Deadly Virus Currently Contained To Southeast Asia

POSTED: 2:15 pm EDT April 5, 2005
UPDATED: 5:23 pm EDT April 5, 2005

CONCORD, N.H. -- New Hampshire has joined forces with other states and the world community to try to prevent a potentially deadly epidemic.

Avian flu has been restricted to Southeast Asia, but experts warned state lawmakers Tuesday that if it spread to other parts of the globe, it could be catastrophic. The worst-case scenario of an epidemic would be 852,000 people infected in the state and 2,000 deaths.

The aggressive virus spreads from local birds to people. It can be airborne or spread by touch. Health officials said they should be prepared for a global outbreak, just in case.

"Influenza pandemics come in waves, and it would not be short-term," state epidemiologist Dr. Jesse Greenblatt said. "It would come over the course of a couple of years."

Nationally, 40,000 Americans die from a normal flu season. Experts said an avian flu epidemic could kill 200,000 across the country.

Although the numbers are troubling, experts said there would only be a risk of an epidemic if the virus begins passing from person to person, and that hasn't happened.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization are working with every state to be prepared and stockpile vaccines.

"Last year, we added one strain to the anti-virus shots to that stockpile, so that in a pandemic, we can cover the initial stages of this," said Dr. Jose Montero, of the state Department of Health and Human Services.

No Signs Of Bird Flu SpreadingExperts said no one should panic about the possibility of an epidemic. A national pandemic flu response plan is in place. Research is under way to improve the quality and variety of medicines, and states like New Hampshire are improving facilities to handle an outbreak.

Working together, health experts said they are confident they'll be prepared and on the same page.

"Our major strategy is communication and information-sharing," medical director Dr. William Kassler said.

On April 20, the state will brief town and city workers on a flu response plan in case of an outbreak, and on May 14, regional health experts will meet in Boston.

http://www.thewmurchannel.com/health/4348988/detail.html