tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16822863.post750020621166376619..comments2023-08-20T20:23:16.294+10:00Comments on THE BIRD FLU BLOG: Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16822863.post-44780233255771922152007-09-03T16:47:00.000+10:002007-09-03T16:47:00.000+10:00It's not called the Easter show here, i used that ...It's not called the Easter show here, i used that term cos you are prob from Syderney, and that's what I thought youse called it when all the bushies and the cows and horses and side show alley and sample bags come to town. Here in Brisso its the Ekka, short for Exhibition and it's in August, just passed. Surprise surprise there's always a flu incidence spike in August. In fact they are saying they mighyt shift the hallowed Royal National Association Exhibition to some other time, less infectious. <BR/>The equine epideimic also shows how ineffective protection protocols can be, human error and all that. 'Frintance, this March, @ the super high CSIRO biosecurity lab in Geelong:<BR/>"Three scientists at an animal health laboratory were exposed to the virus last Monday while they were working on infected ducks. Laboratory director Dr Martyn Jeggo says an air filter inside a protective suit was not activated, exposing the three to the virus"<BR/>Doh!!<BR/>There has been a fatality at that lab before when a veteran scientist got locked in an airtight fridge or something with a nitrogen leak i think it was. <BR/>Truth is a lot like fiction, just with cheesier plot devices.GoodToBeWithYouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05832834387965892811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16822863.post-34285304017202948722007-09-03T14:17:00.000+10:002007-09-03T14:17:00.000+10:00That's a remarkable report GoodToBeWithYou. Thanks...That's a remarkable report GoodToBeWithYou. Thanks. The media certainly didn't report that information about the Easter Show in any noticeable way. And yes, the 'vanilla flu' was particularly bad. Between direct deaths related to Influenza A and what they called deaths due to complications arising from Influenza A, the death toll was more than 400, over six to eight weeks.<BR/><BR/>The horse flu epidemic is very strange and shows just how financially destructive flu epidemics can be.Darryl Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03488464950581586568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16822863.post-56865811073660092482007-09-03T13:20:00.000+10:002007-09-03T13:20:00.000+10:00Thoroughly looking forward to reading your outbrea...Thoroughly looking forward to reading your outbreak scenario. <BR/><BR/>Back in the real world, I note Peter Beattie drew on the state's tamiflu reserves for this season's regular, but unusually severe, influenza outbreak. <BR/><BR/>When PB went to Tony Abbott for more tamiflu, abbott said No way, we're keeping it for the pandemic.<BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, an H5N1 cluster was forming in that favourite Oz holiday destination, Bali. <BR/><BR/>The vanilla flu this year was so severe that crowds stayed away from the Ekka, our Easter show. The health department was doing a PR exercise, handing out swabs, people were wearing masks. <BR/>But when the organisation running the show made a noise about taking$$$ being way down, rather than being a prudent Health department with infection minimisation as it's mission, they encouraged people to go to the show crowds, as long as they didn't actually have the flu. <BR/>No concern about any pre-symptomatic infectious period.<BR/>A very lax sort of risk minimisation if you ask me, and a pointer to how it might break out.<BR/><BR/>Quarantine measures don't seem to be working too well for the gee-gees either.GoodToBeWithYouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05832834387965892811noreply@blogger.com