Much like Mark Twain's mistaken death (he's dead now, though) back in 1897, the reports of bird flu are greatly exaggerated.
According to the World Organization for Animal Health, the human race is in no danger of being overrun by a bird-flu pandemic. Their researchers say that the current strand of avian flu is too stable to mutate any time soon. It is one of the most stable strands of the flu that they've encountered.
The human race still has to worry about global warming, nuclear war, instability in the Middle East, melting ice caps, AIDS, cancer, asteroids, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, gang violence, poverty, overpopulation, limited resources, and getting stung by wasps, but bird flu, not so much.
What a relief.
The bird flu, as it turns out with the exception of one rare case, can only be transferred from sick bird to human.
Here is an excerpt from the safety manual How To Avoid Bird Flu.
Congratulations! You have avoided bird flu. (Advance to Level 1-2)
In all seriousness, it is only the mighty poultry worker who is really at risk from the bird flu with his/her Hephaestusian strength and ravenous dedication to harvesting fowl.
These are the symptoms of the bird flu: (You know, in case our hubris comes back to haunt us.)
- Bleeding Nose and Gums
- Conjunctivitis
- Stiff Muscles
- Sick as a Quail
- Vomiting
- Stuffed Beak
- Other Flu-like Symptoms
An Infectious Disease Specialist might be able to help in a bird-flu situation. Locate one near you.
