BIRD FLU IS SPREADING RAPIDLY ACROSS TURKEY

FIRST MUTATIONS OF THE VIRUS IN HUMANS

RUSSIA, EU, CHINA PREPARE FOR PANDEMIC

WORLD POULTRY TRADE PREPARES FOR LOSSES


The Bird Flu/Avian Influenza virus in action.

WHO tells Asia to prepare for a bird flu epidemic.

Examining the bird flu outbreak propaganda : where's the proof?

The battle to stop bird flu will have to be fought for a long time to come in Turkey.

Bird Flu in Turkey now an epidemic, says WHO, and shows signs of mutation.

Viruses mutate to survive in changed environments, to grow stronger, to take control more easily. The mutations occurred at the level where the avian virus flings hooks into the human cell to hang on. Once hooked, they're hard to shake. Mutation, and the words "more capable" are not good news. It means the virus is growing, learning, teaching itself how to invade and kill more effectively, and to keep fighting. Today it's winning.

Turkey has confirmed the death of a third child from the virus.

Three children from the same family have now died after handling dead chickens. They didn't know what avian flu was or why their farm birds were dying. There are upwards of 20 people now confirmed infected in Turkey. They are isolated and under surveillance.

The World Bank is handing out $500 million to countries under threat from bird flu.

But these are not gifts. All loans to the World Bank will have to be repayed. This means poorer countries could have most of their poultry stocks destroyed in an outbreak, and then owe millions in loan repayments from a shattered economy.

More antivirals promised at meeting of Aisan health officials.

Roche, the makers of Tamiflu, has already committed 30 million capsules of Tamiflu to the World Health Organisation for "rapid response" for the Asian stockpile. They've promised more are on the way.

The H5N1 virus is spreading rapidly through bird populations in Turkey. 11 cities are infected, with another twelve cities under close watch.

The mass gatherings of health officials from all over the world continue to multiply, there's another one in Beijing this week.