Has it started?
 

One of the vets dealing with the outbreak of Avian Flu on Bernard Matthews' turkey farm has been admitted to hospital with a mystery respiratory illness.

Has the HN51 virus mutated or has he got a cold like thousands of others this time of year?

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

PANIC!!!

jebus, we'll all be running around like headless chickens next.

The panic thing was definitely the gist of the news story. I'd imagine the Daily Mail will have a field day with it tomorrow.

Personally I'm going for the 20 Bensons a day and a bit of a sniffle theory but I've got to be honest, I don't blame him for getting it checked out.

It hasn't mutated, and if he HAS got it, he'll not be the first, let alone the last.

The mutation they are afraid of is it's ability to pass from human to human, not chicken to human.

Unfortunately, the more people that get it, the greater the chances of said mutation occurring.

Mate of mine watched a programme about it, said it was sobering. Unlike most flus, that are dangerous to the very young and old, THIS one will be most dangerous to the young and fit. It apparently causes HUGE amounts of antibodies to be produced, more so, the fitter you are, thus flooding the lungs, and the sufferer drowns:(

Alcazar

1. The vet does not have it (been given the all clear)

2. the chance of the virus mutating to a form that's transmissable between humans is very very small. i.e. there are bigger things to worry about. That won't stop the media pushing out scare stories.

3. if it does there's sod all you can do about it other than hope an effective response is developed quickly enough. Tamiflu is not the answer as it's unlikely to be much (any?) use against a virus that doesn't exist yet.

In summary, relax and enjoy yourselves!

Gordo

panic over Mr. Mannering! BBC NEWS | UK | Vet tests negative for bird flu

" ... A vet who became ill after working on the Suffolk bird flu outbreak has tested negative for the disease, the Health Protection Agency has said ... "

Dave

sounds like a cover up! OMG run for your lives!

You have to look at the reality, places like China, Vietnam etc where the hygiene can be lacking as well as extreme overcrowding and birds living amongst humans etc. That's where you'd expect a mass outbreak, not some isolated turkey farm.