A U.S. official says the United States will provide an additional 320-million dollars for the global fight against bird flu.
Paula Dobriansky (file photo)
Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky announced the pledge Saturday at an international bird flu conference in Egypt at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
She warned against complacency in fighting avian flu, which the United Nations says could cause a pandemic.
The U.S. pledge brings to about $950 million Washington's total contribution to fight bird flu, which has killed 245 people in Asia, Africa and Europe since 2003.
In some cases, the avian virus has been passed from infected birds to humans with fatal results. Experts fear the virus could become transmissible from person to person.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters. Reported by VOA
According To CDC Avian influenza is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These influenza viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.
Infected birds shed influenza virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with contaminated secretions or excretions or with surfaces that are contaminated with secretions or excretions from infected birds. Domesticated birds may become infected with avian influenza virus through direct contact with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry, or through contact with surfaces (such as dirt or cages) or materials (such as water or feed) that have been contaminated with the virus.
Infection with avian influenza viruses in domestic poultry causes two main forms of disease that are distinguished by low and high extremes of virulence. The “low pathogenic” form may go undetected and usually causes only mild symptoms (such as ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production). However, the highly pathogenic form spreads more rapidly through flocks of poultry. This form may cause disease that affects multiple internal organs and has a mortality rate that can reach 90-100% often within 48 hours.
Some facts are from CDC.
