Posted on 03/09/2005 4:33:31 AM PST by franksolich
Authorities brace for Avian Flu
Norway's Directorate for Health and Social Affairs has recommended that stores of influenza medicine be increased as a precaution against a possible pandemic.
The World Health Organization (WHO) assesses the Avian Flu outbreak in Southeast Asia as a potential forerunner of a global influenza epidemic due to its high fatality rate and the danger of it mutating to a form even more dangerous to humans.
Norway's health authorities said Wednesday that stocks of influenza remedy Tamiflu be increased from 200,000 ten-pill cures to 1.4 million.
Authorities also suggested the purchase of 12 million daily doses of the medication amantadine, enough for 1.2 million people. According to the Canadian Press, amantadine does not combat avian flu but may help against other and future strains.
The cost of these measures is calculated at NOK 162 million (USD 26.4 million). The Directorate for Health and Social Affairs has also asked that NOK 6 million be earmarked for management and training.
Avian Flu has so far only been transmitted to humans via direct contact and the virus is not passed on via poultry meat or eggs. WHO figures give a human fatality rate of 75% for the latest outbreak in Asia.
A smaller 1997 outbreak had a fatality rate of 33%, far above that of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which had a fatality rate of under 10% and caused global concern.
They must be expecting something serious; this is more than enough medicines for one-third the entire population of Norway (which by the way is the smallest of the Scandinavian countries, and not to be confused with "Sweden" or "Old Europe").
I wanted to find a photograph of the building in which the Aftenposten resides, but alas no luck.
One wonders if the excellent reporter Morten Andersen might be working on a story about bison in Norway, for the imcomparable Nina Berglund or the unparalleled Jonathan Tisdall to translate for us.
> They must be expecting something serious ...
The entire population of Norwegian Blue parrots is at risk.
:-)
Well, I don't know much about "public health"--despite that nearly all my family was, or is, in the medical fields--but it seems to me having medicines so as to cover a third of an entire population is rather high--I could be wrong, but I always thought something like medicines enough to cover 10% was considered adequate for nearly all epidemics.
IIRC, isn't it housed in the same building as Oslo Central Station?
I love your picture from May 17.
I love your picture from May 17.
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