From The Metro:
The deadly bird flu virus could be returning this winter after reports of a new mutation of the disease in Eastern European countries, the UN has warned.
The bird flu virus has reached as far as Bulgaria and Romania, raising fears that it may spread farther across the continent and infectious disease experts at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) are also warning of a new mutation of the H5N1 virus. The mutation is able to get around vaccines currently in use, making it much more difficult to stop.
Jan Slingenbergh, senior officer in animal health services at FAO, said the disease had re-emerged in several countries where it was thought to have been eradicated. He said it could spread further into Europe in coming weeks when birds begin to migrate from Siberia and other parts of Asia.
‘It would appear to be an issue of growing importance,’ he said. 'There is of course the possibility that there will be secondary spread to the UK, but I don’t think this is an area of particular concern for the moment.’
Awesome!
In order, I can see "could", "reports of", "UN has warned", "raising fears", "may", "experts... are warning", "vaccines currently in use", "thought to have been", another "could", "would appear to be", "growing importance", "the possibility". Strip all those out and what is actually left of the article?
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Health Scare Story Du Jour
Posted by
Mark Wadsworth
at
12:53
6
comments
Labels: Bird 'flu, Climate of fear, Health, UN
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Readers' letters of the day
Both from The Metro:
I always said that bird 'flu didn't scare me because I am a bloke. But as a male chauvinist pig, I must admit the latest outbreak has got me worried. I think the government is taking things too far by introducing these disease-equality measures.
Bob Harris, Birmingham
and
Why are Britons in Spain 'expats' but Poles in Britan 'immigrants'?
Al, London.
Posted by
Mark Wadsworth
at
10:01
0
comments
Labels: Bird 'flu, Emigration, Humour, Immigrants, Mexican swine 'flu, Poland, Spain
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
H5N1: who gives a shit?
The deadly bird 'flu strain has killed 200 people over the past five or ten years.
So, out of a world population of 6,600 million, your chances of dying of it are like, slightly less than the number of decimal places after the full stop on your calculator.
Dude, WTF?
Posted by
Mark Wadsworth
at
23:55
9
comments
Labels: Bird 'flu, H5N1, statistics