&Title=Features+%2D+Health+%26+Science&Topic=168&
DANANG, VIETNAM: Only half of the human bird flu cases detected by countries are being reported to the world health organisation within two weeks, a response time that must be improved to head off a potential flu pandemic, a senior WHO official said on Saturday.
Dr Shigeru Omi, the WHO's regional director for the western Pacific, said it's estimated that two to three weeks is all countries would have to stamp out or at least slow a pandemic flu strain after it began spreading. He said the first move would be to identify cluster cases and report them to WHO.
International teams would then be deployed to investigate the site, the area would be quarantined and antiviral treatment would be given. ?All the steps have to be done within two to three weeks. As of now... Even reporting the first step, it takes sometimes more than two weeks for half of the cases,? Omi said at the end of an Asia-Pacific meeting on bird flu in central Vietnam.
?There's a lot of challenges.? Omi said political commitment is now strong at National levels across the region, but weaknesses still exist in getting the message all the way down to villages.
He said that ordinary people would understand what to do if they see a number of people or poultry coming down sick at once. Omi attended a meeting with agriculture and health ministers representing the 21-member Asia-Pacific economic cooperation. They endorsed a plan aimed at stamping out bird flu and preparing for a potential flu pandemic on Friday.
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