Bird Flu News and Research

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Vietnamese relatives have birdflu but they're not sick

The H5N1 virus has killed 34 Vietnamese, 12 Thais and a Cambodian since it swept across large parts of Asia at the end of 2003. Two elderly Vietnamese, related to family who died of bird flu have tested positive for the deadly virus despite showing no symptoms.

9 Mar 2005

Four new cases of human avian influenza reported in Vietnam

The World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday four new cases of human avian influenza have been reported in Vietnam. These include a 21-year-old man and his 14-year-old sister.

8 Mar 2005

Vietnam finds bird flu vaccine

Vietnam, hard hit by an epidemic that has killed 47 people in Asia and wiped out many millions of poultry has successfully tested a birdflu vaccine on monkeys and tests in humans could be only months away.

7 Mar 2005

UK Government stockpiles anti-viral medicine Tamiflu from Roche

In an attempt to prevent the spread of the influenza pandemic birdflu the U.K. government will buy 200 million pounds ($384 million) worth of the anti-viral medicine Tamiflu from Roche, one of Switzerland's largest drug companies. The influenza pandemic could kill more than 50,000 people in the country.

1 Mar 2005

Control and containment key to combating avian influenza

Containing the bird flu virus to the greatest extent possible and reducing the risk of infection in poultry and farmed free-range ducks will help to prevent a global human influenza pandemic, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has announced.

24 Feb 2005

Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Units (VTEUs) supply the nurse power necessary to beat back or altogether prevent infectious disease

Flu. Smallpox. Anthrax. Whooping cough. The words represent a veritable murderers' row of infectious agents whose death toll runs in the millions.

23 Dec 2004

New compound Viprovex could save millions

The World Health Organization (WHO) and influenza experts worldwide are concerned that the recent appearance and widespread distribution of an avian influenza virus (Influenza A/H5N1) has the potential to ignite the next pandemic and potentially kill millions.

21 Dec 2004

Anti-bird flu contingency measures for Hong Kong

Anti-bird flu contingency measures, including a proposal to separate poultry from humans and a series of traffic and logistics measures will be discussed at Hong Kong's Legislative Council's Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene Panel meeting next month.

29 Nov 2004

SARS survivor to share his personal and professional experience of SARS

A Hong Kong SARS survivor who helped lead the territory's response to the disease from his hospital bed will be sharing his personal and professional experience of SARS at an international conference in Wellington next month.

13 Oct 2004

Influenza is a contagious disease caused by an RNA virus of the orthomyxoviridae family

Influenza (or as it is commonly known, the flu) is a contagious disease caused by an RNA virus of the orthomyxoviridae family (The orthomyxoviridae is a family of RNA viruses which infect vertebrate).

6 Oct 2004

Expert says it is unlikely bird flu will reach Canada

United Nations officials warn the outbreak of bird flu is far from over and continues to spread in Thailand and Vietnam. An expert at The University of Western Ontario says it is unlikely the disease will reach Canada but travellers should take precautions.

5 Oct 2004

New diagnostic tests for bird flu

On the final day of the recent HPA conference, delegates heard about work that the Agency is carrying out to prepare for an avian flu pandemic.

16 Sep 2004

Bird flu has jumped species barrier to cats

Now the United Nations health agency is investigating reports that bird flu, which experts say could mutate into a potentially deadly human pandemic under certain conditions, has now jumped the species barrier to infect cats.

4 Sep 2004

Australian research giant begins trial of avian influenza vaccine

The trial vaccine utilises Imugene Limited's platform adenoviral vector technology to deliver the necessary genetic material to stimulate the birds' immune responses.

25 Aug 2004

Hong Kong seeks details on suspected bird flu cases

The Centre of Health Protection is liaising with Vietnam health authorities on recent reports that several people died of bird flu in that country, Director of Health Dr Lam Ping-yan says.

12 Aug 2004

Patent pending botanical extract, V38-AMF-1, completely inhibits bird flu (H5N1) and Fujian Flu

PRB Pharmaceuticals and Lee's Pharmaceuticals have announced the discovery that PRB'S patent pending botanical extract, V38-AMF-1, completely inhibits bird flu (H5N1) and Fujian Flu (H3N2) infections in vitro.

29 Jul 2004

Avian influenza virus is still present in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Viet Nam

New outbreaks of the avian influenza virus H5N1 in China, Thailand and Viet Nam confirm that the virus is still endemic in the region, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a statement yesterday.

10 Jul 2004

The bureaucratic view on Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong's resignation

Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong's resignation has demonstrated his commitment to serving the public, Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang says.

9 Jul 2004

Avian influenza virus in East Asia arose through a series of genetic reassortment events with other viruses

An avian influenza virus that has caused three major outbreaks among poultry and killed several people in East Asia over the past seven years arose through a series of genetic reassortment events with other viruses.

9 Jul 2004

Bird flu vaccine

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded two contracts to support the production and clinical testing of an investigational vaccine based on a strain of avian influenza, H5N1, which might have the potential to cause pandemic influenza.

27 May 2004