Drudge: Killer flu 'on the way'

Drudge Report ^ | Nov 2, 2002 | BBC

[The Raven]

Experts say governments across Europe need to plan for a virulent flu outbreak that could claim hundreds of thousands of lives.

Although the last two winters have brought only mild strains of flu to the UK, the viruses are constantly mutating and scientists say it is only a matter of time before a powerful strain emerges.

Whatever knowledge, technology and skills we develop, eventually it's the policy makers and the politicians that decide what is going to happen

Professor Albert Osterhaus, Erasmus University While it may not be as damaging as the 1918 "Spanish flu" that killed tens of millions in Europe alone, they say that the continent is not ready to cope with another pandemic.

This "superflu" is caused by an influenza virus, but its fatality rate is more reminiscent of lethal haemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola.

Previous versions, including the Spanish flu, had mutated into a form which the human immune system could not tackle.

It is possible that, at any time, the virus could mutate again and produce a strain that could share many of these lethal genetic characteristics.

Strategies

Virologists from throughout Europe are meeting in Malta this week to discuss the best strategy for first predicting, and then handling a major outbreak.

Albert Osterhaus, a professor of virology at Erasmus Univeristy in Rotterdam, said: "Whatever knowledge, technology and skills we develop, eventually it's the policy makers and the politicians that decide what is going to happen."

European citizens will expect everything possible to have been done at every level of public authority

Robert Coleman, European Commission Some experts have been looking at the genetic structure of the virus which caused the 1918 pandemic, as well as a serious outbreak in Hong Kong in 1997 for clues which may help doctors combat such an outbreak.

There were three flu pandemics in the last century, in 1918, 1957 and 1968.

Even though the 1957 and 1968 outbreaks were less severe than the Spanish flu, they still accounted for 40m deaths between them.

Overdue attack

Researchers suggest that an approximate 30 year cycle between pandemics means we are well overdue for another one.

Robert Coleman, the director general of health and consumer protection at the European Commission, said: "The action we take now will determine how well we combat the next major influenza threat we will face.

"European citizens will expect everything possible to have been done at every level of public authority.

"It will be several months at least after the start of the pandemic before a vaccine is available.

"Antiviral drugs could help during this period, but stockpiles would need to be in place well in advance. This is not yet the case."

[The Raven]

Uh oh.

[spectre]

Just got my annual flu shot the other day. Guess it isn't for the "big one"...sigh.

sw

[chance33_98]

"The action we take now will determine how well we combat the next major influenza threat we will face.

I wish they would apply that logic to Iraq, et. al.

[blam]

...And of course we still have this problem lurking around that most doctors haven't even heard about yet!!

Another Polio? Alarming West Nile Fever Risks Emerge

[Overtaxed]

European citizens will expect everything possible to have been done at every level of public authority.

Oh well that makes everything all right. /sarcasm

[Fiddlstix]

I wish they would apply that logic to Iraq, et. al.

Well Said!

[not-an-ostrich]

Oh no! Another one of those "Maybe", "What If" "Might Happen" false headlines.

[Lion's Cub]

Good thing I see this story every year. Otherwise, I might think it was a CYA story for hiding a potential anthrax attack...

[contessa machiaveli]

killer flu sweeps across islamic world.
i can dream can't i?

[buffyt]

I had my flu shot the other day. The nurse told me it will stimulate my immune system against the flu strains in the shot and any thing else that goes around. So the flu shot will still help mae our immune systems ready to fight a new killer flu, too. I had the flu this last winter and spring, I was sick in bed, flat on my back for months. I don't want to go through taht again. I should get tested for West Nile antibodies. It sure didn't seem like the normal flu. I am 51, if I had been elderly and frail, I would not have lived.

[Dutch Boy]

My brain is running out of room for "what if's." I only have room for "what is."

I wish there was some way to hold the so called "experts" to their word. If a doom and gloom prediction is made and it does not happened all funding should be revoked and credentials nullified. I have a feeling that pronouncements will be greatly reduced and accuracy will sky rocket. These announcements, including global warming, sing of attempts to grab media notice rather than science.

Defund the quacks.

[WhiteGuy]

Isn't this part of the plot in Stephen King's The Stand?

[discostu]

Halloween has passed and thus the "killer flu scare that never pans out" season has begun. Every year they say the flu is really nasty this year, terribly scary, many will die... And every year it turns out to be nothing worse than a thick head cold.

Beware the scare.

[aeronca]

Beware the news source (BBC)...British newspapers read like a national enquirer most of the time.

[discostu]

That's where they stole the name "superflu" from, but "cpt trips" (the other nickname for the disease in The Stand) was man made and wasn't actually a flu. King's best book, still a favorite 20 odd years after I first read it.

[discostu]

I stopped believing the annual killer flu stories back when Bush's dad was in the White House, now they serve as a reminder to start my X-Mas shopping.

[katze]

I just got over something that I thought was flu, temp 102+, complete loss off appetite, so weak I could barely maneuver. Ended up with 10 days of Zithromax (2xdaily), which is an extraordinarily high dose. Blood work showed bacterial infection, which IIRC, does not comport with flu, which is usually a viral thing. I'm double-digits older than you, and it did hit hard, but sounds like you were, too.

Fortunately, being fever-free for several days, was able to get flu shot yesterday.

[AndyTheBear]

Unfortunetly the flu shot is only effective against three strains of the flu which the vaccine manufactures thought would be the worst/most common a number of months ago. Unless they targeted this one as part of the three I do not think the flu shot helps at all. (I know a microbiologist who worked several years in the flu vaccine industry, and will see if I can't get her take on this later today).

[spectre]

Thanks, Andy. Imagine there are many of us here who took the flu shot this year.

Any info is helpful.

If the shot doesn't help, there's always "Chicken Soup"..:~)

sw

[EdReform]

BTTT for later...