RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

For the past three years, avian influenza has consistently appeared in the headlines, due mainly to a dramatic increase in infections and renewed concerns about a global pandemic. On this page, we will cover important developments from December 2003 to the present.

2003

February

While visiting a Fujian province (China), a seven-year old girl dies of an acute respiratory disease; she was buried before the cause of death could be known. The girl's father and eight-year old brother were also infected, the boy survived, but the father died. Doctors confirmed that both were infected with a strain of H5N1.
In the Gelder Valley of the Netherlands, a highly pathogenic H7N7 strain began infecting domestic poultry and pigs. The flu spread quickly, and Dutch authorities were forced to kill more than 30 million chickens. Over 550 people were infected, and one person died. The outbreak was contained in August.

November

In Thailand, H5N1 infects several chickens around the country. The government attempts to cover it up, but growing opposition forces the government to confirm infections in January.

December

South Korea has its first H5N1 outbreaks in birds; government officials announce a major cull of chickens and ducks in five provinces.

2004

January

Thai agriculture workers getting rid of culled

chickens (AP Photo Apichart Weerawong)

Japan announces that H5N1 was found among chickens on a farm in the Yamaguchi prefecture.
Vietnam acknowledged that outbreaks of H5N1 are occurring in several provinces and Thailand admits that they have H5N1 cases of their own. Eight people have died of H5N1 in both countries.

February

In Thailand, Pathipat Boonmanut, age 11, holds a

picture of his deceased brother Captan, who

died of H5N1. (AP Photo Sakchai Lalit)

A low pathogenic H7N3 strain causes the deaths of several chickens on a farm Abbotsford, British Columbia. Authorities tried to contain the outbreak, but the virus quickly mutated into a highly pathogenic strain, killing entire flocks of poultry. The government ordered the culling of 19 million chickens. There were two confirmed cases of human infection, but both recovered.

June

Tests of an H5N1 isolate in chicken and mice show that the virus has become significantly more virulent in mammals than in recent years.

August

H5N1 is responsible for the deaths of three people in Vietnam. In Vietnam and Thailand, there have been 37 cases since December 2003, resulting in 26 deaths.
Chinese virologists report H5N1 in pigs and warn countries to prepare for a pandemic. They fear that the virus genetically reassort with a human virus in the pigs cells.

September

On September 28th, the WHO revealed that Pranee Thongchan many have contracted H5N1 from her ill daughter. This alarmed officials, who scrambled to find out whether the virus had mutated or reassorted with a human flu virus. Luckily, scientists found no human flu genes in the virus.

November

Once again, WHO warns that H5N1 could spark a pandemic and is concerned that much of the world is unprepared to handle one. WHO officials meet with vaccine makers, public health experts, and government representatives in an attempt to speed up the production of flu vaccines.

2005

Poultry market in Cambodia (CNN)

January/February

Since December 2004, 13 people were infected with H5N1, 12 of those cases were fatal.
Cambodia reports its first H5N1 human infection.

March

Evidence of a second human-to-human transmission of the virus occurred in Hanoi, when two nurses fell ill after treating a patient with avian influenza.
As of now, H5N1 has spread to 10 countries and has caused the deaths of millions of chickens.

May

Indonesian officials confirm reports of H5N1 infections in pigs, elevating fears of possible genetic reassortment that would allow the virus to jump from human to human.
H5N1 is responsible for the deaths of more than a thousand migratory birds in China.

June

Health experts say that avian influenza has become resistant to the amantadine family of antiviral drugs.

July

After a three day conferences in Malaysia, WHO officials say that $150 million is needed to stop the spread of H5N1 in people and that an additional $100 million is needed to stop infection in animals.
The Philippines report their first case of avian flu; H5N1 infection is not confirmed.

August

Since December 2004, there have been 63 cases of avian flu, resulting in 20 deaths.
The Lancet publishes an article about Relenza. The article says that the antiviral drug Relenza is just as effective as Tamiflu, has fewer side effects, and there is no evidence of resistance to it (compared with 18% resistance to Tamiflu.)
Russia and Kazakhstan confirm reports of H5N1 infections in poultry. Officials believe that the poultry contracted the virus by sharing water with wild birds. H5N1 is also responsible for the deaths of 89 migratory birds in Mongolia.

September

4 cases of H5N1 were reported in Indonesia, 3 of which were fatal.
New research shows that an emerging pandemic can be contained if 1) the virus was detected quickly, 2) if it spread slowly, 3) if sufficient antiviral drugs were deployed around the outbreaks epicenter, and 4) if strict quarantine and other protective measures were enforced.
President George Bush calls for an international partnership that would require countries to share flu information and samples with the WHO.

October

H5N1 makes its first appearance in Europe, as Greece, Romania, and Turkey all report H5N1 infections in domestic birds.
A new case of H5N1 is reported in Indonesia.
As of now, the total number of people infected with H5N1 since December 2003 is 117.

November

H5N1 infections continue to pop up in Russia, as officials announce that 250 wild swans have died of avian flu. In addition, Kuwait had its first case of the bird flu.
Officials in the Canadian province of Manitoba report that two ducks found dead had died of the H5N1 virus. However, this strain of the virus is different from the one currently circulating in Asia.
China, Indonesia, and Vietnam all report new bird flu cases, one death is reported in Vietnam.

December

In Ukraine, health officials announced a cull of poultry in several villages on the Crimean peninsula, after more than 2,000 birds died of the H5N1 strain. Locals have said that the birds have been dying since September.

An Iraqi health worker disinfects a

car, hoping to deter the spread

of bird flu (AFP/Safin Hamed)

Vietnam reports two more people have died of H5N1. The patients were given Tamiflu, but the drug was ineffective. Researchers say that the virus is mutating and quickly becoming resistant to the drug. Experts are worried, but say they are "not surprised."

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan

eats chicken to reassure the people that

chicken is safe to eat (AFP)

2006

January/February

Turkey and Iraq both report H5N1-related human deaths, the first in Europe and the Middle East.