Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

China says ill woman is 10th human bird flu case there

(CIDRAP News) A 36-year-old Chinese woman was in critical condition in Chengdu City, suffering from what the Chinese authorities announced today was the country's 10th human case of H5N1 avian flu, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

The woman, whose surname is Cao, is from Sichaun province in southwest China, AFP noted. She fell ill on Jan 12; tests confirmed her H5N1 infection on Jan 17.

Report discourages use of antivirals for seasonal flu

Jan 20, 2005 (CIDRAP News) Researchers who analyzed numerous clinical trials concluded that the two newest antiviral drugs for influenza, oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza), should not routinely be used against seasonal flua recommendation flatly rejected by the manufacturer of oseltamivir.

Robert Roos

Second mutation in Turkey H5N1 virus suggests adaptation to humans

(CIDRAP News) A new report in Nature cites more evidence that mutations detected in H5N1 avian influenza viruses recovered from patients in Turkey may better equip the viruses to infect humans.

$1.9 billion pledged for global avian flu battle

(CIDRAP News) Governments and organizations at a conference in Beijing have pledged $1.9 billion for a global fund to fight avian influenza, well above the $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion that organizers had hoped for, according to news services.

The 2-day conference yielded pledges for almost $1 billion in grants, mainly for poor countries in Southeast Asia, and about $900 million in loans, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) report.

China's avian flu deaths reach 6; Indonesia reports case cluster

(CIDRAP News) Chinese authorities today announced another human death from the H5N1 avian influenza virus, raising the government's case count to nine, including six deaths, according to a Reuters report.

More human H5N1 cases reported in Turkey, Indonesia

(CIDRAP News) More cases of human illness and death were laid at the door of the H5N1 virus in Turkey and Indonesia today.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday confirmed the death from H5N1 of a 5-year-old boy from Dogubayazit district in Turkey's eastern Agri province. His 14-year-old sister had died on Jan 15, and results on Monday confirmed her death was from H5N1.

Roche to give more Tamiflu; bird-flu funding meeting opens

(CIDRAP News) The Swiss drug company Roche said today it would give another 2 million treatment courses of its anitivral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) to the World Health Organization for developing countries to use to fight avian influenza in humans.

The announcement came as representatives from 90 countries and 20 organizations met in Beijing for a conference to raise funds to battle the H5N1 virus.

Officials fear avian flu may become endemic in Turkey

Jan 13, 2005 (CIDRAP News) The rapid spread of avian influenza across Turkey in recent days has generated criticism of the country's response to the disease and concern that the virus may become too well-established to eradicate any time soon.

Asian officials discuss ways to arrest a pandemic

Jan 13, 2005 (CIDRAP News) – Delegates from about 20 Asian countries today concluded a 2-day meeting in Tokyo focusing on early response measures to use if avian influenza shows signs of evolving into a human flu pandemic.

H5N1 virus change may ease jump from birds to humans, WHO says

(CIDRAP News) An H5N1 avian influenza virus recovered from a Turkish patient has a mutation that may enable the virus to spread more easily from birds to humans, though the finding's significance for human health is not yet clear, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today.