Bird Flu Death Count Passes 50 in Asia

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Asia has now seen 50 deaths from Bird Flu since January 2004, according to the BBC this morning. Viet Nam leads with 36 deaths, Thailand 12, and Cambodia 2. The latest was a 10-year-old who died in Hanoi, Viet Nam. Late last month, North Korea joined to the list. (Click here to read full story.) Right now, the US Center for Disease Control is running such programs as Spring Break disease awareness and "Screen for Life," particularly with its "Star Power" push currently featuring NBC Today Show co-host Katie Couric, while Avian Influenza or Bird Flu is not on the front page but several click-through's deep. Bird Flu may be "Asian" right now, but it probably migrated to Southeast Asia with former refugees from Hong Kong: how long will it take to hit our shores, carried by people arriving not by boat but by airplane? In contrast to CDC, the World Health Organization keeps an Avian Influenza update on its front page. Previous articles: Food Vermin -- Bird Flu, Next Course? --> back to superchefblog