Russ Feingold: “the avian influenza, H5N1, virus has recently been detected for the first time in Nigeria. International health…”

“the avian influenza, H5N1, virus has recently been detected for the first time in Nigeria. International health officials have long warned about the potential danger of avian flu spreading throughout the African continent, and it appears we are now one step closer to this danger becoming a reality. While the threat of avian influenza is global, and needs to be addressed here in the United States, it is of particular concern in Africa. Many governments in Africa are unequipped to effectively deal with an outbreak, which requires early detection, quarantining, and culling of affected bird populations. And although there are no reports yet of humans contracting the disease in Nigeria, recent cases in Turkey and Iraq underscore the danger for people who live in close proximity to poultry, as is the case throughout much of Africa. In areas where birds, livestock, and people are in close contact, the risk of the virus mutating into a strain that can be transmitted between humans is increased. Additionally, immunocompromised individuals may be more susceptible to the disease, and it is unclear what effect avian influenza could have on populations already ravaged by HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases. Finally, the already overburdened or underdeveloped health infrastructure in much of Africa may find itself unable to cope with a pandemic. Avian flu is an international danger to which no country in the world is immune.…”