AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN - WORLDWIDE (38): AFGHANISTAN, SUSPECTED
***************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2006 14:43:45 -0500 (EST)
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: AlertNet. 30 Mar 2006 [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL116248.htm>
Afghan health authorities are investigating the deaths of 3 children on
suspicion they might have had died of bird flu, a Public Health Ministry
official said on Thursday. The H5N1 virus was confirmed in chickens in the
Afghan capital and an eastern province this month and is assumed to have
spread to 5 other provinces.
The 3 children died in the central province of Ghor, which has not reported
any suspected cases of avian flu in chickens. It wasn't immediately clear
when the 3 died and other details of the case were sketchy. But ministry
adviser Abdullah Fahim said 3 children from the same place had recently
died in the remote, mountainous province, and there had also been reports
of dead wild birds in the vicinity.
An aid group working in the area, World Vision, had reported the deaths to
the health department, he said. "There are 3 confirmed cases of children
dying because of respiratory infection but the cause is not known. It's
just a suspicion," Fahim said. The children had been buried and no samples
had been taken. Fahim said he did not believe the children had died of bird
flu, as there had been no reports of the virus in chickens in the province.
They might have died of pneumonia, a common affliction in the mountains at
this time of year, he said.
The H5N1 avian influenza virus has spread in birds at an alarming rate in
recent months, sweeping through parts of Europe, down into Africa and
flaring anew in Asia. It is difficult for humans to catch but has infected
186 people in 8 countries and killed 105, according to the latest World
Health Organization figures.
Experts fear the virus could evolve into a form passed easily from human to
human, causing a pandemic that could kill millions. There have been no
human cases in Afghanistan but there is concern that, with veterinary and
health sectors still recovering from decades of conflict, the country could
struggle to contain an outbreak.
Health and agriculture officials were going to investigate the case in
remote Dahor village, to determine if the children had been in close
contact with birds, and to check on the reports of dead birds in the area,
Fahim said. Poultry production is small in Afghanistan but many families
have a few chickens in the yard.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[These 3 deaths of children suspected of H5N1 have not been laboratory
confirmed. An interactive map is available at:
<http://www.alertnet.org/map/index.htm?ct=2&code=AF&code=PK&pcode=> - Mod.RY]
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:1381081472395460444::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,32524
***************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2006 14:43:45 -0500 (EST)
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: AlertNet. 30 Mar 2006 [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL116248.htm>
Afghan health authorities are investigating the deaths of 3 children on
suspicion they might have had died of bird flu, a Public Health Ministry
official said on Thursday. The H5N1 virus was confirmed in chickens in the
Afghan capital and an eastern province this month and is assumed to have
spread to 5 other provinces.
The 3 children died in the central province of Ghor, which has not reported
any suspected cases of avian flu in chickens. It wasn't immediately clear
when the 3 died and other details of the case were sketchy. But ministry
adviser Abdullah Fahim said 3 children from the same place had recently
died in the remote, mountainous province, and there had also been reports
of dead wild birds in the vicinity.
An aid group working in the area, World Vision, had reported the deaths to
the health department, he said. "There are 3 confirmed cases of children
dying because of respiratory infection but the cause is not known. It's
just a suspicion," Fahim said. The children had been buried and no samples
had been taken. Fahim said he did not believe the children had died of bird
flu, as there had been no reports of the virus in chickens in the province.
They might have died of pneumonia, a common affliction in the mountains at
this time of year, he said.
The H5N1 avian influenza virus has spread in birds at an alarming rate in
recent months, sweeping through parts of Europe, down into Africa and
flaring anew in Asia. It is difficult for humans to catch but has infected
186 people in 8 countries and killed 105, according to the latest World
Health Organization figures.
Experts fear the virus could evolve into a form passed easily from human to
human, causing a pandemic that could kill millions. There have been no
human cases in Afghanistan but there is concern that, with veterinary and
health sectors still recovering from decades of conflict, the country could
struggle to contain an outbreak.
Health and agriculture officials were going to investigate the case in
remote Dahor village, to determine if the children had been in close
contact with birds, and to check on the reports of dead birds in the area,
Fahim said. Poultry production is small in Afghanistan but many families
have a few chickens in the yard.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[These 3 deaths of children suspected of H5N1 have not been laboratory
confirmed. An interactive map is available at:
<http://www.alertnet.org/map/index.htm?ct=2&code=AF&code=PK&pcode=> - Mod.RY]
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:1381081472395460444::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,32524