Awe And Horror Created By H5N1 Bird Flu Virus

What is this bird flu...What is the genesis of this virus...nobody can tell to be precise.

But wild guesses circulate in plenty. Every street in the affected city has a different story to tell.

Some say that it is the divine retribution for the millions of chickens the human beings have slaughtered for the sake of the taste. If this is true, the process of retribution will take a long tome to complete.

Researches and health organizations are not at rest. They are going full scale to get a definite answer.

But one important achievement of the scientists. They have given a number tag for this disease: H5N1. The origin of this disease began with the birds. The migratory nature of the bird has added fuel to the fire. They have sincerely carried the virus to the visiting countries. Millions of birds have died so far or have been destroyed by the human beings.

This virus, codenamed, H5N1, initially threated to envelop the whole world. Utter confusion and panic prevailed all over. The possibility of human beings getting into the net of this disease became real, and a few deaths were reported. You do not know whether the deaths were due to eating the flesh of the birds. But you are warned against coming into close contact with the infected bird. It is reported that a fellow human being can not transmit it to you.

The statistics available with us indicate that only 207 people have been infected with this disease, during the last ten years but the alarming fact is 115 of them died. The survival rate works out to less then 50%.

So, �why panic?� question some of the scientists. But the disease experts have an altogether different story to tell. It takes weeks and months for a flu-like virus to spread. Do you think a virus has been created, by whosoever created it, just to kill 100 odd people? Scientists do not rule out a bird flu pandemic rampaging the whole world! They are busy researching the remedial measures!

What if this virus, would begin to attack the human population? How would the governments contain the outbreak? The chances of their being able to do something tangible seems to be remote. With the outbreak of the malaria fever which has been attacking the humanity since time immemorial, the Health Ministries shiver even today!

What would be the scenario like if this virus would strike in a big way? Mass hysteria, commotion, mass cremation, common graves, doctors absent, vaccine shortages, the elected representatives who must live under any circumstances hiding in bunkers...seems hysterically terrible?

Well, unless we find a sure shot answer to all these queries...the situation is unlikely to change...and we go ahead with chicken soup and cutlet!