The deadly H5N1 strain of Avian flu has now been found in India, and Iran.
Indonesia reports it's 19th death from the same. The Indonesian Agriculture Minister says that "people were now 'dying quicker' when they contracted the virus and that incidences of human cases were increasing.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, human cases of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza have been found in the following countries: Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey and Iraq.
Additionally, cases in wild birds and poultry have been found in: Hong Kong (SARPRC), Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Romania, Russia, Slovenia (H5), Kazakhstan and Nigeria. Most of the infections appear to be in wild swans.
The CDC assesses the situation:
...There is little pre-existing natural immunity to H5N1 infection in the human population. If these H5N1 viruses gain the ability for efficient and sustained transmission among humans, an influenza pandemic could result, with potentially high rates of illness and death. In addition, genetic sequencing of influenza A (H5N1) viruses from human cases in Vietnam and Thailand shows resistance to the antiviral medications amantadine and rimantadine, two of the medications commonly used for treatment of influenza.
...Research suggests that currently circulating strains of H5N1 viruses are becoming more capable of causing disease (pathogenic) in mammals than were earlier H5N1 viruses. One study found that ducks infected with H5N1 virus are now shedding more virus for longer periods without showing symptoms of illness. This finding has implications for the role of ducks in transmitting disease to other birds and possibly to humans as well. Additionally, other findings have documented H5N1 infection among pigs in China and H5N1 infection in felines (experimental infection in housecats in the Netherlands and isolation of H5N1 viruses in tigers and leopards in Thailand ).
The Washington Post reports on the state of preparedness for a pandemic here.
Linked with basil's blog
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