Wild Birds Not The Problem

Nearly 200 people have died from the H5N1 avian flu virus around the world...

If you have been reading Ukmedix News you’ll notice that very often we report on bird flu outbreaks in different parts of the globe and that the majority of these outbreaks are stopped by the culling of the infected birds. It makes sense that by killing the birds you also kill the virus and prevent the bird from flying around so that it is unable to spread the virus further.

However a group of scientists are now saying that the culling of wild birds is not a sensible and realistic solution to stopping the outbreak of bird flu around the world. They say that the practice of the random and indiscriminate killing of wild birds that were anywhere near an infected bird was against the recommendations of many organizations and conservation groups.

The scientists were speaking at a conference organised in Scotland this week that was coordinated by the Avian Flu Task Force which is working with the United Nations International Convention of Migratory Species. The scientists went on to say that bird flu outbreaks were most serious and dangerous when they appeared on poultry farms and this is where the health authorities needed to focus their attention.

After the conference a statement was released saying that a special early warning system needed to be developed to warn health authorities immediately when outbreaks occurred in the future. The seriousness of the bird flu virus is underlined by the fact that nearly 200 people have died from the H5N1 avian flu virus around the world over the last few years. In Europe we tend to feel pretty remote from the problem as almost all of these cases have happened in Asia and none of them have occurred in the EU but the danger is there, is very relevant and will not just disappear away on its own.

The influenza drug Tamiflu which is made by the drug company Roche is thought to be the most effective medication to beat the H5N1 bird flu virus.