| The H5N1 version of bird flu is the deadliest flu in | | | | So far most people who have become ill have |
| recent history. Indonesia has now recorded its | | | | had close contact with poultry. Indonesia has |
| 49th human bird flu death according to the World | | | | some 2 billion chickens and the virus is endemic in |
| Health Organization (WHO). This surpasses that of | | | | these birds in 27 of the 33 provinces. |
| neighboring Vietnam with 42 bird flu deaths. | | | | Culling this many birds would require massive |
| This makes 2006 the deadliest year since the | | | | compensation to farmers and chicken owners. |
| H5N1 virus started spreading rapidly amongst the | | | | Indonesia has been criticized for not carrying out |
| world's bird population. And it brings this year's | | | | such an effort. Its neighbor Vietnam has carried |
| worldwide human death toll to 66, out of the 100 | | | | out an aggressive culling campaign and has not |
| reported cases (66%). This death rate far | | | | had a confirmed case of the bird flu in 2006. |
| exceeds that of the most deadly pandemic of | | | | In July and August Thailand officials also conducted |
| the century, the 1918 Spanish flu, which had a | | | | large-scale culling of chickens in an attempt to |
| death rate approximated at 2.5%. Even with this | | | | curb the spread of the disease. The aggressive |
| much lower death rate, the 1918 pandemic took a | | | | action seems to have paid off with a government |
| large toll on the worlds population with | | | | official declaring Thailand "bird flu free" for over a |
| somewhere between 50-100 million deaths. | | | | month. |
| The H5N1 bird flu numbers however, are only for | | | | This victory does not obviate the current |
| confirmed cases. The actual death toll and extent | | | | worldwide risk. The battle ground is currently set |
| of illness are likely to be higher. The World Health | | | | in Asia and possibly Africa against this tiny viral |
| Organization's situation reports indicate that other | | | | enemy. Poverty and the lack of adequate |
| likely cases have remained unconfirmed, due to | | | | healthcare feed the opportunities for the virus to |
| the inability to collect samples prior to death and | | | | mutate. The more opportunities H5N1 has to mix |
| disposal of the remains. | | | | with the typical human seasonal flu, the greater |
| An example of this is surrounds the 44th | | | | the likelihood it will acquire the mutations that allow |
| confirmed bird flu death in Indonesia. The neighbor | | | | it to spread easily amongst humans. Experts |
| also fell ill with similar symptoms and then died | | | | agree that if this happens within 6 weeks the |
| prior to samples being obtained. Another neighbor | | | | worldwide population will be fighting a pandemic |
| has also died and confirmation of bird flu as cause | | | | battle that will be one for the history books. |
| of death is pending laboratory results. | | | | |