Although H5N1 virus mainly infects birds, it can easily spread in humans.
Experts fear that the constantly mutating H5N1 virus could change into a form which could easily transmitted from human to human. This is a real cause for concern as it can kill millions.
According to the city’s health sectetary, York Chow, H5 virus killed dozens of birds at a farm in Honk Kong’s northern Yuen Long district near the border of China.
However, the health secretary declared that the outbreak was under control. But scientists cannot understand how chickens vaccinated against the virus had fallen prey to H5.
According to Ho-Pak-leung, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong, a vaccine will not be the same like it was 5 years ago. So this time it could be that the vaccine may not be effective in fighting the virus.
The government is seriously thinking of alternate vaccines. Hong Kong uses Dutch made vaccine to protect the chicken. The outbreak has raised the possibility that the virus has mutated to develop immunity to the vaccine being used in the poultry.
For precautionary measure government has taken following steps:
a) Mass killing of poultry birds around the infected firm to eradicate the bird flu virus.
b) Have to identify the virus.
c) Ban all the outlets of all chickens from farms for 21 days.
d) Suspend all the imports of chicken and poultry including birds for the next 21 days.
e) Which vaccine to be used.
Source:TheMedGuru
Filed under Bird Flu, Birds, Entirely Pets, Pet Meds | Tags: bird flu virus, can kill millions, H5N1 virus, vaccine, virus has mutated to develop immunity | Comment Below
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Although H5N1 virus mainly infects birds, it can easily spread in humans.
