Reports from over the weekend speak of the death of more than 1000 migratory birds in China's central Qinghai (青海). The cause? Probably due the Avian Bird Flu. However, no humans have alledgedly been affected in the Middle Kingdom by the flu that hitherto has killed 53 individuals in South East Asia.
The main threat associated with the Avian flu, or specifically the H5N1 strain, is if it mutates to develop the ability for human-to-human transmission. This could, according to experts, spark a world-wide epidemic.
The question now remains: Is the Avian Flu already a problem in certain parts of China as it has already been in Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. for the past few months--we just don't know about it?
Will China's health authorities be able to efficiently tacle a new SARS-like crisis? and would this have an impact on the current Hu regime, if such an outbreak outfolds?
Your participation and discourse is needed.....
Related links:
BBC News Story "China raises bird death toll"
AFP News story "China working to contain bird flu, foot-and-mouth disease"
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